Favorites

In a Cape Town suburb known for its views of Table Mountain, architect Liani Douglas transformed a rundown, 80-year-old cottage into a house for her friend, Derek White, that embodies their shared design sensibilities. In the leafy neighborhood, the house announces itself with a pair of arched doorways at the front gate and the entry.

Situated on a small-footprint site on the banks of the Westport River, Mark Lawton Architecture constructed a high-functioning home for a total of $851,000.

Front facade from across the street

Front of the house during the day

The home’s exterior features Trespa Meteon panels, a durable and sustainable high-pressure laminate cladding. By design, expanses of glass reflect the surroundings where the home is placed.

The design for Tind, the new tiny home by Norske Mikrohus, was inspired by the Norwegian mountains and woods and features slow-growing Norwegian spruce for the exterior cladding.

The Patton New Century House treads lightly on the land while providing wide-open living spaces.

Kanuka Valley House by WireDog Architecture

The house has a front door, but it’s actually not the main entrance: That’s found around the side, via a soothing, wood-lined courtyard. It’s a natural space for outdoor entertaining, too, thanks to the built-in fireplace and bench.

Now, an eight-foot sliding door brings light into the kitchen and enables fluid movement between inside and out. The wider steps can serve as seats during a party, and they make for a graceful transition to the yard.

The home’s exterior contrasts bluestone with copper. The entry court and the southwestern elevation is shown here.

The two new buildings create a courtyard-like feel in the small urban backyard.

Multiple Hytte cabins can be clustered together to create a village layout.

Lauren and Brittan Ellingson, the owners of Notice Snowboards, a custom snowboard and wakesurf company in Whitefish, Montana, approached Workaday Design and builder Mindful Designs to concoct a new lake home for their family. The brief was, perhaps unsurprisingly, focused on getting the family outdoors as much as possible.

The kitchen features a large central island, custom walnut cabinetry, and quartzite countertops. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap around the breakfast area and complement Ultimate Casement windows with divided lites above the sink.