John Issa of Perimeter Architects oversaw the creation of the rope room in this Wicker Park abode, which belongs to client Brian Littleton—a bachelor with a young niece and nephew. "It posed tons of challenges," he recalls. "Designing with a material that has slack is more math than I care to tackle."

In the cockpit of their imaginary rocket ship, the kids tinker with a dashboard of dials, levers, and knobs assembled by artist Christophe Gauspohl.

Grade A Maple “For us, the dinner table is huge,” says Katie. The pair met furniture designer Seth Eshelman—whose Rochester-based company Staach produces what she called “environmentally conscientious furniture”—at a teatasting event, and they felt he shared their “vision and values.” Eshelman’s Cain dining set is made from maple. Now Yukimi “The meditation room is where we get our Japanese ya-yas out,” says Scott. “I wanted yukimi, which means ‘snow-viewing,’ shoji screens because they open from the bottom as well as side to side. Glen Collins, a guy in Oakland, California, is the one American I could find whose company makes them.”

Unison is known for its gender-neutral bedding: Stripes and jaunty prints suitable for baby boys or girls are equally appealing to design-minded parents. (Sailor + Regatta crib set from Unison, $44–74)

In keeping with Hayon’s goal of creating a serene and airy home, the master bedroom and sticks to a mostly neutral palette of whites and grays. The bench by the bed is a custom piece designed by Hayon and Klunder and fabricated by their carpenter friend Josep Joffre.

Here's the weathered wooden dining table where the family gathers for meals and conversation.

JACK NEUTRAL THROW and settle in on the couch with a cozy throw blanket.

Idée Concrète To get a concrete look for the floors throughout the house, the team first considered Pandomo flooring, a slick treat-ment that would be even more expensive than a standard finish. Instead, says Winterhalder, they experimented with raw materials. “I’d call the suppliers and say, ‘Do you have something grayer?’ They thought I was crazy.” In the end, instead of a concrete look, the couple went with actual concrete—at a fifth of the price. pandomo.de

In a spare bedroom/playroom located in another section of the house, Berg played with juxtapositions of shapes, installing an oak-wrapped, triangular reading nook inset with a circular window.

A folding glass NanaWall system "allows the clients to keep an eye on their kids while working in the kitchen," says Blaine, who dubbed the space the 'NanAtrium.' "It helps keep the kids safe and contained, and helps the family get back to enjoying life." A swing door provides easy in-and-out access when the glass wall isn't fully opened.

Kids Playroom

The interior is painted Sherwin-Williams Extra White.

Pull-out storage is located under the bunk.

Working with his father, Anton designed and built a custom loft for the boys in the upstairs addition.

The space below the stairs in this revamped Brooklyn brownstone was turned into a cheerful play area for the clients' two boys. "We built an egg shaped 'nook' underneath the staircase, and filled it with soft ‘pebble’ pillows," adds architect Frederick Tang.

The space under the staircase houses a Lego version of the John Hancock Center by New York artist Sean Kenney.

Jack Neutral Throw by Area Home, $330 from store.dwell.com

Louise Gray was founded by Alexandra Gray Bennett and Jocelin Johnson. The two founders were inspired to reinvent the traditional quilting format, making it more relevant for a modern audience. Every quilt is carefully assembled by artisans in the United States. The Modern Quilt No. 2 features a soothing palette of white, seafoam, light blue, and black, and is made of 100 percent cotton.

The designers explain, “These steel windows played an integral part in making the interior feel larger and more open by blurring the boundaries between the interior and exterior.” A grey Halcyon Lake area rug, an oak chair from MAP, and Hans Wenger Wishbone chairs make for a simple, neutral palette. The painting over the fireplace is by Kate Hendry.

A flexible loft space at the top of the stairs doubles as a sleeping area when the curtain is closed, and a playroom for the kids. Skylights and punched window openings allow natural light to filter into these upper-level living spaces

All the experts agree that it is important for children to have a designated workspace.

In certain places, the scale of the home is adjusted for children. A standard door, covered in chalk-board paint, has a 48-inch-tall door set inside it.

The ground floor includes a four-bed bunk room, allowing the Milford's two sons to bring friends.

The GM—Grethe Meyer—Pendants are balanced pendant lights that can be used for overhead lighting in a dining room or kitchen, and can also be grouped together to create a graphic lighting installation. Shown here, the GM 30 Pendant Light in Copper is made of lacquered solid copper and is suspended from a black fabric cord. Shown with Menu’s Afteroom Chair, Kaschkasch Mirror, and Marble Wall Clock.

The architects’ two young children occupy this bright bedroom, furnished with Ikea beds. Another custom lamp illuminates the space.

The new below-grade playroom, with its wood EZ Play Jungle Gym, doubles as a bedroom and features a window that looks into the pool.

Jasper and Maeve take five. One of their requests was for their dad to create a secret door to connect their bedrooms together.

Baby Max’s bedroom (in his parents' Los Angeles A. Quincy Jones house) is outfitted with a Gulliver crib and a red PS cabinet, both from Ikea, as well as a Birds in Harmony mobile by Christel Sadde and Katsumi Komagata for the Museum of Modern Art Store. The custom “I brake for unicorns” neon sign is from Let There Be Neon, a shop in New York City.

The kitchen in the Valencia apartment.

Meant to endure over time, each Louise Gray design is distinctive, versatile, and honest, maintaining an honored tradition while bringing it into a contemporary space. The graphic Modern Quilt No. 5 is made of 100 percent cotton. Featuring a neutral palette of sand, blush pink, black, and white with a tangerine stripe, this throw quilt has generous size that can be used at the end of a bed or on a sofa or lounge chair. It is hand-stitched and hand-assembled in the United States.

Side table by Urban Hardwoods, Rustic Wood serving tray by Grayworks Design, Crushed Silk shams by Eileen Fisher for Garnet Hill, Egg Press Dot sheet set by Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co., City throw by Bryce & Co., Ines Duvet cover by Area.

The Jack Neutral Throw Blanket offers unparalleled velvety softness in a striped pattern that telecasts understated chic. Warmer than wool and more durable than cashmere, these blankets are made from the finest alpaca fibers in rich natural colors.

Source: Nicole LaMotte/Parachute