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The kitchen, which friends helped put together, pairs affordable Ikea cabinetry with birch countertops and glazed brick tile.

A San Francisco home by ballonSTUDIO employs a warm beige palette across all four flours.

The kitchen is a minimalist, functional space with Miele and Wolf appliances, Lumi joinery, and concrete worktops and sinks designed by the homeowners.

Two hours north of New York City, an unusual barn emerges from a hill just off a country road. Its black siding and bright-red window frames hint at the imaginative playground inside. This space, with its rope-railed catwalk and indoor tent, is just one element of the multifaceted getaway architecture and design firm BarlisWedlick Architects designed for fund manager Ian Hague.

From red painted cedar siding to no-fuss structural elements, Northworks’ solution reaches a happy medium between the classic barn look and a weekend retreat. “The best thing about this house,” explains one resident, “is that when it’s just the four of us, it feels cozy. But even when we’re hosting 25 people, it never feels crowded.”

Inspired by hilltop views and traditional New England farm and barn structures, Marvin Architect's Challenge-winner Michael Waters of LDa Architecture & Interiors set out to strike the perfect balance between time-tested tradition and sophisticated, clean lines.

The Webster Wilson–designed Rodney ADU opens on two sides, with the ground floor devoted to its living room and bedrooms above. Wilson, who has designed several ADUs, says his clients are looking for flexibility. "I think people are interested in outbuildings that can be rented out or set up for personal use—or both. That’s what’s interesting. It’s not one or the other—it’s ‘We may want to Airbnb it for a while, but then we’ll retire, move in there, and rent the main house.’ Or it’s ‘Our daughter will live there during college, and then we’ll rent it out.’"

"We’ve kind of learned what’s the most efficient layout," explains Propel Studio principal Nick Mira. "It’s three-fifths and two-fifths—three-fifths are the living area, and two-fifths are the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom is a natural separator to provide some distance from the living area. We prefer to push kitchens to the perimeter—preferably just one wall."

Bay Area start-up Rent the Backyard is making new room in dense cities by collaborating with homeowners who've got a little extra acreage. The company will install a prefab studio apartment on unused land behind your home, handle all the permitting required to do so, find a worthy tenant to rent the unit, and pay you 50% of the profits for providing the space—all for zero up-front costs.

Find out how tiny homes fit everything in such a small amount of square footage with these free floor plans.

An at-grade coach house with a vaulted roof can be achieved on a standard city lot with a single parking space.

Hydraulic cement tiles on the floor were used to create a visual "pathway" to the solarium.

Custom kitchen island and cabinets designed by RobitailleCurtis, built by Kastella. Solid wood C401 stool by Kastella in rustic walnut with oil rubbed finish.

Conserve water and energy by swapping your regular kitchen and bathroom taps for more efficient faucets.

Kitchen and furnishings are made of grey wood fiberboard. Over the entire kitchen counter there is an oblong window section that emits light through a roof-mounted kitchen shelf in steel and glass. In the background a glimpse of the cubbyhole/reading corner.

“I love the house more each day,” says Tamami Sylvester of her and husband Michael's home by Sebastian Mariscal in Venice, California. The kitchen, which includes all Miele appliances, is sheathed in custom woodwork from Semihandmade. Accessories from A+R complement the Caesarstone countertops and Franke faucet. A LifeSource Water System provides filtration. Photo by Coral von Zumwalt.