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Greg Knapp and Robyn Traynor worked with architect Peter Braithwaite to design a nature retreat for their family on a slice of Canadian wilderness. It has two shed-roofed structures joined by a boardwalk elevated above a preexisting walking path on the couple’s land.

The pavilion closest to the road is the family’s sleeping quarters. It has a full bath, sleeping loft, and space for mechanical equipment. The second volume is a living space with a kitchenette finished in white oak, a lounge space with a wood-burning stove, and a sleeping loft for guests.

The group was budget-conscious when designing the kitchenette. They used Ikea cabinets with custom-built faces in a white oak, cabinet-grade veneer. Braithwaite extended the same material to the ceiling beneath the mezzanine to define the kitchen zone. As a result, “it feels like it is part of the same language,” he says. Instead of traditional plumbing, the group added a filtered water collection system to the metal roof, and opted for an incinerator toilet.

Since the photo shoot, the couple have placed a desk in the triangular window nook and use the perch as a workspace. “There’s just something about it that hugs you,” says Shelley. “I feel very focused and relaxed when I’m here.”

The wet bathroom, clad in Savoy penny tile by Ann Sacks, helped optimize the home’s petite footprint.

The focus of the renovation was the kitchen, where the textures of tiles and brickwork play backdrop to considered, bespoke carpentry.

Boat design inspired the concept for the bedroom and bathroom. “Boats are where great design meets small spaces,” explains de la Vega.

A Seattle couple built their own backyard house with a city-sponsored design—and then rented out their old home on the property to friends.

Oskar and Karl, 12 and 9, share breakfast at their family’s summer getaway in Sweden. The table is from ILVA, and the CH36 chairs by Hans Wegner are from Carl Hansen & Søn.

The ground floor includes a four-bed bunk room, allowing the Milford's two sons to bring friends.

“They are quite cute and very wild,” Leah says of her three kids. The hot tub and surrounding deck were the starting points for the exterior remodel, with the transformed outdoor space incorporating numerous areas for the children to play and explore.

A healthy budget for landscaping allowed Leah to achieve a natural, wild look with plants. “I wanted to look out and see just lush plants growing wild,” she says. The collage of native vegetation was also used to soften the transitions between surface materials and backyard zones.

“I knew that if the structure was done right, it would look like it had always been there,

Tricked out with a green rooftop deck, underwater windows, and a DJ station, this Vancouver family home knows how to have a good time.

The deck is framed as an open-air room where the ceiling and walls have been peeled away. The grill is a vintage Weber Genesis 1000. LG solar panels from Pick My Solar contribute to the home’s net-zero energy profile, as does a moisture barrier in the walls that allows heat to escape.

Furniture designer Tom Deacon teamed up with pal and architect Andrew Jones to renovate his Toronto townhouse. “Architects tend to think of the building first, the interiors second, and last, the furniture. Our approach was the opposite,” Jones says.

Offsite Camp cabin in Wassaic, New York, offers a place for city dwellers to work remotely surrounded by nature.

Deacon House floor plan