Favorites

In addition to saving on construction costs, upcycling an old container can be an eco-friendly alternative to building from the ground up.

"It is also possible to add a separate kitchen island in a different color than the rest of the kitchen," suggests Christensen.

A new detached garage is topped with a guest room, overlooking the meadow and pool.

Colleen Healey Architecture rebuilt an existing addition and reconfigured the common areas to place the kitchen and dining table right next to the meadow.

A blue checkered Moroccan rug amps up the visual interest in the space, along with a new yellow Togo couch and Herman Miller coffee table. Switching out the mullioned windows for new tilt-and-turn windows from Semko help the space feel larger and increase energy efficiency.

Floor Plan of Oak Cliff Casita by Best Practice Architecture

Floor Plan of Klein-Hangklip Shipping Container House

MASS Design Group cofounder Alan Ricks upgrades his “not structurally sound” bungalow with innovative materials and enough solar panels to produce more energy than it consumes.

The large blue barn door, mimicked by the garage doors, is an hommage to the family home, which also has big sliding storm doors.

With nods to both Maine vernacular and contemporary forms and materials, the home is clad in cedar boards and capped with steeply pitched roofs to dispatch snow and water.

The bold yet minimalist residence sits lightly on the land and engages with the surrounding scenery.