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The new millwork tucks neatly into the existing niche of the living room, and the couch base was designed around the dimensions of a single bed mattress.

“We wanted to have fun with it,” says Ren of the entry installation. A teal velvet curtain acts as the closet door.

McLucas House / Girard House floor plan

Floor Plan of Palms Residence by Olson Kundig

Erin Moore of FLOAT Architectural Research and Design, based in Tucson, Arizona, designed a 70-square-foot writer’s retreat in Wren, Oregon, for her mother, Kathleen Dean Moore, a nature writer and professor of philosophy at nearby Oregon State University. The elder Moore wanted a small studio in which to work and observe the delicate wetland ecosystem on the banks of the Marys River. Enlisting her daughter’s design expertise, her professor husband’s carpentry savoir faire, the aid of friends, and a front loader, Kathleen and her crew erected the structure in September 2007. Photo by Gary Tarleton. Totally off the grid—–Kathleen forgoes the computer and writes by hand when there—–the Watershed was designed to tread as lightly on the fragile ecosystem as the wild turkeys and Western pond turtles that live nearby. “

Helsinki architect Ville Hara and designer Linda Bergroth collaborated on a prefab shed-meets-sleeping cabin, which can be assembled with little else than a screwdriver. Bergroth, inspired by nomadic yurt dwellers, wanted an indoor/outdoor experience for her property in Finland.

In turning the second level of the garage behind their duplex into a multifunctional workspace without breaking the bank, Kyle Huberty relied on friends, family, and the community at large.

Through the renovation, dropped ceilings were removed and original details—such as the original wood floors and moldings—were preserved. Because of a limited budget, Claire and Adam opted to do much of the work themselves.

Although hard to pin down, Claire loosely describes the home’s style as “European farmhouse.” “It’s a mix of old and new—mostly old!” she says.

Interior Designer Claire Zinnecker lives in the Georgetown, Texas, home with her husband Adam Mink, along with their two dogs and two cats. “We needed to make this a livable house, make it work for our family, but also respect its original story,” says Claire.

Floor Plan of Marlow the Majestic

becomes this wood cocoon with ambient light coming through the clear wall panel. You don’t need to even turn on a light.”

Heritage architecture can be found all throughout the abode, including the built-in bookshelves winding up the main staircase.

The staircase that accesses the second level features a slim silhouette that preserves ground space for the open-plan first level, where the kitchen, dining, and living areas are located.