Favorites

The backyard features an outdoor dining area with a swimming pool, a jacuzzi, an indoor/outdoor shower, and a fire pit.

The home's signature shiny exterior is composed of energy-efficient insulating concrete forms.

The 2,500-square-foot house has four bedrooms with ensuite baths. It also has an office that allows Bob to work remotely. Twin Fork Landscape Contracting was hired to enhance the yard.

"The border between inside and outside fades because of the perpetuation of the washed concrete flooring, reminiscent of cannon bases. Just like the shutters of the old barn, the sliding facades of the expansion offer the opportunity to seal off the guest complex entirely," explains Vanhoutte.

The larch slats above the brick reference a history of agriculture buildings in the area.

New residential buildings are few and far between in England, so architects like Phillips have increasingly been charged with creating groundbreaking modern environments within the shells of historic houses. “People just find it easier to work within existing houses to transform them to be sleek, stylish and functional,” says Phillips. “Extensions have almost become a requirement for any homeowner who wants to be a part of modern living within the U.K.”

A spacious three-sided screened porch, conveniently located adjacent to the living/dining/kitchen area, is nestled on the edge of a dune overlooking the refreshing waters of Cape Cod Bay.

White oak makes a return appearance on the ceiling in the master bedroom.

The great room in the 2,800-square-foot house that architect Drew Lang designed for his family in the Hudson Woods development north of New York City features generous amounts of white oak, which he says is his favorite material.

Even in cold weather, they open the sliding doors to let the fresh air in.