Decks and patios

For more than 70 years, claims have persisted, without much evidence, that a home in Portland, Oregon, is a lost work by Frank Lloyd Wright. Regardless of authorship, the structure—a flat-roofed, cedar and glass ranch—endures as a sterling example of postwar American architecture. Its recessed entryway features panes of translucent glass.

After: The soaring new living and dining space benefits from an abundance of natural light from every side, and they spent a lot of time trying to find the best lighting for the kitchen. The final choice: long, narrow copper pendants from Denmark suspended by ultra thin wires to not disrupt the visual flow of the room.

Listed for the first time since it was built in 1979, the cliffside home of architect Barry Downs is located in a waterfront area that is at risk of redevelopment.

The rebuilt “Idea House,” designed by Holly Freres and David Horning of JHL design. The driveway is permeable to encourage good drainage: crushed granite gravel is installed over a stabilization mat. James Hardie exterior siding is painted in Benjamin Moore ‘White Dove,’ with reclaimed wood used for the entry and garage.

The prefab's footprint was kept small to better highlight its surroundings. The covered balcony was envisioned as a transitional space between the cabin's interior and the nature it wants you to explore.

The house was designed to minimally interfere with the hilltop vegetation, which is what attracted the family to the site.

García's 19th-century home in Mexico is a joyful space that embraces the patina and heritage of the building and is

Designed by Arba, the retreat’s enclosed garden provides outdoor space out of the wind while the cuts give it a strong connection with the setting.

The shower accesses an exterior deck via a door. “You're basically showering in the trees,” says Waterfield.

Le MICA is a strikingly sleek micro-home located in the Maelström recreational forest, just 25 minutes from Old Quebec. The tiny home comprises two simple rectilinear forms stacked atop each other and inserted in an open “box” form that functions as a covered deck area and frames the panoramic views of Laurentian Park. Wood burning heaters in the living area and on the deck keep the home cosy even in the depths of winter.