Barndo exterior

When he designed an energy-efficient home for his family in Olivebridge, New York, architect Alessandro Ronfini, pictured here, sized up the wooded site, positioning the residence for pond views and maximal solar heat gain in winter.

The vertical corrugated metal siding mimics the verticality of the trees.

Claire and Ken Stevens approached architect Ko Wibowo to create a modern addition to their 1970s home in Tacoma, Washington. The couple’s needs had changed since Ken was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years ago.

This summer, I built a year-round outdoor shower that’s situated paces from my bedroom door.

Sitting jauntily on its block, this renovated residence in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood retained the original home’s footprint. The architect (and daughter of the homeowner) opened up the living spaces inside and overhauled the exterior and landscaping to give it a more contemporary presence. Cambium Landscape created the outdoor spaces which perfectly balance hardscape with greenery.

"For most of us, this is the first home we’ve owned and the first house we built ourselves. These are all floating homes, with specific requirements for materials. It wasn’t easy,” explains resident Wouter Valkenier.

Part of the remodel entailed creating more garden spaces, “especially within the olive tree plantations, which are an important component of the estate’s overall charm,” says the owner.

The front door’s glass opening is accentuated by narrow extruded aluminum frames. The muntin bars are finished in an rich onyx shade to match the framing, and the pattern of the performance divided lites complements the rest of the custom Kolbe Ultra Series windows and doors throughout the house.

A simple shed-like form disguises a taste for the contemporary and detailed craftsmanship.

The couple plan to add a kitchen garden to the platform just below the terrace that connects to the kitchen.

A firepit and an inflatable hot tub with a wicker surround add a bit of luxury to Joe and Rachel’s Venice Beach rental.

“The idea was to create this total openness and informality and almost undomesticated domestic space,” says Leven. The concrete is textured by its forms on the outside but smooth where it cuts into the building—“almost as though you sliced into it with a knife,” adds the designer.