On the north-facing facade, it’s easy to discern where the original glass doors used to open directly to the deck. In spring of 2012, Block Island contractor John Spier replaced the entire wall of glass panels.

Originally, glass doors opened to the deck, but after years of gusty winds, it was decided that a side entrance, protected by a sliding steel door, would be the preferred entrance.

A bright-yellow “R” sign, from a truck that used to deliver furniture from Jens Risom Design, sets off the southern facade. When Jens designed the house, he stipulated that he wanted cedar shingles, not the asphalt ones that came with the original design from the catalog.

Six-year-old twins Nicolas and Constanza use Pentimento as their “little battleground,” says Pasternak. “They have some options here that they will not find anywhere else.” Among those options are a climbing wall offering easy access to the roof.

Mid-century designer Jens Risom's A-framed prefab family retreat, located on the northern portion of Block island, is bordered by a low stone wall, an aesthetic element that appears throughout the land.

Barbara Hill's Dancehall/House in Marfa, Texas September 14, 2010 Misty Keasle

Meg’s inspiration: The design of the Lucky Linden was something Meg carried along with from many years in her sketchbook. She loves the Art and Craft styled RV’s and was sure that if she built a tiny house RV someday, this would be a her inspiration. What she like most of this pattern is the low sloped roofs, pop out dormers on the front as well as back and especially the bungalow look from the Sears and Roebuck kit houses which were prevalent in the 1990’s.

Nix and Novak-Zemplinski designed the black-steel bookshelves and had them fabricated at a local metal shop.

ShapeMaker Wooden Blocks by Miller Goodman via Dwell Store $75.00 Get creative with ShapeMaker's twenty-five colorful hand printed blocks made of sustainable rubber wood.

Designed by Alex Hochstrasser, this award-winning rocking toy could be a chair, a sled, a spinning top, a cradle, or anything the developing mind can imagine.

BLOCK TABLE The light and airy design of Block Table, created by Danish designer Simon Legald, offers a fresh take on the familiar tray table. Outfitted with wheels and four handles extending from the legs, it is easy to move around as well as highly versatile. May be used as a bar cart, side table, tea table, coffee table or bedside table.

This set of faceted balancing blocks from Fort Standard is a sculptural upgrade from stackable cubes.

Blocks by Tegu.

Sawatzky designed the bookshelves along the living room wall out of Ikea components: one-inch Lagan butcher block countertops and inexpensive Ekby Lerberg brackets. She also used pieces of the strong and attractive countertops for built-in shelves in the upstairs lounge as well as for trim in the kitchen.

A sweeping terrace area is home to the hotel's restaurant, run by Chef Jose Enrique.

Rolling Huts (Winthrop, United States) A series of six modernist huts created by Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig Architects, the Rolling Huts look like rustic case study homes, a herd of designer cabins that just may exemplify the term 'glamping.' Elevated on stilts, the 200-square-foot structures offer another level of outdoor accommodation. Photos by Chad Kirkpatrick

Sitting Pretty The ground floor was originally two rooms; now it’s been transformed into one continuous space. To compensate for a low ceiling, Kiely’s team dug into the ground to create a true sunken seating section leading to the garden. Built-in sofas, an Eames rocker, a stool by G Plan, and concrete tiles outfit the space. Kiely chose a neutral charcoal finish for the Malm fireplace to balance the green linoleum floor and her own Rhododendron wallpaper in Sunflower.

Kitchen Confidential Kiely and architect Maxim Laroussi designed the kitchen unit. “I originally didn’t want an island, but I liked what we did because it feels like a piece of furniture. It’s cozy to cook around,” Kiely says. Panels of orange and olive Formica accent the 1950s-inspired piece, which houses a cooktop by Smeg. A checkerboard of closed cabinets and open shelves offers storage against the far wall for Kiely’s collection of dishes, knickknacks, cookbooks, and small appliances, like the KitchenAid stand mixer and radio by Vita Audio. The floor is green Marmoleum, selected because it feels warm underfoot. Kiely’s own Stem dish towels and ceramic storage jars add more lively color to the room.

Textile designer Orla Kiely’s renovated London Terrace House is punctuated by her distinctive palette and motifs.

Home of the Brave In the ground-floor eating area, the design team wrapped the walls in rich walnut to instill warmth often found in mid-century homes. “Sometimes one bold move is enough. Be brave with fewer statements,” Kiely advises. “Go for the big thing rather than lots of little things.” Kiely’s Upholstered Dining Chairs from her House collection surround a Danish vintage dining table. Her Gloss vases adorn the hallway console, which is also from her House line.

A portrait of the designer. “Architecture, to me, is the most beautiful of the arts. I always knew that I wanted to design, but only [if I could] create products over which I had total control.”

For a slightly funkier feel, opt for a variety of high-design chairs around your table. A less rigid approach to hanging art can also ease the hard lines of much modern decor and add to a more bohemian vibe to your home.

With neighboring duplexes supplying rental income, two Knoxville architects patiently—and affordably—craft their dream home. Their deck has a two-sided concrete block fireplace and antique wooden furniture.

Block It OutSeeking an inexpensive way to create a screen effect between the bathroom and bedroom, Novak-Zemplinski and Nix hit on the idea of stacked open-cell concrete blocks, more typically used in parking areas. They discovered blocks with a more-interesting-than-average pattern in Chyżne, a town near Kraków. Better still, they cost just two dollars each. “When we saw how good these parking blocks looked in the bedroom, we thought they’d be a good way to hide clutter in the kitchen, too,” says Novak-Zemplinski. chyzbet.pl

Designer Christiane Hogner, Bruxelles

Fortification can be as obvious or well hidden as a client demands; indeed, some of the most protected homes are the ones that seem not to have a single security guard or camera in sight.

The Dado Cube set from Fat Brain Toy Company includes ten plastic blocks which can interlock to create countless surreal structures.

The Block bench by L.A. studio Sitskie is made of an interlocking block system that molds itself according to the sitter’s position. Each block in this handmade chair can be taken out and replaced without disrupting other blocks.

Eames House Blocks via House Industries $150.00 Take a tour of your own through the Eames House (also known as Case Study House No. 8) with this basswood block puzzle, which pays tribute to the iconographic midcentury landmark.

Photo by Colin Block

Block by Tom Dixon Also never formally trained as an architect, Tom Dixon conceived his home more as an “industrial product." Block comprises a build-as-you-go kit that can expand with the addition of modular spaces, whether that’s another bedroom, kitchen, or outdoor deck. The exterior is made of foreboding aluminum, while the interiors are softened with cork, which also adds to the home’s sound and heat insulation.

Interior spaces feature Mahogany floors and casework. The thick walls, courtesy of the 12" Rastra Blocks, allow for deep storage niches.

The designer at work.

The kitchen features stainless steel prep counters, a Samsung stove, and Panasonic over-the-range microwave. The room is bordered by two full walls of windows, allowing light to flood the space at all times of the day. A custom birch butcher block table furnishes the family gathering space.

Jett rolls dough on a butcher block-topped storage unit that slides under the countertop to save space.