Ideas

Top: Middle and second story floor plan. Bottom: Main level floor plan.

While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”

Loon Lake Retreat floor plan

The media room with its folding door open. “The goal was to open everything up and create a continuous visual connection throughout the apartment,” says Neufeld.

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

Now, built-in sofas line the perimeter of the room and utilize the room’s shape better.

Custom cabinets in a mix of white oak and lacquered paint join Miele appliances and a honed quartz countertop.

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.

The architects removed decorative wood beams and wood paneling, and raised the ceiling to reveal a bright, open space. The existing fireplace mantle was swapped out for Bolection molding, a minimal-yet-traditional profile that allows more space for wall art. Hendricks installed the sconces and Noguchi lantern above the clients' wood table and chairs.

Floor Plan of the Brunson Residence

The white paint color used throughout is Benjamin Moore "Simply White."

The shower is covered in tadelakt in "Wabi

Kranbuehl landscaped the previously forested backyard with a “grass terrace” and masonry walls, so that the exterior felt of a piece with the interiors. Trees and hedges still stand on the perimeter to create natural screening from the neighbors.

Floor Plan of Chalet Pic-Bois by Ravi Handa Architect

The living room opens to a terrace made of four slabs of black concrete separated by rows of woolly thyme. A fire pit designed by Jørgensen’s firm and Adirondack chairs from Erin Martin Design provide an ideal setting for taking in the scenery, especially at night. “Strangely, the view here really didn’t change a lot,” says Buttons. “The fire came up behind us, jumped around, and spared a lot of the surroundings. I can’t imagine finding another place like it.”

Floor Plan of Sky Ranch House by Rain City Architecture

The guest bathroom was enlarged and finished with Moroccan plaster.

The Yangs knew the fireplace wall had to go, though they hoped to save the exposed beams. "There were these huge, original beams in the kitchen and living room that had been obscured by many paint jobs throughout the years, and after having them sandblasted, it exposed this gorgeous wood with the most beautiful patina. Seeing that patina really cemented our wabi-sabi design direction," says Elaine.