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The brass backsplash was a risky experiment carried off by Natalie, who started with unlacquered 4x8 foot sheets, then gave them patina by covering them in vinegar, ketchup, and salt, and leaving them out in the sun. The resulting pattern was aligned as carefully as possible, and the surface sealed. “We just had to essentially cut the topography into a way that felt really great,” says Natalie.

The firm enlarged the opening to the courtyard to create better flow between inside and out.

The historic home sits tucked away on a lush, shaded lot, just 45 minutes from Manhattan.

The materials for the prefab were chosen to help the lodge blend into the wood. According to the architects, “the lodge features an intentionally limited palette of natural materials, including the same species of timber, western red cedar, on the external cladding and internal lining. Left unfinished, the exterior will weather naturally to a silver-gray color that is reminiscent of the local landscape, which will contrast the cozy, warmer tones of the interior."

This serene retreat by acclaimed Italian designers Ludovica+Roberto Palomba, carved out of a 17th-century oil mill in Salento, demonstrates the charm of historic Italy.

Before and after floor plans of Beach House by Gon Architects

After converting a van to drive Australia’s “Big Lap,” two Americans create a thorough how-to guide.

3D laser scans helped the architects analyze the space.

Ca’n Terra presents a stark and majestic interior both protected from and exposed to the elements. Here, a kitchen sink wedges into a rough-cut, sandstone platform.

With the help of 3D laser scanning, Ensamble Studio excavates a quarry on the island of Menorca to create an experimental retreat.

The river house was completed in 2017.

Launching a floating pool isn't as easy as constructing it and sending it out to sea, of course. The +Pool founders have spent the better part of three years meeting with city and federal agencies in order to navigate permitting and meet environmental standards. At this point, the founders hope to get it up and running by the summer of 2016, and are presently assessing five sites in and around New York's waterways for the swimming pool.

Custom-designed wrought-iron gates open to the saltwater pool, overlooking the nearby sea.

Architect Miguel Ángel Aragonés’s Mexico City home covers nearly 11,000 square feet. Rombo III spans three stories and is named after its sharp geometry. The home has a predominately white color palette—it's swathed in stucco, sand, and cement, with Spanish travertine floors. However, it takes on the hues of its surroundings—be it the gray or blue of the sky, or a hint of green from the lush foliage surrounding the house. With a meditation pond inside, the space is a serene getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.