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The former exterior wall is now a textural accent in the living room that syncs with the concrete wall in the kitchen.

After a day at the beach, an outdoor shower tucked toward the back of the house allows everyone to rinse off without tracking sand indoors.

Carole and granddaughter Allison—–silhouetted against a glass door that pivots open to the front garden—–plot how they’ll prepare the family’s next meal at the kitchen island.

Cedar louvers increase privacy and shade on the second-floor deck, where Carole and Duane relax with granddaughters Natalie and Allison and their friend Katherine.

Built-ins reduce the need for furniture.

Bath vanity with Kohler sink, matte black fixtures by Delta and Triple Seven Home. Poured in place concrete sink by us.

The living room is outfitted with a plush, built-in sofa with storage cubbies underneath. "It’s difficult to find ready-made pieces with storage that fit a unique space, so we built-in the desk, bed, and sofa," says Amy.

A built-in desk creates an office area for two at one end of the living room.

A smaller volume links the containers and provides additional storage.

A bright green, patterned wallpaper envelops the bathroom on the lower level.

An en-suite bathroom, walk-in closet, and window seat complete the bedroom. A bridge leads to a guest room, a family bathroom, and two linked children's bedrooms.

The Japanese-style bathroom, which is clad in teak, features a matching tub and sink by Bath in Wood.

Serenity and purity of the elements inspired the concept of r3R residence, a project realized in an existing building. A low-lying modern fireplace design in the living room brings warmth to the space.

Tigg Coll Architects took a new approach to a straightforward town house renovation and expansion in London. The home’s rear extension has its own personality, with with pivoting glass doors, sharp red support beams, and a wood-burning fireplace. The overhanging concrete plinth acts as a hearth or, as Tigg imagines it, a sort of contemporary inglenook. Wood piles neatly between the beam and wall. The fireplace, a Stovax Riva 2, is flanked by a Lampe Gras wall lamp; firewood is cleverly stored in the narrow space between the fireplace and the red support beam, creating a fun moment of practical texture in the room.

Alexandra Angle transformed a beachside cabin into a colorful retreat for a college friend and her family. The living area features a PP130 Circle Chair by Hans Wegner and a Shaker wood stove by Antonio Citterio with Toan Nguyen for Wittus. A Tropicalia Cocoon hanging chair by Patricia Urquiola complements the fabric from Liberty that Angle used for the cushions on the built-in banquette.

The open-plan living room is Standard Studio architect and creative director Jurjen van Hulzen’s favorite part of the home. “Mom can cook, Dad can work or play piano, the kids can play. At nighttime there’s a fireplace and a nice sitting area,” says van Hulzen. “It really just has a super nice energy.”

Sam Shah and Anne Suttles asked architect Kevin Alter to renovate their 1920s bungalow in Austin, Texas, and add an addition, which contains a living area downstairs and an office upstairs. They tucked an office nook under the stairs; the Eames chair is a hand-me-down from Shah’s father.