Benson 2

A Nova Scotia couple learn that although triangular homes may look simple, they can be devilishly complex.

Floor Plan of Mill House and Maker’s Workshop by Cooke Fawcett Architects

The studio comprises two equally sized spaces—one for Miriam and one for Simon—connected by double doors. The in-between space acts as storage, a small kitchenette, and Miriam’s dark room. Each studio space has been designed to meet the specific needs of the artist. Miriam’s space, for example, is punctuated by an enormous round window that allows her to draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape, while the walls in Simon’s space are dedicated to timber and tool storage.

The studio opens out to a large verandah, which features a six-foot-long vintage French trough sink. The creative couple use it for soaking willow prior to weaving and washing out cyanotype prints. “We had an epic search for the right sleepers for the verandah,” says Miriam. “Eventually, we found some Jarrah sleepers. Our daughter is called Jarrah and it’s an Australian timber, so it felt right.”

In the kitchen, designers Alfie Koetter and Luke Studebaker worked with woodworker Aaron Hauser of Mason Haus to create custom new millwork inspired by the look and feel of the original cabinetry. Hauser sourced sequence matched natural birch that was rotary cut to create the cabinets.

The countertop and backsplash are Mother of Pearl polish slab, and the hood is custom made out of copper.

As Nicolás Tovo and Teresa Sarmiento of La Base embraced modular design as part of their architectural practice, they noticed that prospective clients were wary of prefabricated construction. So the duo teamed up with Place, an Argentine prefab builder, to make a proof of concept just outside the Patagonian resort town of Bariloche.

"We did our best to tuck the buildings into the site—the goal was to get up high on a perch. It was a matter of setting that elevation and working back down with the topography," says architectural designer Riley Pratt.

The pitched roof upstairs is set back from the flat-roofed main floor, breaking up its mass. The detached rear garage became an office for Moshe and firm partner Wayne Erb.

Black and white tones dominate this guesthouse on a Californian ranch. The color is also incorporated into this attractive black pendant with exposed bulbs, which complements the ebonized oak headboard.

For master bedroom lighting ideas for a tray ceiling, you can’t beat the beautiful illumination provided by the cove lighting in this otherwise sparse bedroom.

Floor Plan of Reimagined Ranch House by Samaha + Hart Architecture

Daybeds flank the kitchen, where a rattan chair from Thai brand Kitt.Ta.Khon sits at the head of a custom onyx dining table.

“We value feeling over a perfect or manufactured finish,” says Kathryn, “so we jumped at anything touchy-feely, such as the droplet-like tiles cladding bathroom wing walls and structural columns that we are constantly petting.” Texture is at play everywhere, from a bathroom’s pebble-wash terrazzo floors that wrap up walls to the lush landscaping outside.