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The concrete-and-steel home by Faulkner Architects gives one family a refined escape in the mountains of Northern California.

Open birch plywood shelving creates a display space for designer cookware, ceramics, and glassware. Concealed LED lighting provides countertop task lighting and the illumination of dishware and pantry staples.

Poured-in-place white concrete countertops provide an inert and tactile textured surface for cooking and baking. Birch plywood floating shelves with concealed LED lighting illuminate the worktop while also showcasing refined cooking tools and pantry items. Outdoor benches provide flexible seating that stands up to the heavy use and potential spills of a busy vacation rental kitchen.

The custom couch and stairwell were integrated to make the most of the modest space. The ceiling was opened up to expose the original joists and provide as much additional height as possible.

A 10-foot-long floating birch plywood desk lives in the open bedroom to provide ample surface for writing, working, or watching nature.

The home’s design unifies two extremes—light and dark, weightless and heavy.

The home is crafted from glass, timber, and steel—a simple yet refined palette that complements the spectacular natural setting. The deck is surrounded by lush planting that further integrates the built form into the landscape and offers a green outlook from inside, while a “Zen garden” on the lower level introduces greenery to the interior.

Architect Guta Louro moved from New York City to Austin on the last day of 2020, and designed an apartment full of textures and colors. "I love awakening sensations and provoking thought through my designs," she says.

Contemporary furnishings now contrast with the traditional detailing of the preserved architecture.

Victorian terrace homes may be the norm in Melbourne, but Ripple House by FMD Architects stands out with a geometric addition that expands the floor plan for a couple nearing retirement and their two dogs.

It was important to make the home as fire-resistant as possible, granted its wooded Northern California site. (Natalie is on the board of the wildfire council.) The Harrisons pulled the siding off the house and put it through a shou sugi ban treatment — contractors created a giant burn box and roasted the whole pile. “It feels earthy, and also like you never have to treat it again,” explains Natalie. “We found people to actually do this—they burn it, and put it back up.”

Sundberg used materials, which include concrete and zinc in addition to larch, that were as close to their natural and untreated form as possible. "It is the right thing to do here," he says. "We don't want our design to pretend to be something it is not."

Perched just above the edge of the Narrows, the house is an ideal place to live surrounded by the wild beauty of Ketchikan.

“We definitely wanted to preserve the character of the home and make sure that it always fits the neighborhood,” says designer Jenny Bassett. To that end, the team kept the front façade intact, only repainting and adding new landscaping. The fireplace in the living room was also retained, so wood is stored in the front yard for easy access.

New folding glass doors connect the downstairs living room to the revamped yard. The floors are concrete and the ceilings are Hemlock.

Custom millwork of oak and walnut were developed throughout the spaces.

In the bathrooms, Lunt paired classic midcentury finishes (like terrazzo and wood) with fresh fixtures and lights.