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The wood louvers on the ceiling and walls of the addition denote where the new portion of the house begins.

A clerestory window lets sunlight into the primary bath without compromising privacy. The water closet and pivoting shower doors are fabricated from frosted glass. Large format porcelain slab walls mitigates the need for distracting grout lines.

The kitchen island is composed of rift white oak doors and drawers while the wall of storage cabinetry visually sinks into the white wall upon which it’s hosted.

The home, originally a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom house, was originally purchased by Sylvia Rocha as a place for her and her daughter to live. Now, more than 25 years later, Sylvia's daughter and grandson, Jax, continue to spend time at the house; Jax even has his own room in the expanded second floor loft area.

Inspired by the sea and sand, Richard and Jackie Willcocks chose blue and orange joinery colors for their 1,140-square-foot prefab. The modular home is by New South Wales company ArchiBlox.

Generation 6000 M Touch speed oven by Miele, $3,500 This oven reduces cook times by up to 30 percent with combined microwave and convection functionality. At just 24 inches wide, its small size also keeps preheat time to a minimum.

A Wolf E-Series steam oven with convection capacity occupies the opposite end of the island. "It's great," Pacek says. "You can steam a whole tray of vegetables at the same time, and it's very quick for reheating. Even though we have a built-in microwave, we often use this for reheating; it's just as quick."

For the kitchen, architect Ivan Priatman selected an oven, hood, and cooktop from Teka and a Samsung refrigerator. While the table is his own design, the bar stools and chairs are from Informa.

The Cabin is used by a couple with a young child, who spend their weekends here while a larger country home is under construction.

The minimalistic form and simple geometry of The Cabin has been designed to easily fit into any natural landscape. Large windows allow the inhabitants to engage with the surroundings even when they are inside.

The architects arranged the "service areas" of the home—closets, a bathroom, storage space, and most of the kitchen appliances—in a block near the entrance, a move that allows for clear views across the open-plan kitchen and living areas.

This backyard home office for a couple in London is constructed with all-timber structural framing and is clad in cork and topped with a vegetated roof. These eco-friendly materials make for a delightfully sensory space with lots of lighting provided by the skylight and glass and oak door.

Anderson installed fans in the upstairs bedroom and incorporated operable windows for cross ventilation. In-slab hydronic heating supplements warmth provided by the winter sun.

Light fixtures by Shades of Light and countertop by Cambria

Cambria Whitehall double kitchen islands with waterfall edges

Custom walnut cabinetry designed by Michael Weidner at Radhaus Kabinett Co. are framed by a Cambria Brittanicca Warm backsplash and topped with Q Premium Natural Quartz and Calico white quartz countertops.

Light fixtures by Shades of Light and countertop by Cambria

This apartment, overlooking the beautiful beach and the urban views of Tel Aviv, was built in the late 1990s and hadn't been renovated since, until designer Maya Sheinberger came in. The kitchen cabinets were chosen in a grey color with a matte finish and for the countertops, the designer chose a bright Dekton with marble texture. Above the kitchen island, which is used for cooking and for light family meals, are three wooden lighting fixtures by Israeli designer Ohad Benit.