Furniture

In an effort to keep costs within budget without sacrificing looks, the fully gutted and renovated kitchen features IKEA cabinetry framework with shaker-style fronts by Semihandmade. The cabinets were painted Farrow & Ball Pigeon.

Influenced by both Benedictine monasteries and Japanese residences, award-winning British architect John Pawson created The Life House – a minimalist holiday rental home in Wales with a pure and uncluttered ambience that encourages a state of quietude and contemplation.

To maximize space in this tiny 323-square-foot studio Budapest apartment, local design studio POSITION Collective used an elevated, plywood sleeping unit inspired by Japanese “tansu” mobile cabinetry, with secrete storage modules on the side of the steps leading up to the futon bed.

For this 780-square-foot apartment Hong Kong apartment, local practice MNB Design Studio used plywood, smart storage solutions, and tapped into the principles of origami to create a highly structured, minimalist home.

Walls of glass, horizontal roof planes, and a natural material palette enable this expansive home to feel like an extension of a dramatic boulder-strewn landscape in Idaho.

City Cabin | Olson Kundig

This kitchen is an exercise in light and dark, which echoes the home’s dark exterior and light interior. The white quartz countertops gleam against the black sink and fixtures, and the cabinets and backsplashes were constructed from Baltic birch.

A view of the dining area and living space from the kitchen. The floors are polished concrete while the walls are lined in baltic birch. The lighting is by Hamster.

A magnificent corner sliding door unit opens up to expand the home to an outdoor deck. “When you walk in and look at the mountains, the beauty is overwhelming,” adds Pam.

The master bedroom is a texturally rich space and offers views of Lone Peak.

For outdoor enthusiasts Bob and Pam Norton, the town of Big Sky, Montana, was a natural choice for the location of their second home. Having purchased a remote lot with views of Lone Peak, Pioneer Mountain, and Cedar Mountain, they envisioned a private, year-round retreat that integrated with the terrain. “We wanted to live in the view,” says Pam. “We wanted the outdoors to come in.”

In a family home in Mill Valley, California, Lauren Goldman of l’oro designs kept her clients’ goals of “modern yet accessible” in mind while also looking for opportunities to add functionality. This proved successful when she discovered that the empty space under the steel-and-glass stair landing was the perfect scale for children to sit and read under. The team was inspired to create a kid-sized library, turning a useless space into a perfectly cozy reading nook.

Sam Shah and Anne Suttles asked architect Kevin Alter to renovate their 1920s bungalow in Austin, Texas, and add an addition, which contains a living area downstairs and an office upstairs. They tucked an office nook under the stairs; the Eames chair is a hand-me-down from Shah’s father.

Alts Design Office replaced all the old insulation materials and moved the living room from the first floor to the second floor.

Additional windows and open shelving help Suita House in Osaka feel airy and modern.

Light fixture from Allied Maker and Bocci; custom-made white oak "shutter" cabinets; plumbing fixtures by California Faucets.

The master bedroom after the renovation. "Our solution was to move the entire master suite up to the top floor, which had previously been occupied by two guest rooms and a play space. This gave the couple’s suite more privacy, as well as access to the roof deck, which presents amazing views of Manhattan," explains Tang.

A mix of IKEA and custom walnut shelving; gray subway tile from Nemo Tile; and accessories from Food 52.