European Homes

In Vaucluse, where he spent his childhood summers, architect Timothee Mercier converts a dilapidated farmhouse into a minimalist home.

The 323-square-foot apartment updates cave typology with bold colors and multifunctional spaces.

Three whitewashed volumes deliver daylight and improved functionality to a creative family’s historic home in Essen.

Architect Kirsten Schwalgien converts the former stable of a famed Catalan modernist building into a contemporary loft.

Steps made of old railroad ties and flanked by handcrafted stone walls lead to the new surfboard room and below-grade living areas.

A block of deep green Verde Alpi marble and a glass-encased winter garden are all that divide the space.

The attic apartment in St. Petersburg features a partial loft built into the French-style mansard roof.

Adding a surprisingly soft appeal, the concrete separates and provide passageways into spaces.

In a spectacular South Tyrol valley, Plasma Studio designs an L-shaped home that blends traditional elements with contemporary design.

An effortless mix of modern updates and historic details makes this 665-square-foot apartment feel sleek and tidy.

With their plans to add an additional floor thwarted, BVDS Architects fit a new loft bedroom into a half-height space that feels surprisingly open.

Peeling back the layers in a pied-à-terre in Spain reveals the inspiration for its palette.

A team of architects uses the bones of a midcentury eyesore to create a new home for a family of seven.

A designer couple build a contemporary cabin in Norway inspired by rural fences.

A sculptural take on the traditional Dutch “hoeve,” this creative home and culinary school hides a passageway beneath a grassy hill.

This vibrant remodel of a run-down London home proves that high design can be achieved on a low budget.

By capturing natural light and adding svelte, custom furniture, JCPCDR rescues a dark, dated apartment in the 4th arrondissement.

In the eastern Netherlands, resourceful recyclers 2012Architects have built a house almost entirely out of locally sourced scrap, from old billboards to broken umbrellas.

For Brussels-based furniture designer Christiane Högner, inspiration comes less from glossy design mags than the castoffs she finds on the streets of Belgium.

In 1981, Londoners Anthony and Gillian Blee purchased the ultimate fixer-upper.

Hoch Studio turns a dingy, cramped apartment into a sunny sanctuary with a winning personality.

A Victorian terrace house in York gains an addition that playfully pits traditional, handmade brick against modern concrete and millwork.

Found throughout the region, these homes are big on style and sustainability.

A pair of crafty designers on a serious budget show that though their apartment may be short on square footage, it’s long on charm.

Thanks to designers Nina Tolstrup and Jack Mama, an aging workshop in London’s once-gritty Bethnal Green is reborn as a colorful, custom-built guesthouse.

Set within the sloped terrain of beautiful Cap Ferret, France, is a contemporary holiday home perfect for both entertaining and relaxation.

Emerald-green tiles accent natural wood and limestone walls in this converted motorcycle repair shop in Palma de Mallorca.

And it’s one of the nation’s most energy-efficient buildings, to boot.

With a bright but soothing interior, the Estonian seaside getaway draws decorative inspiration from its natural surroundings.

Tempesta Tramparulo adapts a linear home to the alpine landscape while carving out picture-perfect views.