Lagom

Cabin Knapphullet is small cabin inspired by its location nestled between large rocks and low vegetation of the Sandefjord coast in Norway. It is only 323 square feet, but contains an open living space with a bathroom and a mezzanine bed that sleeps two people. Although the building occupies a small footprint, the space expands vertically over four levels including a roof terrace.

This dreamy, glass bedroom by the lake was created as an early prototype for the prefabricated greenhouse/she kits known as the Kekkilä Green Sheds.

Built-in shelving crafted by local carpenters distinguish the living area from the service zone, where appliances and utilities are stored. "Because of the integrated shelving, no additional furniture is needed for storage," Matt says.

A section of the farmhouse’s original shingled roof peeks out from under the new, raised ceiling in the master bedroom.

A pair of mid-century perches by Kofod-Larsen sit beneath a print by Andy Warhol in an upstairs bedroom.

The communal living room area acts a social space where guests can mingle and relax. Cozy furnishings and warm lighting allows the space to feel more like a home than a hotel.

Michael and Tamami brought greenery to the master bath courtyard, which is lined with Eco Arbor Designs deck tiles, in the form of succulents in a ceramic Peanut planter by John Follis for Architectural Pottery from Vessel. Photo by Coral von Zumwalt.

A handful of modernist classics—an Eames Lounge, a Bubble Lamp by George Nelson, and a shell armchair from Modernica—kit out the living room and kitchen.

Florida Street is a minimal warehouse interior located in London, England, designed by Paper House Project. According to the architects, before being converted into a large open plan live/work unit nearly ten years ago, this former garment factory in Bethnal Green had been used as commercial offices. The challenge; how to retain the feeling of an open plan arrangement whilst creating defined areas and adding a second bedroom. By opening up the enclosed stairwell and incorporating the vertical circulation into the central atrium we were able to add space, light, and volume to the main living areas. Glazing is used throughout to bring natural light deeper into the floor plan with obscured glass panels forming room dividers to create bathrooms and bedrooms. The glazed atrium visually connects both floors whilst separating public and private spaces.

"It only cost about $48,000 to build, which was incredibly cheap," says Turner of the Stealth Barn. "We got the Timber Frame Company to supply the shell, then we clad it and fitted out the interior and windows ourselves. The idea was to take the archetypal black tar-painted agricultural building and make an almost childlike icon of that."

Though the house is a mostly wooden affair, a sense of transparency pervades, thanks to many windows and the glass front door.

The staircase has a floating metal landing that connects to a fir plywood wall.

The whitewashed interior uses a limited palette of finished surface materials.

The homeowners requested that color be integrated throughout the house; a wall underneath the countercovered in Benjamin Moore’s Covington Blue is one bright detail. Caravaggio pendants by Cecilie Manz for Lightyears hang above an IKEA tableand Eames chairs.