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Joan’s main request, aside from a single-level residence, was that she would feel like she was “outside in and inside out” at all times. A sliding glass wall system along the back of the house lets her and Ken open their dining room up to the surrounding forest.

A simple, hardscaped back patio is the site of many summer parties. The steps lead down to the firepit, where one feels increasingly embraced by the forest.

The apartment in the heart of São Paulo, Brazil, that FJ55 Arquitetos renovated for Carolina Quevedo and Marcus Watari was once a podcast studio. The space's wide open living area, kitchen, and dining space are outfitted with Tauari wood floors and feature raw concrete ceilings, beams, and pillars.

The architects created an office for two in the open living area by arranging a Freijó wood desk along the wall. Shelving above the desk holds Carolina and Marcus's book collection, and the armchair and ottoman, designed by Sergio Rodrigues, were acquired at auction; the poster is by Shepard Fairey. The sitting area is outfitted with a family heirloom coffee table, a sofa by Cini Boeri, and a Jackson Pollock print.

In the living room, the built-in daybed was fabricated by Michael Mellon and Benjamin Winslow out of old-growth redwood. The vintage Japanese and Turkish rugs were sourced from Slow Roads. “We chose the green fabric for the daybeds because we wanted it to be retro looking,” explains Nick, who worked with San Francisco company Hardesty Dwyer & Co. on the upholstery. The Noguchi pendant light is vintage, and the orb sconces were sourced from In Common With.

The home’s single bathroom contains a vanity and mirror fabricated from old-growth redwood. The sink is cast concrete, and the faucet is from California Faucets. The inset wall shelf features a Japanese gouge texture done by Nick.

There’s more concealed storage in the bathroom, this time clad in wooden tile so it blends in with the wall treatment. The flooring is terrazzo tile.

"We contrasted the linearity of the etched granite by curving the island edges and introducing fridge panels with hand-carved pulls,

Also in the foyer, beside a wall of glass that brings light into the living/dining area, is storagefor coats, bags and shoes.

David likes to cook and entertain so the architects designed a full-scale kitchen with Forbo Marmoleum flooring, white oak cabinets, ceramic tile backsplash, and Richlite counters.

The design team added a skylight to the shower room, which has a ribbed glass partition and wall tile from Solistone.

“The things we splurged on still look raw, which is what we wanted,” adds Nick.

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.

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.

The built-in hardware is one of Simon's favorite elements of the kitchen. "We liked the idea of not having a lot of jewelry in this room," she says. The pendant lights are from Shades of Light, the bar stools from Interlude Home, the wall sconces from Cedar and Moss, and the accessories are from Everything But the House, an online auction house.