House

One of the building challenges was transportation through the steep and windy roads to the isolated site, which is 0.5km away from Cornwall, one of Connecticut's smallest towns.

The staircase, which runs from the lower level to the third floor, is lined by a single 32-foot-tall pane of glass.

This is a standard kitchen for Hygge Supply's two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath models, and all of the appliances are from Fisher & Paykel. The bright, open-plan layout is cozy and efficient.

The overhanging third floor shades a private outdoor spa—complete with an open-air shower and a plunge pool—which is located off the master bedroom and bath.

Recently retired and ready to downsize, Paul and Melonie Brophy found a lot in Palo Alto that gave them the chance to start fresh. Their glass, concrete, and wood house, designed by Feldman Architecture, seems to float above a landscape by Bernard Trainor. Of the board-formed concrete wall, architect Taisuke Ikegami says, "It connects the building to the ground plane while allowing the house to be a landscape element."

The Drum table by Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin also has brass and bronze accents. The ebonized oak headboard has upholstered insets of tie-dyed kona cotton.

The floor plan for the Silvernails loft