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"I really appreciate as a designer, things that make me stop and go, 'Oh, I never thought of that,'

Dwellings Winner: Casa Ter by Mesura Mesura designed a retreat for a family of five in the Catalonian countryside, utilizing regional and artisanal building techniques and local materials for a sustainable home that blends with the landscape.

After combing through kitchen cabinets and finding nothing appealing that would fit their budget, Danielle and Ely decided to build everything themselves with lumber from the hardware store—sanding, staining, and sealing each piece. The countertops are plywood, as is the range hood surround.

The couple scored the 44-inch-wide farmhouse sink and fridge from Craigslist.

The door opens directly into the main living space, where a Room & Board sofa joins a chair and ottoman from West Elm. The wood-burning stove is from Morsø.

The kitchen features a Northstar retro refrigerator and a smaller fridge from Big Chill.

In the upstairs bedroom, built-in shelving surrounding the window frames provides storage space for books and mementos.

The experience of the farm includes to the permaculture vegetable garden, fresh farm eggs, interactions with the goats and horses, and hiking through a landscape populated by giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and warthogs.

The marble countertops and gold hardware are a subtle nod to the past, while also fitting into today's trends.

Upon relocating to the Methow Valley, a family finds their compact cabin to be a little too cozy—so they roll up their sleeves and break ground.

SOCIAL HEAT What’s the best way to warm a small studio? Ekaterina Voronova opted for a compact wood-burning stove to keep her space cozy.

The wood stove is the Rondo model by Rais.

“A centrally located Jotul wood burner can be rotated 360 degrees and provides a contemporary addition to the room,” says the listing agent. “French doors open onto a large terrace overlooking the garden and the brook below.”

A cedar-clad ceiling emphasizes the dramatic volumes of the combined living spaces, and the windows bring in the “dappled light” from the trees, says Rogers. The new plan makes entertaining much easier for the couple, with easy flow from the interiors to the roof deck and yard.

The stone slab forms a display niche in the cabinetry, and syncs up with the materials used elsewhere in the house. The step up, and the flooring material change, designates the boundary between foyer and the rest of the home.

The Hijau stone swimming pool finish from Palimanan.