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Alessia’s favorite detail? “I am not a huge fan of handles, so there are only three cuts [in the cabinetry] which lets you open six doors.”

It was Elsie, the goldendoodle, who started it. “We were living in a tiny house in the center of Byron Bay with two little children and Elsie in the middle of the wet season,” says homeowner Cheryl Kitchener.

The founder of Polly Harbison Design transformed the 1940s home where her sister, Margot, resides with her family to include a new kitchen, a bedroom with an outdoor shower, and wide-open garden views. In the main communal areas, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and wooden screens slide open completely, allowing Margot, Ewen, and their three daughters to get fresh air.

The family share a love for the color teal, which was already featured in the home. So, when selecting a backsplash tile, teal was the obvious choice. The tiles are locally sourced from Yeomans Bagno & Ceramiche in Eltham.

The master bedroom has a hanging egg chair identical to the one on the deck.

Homeowner Robert Galishoff’s background in fashion and design shines through in the home’s artwork, lighting, and furniture selection.

Travertine tile flooring was used inside and outside the Clear Oak Residence to create visual consistency.

Without the need for a permanent foundation, the Hüga House can be relocated at any time.

Architect Charlie Lazor designed this peaceful, lakeside prefab in Ontario, Canada, with a Japanese-style bathroom clad in richly stained teak with a matching tub and sink by Bath in Wood.

This 195-square-foot, shingled studio includes a library, reading nook, and workstation—and it’s totally DIY. Creative couple Michael and Christina Hara built the retreat just steps away from their back door, in order to carve out "space for creativity and respite from our chaotic, toddler-filled house," as Michael explains. The project, called the Fish Scale Studio, took eight months to complete, with Haras doing all of the design and construction themselves—for just $18,275.

On Bainbridge Island, Jim and Hannah Cutler created a cabin for reading and working. Sited just steps from the main house, it’s a welcoming retreat that the father and daughter share.

The upper levels of the six-bedroom, four-bathroom Mountain House feature large picture windows that offer sweeping valley views.