Collection by Megan Hamaker

Week in Review: 7 Great Stories You Might Have Missed

Each week Dwell.com delivers more than 50 original posts, articles, and interviews focused on the latest in modern design. We wouldn't want you to miss a thing, so we've pulled together our top stories of the week. Take a look and see what you might have missed.

Inspired by the work of Le Corbusier, American architect Michael Herman experimented with indoor-outdoor perspectives when he redesigned a flat in Paris for his family of three. Photo by Filippo Bamberghi.
Inspired by the work of Le Corbusier, American architect Michael Herman experimented with indoor-outdoor perspectives when he redesigned a flat in Paris for his family of three. Photo by Filippo Bamberghi.
The Blue Sky prototype house leads a second life as desert getaway for David McAdam and his partner Scott Smith.
The Blue Sky prototype house leads a second life as desert getaway for David McAdam and his partner Scott Smith.
The minimalist bathroom boasts Cararra marble surfaces, Hansgrohe faucets and shower fixtures, and a skylight by Velux.
The minimalist bathroom boasts Cararra marble surfaces, Hansgrohe faucets and shower fixtures, and a skylight by Velux.
Always put contingencies aside. During any renovation, it is critical to set aside money for the "what if" or emergency scenarios. For example, there might be plumbing that you didn’t anticipate needing to replace. Conventional wisdom suggests adding 15 to 20 percent to your contractor’s renovation cost to safely consider these contingencies.
Always put contingencies aside. During any renovation, it is critical to set aside money for the "what if" or emergency scenarios. For example, there might be plumbing that you didn’t anticipate needing to replace. Conventional wisdom suggests adding 15 to 20 percent to your contractor’s renovation cost to safely consider these contingencies.
Alex enjoys a sun-filled breakfast at the built-in dining table and bench, one of many space-saving designs.
Alex enjoys a sun-filled breakfast at the built-in dining table and bench, one of many space-saving designs.
It was the surf and the artsy vibe that attracted Eric Grunbaum to Venice Beach, California, 18 years ago. An avid surfer and creative director for an advertising agency, he thrives on lively environs. So it’s no surprise that he turned to the Los Angeles–based architect Barbara Bestor to design a house for him near the Pacific. Bestor, the chair of graduate studies at Woodbury University School of Architecture, has a formidable reputation in Southern California for her bohemian modernism, and for Grunbaum, she created a 2,000–square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath home that harbors a traditional sensibility with a contemporary heart. From the deck off the master bedroom, Grunbaum looks across his front yard. Bestor designed the second story to float over the ground “like a cloud.” Grunbaum guides us on a tour of his modern surf shack.
It was the surf and the artsy vibe that attracted Eric Grunbaum to Venice Beach, California, 18 years ago. An avid surfer and creative director for an advertising agency, he thrives on lively environs. So it’s no surprise that he turned to the Los Angeles–based architect Barbara Bestor to design a house for him near the Pacific. Bestor, the chair of graduate studies at Woodbury University School of Architecture, has a formidable reputation in Southern California for her bohemian modernism, and for Grunbaum, she created a 2,000–square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath home that harbors a traditional sensibility with a contemporary heart. From the deck off the master bedroom, Grunbaum looks across his front yard. Bestor designed the second story to float over the ground “like a cloud.” Grunbaum guides us on a tour of his modern surf shack.