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The renovated basement includes understair cabinetry designed by Allison and built/installed by Terrien Designs. The CB2 table is paired with Ton Salt chairs. The wall print is by David Shrigley.

The preserved brick chimney was exposed and cleaned up in the remodel. A classic Smeg range and exhaust hood create a pleasing contrast with the contemporary Kerf cabinetry.

Large cutouts take the place of glass windows and entire walls, inviting sunlight, breezes, and even rain to enter. The roots of a princess vine drop from the roof garden to the ground floor.

When architect Antonio Monserrat transformed an old 800-square-foot Brooklyn loft into his new home, he imbued his love of colorful, multifunctional design into an eye-catching renovation. Once used as a bakery in the early 20th century, the postindustrial space came with great bones—original exposed timber beams, 12-foot ceilings and large windows—that Monserrat used as a backdrop for his playful color choices, small-scale studio prototypes, and contemporary furnishings. From the emerald-green entryway with a hot-pink ceiling to the sunshine-yellow Kartell storage pieces, the Spanish architect’s loft beautifully blends creative inspiration with functionality.

The interior features durable, lightweight vinyl plank flooring, and the walls are painted Benjamin Moore Cloud White.

Dyer inserted new wood inlay in the kitchen floors.

David and Annemie's daughter swings in the living room. A door provides access to the lush backyard and surrounding area. “The kids have a lot of freedom. They have a big area where they can go and play without needing supervision,” says Annemie.

Intensive roof

The entrance to House of the Big Arch is a nine-meter-tall passage, which creates a high-pressure system that pulls cool air into the kitchen.

The shell is closed to the west and north elevations and open to the east and south elevations—an arrangement that responds to the location and orientation of the house in the forest.

The couple’s daughter, Kalyna, puts her own spin on her father’s engravings, which he calls a “concrete coloring book.” Dedicating this side of the building to the earth, he carved herds of caribou into the panels. The abstract marks at the base skirt the entire exterior and were added for a consistent design element.

Griffin carved a humpback whale into the west elevation, which he dedicated to the sea. A new, aluminum-framed overhang adds a linear element and plays off of the house’s original floorboards employed as accent cladding, near the top.

Use this as a guide to finding the right architect for your new home or renovation—and what to expect during the process.

In the Norton family home in London’s Stoke Newington district, Jamie Norton and his sons, Miller, 3, and Ned, 7, enjoy a meal at a salvaged table and chairs found at a local vintage shop. The ceramics are by Richard Batterham.

The Woodman's Tree House stands interwoven into the landscape in Dorset as part of a larger luxury camping site.

This trapeze was made by my trapeze teacher when I was living in San Francisco and going to circus school. I lived in a big Victorian house with roommates. The ceilings were so high I could hang the trapeze and practice at home. Now, my kids are taking over: it's the first thing they do when they get up and the last before going to bed. The rug is an old kilim from Turkey; the Eames lounge chair is the one from my living room growing up in Paris (That is a testament to the great quality of this 30-something-years-old chair); the couch is from Room & Board. -Sophie Demenge