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The media console and coffee table are from Sobu, while the rug is from Armadillo. A vintage chair sits near the fire.

The only transitional area in the home is this small hallway, which doubles as storage and laundry room. The primary suite is at the end, and the stairs lead to a loft for the children.

After: A custom-built bookshelf now forms the living room's centrepiece, fulfilling the clients's wishes of multiple nooks and functions in one room.

The living room is complete with an Akari 120A pendant by Isamu Noguchi and a Vitsœ 606 Universal shelving system that holds a collection of design objects gifted and purchased.

With a home for his family along the Mississippi River waterfront, architect Barry Yoakum aimed to achieve the highest standards of energy performance and carbon mitigation without compromising on design. A modern anomaly among its historically styled neighbors, “the house is a fresh, authentic approach to climate change but also a piece of architecture,” he says. Its Pac-Clad aluminum panels with Bone White Energy Star coating reflect light differently from minute to minute while reducing solar heat gain. “The house will age well over time,” says Barry, who expects the cladding to have a long life span.

For Ana, it was important that guests could gather throughout the open ground floor. Her kitchen and living room flow into each other. Everyone can relax on the mustard Togo sofa from Ligne Roset in the living room or pull up a Hiroshima chair at the custom Tomaz Viana table by the kitchen.

In legendary designer Jens Risom's home, the painted white brick fireplace is flanked by wood bookshelves that join to form a mantle.

A home near Rye, England, opens onto a deck through a Sunflex door. The living room features a sofa by Terence Woodgate, 620 chairs by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ, and an Oluce Atollo 239 lamp by Vico Magistretti. The wood-burning fireplace sits along one wall in the room, with a bright orange flue acting as a sculptural focal point.

At a renovated farmhouse in the Italian countryside, a crisp, modern white plaster fireplace and hearth infuse the interior with coziness and warmth. The firewood is stacked in a nearly-frameless niche next to the fireplace that is lined with metal, adding a bit of shine that contrasts with the rustic firewood and wood ceiling and beams above.

Jennifer and Mattias Segerholt renovated a five-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot post-and-beam house in Portland, Oregon. Though the house's features were a complete mess upon purchase, its form was perfectly preserved, including the brick wood-burning fireplace whose chimney rises up the walls to the ceiling.

The built-in queen-size bed is dressed with Parachute bedding.

The designer created built-in cubbies that hold towels, plants, and bathing necessities for the kids' bathroom.

The braai area can be used for cooking over the open fire, or lounging in summer or winter, thanks to a built-in couch beside the firebox. “It's such a beautiful place to sit. In the summer when it's warm, I read my book and bring a glass of wine,” says Bonnie. “We are spending a lot of time now in the winter there, too, because it's just so cozy.”

The fireplace surround was replaced, and the mantle and pilasters were removed for a more minimal, sleek appearance. The new marble kitchen bench was extended out into the living room to create a benchtop area in front of the window for dining and working.

The combination of BluDot furnishings and vintage pieces created a modern, high end feel without feeling cold or pretentious. The living room space is centered around a ____ table from __ and bordered by an expansive white stone mantel from the original build.

A large hidden open-air scullery centers the main living area. Hygge Design + Build covered the cube with a paneling system of white oak and black aluminum trim to give it some detail and break up the monolith.