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After noticing a void in the market, Australian entrepreneur Oscar Martin partnered with architect Peter Stutchbury to start Dimensions X, a company that will soon offer affordable and architecturally pleasing prefab homes.

The minimal studio maximizes space thanks to a wall of built-in shelving that frames the bed and office nook.

The expansive windows and door in the kitchen-and-living area frames views of the lush natural surround.

Floor-to-ceiling windows on the front facade slide open and give visitors the feeling of being outdoors while relaxing on the interior.

Dot House at night

Exposed ceiling beams bring warmth and authenticity to the home.

A new cedar and glass dining pavilion extends through the back of a weekend retreat in rural Ontario designed by architect Brian O'Brian for Ben Sykes and Erin Connor. The 19th-century timber and stone structure, formerly a one-room schoolhouse, proved to be the perfect palimpsest for a modern intervention.

The dining room addition, which increased the total square footage to 2,700, features a Semi pendant by Bonderup & Thorup for Gubi and a table and chairs from Atelier Arking.

The front garden area is terraced with custom Cor-Ten steel retaining walls with an oxidized patina. The plantings are inspired by the couple’s love for Palm Springs.

RIC Design Build paid homage to the midcentury era and architect Alan McCullough’s legacy while making the house work for today.

The primary suite is located at the upper level, projected over the deck to create protected outdoor space. Note how the architects carved away a portion of the exterior wall so as to allow people to walk around the supporting column and ensure natural light penetrates the glass doors from two sides.

“Making the landscape a central piece of the home itself welcomes nature inside and strengthens the sense of well-being through views of nature,” says Marvin. “I think about how the home is positioned on the site, too, and I can tell the homeowners were very intentional about the placement of windows and doors because they wanted to capture as much natural light as possible.”

“The dining room wallpaper [Cole & Son’s Forest] helped bring the outdoors in, which was a parallel play on the large windows selected by the architects. Selecting wallpapers that had a forced perspective also provided a sense of depth for spaces like the dining room and powder room,” says Santos.

“There’s confusion that the more expensive the design is, the more of a luxury it is. But expensive materials do not make the design,” Edna says.

Bed