Interior

The entryway to the home provides optimal, built in storage options and a welcoming view of the living and kitchen areas.

"Because the living room occupies the gable, the resultant space is triangular in feel," Thompson says. So she heightened that look with an oversized triangle window, which maximizes views of the cove. Western red cedar was chosen for the walls, and three-inch red oak was chosen for the interior floors. The windows are encased in Alaskan Yellow Cedar.

A programmable or smart thermostat is one of the best ways to optimize your temperature needs throughout different parts of the day. Trane’s ComfortLink™ II XL1050 touchscreen control is ‘Smart Home Ready,’ giving you the ability to manage your home’s comfort level—regardless if you’re on the couch or away on vacation.

Copper Real Good chairs by Blu Dot surround an antique dining table. The overdyed green rug is by Aga John.

Each layer of Gregory Creek Residence relates differently to the surrounding natural environment. “Overall an open visual flow connects those in the home to the creek and its creatures, while offering protection via the use of cantilevers,” says Gettliffe Architecture.

DS House provides its inhabitants with a relaxed, private atmosphere. Planned Living Architects' extensive use of timber complements the raw, tactile character of the in situ concrete walls.

“Sharing roots with local Michiana pole barns, this economical structure of glue-laminated Douglas fir bents, braces, and decking is held above runoff and snow by galvanized steel stirrups,” says Wheeler Kearns Architects. The boat-like, wooden ceiling in Bohan Kemp is a truly unique feature, directing air flow and adding charm to the space.

Large picture windows in the open living room frame the surrounding forest.

The bonus office/family room is lined with a chic system of wood built-ins that offer a lot of storage capacity.

Sliding glass doors enable easy indoor/outdoor circulation.

Tom Dixon's Beat pendant lighting hangs over the dining table.

Built in the early 1970s, the house's kitchen, living, and dining areas were originally divided into three distinct zones. In order for this great room to flow as one, Klopf Architecture removed the glass doors and solid walls separating the enclosed atrium from the kitchen and living room. A Herman Miller trade poster, Design Within Reach book tower, and IKEA sofa mingle in the space.

The abundance of natural light drifting in from above is enhanced in the first-floor communal areas, where the architects integrated an 11-foot-long, floor-to-ceiling window wall along the full length of the house.

Perched high in the mountains of Big Bear, California, this 1973 A-frame was renovated by Courtney Poulos into a handsome getaway from Los Angeles.

Bachs, seasonal beach houses that line New Zealand's ample coastlines, are small by nature, but this one in Auckland felt a bit too confined. The residents called in Carolyn Gundy of C Architecture to plot an addition that adds extra living space and a ton of volume.

The exposed concrete in the living room of a Sea Ranch, California home brings out the warmth of the plywood ceilings and Douglas fir built-ins.

Atomic Ranch by Graham Baba Architects

Double-glazed Thermotech windows bring the landscape indoors.