House Ideas

A marble wet room features a freestanding tub by Victoria and Albert and dual showers, while another shower on the terrace offers the option of washing outdoors. A 12-foot wooden door swings back to reveal a dressing room.

The master bedroom. "The small size of the home inspired me to design it as an urban retreat for casual living based on radical simplicity," says architect Cass Calder Smith.

Neither the owner, a self-declared "card-carrying-modernist," or his girlfriend, Stephanie Kiriakopolos, miss having a big bulky refrigerator.

One of the greatest design challenges, according to Franz and Paré-Mayer, was reimagining the dark, unfinished garage space in a way that would “establish [it] as primary, instead of an afterthought to the original floor above.” This was achieved by layering open, linked spaces on the ground floor and sticking to a few carefully selected materials for cohesion and fluidity. There are hardly any hallways in the home; every space serves a function. Polished concrete floors continue throughout the new living level, and a bent metal dining chair with a reclaimed Douglas fir backrest made by Scholz sits in front of an open white oak staircase.

The owners, who describe their design aesthetic as “comfortable minimalism,” envisioned a space with “clean lines, simple materials, and straightforward methods,” an vision shared by Franz and Seth Paré-Mayer. The new master bathroom features custom, locally built rift cut white oak cabinetry, consistent with many of the other spaces on the renovated level. The bathroom vanity floats above polished concrete floors. A bold cutaway was chosen in lieu of an anchoring wall. Unique fold-out mirrors lay flush against the side wall and cabinet when not in use, and swing towards the open center when needed. A custom cast concrete sink by It’s Concrete, Hansgrohe Puravida faucet, and Heath Ceramics soap dish complete the space.

“Peter and I’ve got shockingly similar and far-reaching design inspirations. Our conversations would move easily from brutalism to driftwood to kachinas and then flow right back to something applicable to architecture. I can’t tell you how many times I will do that with a less-design-literate client and just get a blank stare!” —Architect Craig Steely

The interior palette of this kitchen includes bespoke limed oak cabinetry. These white kitchen cabinets were fabricated by local outfit Panorama Cabinets. Finishing the look are polished concrete floors and black accents, such as in the rectangular light fixture and the barstools.

The BuildHer Collective, a development company whose aim is to empower women to tackle their own construction projects, teams up with architects Bellemo & Cat. For this recently sold home in Northcote, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, BuildHer partnered with the homeowner to help her purchase the land, as well as manage the design and build team, which consisted of renowned architects Bellemo & Cat and contractor Beirin. The result is a stunning remodel that combines a new sun-dappled extension with a renovated period home.

"We wanted to keep the exterior walls uncluttered, so you can focus on the views, the light, and the air," says Rosa Garneau, the owner of a 650-square-foot co-op in New York's Chelsea neighborhood. To achieve a clean look, everything gets tucked away, including the mattress and bedding. When looking for the best Murphy bed, look for one that can accommodate basic bedding without having to remove and store it daily.

The open-tread stair leading from the garage to the second-floor living room sets the stage for a Star Wars–style duel.