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Ludwig Godefroy designed this refuge in Marquesa, Mexico, to feel like both a protect shelter without losing the romance of a secluded cabin.

The family’s backyard features a grape arbor and a vegetable garden. “I began gardening so our son could understand where his food comes from,” says Onna.

In Sunnyvale, California, architect Ryan Leidner cracked open a 1962 Eichler with a crisp remodel flush with foliage. He replaced the home’s vertical plywood facade with one-inch strips of American red cedar set at two depths. The rhythmic slats conceal a garage door that swings open on a hidden hinge. At the entryway, two massive panes of frosted glass shimmer with light and shadow from the atrium inside. Homeowners Isabelle Olsson and Matthaeus Krenn stand out front.

Not only was extra living space necessary for the growing family of four, but the existing house also failed to take advantage of the striking views that drew the couple to the site. The homeowners tapped architect Malcolm Davis of San Francisco–based Malcolm Davis Architecture to redesign and expand the dwelling without damaging the many established oak trees.

A horse barn–turned–seaside haven hones in on the ocean’s meditative vibes, with round windows and sweeping glass doors that swing open to let in the salty sea breeze.

Reilly, pictured here, deleted the original front door in order to create an expanse of uninterrupted wall in the living room. The existing slider is now the main entry point. She clad the exterior with planks marketed as a shou sugi ban product that reads as burned, knotty cedar. A new, corrugated metal roof replaced asphalt shingles.

Homeowner and surfer Christopher Hansen envisions a secluded oceanfront retreat that lets him keep an eye on the waves.

HGTV stars Robert and Cortney Novogratz transformed a "generic white box prefab" into a cozy surfer paradise for a family of four in Montauk, New York. The clients’ paddle collection and surf art are used as interior decor, while large windows and sliding glass doors emphasize the indoor/outdoor living experience.

Lauren and Brittan Ellingson, the owners of Notice Snowboards, a custom snowboard and wakesurf company in Whitefish, Montana, approached Workaday Design and builder Mindful Designs to concoct a new lake home for their family. The brief was, perhaps unsurprisingly, focused on getting the family outdoors as much as possible.

A walnut-topped table and Womb chair, both by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, offer a cozy spot for reading.

Tricked out with a green rooftop deck, underwater windows, and a DJ station, this Vancouver family home knows how to have a good time.