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The exposed rafters were carried into the exterior areas, including the covered patio.

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.

When Austin-based firm Matt Fajkus Architecture was tasked with renovating this classic midcentury home, they sought to open up the interior—not only by unifying the common areas into an open-plan layout, but also by literally raising the home's roof. This strategy increased the ceiling height on three sides of the home, allowing for the insertion of clerestory windows to create a bright and airy open living space. "The raised ceiling maintains the original pitched roof geometry to stay harmonious with the existing gabled roof in the private zone," explain the architects in a statement.

In the backyard, the shipping container Modpool is controlled by a smart-tech system which allows it to double as a jacuzzi

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

The home's archetypal form rises from the windswept caatinga, a vast stretch of flat, semiarid land where the northeastern tip of the country juts into the Atlantic.

The living room sits at the rear of the house, connected to the garden. "Even though it's a very small house, we wanted the living room to be very generous," says the couple. "This room is the life of the house."

The single-family residence is located on a pristine .81-acre lot in Agoura Hills, California—just 15 miles north from Malibu and 35 miles northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. It was designed by Ellis David Gelman in 2006 and has been further modernized by its current owners.

An existing, tall Douglas fir stands sentinel at the left corner of the property outside the concrete wall. Pattison planted Colorado blue spruces in front of the Corten steel infills.

Designed by architect Richard Dorman in 1959, the post-and-beam dwelling sits on a half-acre lot and boasts floor-to-ceiling windows in every room.

Carbon bar stools by Bertjan Pot from Moooi rest under the kitchen island.

Hidden from the dense oceanfront in Malibu, California, this restoration by Brininstool + Lynch promises solitude and garden views.

A floor plan of the Mariposa House in Malibu, California, by Brininstool + Lynch.

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

The light-filled living room features extensive glazing in the form of clerestory windows, skylights, and a brilliant wall of glass.