Japandi

SemiSemi as it fits into its Toronto neighborhood.

The archways progress throughout the interior, leading residents from one room to the next. A second courtyard is situated between the kitchen/dining area and a staircase that leads to the loft. Teak flooring in the kitchen/dining area contrasts with the lime plaster walls, adding warmth to the space.

One of the Alterstudio's latest projects relies heavily on strong geometric elements. The entire structure reads as a single box stretched apart in the middle like two sides of an accordion. Vertical slats span between the two sections and enclose a carport underneath a cantilevering upper level.

Removal of walls in a former laundry room, hallway, and a small corner room produced an open living space overlooking the Mediterranean.

The home has a strong connection with the outdoors. The pool is aligned with the office space on the upper floor, and the doors open to provide access. The master bedroom hovers over the edge of the concrete podium.

Huge header beams and thickened walls allow for a generous opening between the living room and deck, with doors that recess into the wall cavity and a seamless meeting between the indoor floor and the exterior decking.

The design of the roofline matches the slope of the site.

Maria Milans del Bosch’s Catskills home is attuned to the changing seasons. Sunlight pours into the double-height living room, where a Stûv fireplace and radiant floors keep the space warm in winter.

To make the two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath dwelling look and feel as large as possible, Sundius and Ichiki maintained sightlines from one end to the other. "We didn’t want to disrupt the flow of the stepped ceiling as it runs the length of the building,

The home’s three low-lying rooflines subtly emerge from the landscape.

The living room includes a vintage George Nelson sling sofa and concrete stools by CB2.

The original living room was converted into an open-plan kitchen and dining area with a living room that can be reconfigured into a bedroom. The use of natural materials and the large windows that flood the space with natural light and frame the views make the small space feel bright and airy.

Building the addition upward instead of outward allowed for more space and better views without excavating across the hilltop.

Ten minutes from British Columbia’s prized Whistler and Blackcomb ski areas, this house is located on a small lot atop a hill. Embracing a vertical layout, the upper level is where the open living area, complete with sectional, wood-burning stove, marble island, and spacious dining table, is found. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the forest views are especially heady.

Kanuka Valley House by WireDog Architecture

Whereas others might look at a board-formed cement wall in a basement and see, well, a concrete wall, Jess and Jonathan Taylor, the design duo behind the L.A.-based firm Taylor + Taylor, were inspired. The couple had purchased a virtually untouched 1952 house in east L.A. and that concrete wall became the backdrop for a new guest kitchen in the basement. "It was really the starting point of the whole design," says Jess Taylor. "As designers, our goal is to always try to incorporate the existing surroundings whenever possible, utilize them in practical ways, and be inspired by them."

The Japanese "no-brand" masters of minimalism unveil the first single-story design in their line of prefab homes.

The homeowner and professional climber can now enjoy his passion while spending quality time with his family in the comfort of his own home.