Concrete

Every room in the house looks onto an outdoor space. Click here to see more modern homes that use courtyards as a design element.

In fall, the color of this backyard in Charlottesville, Virginia, changes daily with the foliage. Elizabeth Birdsall marvels how new outdoor spaces on her property, like a patio furnished with upholstered seating from Gloster, make enjoying the woods an easy experience: “It’s like comfortable camping, all the time.”

Cline incorporated a number of green features into the design including a super-insulated envelope, ultra-efficient heat pump, and skylights for natural daylighting. "It approaches standards," he says. Pavers lead to the front door.

Textured concrete walls are a signature of Cho’s work.

Yumi (left) and Maya (right) cheese around on the steps leading into the front door. Inside, there is ample space for removing and leaving one's shoes, another Japanese element.