Great remodels

After: The soaring new living and dining space benefits from an abundance of natural light from every side, and they spent a lot of time trying to find the best lighting for the kitchen. The final choice: long, narrow copper pendants from Denmark suspended by ultra thin wires to not disrupt the visual flow of the room.

The bookcase in the great room holds about 3,500 books. Several hundred more can be found in the living room, and on the floor-to-ceiling shelves in Zeke and Teasel's offices.

The new kitchen-and-dining area connects to the living area and the rear yard.

The rebuilt “Idea House,” designed by Holly Freres and David Horning of JHL design. The driveway is permeable to encourage good drainage: crushed granite gravel is installed over a stabilization mat. James Hardie exterior siding is painted in Benjamin Moore ‘White Dove,’ with reclaimed wood used for the entry and garage.

FMT Estudio gives a stark and dated dwelling a playful renovation that embraces the sunny climate with lush courtyards and a poolside veranda.

In a Portland home, Rise Boyer of Risa Boyer Architecture led a renovation that would respect the home's original aesthetic and make it easier for the homeowners to entertain.

This Toronto workspace designed by architect Anya Moryoussef features an 18-foot-long built-in floating desk with integrated storage.

"It’s not uncommon for sellers to throw some new black plastic under the house to conceal any potential water problems,” says Burkholder. “Old leaky pipes are one problem, but a high water level that leaves the crawlspace musty can be an expensive fix as well.”

This living area opposite the bunks features two prominent details in the home's design: terracotta and cork. The floor lamp is by Crate & Barrel, while the ottoman and sofa are from Room and Board.

The sophisticated white motif of this bathroom capitalizes on its natural light.

The four different bathrooms all have a different style. This one has a playful blue, gray, and white motif.

The walls, floor, and ceiling are all covered in waterproof lime plaster, Mortex by Beal.

A stainless steel, wall-mounted sink appears to float, as does the steel shelf below, and the pipes are hidden in the wall.

The kitchen is composed of stainless steel, from the cabinetry fabricated by Barcelona company Timblau, to the counters and backsplash, the latter given a mirror polish for contrast to the former’s patina on the surfaces. The boxes were brought in on a crane and then the group put them together in place. “The kitchen shouldn't be a closed dirty area of the house,” says Jon. “But [rather] the heart.” Fitting, as social life in the Basque culture revolves around eating together.