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Stained cedar, ipe, and concrete form the palette of this modern, verdant 2,500-square-foot home in Kansas City. Indigenous wildflowers and native grasses grow on top of the structure; this planted roof also helps insulate the home and limited its energy needs.

Be selective about splurging. One of the hardest, yet potentially most satisfying, parts of staying on budget is learning where to save and where to splurge. There are certain items or pieces that are worthy of spending more on, whether it’s a sofa that will last you a decade or kitchen countertops that will really help improve the value of your home. Your contractor or other design professional can advise you on locations or pieces where a higher-quality product is important versus something more basic.

Chris, at left, and Techentin stand in the library, which they outfitted with a solid brass counter. The multi pendant is by Louis Weisdorf and the refrigerator is by U-Line.

In the library, tucked beneath the renovated staircase, is a reading nook featuring cushion fabric by Sarah Morris for Maharam. The pendant is by Louis Weisdorf for Gubi, and the sconce is by Bernard Schottlander for DCW éditions.

Per the client's brief, the master bedroom is separated from the master bath and closets.

The front of A Mews House was allowed a 10-foot setback, similar to existing homes on the street. A utility pole proved too expensive to relocate—it would have cost $18,000 to do so. “That pole dictated the way a car would access the property, thereby dictating the car pad location and eventually heavily influencing the location of circulation in the house,” says architect Alex Wu.

Extension

The alleyway facade reveals the contemporary addition with cedar-framed windows and a hardwood battened screen. The clerestory window glows at night behind the battens.

For Gabriel Ramirez and his partner Sarah Mason Williams, following the Sea Ranch rules—local covenants guide new designs—didn’t mean slipping into Sea Ranch clichés. The architects love Cor-Ten steel, with its ruddy and almost organic surface, and they made it the main exterior material, along with board-formed concrete and ipe wood. The Cor-Ten, which quickly turned an autumnal rust in the sea air, and the concrete, with its grain and crannies, mean the house isn’t a pristine box, Ramirez says. His Neutra house “was very crisp and clean,” he says. “This house is more distressed, more wabi-sabi.”

A slender, black double-sided fireplace distinguishes the living room from the dining area.

The existing wood structure and ceiling of the former saloon were completely refinished, and the exposed rafters were painted white for a brighter and more spacious feel. The old windows, floors, and finishes were replaced to create consistency with the new house.

“While the house enjoys its inner garden and cloister-like character, a major aim of the project was to give back to the neighborhood through the creation of a public green space along the property line,” says Ryan. “To do so, large sections of the sidewalk around the house were removed and converted to lush planting beds, which the owners tend.”

A view of the newly constructed modern Back House seen from the street. Custom redwood fencing wraps around the home.

With its stucco facade and steel-framed, arched windows, Plaster Fun House is an architectural anomaly amidst the cottages and 1960s brick residences of Torrensville in South Australia.

A timber-lined study on the upper floor of the parents' suite overlooks a private outdoor courtyard open to the sky and tree canopy.

Grain Super Black countertops from Stone Italiana sit atop sleek black cabinetry, which hosts the integrated appliances, including a cooktop, oven, and warming drawer from V-Zug.