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Flashy silver brick, bright red accents, and a black utilitarian floor obscure the loft's better qualities: high ceilings and exposed wood beams. Coffey notes there was also "an open enclave between the kitchen and living area [that] had a raised platform and no real programmatic use."

The floor, walls, and vanity in the master bathroom all sport the same porcelain tile for visual consistency, while textured porcelain tiles that look like wood distinguish the shower. A new skylight sheds light inside the internal room.

The built-in kitchen features a black polished granite countertop that’s complemented by Ardosia stone floors.

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.

The DIY team replaced a noisy, burgundy pellet stove with a Vermont-made Hearthstone wood-burning stove, they created a cozy corner to guests to defrost from the Colorado cold.

A WH Design sofa and an Arper Catifa 80 chair rest on a Nanimarquina rug made of recycled bike tires.

Wire mesh was sandwich-framed between wood planks to create a modern-looking railing from simple materials—the result of a collaborative brainstorm with the local carpenter.

By removing the walls that made up the original bungalow’s small, cramped rooms, Nwakpa Gillespie created a spacious living room. She added windows and vaulted the ceiling, giving the space an airy and expansive feel.

The home that Marlin Hanson, of Hanson Land & Sea, built for his family is clad with cedar shingles and features a green roof and a massive Douglas fir support beam that runs from the interior to the exterior.

This area is made for coffee, wine, and other beverage needs, complete with drawers for equipment. A Danby Silhouette Beverage center sets the scene.

The island has soft-close cabinetry on three sides, making it possible to "wash a frying pan, stick it in the drawer, and then later take it out to cook with on the other side,

In the skylit master bathroom, Dandelion tile from Marrakech Design is paired with tile from Ann Sacks. The fixtures are by California Faucets and the mirror is from Paris Mirrors.

A sofa by Stephen Kenn Studio joins ceramic tables by artist Ben Medansky in the glass-walled living area. The AIM pendants are by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Flos and the Oda floor lamps are from Pulpo. The metal artworks are by Guy.

A look at the wall of glass that continues around a corner of the living room.

Cubbies provide storage space and screen the loft bedroom from the rest of the home.

The micro home movement paints a rosy picture of financial freedom, simplicity, and self-determination—but going small comes with its own set of challenges.

An oversize window in a bedroom offers views of the Sutton Mountains.

A distant view of the home provides a glimpse of visiting wildlife. Sitting on 1.7 acres, the heavily wooded lot offers the feeling of seclusion yet is within easy driving distance of the nearby university and capital city.