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“We absolutely love designing small spaces,” says Thorsteinsson. “It’s one of our favorite things.”

Floor Plan of Backyard House in Oosterbeek by Manta North

Floor plan of Woods Road by Charles P. Winter, renovated by Cookfox

While adhering to strict neighborhood requirements, landscape designer Steve Turnipseed’s garden now features almost 100 native Floridian plant species, while using a small fraction of the water a traditional lawn would have required.

Summer time in the woods

Door detail

While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”

Pale hardwood floors complement pared-back wall tones in mushroom and off-white.

A closer look at the expansive reflecting pool, highlighting the numerous floor-to-ceiling windows lining the home's side facade.

Two Swiss designers breathe new life into retired gondolas by turning them into sleek, customizable saunas. The interiors are gutted, and the exteriors receive a brand-new paint job—in any color of your choice.

The home is elevated to allow for humidity protection and ventilation, but also in order to protect the biodiversity of the forest floor.