miscellaneous details

The partition separating the bedroom from the living room appears to be a partial wall—but in reality, a mirror extends from the top of the wall to the ceiling.

In contrast to architect Frank Gehry's iconic metal concert halls and museums, the Spiller House is delightfully simple. Here, the space is dominated by right angles and crisp geometry, unlike the undulating forms that define his later work. However the architect was already experimenting with subtle moves like the off-center placement of the home's central skylight.

The metal used for the railing and wood for the stair treads in the hall were saved from destruction and reused.

music studio / quarters

Even the stairs reflect the materials at the heart of the project with their blend of cork, timber, and black against a white backdrop.

Dixon inspects a drawing in the couple’s shared office on the home’s top floor. The space features a sloping ceiling that rises to ten feet at one end. The new wood of the inserted ceiling counterpoints the vintage pumpkin pine floorboards underfoot.

The family room is situated at the apex of the house, with picturesque views that extend up the meticulously landscaped north slope. The concrete floor sits just low enough that the main elements of the scene—the succulent garden and large limestone ledges—are at eye level. A bank of NanaWall folding windows breaks up the fourth wall.

Storey calls this house the “Eel’s Nest,” after the narrow urban properties that go by that name in Japan. Its façade was originally going to be wood, but because of local building codes and the fact the building is built along the edge of the property line, the exterior had to be fireproof. Storey covered it with stucco instead. “I wanted it to look as rough as possible,” says the architect. “Since it’s such a small house, it needed to be tough-looking.” The workshop at ground level measures less than 200 square feet, but is set up to accommodate any kind of woodworking or welding; when not in use, the architect parks his car inside.

“I just removed things until I knew an Eames Compact sofa would look right at home," says Nguyen.

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Here's another view of the entry screen. We love the cubby just at shoulder level, perfect for storing your keys and such.

This northern Wisconsin summer home includes a seven-foot-tall entry screen made from raw heirloom cedar.

Mural, Mural on the Wall The home already has a vivid color scheme, but to energize certain areas further, Bestor and Grunbaum added murals to some of the walls. Aside from the vinyl decals in the bathrooms, the stairwell is painted to evoke Grunbaum’s family home in the 1970s. Designer Mina Javid created a faux headboard for the master bedroom. minajavid.com

Oreck incorporated a pitched ceiling to allow light in from all sides, and added, beyond the series of structural beams, clerestory windows he describes as âsort of a light spine that runs through most of the house.â To maximize the feeling of spaciousness, the living room is partially open to the kitchen and dining room, beyond. At right is the door to the third bedroom/office and the rectangular opening leads to a bedroom and bathroom. The radiant-heat floors are powered by the sun: âIt just seemed silly to build a new house in the 21st century in Los Angeles and not utilize solar power,â says Orlovski.

blue entry door + eames hang-it-all at coat closet [midcentury modern addition / laguna niguel, california]

“One of the homeowners assists with many estate sales in Calgary, and so they were able to acquire many great mid-century pieces through these sales,” Lewis said. The sectional sofa is from Calgary’s 4living.

The kitchen was the only room to get a full renovation, so Dine invested in a sleek Bulthaup b3 kitchen system designed by Chris Tosdevin of Bulthaup’s Santa Monica, California, showroom. The stainless-steel workspace and slate-gray laminate countertop and cabinets jibe with the house’s minimalist aesthetic while affording a nice contrast with the overriding whiteness. Perhaps more importantly, though, the hardworking dark surfaces hide dirt and wear far better than lighter hues.