Light primary exterior

Viewing deck with chairs by DWR

Porches and rolling glass doors draw in the river breeze to keep the home cool.

Exterior view of Hill Country House by Miró Rivera Architects

East Elevation Entry Detail

People frequently talk about "good bones" when it comes to purchasing a home, but it's not crystal clear what that actually means. Here, we walk you through the process of spotting a diamond in the rough.

The simple wood deck features innovative cutouts that allow full-grown Yucca trees to peek through.

This home’s backyard hosts a large swimming pool and deck. Big windows and a sliding door provide indoor/outdoor connections.

Annie Ritz and Daniel Rabin, the couple and co-founders behind And And And Studio, revamped a neglected home in the Silverlake neighborhood of Los Angeles by adding a tall re-framed roof and 1,000-square-foot extension, as well as emphasizing outdoor areas like the wood deck adjacent to the pool. Interior highlight: the kitchen, with its olive green cabinetry and wood-clad circular island.

A gabled roof line, metal cladding, and punched window openings keep things simple and clean.

The cabin’s exterior walls and roof are clad in overlapping stone plates that mimic the look of traditional wood paneling found in Western Norway. “It provides an affinity with the cabins nearby,” partner and architect Nils Ole Bae Brandtzæg explains. Solar panels cover the chimney pipe, lighting LED lamps inside.

The front porch features ipe shiplap siding which ties in nicely with the ipe shutter.

Main House

Main House - Bedroom Porch

Guest House - view to Main House

Guest House

Main House - indoor outdoor space