Purple thistles, California poppies, clover, and dandelions have all taken root in the roughly 10-inch-deep, lightweight humus and grape-husk soil in this 580-square-foot green roof. Designer Peter Liang says that he "wanted to plant a green roof for its thermal mass, but I wanted it to be as natural as possible."

Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

The owners toured this home, which surrounds a mature tipu tipu tree, while visiting relatives for the day. The brick is original to the 1947 construction.

Sliding doors by Quantum were made to look like the original panes that couldn't be saved, and they lead to a fire pit outside.

At the top of the stairwell, a sitting area is outfitted with a vintage Eames lounge, a large Jack Goldstein painting, and a 1970s light fixture found by Marcovitz in Paris.

The view!

The curved blue kitchen larder has a projecting “nose” that illuminates the worktop and a mirrored eye that “winks” each time the door is opened.

The green backsplash tiles are vintage, reclaimed from another project.

The kitchen features a concrete island topped with marble. Deja-Vu stools by Naoto Fukasawa surround the island. A print by Guy Gormley, as well as a painting bought during holiday in St. Tropez, hang on the walls.

The ladder-like staircase was designed as a modern, whimsical addition to an otherwise midcentury-focused design. "I use it as a drying rack,

Marble is a beautiful natural material—but one of our industry experts thought it received too much attention in 2022.

Take a look at some of the most exciting, sustainable buildings around the world, and you may notice something they have in common: green roofs, or rooftops covered with a thin layer of soil to allow for grasses and other low-lying plants to grow.

New Depths Inspired by a local winery, George Kyprianou wanted a glass top on his subterranean wine cellar. The interior is lit, casting soft light into the living space at night and revealing the 132-year-old stone foundation. The three-quarter-inch glass lid sits flush with the floorboards; it opens with an ingenious device that Kyprianou devised using a 12-volt air compressor and a remote-controlled switch. When you push the button, the glass lifts just enough to be removed by hand.

Light Box Peter created a simple uplight at the top of the wood box by wiring together energy-efficient fluorescent fixtures typically used under cabinets and countertops. “The cheaper magnetic models hum unacceptably loudly, so make sure you get the electronic ballast types,” he warns. He then painted the cavity white to reflect light and covered them with quarter-inch-thick acrylic from TAP Plastics. homedepot.com tapplastics.com

The view of Kapiti Island is fully revealed from the tower.

"Also check the basement for radon in the winter,” she says. “Radon levels tend to be higher when it’s cold, and if you have to trench the floor, it is better to do it before you fill your basement with stuff.”

Both cabins are elevated on wooden pillars about 260 feet above sea level.

The top container contains Wardell's office—and a "napping nook" above that.

In the dining area, a one-of-a-kind table with a reclaimed Carrara marble top by NET—themultidisciplinary design firm of architect Alejandro Sticotti, with whom Nicolas works—is surrounded by prototypes of the company’s Board chair. The family dog, China, sits on a floor made of travertine tiles.

The side walls have been treated as vertical extension of the horizontal surface of the garden, and are used for growing climbers such as jasmine, grapes, honeysuckle, raspberries, beans, peas, and even a climbing fig. Colorful bird’s houses and bug hotels are also mounted on the walls.

The Kelleys furnished the cottage with help from Suzanne’s daughter Betsy Burbank of Betsy Burbank Interiors. Classic modernist icons, such as a Saarinen Womb chair for Knoll, a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, and an Eileen Grey E1027 side table look at home alongside present-day pieces such as an Encore sofa (which handily folds down into a sleeping surface) from Room & Board and a Doka rug designed and produced by Stephanie Odegard. The Wohlert pendant lights from Louis Poulsen were designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1959, but grouped as such, they appear distinctly contemporary.

The architects added a small circular skylight to serve as a vertical focal point in the center of the fifth floor. The quarter-sawn white oak risers produce a beautiful rippled grain highlighted by the abundant natural light.

Since the home is something of a pied-à-terre for the clients, its design is geared more toward short-term stays than full-time living. That means spaces like the kitchen are set up for entertaining. Notice the curve on the cabinetry, counter, and backsplash, which is Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble. All of the appliances are from Fisher & Paykel, and the wall sconce is a Gabriel Scott single Welles pendant in smoked glass and brushed brass.

A painting by Yael hangs near the Murphy bed in the make-shift guest sleeping quarters.

The D-Fin House gets its name from a loft space that projects from the main level like the skeg of a vintage surfboard. Owner Mitch Marks uses the area as an office. Steely designed the pine bookcase, and the Eames Group chair is from Herman Miller. A Haiku ceiling fan from Big Ass Fans ushers in fresh air and cool seaside breezes.

The living room is dubbed the "Ladies Who Lunch" room. Benjamin Moore’s Chippendale Rosetone covers the walls, in rich contrast to the preserved wood ceiling, and a medley of vintage furnishings fills out the space. The rug is from IKEA and the chandelier is Schoolhouse Electric.

The home features silent and cozy radiant floor heating—a very forward-thinking feature—and there is not a single heating vent or visible outlet in sight.

One of the home's bathrooms features wallpaper from Etsy retailer AwallonDesign.

The spaces are harmoniously linked by color and material palette. In the dining area, the round travertine table mirrors the paper lanterns by Isamu Noguchi suspended above, and vintage cane Cesca Chairs by Marcel Breuer completes the warm tableau.

The new addition is spanned by a sliding glass door to the kitchen, bringing in much more natural light and creating easy flow between inside and out. The owners especially appreciate how the new deck is at grade with the exterior door for a seamless transition, making the kitchen feel “a part of the garden,” says the homeowner.

The shower room and WC on the lower ground floor is accessed via the utility room, which also features counters by Smile Plastics.

The pink bench enclosure with blue upholstered cushions is a place for the family to nestle and relax. The large mint-green table in the dining area is from Artiform’s Palladio range, and the large yellow Strom jug was designed by Nicholai Wiigh Hansen for Raawii.

Anna and Jakob Busch enlist the help of loved ones to construct a spruce-wrapped tiny home for $35,000.

Yvette, Adrian, and their son Julian survey the view from the top-floor terrace. “I’ve never been fond of modernism—I find it cold,” Adrian admits. “But having this house, I have to say, it’s growing on me.”

The yellow North Face tent looms over the top of the main building.