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The home is nestled in a stand of cedar, pine, and Douglas fir trees. The family relocated a smaller cabin to make room for their new retreat, and they plan to convert the original structure into a game room for the kids.

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.”

In the living area, a sofa from Hay faces a platform sofa from dk3, with a coffee table from Muuto in between. The floor tiles are from Concrete Collaborative and the wall paint is Atrium White by Benjamin Moore.

Inside the brightly colored home, walls of glass stretch along two sides of the lower level. The dining area features a Gather Dining Table by Jacob Plejdrup for dk3 and Wishbone dining chairs by Hans Wegner for Carl Hansen & Søn from Design Within Reach.

The corner library takes color inspiration from the facade.

Cabinetry maker Forest Designs used birch plywood to craft the U-shaped kitchen island, which is topped with quartz from Floform. The Ziro floor tiles in Gris are from Navarti and the contemporary metal edge pulls are from Richelieu. The appliances are from Whirlpool.

In the living room, a Stûv fireplace sits near Lori’s favorite place to paint. “We made the southeast corner glass, because that’s where the best view is,” says BCJ principal Ray Calabro.

Birdseye designed the home to be "as visually quiet as possible," says Mac.

Thick vegetation surrounding the two-acre property ensures ample privacy for residents seeking a tranquil city escape.

Polished concrete floors continue into each of the four bedrooms.

In the main residence, a black fireplace set inside a floor-to-ceiling slab of concrete anchors the light-filled living room.

Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow—who is well known for numerous Hollywood films including Zero Dark Thirty—is selling her Los Angeles compound, which includes a main residence and a poolside guesthouse, as well as a three-car garage.

Herron Horton Architects converted a garage into a place for kids to study and play.

In this sustainable home in Silicon Valley, the primary suite opens to a deck and fern garden with large, sliding glass doors.

This reconfigured Craftsman home in Portland, Oregon, designed by Beebe Skidmore Architects, includes a highly functional mudroom. The exterior siding and windows were kept in place to reference the house’s previous incarnation. Built-in cabinetry with exposed plywood edges and laminate fronts are now up to the task of handling the family’s gear. The mudroom has sight lines to the family nook at the back corner.

Working is much more pleasant when you have natural light to brighten up your space. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a window, then invest in some stylish lighting.

The Irwin Caplan Midcentury project by SHED Architecture & Design includes a private office space on the lower level. The furnishings tie in with the home’s midcentury architecture, including a modern wood desk, an Eames side chair, and a slim Design Within Reach bookshelf.

“Everything needed to be approachable and simple,” says Hilary. “The house reflects who we are.”