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Almost every room in the extension has direct access to the outside so the relationship with the grounds is immediate. In addition, carefully considered windows frame views of the surrounding landscape—especially the large window facing the valley in the first-floor living space. “It’s incredibly joyful to see how the views, smells, and emotion of being in the extension changes throughout the different seasons,” says architect Je Ahn. “It’s very tranquil and a retreat in the true sense of the word.”

In the kitchen, Eames chairs flank a custom dining table, and the pendant is by Wever & Ducré.

The site is located in the Vredefort Dome near Parys, just ninety minutes from Johannesburg. The Vredefort Dome has a dramatic landscape that is characterised by complex meteorite impact structure phenomena.

Reilly created her own version of a Japanese garden in the front of the house with a rock she chose from a local landscaping company. “It really does clear your mind when you focus on raking the sand.”

The modern dwelling incorporates its woodsy-yet-urban surrounds through copious glazing.

Architects Ernesto Cragnolino and Krista Whitson designed and built an efficient four-bedroom home for their family in Austin.

Nive buys loads of fresh produce and wanted a place to store it that was accessible and uncluttered, so the team provided these open shelves.

Three-ply birch from Th&h Hardwoods keeps the cabinetry streamlined throughout.

The master bathroom features a coved tile ceiling, a custom walnut vanity, and a large soaking tub.

Architect Johan Sundberg looked to Japanese architects like Kengo Kuma for inspiration for the design of a holiday home in southern Sweden. "We call it the Katsura typology, but that's probably sacrilegious," he says. The eaves of the gently sloped hipped roof extend generously in all directions, turning the deck into a covered retreat that’s part veranda, part engawa, the Japanese version of a porch.