Just cool

The Juniper Room. As for the name, Rich explains, "there's a big Juniper plant I initially wanted to get rid of to make this room happen, but my contractor told me I couldn't do that because it was a 500 year old Juniper and that we had to build around it. So we did."

One of the building challenges was transportation through the steep and windy roads to the isolated site, which is 0.5km away from Cornwall, one of Connecticut's smallest towns.

Built for a scholar, Casa Biblioteca is a sanctuary for reading, stargazing, and enjoying a cigar or two. Floor-to-ceiling glass allows light to freely flood the interior and illuminate its jewel-like structure.

KieranTimberlake’s OpenHome design can expand from 1,000 to over 3,000 square feet, with several floor plan, roof profile, and cladding options.

The U-shaped, one-level home is composed of two volumes connected by bright orange doors that pop against the dark wood facade.

1456 Sunset Plaza Drive, just a few turns up from Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. The front facade is dominated by a double carport, which Neutra designed with floor-to-ceiling glass along two sides facing the interior.

The walls of this contemporary one-room cabin are covered in insulating polycarbonate siding.

In 2014, Jeff and Karen Gunning began researching building another house, hoping to create a single, contained volume without compromising their retirement funds. The resulting Tree House comprises three pitched volumes with cutaways to create a porch in phase one and recessed window planter ledges in phase two. Simple wood columns provide support.

Set on a narrow, 18-foot-wide site, Melt House presents a corrugated exterior.

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

The exterior features thermally broken windows, a pivot white oak front door and Walden 12-inch LED wall lights in Textured Black Finish from Kichler Lighting.

The pool is lifted up from the forest floor to the level of the home on a single concrete fin.

Walls of double-pane, tempered, laminated glass surround the upper living space furnished with Tolomeo lights by Artemide, vintage midcentury chairs, and a custom-made redwood burl table.

Aegean Pool House’s expansive roof structure shelters the indoor/outdoor living spaces beneath it. A freestanding stone fireplace anchors the west side of the living and dining area.

The rear facade of the steel-clad tiny home has a large window that provides ventilation and an indoor/outdoor connection.