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The house is hidden from the road and sits on a hilltop clearing that overlooks the rolling farmland of the Mississippi River bluffs in Western Wisconsin. From this vantage point, there is a 270-degree view, with dramatic sunsets over the distant hills.

Architect Elizabeth Herrmann’s Knoll House project, Best Transitional category winner of 2017 Marvin Architects Challenge.

Hood Cliff Retreat (Wittman Estes)

On the roof, Claudio and Aranza sit on salvaged blocks of wood around a “water mirror” that reflects the sky. On clear nights, you can gaze both up and down at the stars, an activity that gives Casa Cosmos its name.

“We don’t hang many things on the walls because we like the texture of the wood so much,” explains Filipe

Dining Room

Living Room

A muted green closet design adds a pop of color and sophistication to the guest bedroom

Bleached walnut replaced cold concrete floors in this family-friendly renovation of a dated loft in West Chelsea’s late 19th-century Spears Building. To make the loft feel more welcoming, architects Ravi Raj and Evan Watts toned down the heavy industrial elements of the 2,700-square-foot loft with a warmer and lighter palette and added custom built-ins for a streamlined look. At the same time, the loft still preserves much of its historic appeal—from the exposed brick seen throughout the home to the oversized openings left intact.

The architect and owners were in sync on every aspect of the design, including the desire for shou sugi ban siding. “I had been interested in shou sugi ban for a long time,” Herrmann says. “These Japanese cypress boards have been charred, wire-brushed, stained, and oiled. We did a lot of testing to come up with the right dark grey color; it changes in the light.”

Outdoor patio and garden at backyard looking towards the Dining Room and Kitchen

A 16-foot-wide, multi-slide door leads from the main living area to a covered patio.