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The brick brise-soleil provides natural ventilation and shields the home from the heat of the sun. It also provides natural light and casts interesting shadows throughout the interiors.

The Flick House’s contemporary brick facade references traditional architecture in the owner’s hometown in Central Java.

The expanded kitchen has a large central island, with room for prep, seating, storage, and cooking. The cabinetry is a mix of wood, Shinnoki Milk Oak, and white fronts, Fenix NTM Bianco Kos. The terrazzo counters are by Concrete Collaborative. There are two types of tiles: the Mutina Rombini fluted tile on the island and Cepac Krave Sugar Tiles on the backsplash. “It looks very mid-century modern,” says Blaine of the backsplash tile. “But in this application, it also adds that little touch of depth that I think is really important to making the house feel interesting.” The counter stools are from Hay.

The airy chef's kitchen features long countertops, new appliances, and custom cabinetry.

All of the door and cabinet hardware, lighting, appliances, plumbing, and accessories are black to create consistent pops of depth and definition throughout the interior.

Located off paved roads, across a river, and up a mountain, Pablo Pérez Palacios’s cabin in the Mexican wilderness has a rooftop terrace designed for entertaining.

The exposed rafters were carried into the exterior areas, including the covered patio.

The pool and surrounding landscape connect the architecture with the wooded park just beyond the yard. “We used the softer textures of ornamental grasses, Japanese maples, and perennial plantings to balance the rectilinear lines of the pool and the house,” says Josh Myers of Myers + Co. Landscape Architecture.

The front garden area is terraced with custom Cor-Ten steel retaining walls with an oxidized patina. The plantings are inspired by the couple’s love for Palm Springs.

Likewise, the guest bathroom boasts Fireclay tiles and Kohler fixtures.

Working with contractor Mike Stayer of Core Construction, the designers created an indoor/outdoor environment for the family. The kids hang out while Jaclyn helms the grill from Barbeques Galore. The Eos Collection dining set is from Design Within Reach. An Element coffee table from CB2 occupies the covered patio.

Large openings and a two-bay screened-in porch further emphasize the connection between the indoors and outdoors.

Murren chose maintenance-free materials, such as Stepstone precast concrete pavers for exterior decks and river-rock-covered flat roofs. He recalls his neighbors’ astonishment and delight when “we went from a giant hole in the ground to a two-story house in just four days.”