Plywood

"Most of the carpentry built-ins were done out of plywood with birch veneer, chosen for its very raw finish and inexpensiveness," says Amanda. "For more structural items like the adaptable bed platform, we used Baltic birch instead for its superior structure and planarity."

Custom shelving built from old furniture and purchased plywood grace the back wall.

The east-facing kitchen is the brightest room in the house. A Louis Poulsen lamp sits at one end of the table, which doubles as the couple’s desk. There are no drawers or cabinets, just sliding panels to hide things. “I didn’t want cabinets because, then, what are the hinges? What are the knobs?” David explains. “I wanted to make fewer decisions. It’s about the experience of the space and not the hardware.”

“It has a public and private feel, which we like.” A French blue table designed by David adds color to the dining area. “It was important to us to have unexpected and whimsical elements in the house,” says Mark. “We didn’t want it to be too serious.”

Though Hale spends plenty of time with Edmonds and the twins, he longs for more hours. "The main frustration with the house is all the little projects I still want to complete," he says. "I wish I didn't have to work so I could tinker all day."

These wood-wrapped spaces take oriented strand board to new heights.

Instead of relying on plasterboard that would be too costly, architect Davor Popadich chose to use plywood to line his New Zealand home's interior. In addition to being cost effective, the plywood highlights the builders' craftsmanship. We think he made the right decision. See more on the Popadich residence here.

"Some people want a manicured garden, but I'm of a different mindset," says Patnaik. She left the grounds untamed and organic. "If we're building in the wild, I want to live in the wild."

On the patio sits an outdoor dining set that Jared built using wood salvaged from the original house.

Jared built many of the home’s furnishings by hand—including the bed frames.

The new millwork tucks neatly into the existing niche of the living room, and the couch base was designed around the dimensions of a single bed mattress.

During: Karvelius setting up the new storage piece. The main challenge of the installation was the sloping floors and walls of the old building.