Windows

Double fir rafters encase steel flitch plates, allowing for long spans of open space. Hemlock ceilings layer above, bringing warmth to the inside.

'Betasso Overlook' is aptly named for its view of Betasso Nature Preserve, 1,100 acres of single-track trails through ponderosa pine forest, granite rock outcroppings, and summertime wildflowers.

Large operable picture windows and French doors from Andersen, adorned with gold-toned hardware from Valli & Valli, frame views while bringing tons of natural light into the house. A downstairs bedroom has a built-in bench where Jes’s daughter, Beatrix, reads.

The sunken living room is just one of many grade changes inside the structure. “We were adamant that we didn’t want something domestic,” says Andrew. “We wanted something surprising, that was hyper-animated, and that, when you moved through it, changed all the time.” The sofa, designed by the couple and Levenbetts, is upholstered in cotton velvet. The Habibi side tables are by Philipp Mainzer for e15, the fireplace tools by Fort Standard, and the doors by Fleetwood.

Josh and Natalie Pritchard’s residence in the woods of New Gloucester, Maine, consists of two parallel gable structures connected by a breezeway. The taller building is the home, and the shorter is a two-car garage with an in-law apartment. The Pritchard children call the wetlands behind the house “fairy land.”

Floor plan of Stained Glass Townhouse by Sarah Jacoby Architect

Architect Måns Tham designed an A-frame cabin in Edsåsdalen, Sweden, with ample space for Anders Smedberg and his family to host large groups for year-round outdoor adventures.

The oak countertops in the kitchen are the same as the flooring.

Almost every room in the extension has direct access to the outside so the relationship with the grounds is immediate. In addition, carefully considered windows frame views of the surrounding landscape—especially the large window facing the valley in the first-floor living space. “It’s incredibly joyful to see how the views, smells, and emotion of being in the extension changes throughout the different seasons,” says architect Je Ahn. “It’s very tranquil and a retreat in the true sense of the word.”