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Lane also designed a detached screen porch for the property. Its orientation captures the view of a small mountain across the lake. “A New Hampshire lake house always has a screened porch,” he says. “This one allows for a separate experience that connects you to nature.”

While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”

“Metaphorically, the cabin’s exterior is like a cut log,” Lane says. “The black-stained Western red cedar is the bark, and the Douglas fir siding under cover is the exposed wood once the log has been cut.” Beyond the house and native sod gardens, a meadowscape blends into the mature pine forest at the lakefront. “We wanted a woodland garden quality,” landscape architect Soren deNiord says.

Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee compliments the exterior's clean lines and natural surroundings.

The white, light interior palette contrasts with the shell's dark tones.

Rather than a lush garden, the architect opted for a singular green expression. This was done by planting a sole Caesalpinia ferra tree at the atrium - a natural sculptural at the heart of the home.

The house's structural system is most apparent at the first storey sheltered, outdoor parts that are covered by an expansive timber ceiling.

Conveniently located in their backyard, the office allows the couple to run their practice while staying close to their kids.

Texas couple Brittany and Nick Hunt, partners in life and at Hunt Architecture, created an office on the grounds of their Austin home that allows them to run their practice while staying close to their kids.

In the kitchen, bar stools by Living Divani pull up to an island with Bretonstone countertops; the faucet is by Blanco.

The outdoor living space of the Birch Le Collaboration House features a wood-burning fireplace under large, covered porch.

The home’s HenryBuilt kitchen is a focal point. The yellow hues of its cabinetry are softened by white oak finishes on the floors and the kitchen island.

Minarc’s Plus Hus is a tiny energy-efficient prefab marketed towards homeowners seeking to add an accessory dwelling unit to their property. The 320-square-foot structure is prefabricated in downtown Los Angeles, and it can be shipped flatpack to anywhere in the U.S. with prices starting at $37,000.

- Santa Monica, California Dwell Magazine : July / August 2017

A boutique hotel in a former 19th century water purification faction, sleek glass panels and modern furnishings exist in symbiosis with the old factory walls, stone columns and aqueducts.