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“Everything is in the core,” Farley says. “It’s an efficient way to organize space and functions.

Your experience begins by unlocking the front door on your Smart phone.

Passing the rain garden on your way back to the house, watch out for the local wildlife, from herds of deer to soaring eagles, to the local Bengal cat. The rain garden is the Barn Gallery's most talked about landscaping feature;  if you're lucky enough to be there when it rains you can see it in action.... Sustainability is exemplified by the rough fir siding, re-purposed from an old movie prop storage warehouse in Los Angeles. Every piece of reclaimed wood and metal inside or outside the house has a story to tell.

A cast-iron tub from Signature Hardware sits beneath a large window; the unlacquered brass faucet is from Waterworks.

The home’s exterior contrasts bluestone with copper. The entry court and the southwestern elevation is shown here.

MH01’s angled roof, black shingles, and Superboard panels bring a modern sensibility to a traditional cottage form.

Electricity needs are more than met by an array of solar panels that produces 14,423 kWh/year. “It’s a beautiful little power plant,” says Jeff.

Created as a retreat for scientists and researchers, the Climate Barn in eastern Long Island is the brain-child of owners Jeff Tannenbaum and Nisa Geller. Working with architect Shauna McManus, they’ve created a net-zero-energy structure that showcases affordable, sustainable design.

The living room is warmed by a Morsø 1440 cast-iron stove and features a pair of calfskin folding seats that are original to the house.

Designed by a little-known architect in 1949, the now streamlined home honors its original bones.

The vacation home sleeps up to 22 people. There’s enough room for the clients and their seven children as well as additional family and friends.

The kitchen is located in a bespoke timber joinery unit that divides the “living shed.” The timber has been stained black to contrast with the surrounding timber cladding, and brass counters and backsplashes echo the use of brass details throughout the interior. “Brass was a very special material—used sparingly—that has come to be a hallmark of the project,” says architect Ben Shields.

The kids’ bath has a whole new look that includes orange glass subway tiles by Ann Sacks, ceramic penny tile, an orange trough sink, and sconces from Barn Light Company. The custom recessed medicine chest is made from mahogany with a butternut-colored finish.

Haciendas by Lake|Flato Architects are pure, boxy volumes that are topped with hipped or gabled roofs.

A custom ash table by Urban Lumber Company sits behind the living area inside. “It’s a south-facing slope, so there’s exposure to sun. The nifty part of the porch design is that it provides shade without obstructing the view out to the lake,” says resident Dan Curry.

Every square inch was maximized in these compact vacation homes.