McCloud

A dramatic black-painted wall is a backdrop for the home office. The renovation has compelled the couple to move into the home full-time and rent their Seattle townhome.

The table in the kitchen dining area was crafted from leftover Douglas fir boards and the built-in bench is made from Douglas fir plywood. Ribbed white ceramic wall tile provides contrasting texture.

The Acacia tree in the home's central courtyard was one of the things that first attracted the homeowners to the property. Both the husband and wife are from Johannesburg, and the latter notes that this tree is the quintessential African tree. "I wanted to see it every day when I woke up," she said. "I wanted the house to wrap around it."

MASS Design Group cofounder Alan Ricks upgrades his “not structurally sound” bungalow with innovative materials and enough solar panels to produce more energy than it consumes.

The tight, orange hallway upstairs is packed with art, including Meg’s grandmother’s drawings of the Chicago skyline. A zigzagging light that Meg assembled with components from a commercial office supply company leads the way to the primary bedroom and library.

Architect Jonathan Solomon and city planner Meg Gustafson had experience designing houses, but not together, which made renovating their late-1800s home in Chicago’s Uptown all the more exciting—particularly when you consider their style is anything but traditional.

A corner of the office, which doubles as a guest bedroom, features an Ikea desk and a Henry Miller chair. The wall tile in the guest bath is from Mutina.

A round window at the top of the stairs is trimmed in walnut and brings in natural light.

An entry nook framed in walnut is a spot to drop bags, shoes, and coats.

One-inch-thick slate clads the fireplace in the living room, which opens to a terrace. The reclaimed coffee table is by Scott Chambers.

In this library, a Grant sleeper sofa by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams is paired with a Cigar wall sconce by George Nelson.

Beyond the second-floor landing, a garden roof filters rainwater and provides insulation.

This dwelling joins a number of structures—such as a boathouse and guesthouse—owned by one family and used for vacations. They needed a new house to accommodate new generations at the reatreat.

A wooden home nestled amongst a cluster of Japanese larch trees offers a perfect sanctuary from nearby Tokyo. Chubu, Japan. By Koji Tsutsui & Associates from the book Rock the Shack, Copyright Gestalten 2013.

Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.