renovation

The walls of the stairwell are made of board-formed concrete painted black. “Everything in the house is experimental,” Mehdi says of the atypical dwelling, “the materials, the layout, the garden, the exterior.”

This industrial-style kitchen with stainless steel counter tops is a chef's dream.

An elegant Morsøe fireplace is nestled in one corner, while off-the-grid equipment is tucked away in the back.

Through a series of thresholds, the owners can access the garden and two courtyards.

In the mid-section of the arc, is a simple living and dining space.

A view of the breezeway looking south towards the private areas.

An oversized, seven-square-foot glass pivot door marks the main entrance and leads to the foyer.

A sauna and bathroom are located in the basement.

A marble wet room features a freestanding tub by Victoria and Albert and dual showers, while another shower on the terrace offers the option of washing outdoors. A 12-foot wooden door swings back to reveal a dressing room.

The other side, the "working side," is utilitarian. It can be attached to an island or peninsula, or be free-standing.

Black-rimmed steel clerestory windows add illumination in this diminutive white kitchen where black accents abound. A black Aggregato Saliscendi Suspension light, designed by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, accents against the white Calacatta marble countertops and MAP's oak Milky Stools.

"We wanted to keep the exterior walls uncluttered, so you can focus on the views, the light, and the air," says Rosa Garneau, the owner of a 650-square-foot co-op in New York's Chelsea neighborhood. To achieve a clean look, everything gets tucked away, including the mattress and bedding. When looking for the best Murphy bed, look for one that can accommodate basic bedding without having to remove and store it daily.

Their creative confections may ruin our diets, but we’re happy to be their taste testers anytime.

The owners have a wall of reverse-painted glass in the kitchen so they can gaze at the trees as they cook. The faucet is by Brizo.

"This formal gesture is then expressed in the interior volumes," says Ong. "Every room has a subtle distinction with its use of materials and levels; each space then has its own sense of individuality, allowing each room to be connected while remaining distinct."

New storage, multifunctional pegs, and pegboards help a New York City lawyer make the most of his 710-square-foot apartment. In the foyer, StudioKCA turned a closet into a valet area.

A new bedroom was created in the lower level of the extension. Nested within a cliff to make the best of the site’s sloping terrain, this bedroom receives plenty of natural light.

The 50-acre property, which has been in Reinhold’s family for seven generations, includes an 1840s farmhouse, a barn, a landmark-protected hut with a wood-fired bread oven, and other outbuildings around a central courtyard. All of it was crumbling. "My wife and I decided we had to do something," says Reinhold. "We felt that responsibility in a good way."

A transparent balcony allows unobstructed views of the sea and Newcastle's skyline.