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The House for Booklovers and Cats by BFDO Architects

The living area is oriented around a floating window seat crafted from oak. "We wanted a place for guests to comfortably sit, read, and reflect in the beautiful Colorado surroundings," says Tarah. "We sourced the perfect slab of white oak from a local mill. We kept the edges raw and used a light, matte finish that highlighted the natural beauty without it being over saturated. I wanted it to feel as unfinished and natural as possible."

When attorney Trey Berre and his wife, photographer Maria Ponce Berre, began searching the Chicago real estate listings in 2014, they were looking for land, or at least something to tear down. They imagined building a "forever home

The owners of this updated Tudor-style abode in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock, Amanda and William Hunter, are the design duo behind the William Hunter Collective, which rehabs homes. Handmade tile, soapstone counters, walnut wood, and steel make up the artfully styled kitchen.

Sometimes all it takes is a little luck. For a young married couple, it came in the form of this rare find: a 19th-century, three-story, single-family home in the heart of Paris. The building was a charmer with good bones, but was in need of some serious care. In a vibrant retrofit by architect Pierre-Louis Gerlier that includes structural reinforcements, the reimagined design is set off with a new floor plan. The lower level now serves as a space for the couple’s children, with the public areas—including an open-plan living/dining room and kitchen—on the floor above. Upstairs, the attic has been transformed into a very large primary bedroom with a green-and-white bathroom suite. The living room (pictured) showcases the firm’s bespoke carpentry work with a beautiful, mossy-green built-in bookcase that frames a new fireplace, and a staircase surrounded by arched doorways that hold hidden storage. “We created visual breakthroughs in order to connect the different spaces,” says Gerlier. “The rounded arches are there to help magnify these moments.”

The first phase of the remodel enlarged the footprint in the main bathroom, which pairs marble hex tile on the floor with Fireclay tile on the walls. The mirrors were $506 from Rejuvenation, and the sconces are by Nino Shea Design ($660 for three).

See Arch removed a wall to create a more spacious kitchen with a stronger visual connection to the dining area. The updated kitchen is outfitted with quartz countertops and Viking, Fisher Paykel, and Asko appliances.

The guest bathroom features bright turquoise Arcilla Field tiles by Ann Sacks and brass fixtures and fittings that will develop a patina over time. A skylight above the shower provides natural light and brightens the room.

To accommodate a young family leaving New York City, design firm Stewart-Schafer revamped the kitchen and living areas of an outdated upstate home in just three months.

“I’ve always been crazy about tile,” says Jessy, which is why she was heartbroken when she found the 1961 powder blue tile in the master bathroom had been scribbled on with permanent marker. “Turn right for cold water. Turn left for hot,” the wall read. The new tile is by Ann Sacks. “We tried to source products that looked appropriate for the period,” Jessy explains.

The flooring in the main room and bedroom is Worthwood Solid End Grain from Oregon Lumber.

Artist Cori Creed stands in the kitchen of the vacation home in rural British Columbia that she and her husband, Craig Cameron, built with their friend and architect, Kevin Vallely. Cori made the ceramic dinnerware and pendants, while Craig built the kitchen island and installed the plywood ceiling with the help of his stepfather.

New custom walnut cabinetry syncs with the rest of the built-ins throughout the home, to create a pleasing rhythm in the open plan. The backsplash is Heath Ceramics tile, and the counter is Pental Quartz. Open shelves at the rear overlook a cozy den, and allow sightlines out the new windows at the front of the home.