Inspiration

After living ten years in another house he designed in Yokahama, Hosaka and his wife decided to move to Tokyo for an easier commute.

A decorative cinder block wall edges the property and provides a sense of enclosure without hemming in the yard too tightly.

By changing the roofline, Beebe Skidmore introduced light and usable space to the third floor. "It was not a lot of extra space, but we got headroom," explains Beebe.

The main room opens to the quad through a large pivoting garage door.

Taking cues from their style-conscious clients, Jessica Helgerson Interior Design transformed an Amagansett home into a light-filled, Scandinavian-inspired getaway.

Visitors pass by a sentry wall of lamps from Design House Stockholm on their way to the airy living-dining room with its 52 windows.