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Toronto architect Gregory Neudorf creates a pristine and practical 400-square-foot dwelling with nautical storage below deck.

The structure is made of double-brick walls with insulation between each layer, which regulates indoor temperatures while still providing strong protection from the elements.

“It was great to work from the plans of someone who was a part of the history of architecture,” says Drapszo.

A floor-to-ceiling white ceramic brick fireplace helps section the living room from the main-floor bedroom. Mint-green pocket doors slide up or down, creating both privacy and openness.

In Australia, a manufacturer and an architecture firm create an off-grid home that can be broken down and shipped across the world.

La Brèche Site Plan

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

Thanks to a robust solar panel array, the house is net-zero, with enough energy to charge the couple's electric car as well.

New sliding doors from Marvin enable the family to seamlessly move between the indoors and the refurbished patio.

Completed in 2018 on a 2.6-acre site in the San Juan Islands, the two-bedroom modular home was installed in a day.

The wet room connects to two half-baths on either side that are equipped with dual-flush toilets and WaterSense fixtures. Gray porcelain tiles from Statements Tiles line the room.

After: By knocking down a wall, they opened up the kitchen to the living room to create one great room, ideal for entertaining.

The grand Victorian millwork is offset by brassy, modern pieces like this custom-made table and a set of reupholstered vintage chairs. The Diamond Modo chandelier with 13 Globes is by Jason Miller for Rolf & Hill.

"In some ways the strongest attributes of the house are probably the outside spaces,” says Court. The original cedar deck was replaced with Kebony decking that wraps around a century-old cherry tree. A pair of Andy rockers from Mamagreen face an ottoman by Kenneth Cobonpue. The accordion doors are a NanaWall SL-60 system that allows the main room of the guesthouse to open completely to the deck.

One of the key challenges was developing a scheme that would allow flexibility in its current use and also for the future. "The setup is currently perfect for my lifestyle," says owner-designer Uli Wagner. "In retrospect, it was also a solution during the pandemic and various lockdown levels—and I’m sure the setup would be favorable for other small businesses and their owners."

In the primary bedroom, wood and Mediterranean aesthetics provide the common thread. The bedside lamps are from the Spanish decor chain Natura.