outdoor

Carstensen painted the body and exterior trim on the garage the same color, in order to "make the house look slightly more modern, without losing character," he said. The color is a discontinued shade, called Evening Canyon, from Behr, that he had mixed at Home Depot. "I tried so many before landing on this one," he said. "This one ended up being my favorite, because it maintains a nice warm tone all throughout the day. Others would end up either looking too cool (almost navy blue) in direct sunlight, or just look brown."

The design team widened the door to the backyard.

Sliding barn doors connect the garage to a shaded outdoor sculptural studio that doubles as a stage for summer concerts.

Architect David Hill, his wife, Elizabeth, and their three children, have an unusual home by the standards of their college-town setting in Auburn, Alabama. Built in 1920, the industrial brick building has had previous incarnations as a church, a recycling center, and a pool hall, among others.

A couple takes a minimalist approach to their Brooklyn apartment, focusing on supple materials, subtle gradations of color, and custom finishes by local craftsmen. Exposed brick adds plenty of texture to the room.

Self-taught designer Tom Givone fixed up his 1882 row house in New York City over many years. Located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan, the house—designed in 1882 by architect Gilbert Robinson Jr. to resemble an 18th-century mansion nearby—is an anomaly in steel-and-concrete New York.

The double vanity in the master bath has a concrete trough sink with a wood slab counter.

Sage-colored clay tiles line the shower stall in the master bath.

Twin pendant lights hang above the breakfast bar at the far end of the kitchen.

To create more natural light, Brentwood Builders also added a back door to the kitchen.

Double doors open to the deck.