Houses

Although synthetic slate roof tiles have been around since the 1970s, the way architect Stephen Bruns used them to completely clad Woven House is unusual. "I love this material," says Bruns. "The way light reflects off the tiles creates a specular effect, almost like a mosaic." That reflective quality is enhanced by the floor-to-ceiling windows by Loewen.

The firm’s goal was not to erase the existing home, but to "strengthen the initial intent of the architecture," says StudioFour director Sarah Henry. "The existing external brick language was identified as a strength to the original design. We wanted to build on this strength and let the architectural language bleed inside to inform the interiors." The external brickwork has been rendered with a tinted sand render, color-matched to Porter’s Paints ‘River Stone.’

After being buried under layers of haphazard renovations, a 1959 Seattle ranch finally reaches its maximum potential.

Here is a glimpse of the mesmerizing views the home frames of the surrounding Bay Area.

The elegant eat-in kitchen is one of the highlights of the renovation. It features a center island clad in Carrara marble, sleek custom cabinetry, and high-end appliances from Fisher & Paykel. There is also a skylight which floods the space with natural light.

The pool deck has a resort-like feel.

Retractable glass walls allow living spaces to blend from inside to outside, creating a direct connection with the Bondi Beach climate.

A clean-lined bathroom of stone and concrete.

A concrete block wall extends beyond the floor-to-ceiling glazing, creating a strong connection to the outdoors.

Mirrored glass allows this holiday home in Mexico to blend in with it's woodland site.

The three-level residence—the basement includes a wine cellar and media room—is joined by a petite, companion carriage house.

After much research, the original buff stone pictured was discovered at a quarry in Utah, which had since closed but reopened for the material sourcing for this project, the restoration of Richard Neutra's Kaufmann House. A mason worked there for a year and a half to accurately restore stone, chiseling and cutting blocks precisely in place to create a pleasing mosaic. Tops and bottoms of the stones were cut smooth to sit in horizontal position, allowing the sides and faces to be more organic as Richard Neutra intended.

The Thunderbird Heights house is set on a plateau above Coachella Valley and backs up to the Santa Rosa mountains to the south and west. The home, originally built in the 1960s and later renovated in the 1980s, was given a fresh, midcentury-inspired revamp by Stuart Silk Architects.

The doors mix wood and glass to allow for easy indoor/outdoor living, while the open floor plan keeps things airy.