DREAM BUILD

A large, sculptural skylight has been created at the center of the home to enable day-long solar penetration. The triangular glazing frames views of the trees and the sky, bringing the outdoors into the interior.

Although strikingly different from its traditional farmhouse exterior, the interiors reference the outer appearance with an exposed solid granite wall in the living room and exposed roof trusses with black plated junctions that recall the artisanal joinery and construction techniques found in traditional Japanese homes.

Along Victoria’s Surf Coast, a minimalist timber dwellingcombines Scandinavian charm with the laid-back vibes of a New Zealand bach.

Walls of double-pane, tempered, laminated glass surround the upper living space furnished with Tolomeo lights by Artemide, vintage midcentury chairs, and a custom-made redwood burl table.

Aegean Pool House’s expansive roof structure shelters the indoor/outdoor living spaces beneath it. A freestanding stone fireplace anchors the west side of the living and dining area.

A path through the front yard's native plantings leads visitors to the front door.

The landscaped garden had to have a strong connection to the addition, while including aspects of the owners' heritage.

The kitchen, built with imported Tasmanian oak and plywood, features one of the most beloved details from Pam’s Cross-Stitch House—a kitchen island with a mirrored base—but the floating bench here is shaped differently to represent Arthur. "[The mirror] lightens the space in many ways, so you don’t feel like the island is taking over," says Dunin. Graphic backsplash tiles fom Academy Tile run into laminate countertops with a plywood edge. The refrigerator is Fisher & Paykel, and the combo oven and cooktop is V-ZUG.

This midcentury kitchen was well-positioned so the updates maintained its original footprint, adding plenty of storage space for all the family's cooking and dining essentials.

Solar panels provide power for the two cabins.

The bedroom wing steps out to the pool. Cor-Ten steel encases the doors and windows, and forms the custom cantilevered canopies.

For privacy amidst the bustling marina, the Wedgie turns its back to the south and embraces views of the bush toward the north.

Gijsbert Schutten and Gijs Coumou of Liberte Tiny Houses designed a 182-square-foot tiny home on wheels in the Netherlands to mimic the shape of a folded leaf. "The window shutters give the effect of the way light scatters through the forest," Schutten says. On one side of the ThermoWood radiata pine-clad home, floor-to-ceiling glass walls make it seem as if there’s no boundary between the house and the natural surroundings. "Those big windows give an unobstructed view of the outside world," Schutten adds. "You almost forget you’re inside."

The curves of the deck follow the contour of the land.

“People have a real obsession with putting things on the water,” says Campos. “They feel as though they paid for ocean or something, and they just need to stare at the ocean. And, I think that they really miss any opportunity to have a bit of foreground.”

Sooke House 01 is located on a multiacre lot on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, surrounded by Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, and cedar trees. At the entry, Campos Studio split the roofline to accommodate an existing tree.

This view from the loft of this renovated barn by OakBridge Timber Framing highlights the elegant combination of old and new elements.