Favorites

Floor plan of Third Base Tiny Home by Ghislaine Viñas

Folding glass doors on the north and south elevations create cross ventilation and open the cabin, clad in Western red cedar, to its forested setting and views of the ocean.

Decking on the forest side of the residence leads from the entry to a screened porch.

Matching windows in the living space creates a sight line through the home.

White oak cabinetry and a custom headboard anchor the space. Black accents and floating shelves create contrast.

In the living room, walls painted Sherwin Williams Snowbound and white oak floors balance warmth and light. Large, matching windows frame the ocean and forest.

Soft green kitchen cabinetry is paired with soapstone countertops. Modular hooks above the backsplash provide flexible storage.

For a family of four, Ueda Design Studio restores the luminous-yet-drafty midcentury home of Alden Mason with warm materials and sensible restraint.

The founders of the design studio Rima set down roots in an arrow-shaped Patagonian dwelling where they harvest their own food and electricity.

Fed up with flashy, environmentally insensitive beach homes, architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed a humble hideaway nestled behind sand dunes along the New Zealand coastline. Crafted in the image of a modest Kiwi bach, their 1,670-square-foot retreat consists of a group of small buildings clad in black-stained pine weatherboards and fiber-cement sheets.

For an escape from bustling San Francisco, architect Craig Steely and his wife Cathy have created a modernist getaway on a lava field next to a black sand beach on Hawaii’s Big Island. Fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the ocean, the steel-framed home is one of several homes that Steely built on the recently active lava field.

In the evening, the house looks like a lantern. Originally, the homeowners planned to paint the house a light color. “Bassel encouraged us to go bold,” says Ming. “The contrast at night is more intense.” The exterior is painted in Calico Blue from Benjamin Moore, which is a dark green.

The family of four and their guests can sit on a low railing that acts as a bench to take in the views.

“My studio space is so glorious,” says artist and homeowner Miriam Nabarro. “The round window is a kind of thought space where ideas are born, and pocket doors open out to the verandah so I can work both inside and outside. It’s a very flexible space.”

The studio opens out to a large verandah, which features a six-foot-long vintage French trough sink. The creative couple use it for soaking willow prior to weaving and washing out cyanotype prints. “We had an epic search for the right sleepers for the verandah,” says Miriam. “Eventually, we found some Jarrah sleepers. Our daughter is called Jarrah and it’s an Australian timber, so it felt right.”

Ignacio wanted the walkway up to the house to offer an immediate connection with nature.

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

A custom mural by Adrian Kay Wong was created with input from the homeowners, particularly Lauria. Its yellow tones are matched by Emu Living barstools in the foreground.