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The library and home office space were painted a bold shade of black. The red leather Golfo dei Poeti lounge chair is by Matteo Grassi.

River Oaks Residence lower-level floor plan

The use of Nakamoto Forestry’s shou sugi ban siding over brick is a nod to the home’s original facade, while evoking the materiality of Japanese architecture.

The original home was clad in brick siding on the main floor walls, prompting Hale and team to incorporate brick in their redesign as an homage to the original dwelling. The color choice of the new masonry “was primarily aesthetic, to create strong contrast for the shou sugi ban siding set above the white brick walls,” says Hale.

“Upon arrival, one will notice the simple punched openings on the north and east facades, and dark, mysterious entrance,” says MaMo Principal Natasha Coyle.

The home’s primary bathroom includes wood vanity, soaking tub, and operable windows overlooking southeastern vistas.

The expansive glazing allows the occupants to appreciate not just the views, but shifting light and shadow play throughout the day.

Large sliding glass doors extend to the kitchen and dining area, creating outdoor cooking space when fully open.

Located in Ojochal, Costa Rica, at the edge of a large tropical rain forest, the multi-disciplinary firm of A-01 (A Company / A Foundation) designed a prefabricated home that would respond to its local environment by exclusively using passive climate control.

Bedroom with a velvet headboard

When it hit the market, this 2,660-square foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home hadn’t been updated in more than 60 years, but the homeowner saw its inherent charm and called on architects Rick and Cindy Black and Christina Simon of Mark Ashby Design for a complete renovation. Some of the biggest challenges included "figuring out how to integrate the living room, which was once a carport that had been closed in at some point," says Rick Black. "A brick wall separated it from the other areas, and it was really a dead room." Another consideration was respecting the home’s history and its bones and choosing an aesthetic that matched the homeowner’s active lifestyle. Other updates included terrazzo flooring and built-in furniture.

The entry to the 1953 midcentury ranch was reworked by Boyer. To the left, the popped-out window box contains a built-in bench which is part of the home office nook.

Named Los Terrenos, meaning The Terrains, this retreat in Monterrey, Mexico, was designed by Mexico City–based architect Tatiana Bilbao to reflect the lush woodland hillside it sits on. The dwelling consists of two volumes made of rammed earth, terracotta clay bricks, and a facade clad in mirrored glass.

A modern, matte-black Vipp kitchen system in Gothenburg, Sweden.

While the house’s original pine is richly colored and textured, a number of structural posts rendered the kitchen difficult to furnish with modern fixtures. A newly-added black beam, which extends outward into the dining room, allowed for the posts’ removal.

The smooth, raven-hued island in this kitchen is made of oak with a thin stone countertop. A Foscarini Gregg Pendant hangs overhead.