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Located on New Zealand’s North Island along the Coromandel Peninsula, this timber-clad shipping container house by Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects captures the simplicity of living with nature. An open-plan layout extends the interior toward the surrounding landscape and ocean, while a built-in mechanism reveals a drop-down deck on one side of the unique holiday home.

“Clients come in, and we make them coffee,” Shivley explains. “We use it as an opportunity to slow the pace, to chit-chat and catch up on how their day has been. It takes the formality out of meetings, to make it really social.” Instead of a stuffy atmosphere, “we're just in a coffee shop catching up,” he says.

As with the kitchen island bench and the cabinetry for the media unit, the bathroom vanity was custom designed by Studio Jackson Scott and built on-site using Australian Blackbutt.

The shared wet room features a Boyce freestanding tub by Signature Hardware with west-facing views of the forest.

Sitting eight feet off the ground, Erica and Eduardo Heidenreich’s island retreat in the Paraná River delta, north of Buenos Aires, is built to withstand the remote wetland’s periodic flooding.

All of the furnishings are domestically made and were sourced from Erica’s design store, Solsken, in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires. “The leather upholstered chairs and benches won recognition for good design for furniture produced in Argentina, so I’m proud to have them on display here,” she says.

A covered deck runs the length of the structure, its deep overhang helping to regulate solar gain. The home, certified a Passive House by the Passive House Institute, is highly insulated and airtight. “Once the windows and doors were installed, the workers preferred to sleep inside the empty house instead of in their converted shipping containers,” says Eduardo.

Upon arrival, a serene Koi pond awaits at the main entrance, providing a quiet resting spot.

The original owners made the shoji panels themselves, and John and Erik replaced the rice paper. “There’s something special about knowing the screens were made by hand,” Erik says.

The coal-colored walls of the primary bedroom are finished in paint and hemp oil sealant from Real Milk Paint Co.

“Natural materials bring tactility and warmth,” says Norm partner Sofie Thorning. Marvin windows and a folding NanaWall provide epic views of the landscape.

A bright kitchen is not only healthier for your eyes, it also makes preparing food safer and will probably put you in a cheerier mood.

Inside, the dining nook is similarly clad in Western cedar, augmenting the home's connection to the outdoors.

The faucets, which are made of copper plumbing fittings, reference the history of the building and its industrial roots.

Set on a classic white subway tile? That's fine by rockstar interior designer Emily Henderson. In order to pick a white shade that's best for your kitchen, take note of its tone and glaze.