Architecture - Modern

“From anywhere in the house, you have a sense of the outdoors,” says Melonie, “and yet it’s very private.” Ikegami agrees. “The building was really about the landscape—it can dissolve into the background,” he says. In the master bedroom, Japanese Tansu chests from the couple’s previous home flank a Duxiana bed. The full-height windows and swing door are from Western Window Systems.

Mary Ellen House—named for the street it sits on—is defined by its characterful material palette and double A-frame form. “The double-arch windows give the sharp A-frame lines a soft touch,” explains architect Rob Diaz. The oak shutters and stucco finishes on the exterior hint at the interior palette, which celebrates Madera heart oak flooring throughout.

A massive gable roof draping the first floor makes this two-story house feel more like one.

The partially covered area in the courtyard presents an idyllic setting for al fresco dining.

The front of the home shows how the roof was lifted to maximize the views.

Solomon Troupe Architects designed this 430-square-foot backyard bedroom suite for the owners to retreat to when their family comes to visit.

Sometimes all it takes is a little luck. For a young married couple, it came in the form of this rare find: a 19th-century, three-story, single-family home in the heart of Paris. The building was a charmer with good bones, but was in need of some serious care. In a vibrant retrofit by architect Pierre-Louis Gerlier that includes structural reinforcements, the reimagined design is set off with a new floor plan. The lower level now serves as a space for the couple’s children, with the public areas—including an open-plan living/dining room and kitchen—on the floor above. Upstairs, the attic has been transformed into a very large primary bedroom with a green-and-white bathroom suite. The living room (pictured) showcases the firm’s bespoke carpentry work with a beautiful, mossy-green built-in bookcase that frames a new fireplace, and a staircase surrounded by arched doorways that hold hidden storage. “We created visual breakthroughs in order to connect the different spaces,” says Gerlier. “The rounded arches are there to help magnify these moments.”

Floor Plan of Palms Residence by Olson Kundig

The Perch at sunset.

An aerial view show’s the home’s open-air, three-story layout. Miles of shoreline can be easily accessed via the home's private staircase leading to the beach.

Nestled amongst the classic cornish cottages, Guthens modernity shows itself. Over time the larch cladding will silver to blend in with its surroundings.

Barcelona-based Slow Studio builds a bioclimatic home for a couple who work with the United Nations.

Birdseye designed the home to be "as visually quiet as possible," says Mac.