Country House

165 Hill Road in Accord, New York, is currently listed for $4,250,000 by the Upstate Curious Team at Compass, including Bree Chambers, Megan Brenn-White and Diana Polack.

The slats on the window offer solar protection and privacy. “Before the slats were installed, it really felt like you were just living on the street,” says Vanbesien.

The architects oriented the house, and the porch’s largest opening, toward the east to optimize natural light and views toward the hillside.

With large openings on three sides, Brooks says it’s almost like a 180 degree view. And while traditional porches might feature railings, they kept the edges wide open to enhance clear views in all directions.

A floating staircase made of Cor-Ten steel provides access to the upper story from the central yard.

The experience of the farm includes to the permaculture vegetable garden, fresh farm eggs, interactions with the goats and horses, and hiking through a landscape populated by giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and warthogs.

The couple ripped out the dated cabinets and replaced them with sleek Ikea ones, devoid of handles, alongside glossy white tile counters.

“We take houses built in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s, and we make them look like the 1870s or 1880s or 1890s,” explains Jack Alessio Pretto of Retroject Projects.

A decorative cinder block wall edges the property and provides a sense of enclosure without hemming in the yard too tightly.

"I wanted that natural beauty to be visible throughout the house and easily accessible,

This multitiered residence in the Pasadena hills was completed while its architect, William Kesling, was behind bars at San Quentin.

Architect Ana Smud’s residence in the Vicente López suburb of Buenos Aires is surrounded by gardens and wrapped in timber, concrete, and glass.

Repositioning the original staircase transforms the new apartment, created the experience of a continuous second floor while adding a hidden study beneath the stairs, which lead to the downstairs bedroom.

This contemporary retreat is a two-hour drive from New York City, but it feels a world away.