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Will Gamble Architects revives a crumbling, 17th-century structure with a svelte addition of steel, brick, and glass.

The concrete-and-steel home by Faulkner Architects gives one family a refined escape in the mountains of Northern California.

Working with a sumptuous material palette, Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects designed a sprawling new residence in Palo Alto for Mark and Laura Pine. The teak wood and handmade Danish bricks that define the exterior are used inside as well; distressed stainless steel panels by Chris French Metal sheathe one side of the upper volume. Blasen Landscape Architecture chose Peruvian feather grass to flank the entrance walkway.

Rustic, Scandinavian-style The Hut, in Ohio, is a true family affair; the sustainable cabin, covered in cedar shingles, was built by architect Greg Dutton and his brother and father. Inside, views are amplified through a 25-foot wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

Set on a family cattle farm in a Western Australia coastal town on the Margaret River, Bush House, by Archterra founder Paul O'Reilly, marries a single-plane roof with a prefabricated steel frame support structure. A rammed-earth wall carries through O'Reilly's house into the outdoors, melding with oiled plywood, anodized aluminum, and recycled furniture.

On the fringes of Genk, Belgium, Peter Geraerts of Cocoon Architecten and his wife live in this minimalist abode that wraps around an inner courtyard. Geraerts punctuated the wooden facade with intentionally placed square windows that maximize sight lines. Inside are Zen touches like a Noguchi coffee table and tatami mats.

In Chile's Chiloé Archipelago, architect Guillermo Acuña developed a 12-acre island for his friends and family to unwind, first with a boathouse, later with pathway-connected cabins at the water's edge. Design details include glazed walls, eco-friendly pine, and a bright red palette that calls to mind the intensely colored chilco flowers that bloom here come spring and summer.

In the Brisbane suburb of Paddington, architect Scott Petherick converted a 1920s structure into Jacaranda House, a "Queenslander"-inspired home for his family on the upper level, with his workshop below. In addition to striking woodwork and filigree upward-sloping eaves that filter sunlight into the kitchen, there are perks like an intimate courtyard and alfresco fireplace.

The garden of the property is filled with foliage and greenery, as well as ample space to lounge and entertain.

The converted home features timber decor and vintage furnishings throughout the living room.

Located on Shinar Mountain in Connecticut, this midcentury home is all about the finest views from the largest windows.

Two of the three units share a main entrance and all three units make use of communal outdoor spaces woven between the house and the charismatic oak trees.

Every room of the home has a view of the sea, and the salty air patinas the bespoke cedar panels over time.