Living room

"This was the best decision I have made for myself in a long time,

The living room could feature a roaring fire as a focal point. The metalwork for the wood stove and venting cost about $13,000.

On the ground level, Johnson created a home office and a workshop space. Shelves in the office are IKEA, and the plywood desk and mahogany chair were made by Johnson.

Emma keeps only a small and valued selection of beloved books and items.

Emma and Martin found the couch at West Elm. "We sat on a bunch and this one was the most comfortable and we liked its simplicity,

USM Modular Furniture recently released a four-piece edition of its Haller shelving in an olive green color.

The main living space was designed with floor-to-ceiling windows that can all be opened for passive cooling.

The double-height opening connecting the main living areas also peeks at the "think tank

A custom bookshelf backed in floral wallpaper grounds the living room.

“Everything needed to be approachable and simple,” says Hilary. “The house reflects who we are.”

The oak island and cupboards offset the kitchen’s black IKEA cabinetry.

Instead of designing a completely open plan, Berg separated the public rooms with a freestanding fireplace wall made of Mutual Materials bricks in Coal Creek. An Emmy sectional by Egg Collective for Design Within Reach faces a Lars chair from Room & Board

Architect Johan Sundberg looked to Japanese architects like Kengo Kuma for inspiration for the design of a holiday home in southern Sweden. "We call it the Katsura typology, but that's probably sacrilegious," he says. The eaves of the gently sloped hipped roof extend generously in all directions, turning the deck into a covered retreat that’s part veranda, part engawa, the Japanese version of a porch.

Even when Wakebayashi is not practicing Noh, the garden remains a favorite part of his home. “I prefer to spend my time sitting in the dining room, viewing the garden,” he says. “I’m really satisfied with my garden.”

Herringbone floors, as seen in Wakebayashi’s daughter’s bedroom, were used throughout the interior to pick up the angle of the slanted walls, and guide the eye toward the garden and the landscape.