Catskill View Inspiration Photos

Wataru Hatano, a papermaker form Kurotani Washi, was brought in to apply Japanese paper to features such as the ceiling in the guesthouse.

The cattle barn was built later so another challenge was “Using wooden sash windows and washi paper interiors, it maintains a natural connection to the main house. Newly added features like a garden and well strengthen the continuity between the landscape and dwelling,” Ikeda remarks.

The entry area's built-in storage and new brick floor

The custom headboard features built-in storage, with curved lines reminiscent of Shaker design. The bed linens are from Cultiver, the quilt is vintage, and the throw pillows are from Elitis, available from Assembly Line.

The V-shaped roof makes the structure feel ultra-modern, even though it's made of traditional wood.

The bathroom off of the primary bedroom is flooded with light.

White oak cabinetry and concrete countertops by Béton Johnstone make for a sleek, streamlined kitchen design.

The open floor plan creates perfect corridors for Madeline and Leonard to run the length of the house.

The wooden terrace spans the length of the house, connecting the building directly to the landscape.

Locally sourced engineered flooring in the light-filled Pilates studio was easier on the budget and the body.

This renovation by Benjamin Hale Architects presents “a template for bringing Cardiff houses into the 21st century.”

Purple walls contrast with stone masonry and introduce a modern sensibility.

Between the bathroom and tatami room, the couple placed a Japanese maple on a gravel bed, in keeping with the machiya tradition of having an interior garden.

Outside, a contemporary rain chain from Seo is anchored by a stone wrapped in metal rope. “We thought the large stone was a nice organic touch to complement the stainless-steel chain,” says Dominick.

“Material quality and durability were key from the very beginning,” says architect Binke Lenhardt. “So, we found ourselves looking into a material library that was rather unconventional, almost in an engineering way.” The rubber flooring is from Noraplan and the adaptable furniture elements are made from two types of plywood—lightweight poplar plywood and a stronger multiplex birch—both coated with high-pressure laminate.

Seen here from the south, Villa van Vijven’s orange facade is meant to mimic the tiled rooftops of Holland’s country buildings, while the building’s horizontal pull echoes the flat landscape. The second-floor living rooms look out on the 4,200-square-foot communal garden, one of only two shared spaces in the whole community. Bob Krone, Koos Sweringa, and Marianne Schram stroll the grounds.