Houses

Olaver Architecture ran a two-storey studio across the back of the block and set the pool in the gap between it and the main house. Recycled white brick, a concrete band beam, and a wall of glass block face the garden. Angelucci butterfly chairs sit poolside. "It was really important that it be a beautiful object in the backyard," Olaver says.

"The space is organized around a central monolithic stone 'altar', with a backdrop of solid oak wine racking,

"The cellar is focused and subtle,

With a home for his family along the Mississippi River waterfront, architect Barry Yoakum aimed to achieve the highest standards of energy performance and carbon mitigation without compromising on design. A modern anomaly among its historically styled neighbors, “the house is a fresh, authentic approach to climate change but also a piece of architecture,” he says. Its Pac-Clad aluminum panels with Bone White Energy Star coating reflect light differently from minute to minute while reducing solar heat gain. “The house will age well over time,” says Barry, who expects the cladding to have a long life span.

The exterior of the home features warm blackbutt timber cladding and crisp black metalwork. Each level of the home opens out to a deck or balcony, and the curved white balustrade outside the main bedroom is a contemporary take on the original architecture.

In 2024, Mariano Testa bought a 1,500-square-foot loft in a historic firehouse on the border of the East Williamsburg and Bushwick neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York.

The kitchen was enlarged to meet the family's love of cooking.

The exposed rafters were carried into the exterior areas, including the covered patio.

Sited on a cramped corner lot in Manhattan Beach, California, this midcentury bungalow was renovated and enlarged with a 1,000-square-foot addition to create a total of 1,986 square feet of functional space for owners Alison and Jeff Goad and their three children. Culver City–based practice Edward Ogosta Architecture demolished and remodeled parts of the existing house to include a larger master bedroom and a new bedroom, bathroom, and powder room. The project also included updates to the two existing bedrooms, the laundry room, and garage.

Is it or isn’t it by the modern master? We figured it out after architects Erik Amir and Dora Chi pulled off a reverent revamp.

Stainless steel—such as this mesh ceiling—gives residential interiors a utilitarian edge, says Michael Fohring of Odami, and it's a material choice he hopes to use in one of the studio's own projects soon.

Backdrop’s After Hours, a soft charcoal hue, gives Carlos Naude and Whitney Brown’s home in Woodland Hills, California, sleek curb appeal. Lund Sconces by Kuzco Lighting punctuate the exterior, and the streamlined garage doors are by Amarr.

A generous covered entry porch provides a sheltered connection between the main house and a small garage and workshop. The warm-toned wood soffit creates a striking contrast against the charred Japanese cedar cladding, while the open breezeway beyond frames a view through to the woods.