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“We definitely wanted to preserve the character of the home and make sure that it always fits the neighborhood,” says designer Jenny Bassett. To that end, the team kept the front façade intact, only repainting and adding new landscaping. The fireplace in the living room was also retained, so wood is stored in the front yard for easy access.

The suburban backyard garage in Hertfordshire, England, that architect Olli Andrew of Hyper converted into a work studio is wrapped in charred larch wood pieces that give the impression of scales and foster biodiversity, providing a place for insects to nestle.

Merritt Amanti Palminteri and Rogers Hawley revamped their Monterey bungalow without expanding its footprint.

Pine and gravel sleepers follow the site’s natural slope, weaving through the existing pine trees until reaching the home’s entrance.

No one wanted to alter the stairway, and kept its original design intact. New windows and a clever and sleek wood staircase highlight the private courtyard outside.

Removing the exterior white siding and creating a new cantilevered concrete stoop was the first order of business. "Both Julie and Chris being structural engineers, I thought we should show off what they do with this cantilevered concrete slab for the new front stoop,

The garage highlights the Lubkes’ structural engineering expertise with a 13-foot concrete wall built by Dolan Construction.

Hidden from the street, the private backyard includes a wooden deck and a "teahouse."

The Light Shed is wrapped in corrugated bituminous fiberglass backed by a UV open cladding membrane.

Nine shipping containers form the basis of this new multigenerational house near Denver.

Concrete pavers line the new hardscape, which steps up to a deck built of ipe wood. Ipe wood has also been used for the built-in benches and fencing.