“Things that have the virtue of being simple have become some of the most complicated forms of construction,” Cobb says. Photo 1 of 13 in How to Design with Green by Diana Budds from Dream Homes in Wine Country

How to Design with Green

1 of 13

When constructing a weekend house for a young family in Healdsburg, California, architect Michael Cobb opted for natural building materials, including a green-tinted conversion varnish for the kitchen cabinets that pops against the surrounding wood.

“Things that have the virtue of being simple have become some of the most complicated forms of construction,” Cobb says.