In Esperance, Australia, Fiona and Matt Shillington turned an outdated holiday resort into a cozy compound with restored A-frames, log cabins, and cottages.

The clients for an existing home in Seattle approached Best Practice Architecture with a need to make space for an aging family member, but the home on-site was already filled to the brim. The firm's answer was to expand the existing detached garage into a gracious and airy living suite. The architects worked with the natural, six-foot slope of the site and built the Granny Pad into the hill to gain the needed interior height. The volume on the right is the original garage footprint, which now houses a kitchen and sitting room. The added volume on the left hosts the bedroom, as well as a bathroom beneath the loft space.

Klopf Architecture's modest 72-square-foot addition at the front of the home blends in with the original structure while giving the owners a greater sense of openness in the master and hall bathrooms. Inside, the re-imagined great room now features dining space.

Generations of family have lived on this wooded, waterfront site, where architect Will Randolph has built a weekend getaway for less than $70,000.

Beach days, park picnics, and backyard barbecues—wherever your Fourth of July weekend takes you, these products will elevate your event with ease.

The once dim, cramped kitchen in this 1963 Eichler in San Jose, California, now features luxe vinyl tiling, white slab fronts from Semihandmade, and a dual-pane window, courtesy of Cathie Hong Interiors.

“Architecture and sculpture are both about breaking norms,” says Winka Dubbeldam, designer.

This double A-frame Eichler was renovated by Phoenix–based Mackenzie Collier Interiors. Joanne Encarnacion's office is located in the atrium, on the opposite side of her husband's. Graphic bursts of black and white are complemented by greenery and positive affirmations.

Bark gives the exterior walls a textured appearance and allows them to blend into the forested surroundings.

Hollyhock House, view looking southeast in living room, with garden court (at left) beyond.

The bar showcases many green products. The bar top, made at the 19 greek street gallery, is fashioned from recycled glass, and the chairs, from both Out of the Dark and Studio deForm, are fashioned from upcycled material.

Another view of the mezzanine. Rough brick walls add texture and old-world charm.

According to Ndoro, LIBRARY will “provide a much-needed space for the pioneering design community of the capital and beyond.” This room features a collection of eclectic Middle Eastern and African pieces, according to 19 greek street founder and creative director Marc Peridis. The curvaceous M'Afrique Shadowy Chair by Moroso is made by Senegalese craftsman, the rug and vases are fashioned from recycled African fabric. The two Papillon chairs near the window are by Karen Chekerdjian, a designer based in Lebanon.

Klopf Architecture updated this Eichler with a radiant floor heating system, re-stained paneling, and a new office/guest room filled with Eichler hallmarks like dark bronze door handles.

Cambrian black granite countertops lie in contrast with white cabinetry below and open shelves above in this contemporary kitchen. "One of the favorite things I have to do in the kitchen is wash dishes, just because it’s such a delightful view out the window," says the owner.

Some of this Eichler's original highlights remain, such as the tongue-and-groove redwood ceiling decking and the now re-stained luan wall paneling. In the kitchen, walnut is juxtaposed with crisp white, and the light blue found in the dining area is a unifying accent color.

Another view of the bar, showcasing the recycled-glass bar top. Designer Chris Duffy made the bar tables against the wall.

Samsung developed its Club des Chefs line of kitchen appliances with input from Michelin star-rated chefs.

Peridis turned a small room that wasn't quite big enough for a guest into a chair showcase, which includes the Chubby chair by Dirk Vander Kooij and the leaning 8.5 by Rasmus Baekkel Fex.

The blocky Preston Club is a a resin chair with castors and plush Italian leather cushions. The best part? Interior illumination is available upon request.

Reading Club 2000 in Manila, Philippines-Reading Club 2000 began when Hernando Guanlao—known to friends and neighbors as Nanie—sought out a way to honor the memory of his parents, who instilled in him the love for reading. He set old textbooks of his own outside his Manila home to see if others would be interested in borrowing them. They were. 12 years later, Nanie's library now contains somewhere around 2,500 books (he doesn't know the exact count), and he even runs a "book bike" service, where he delivers reading material to the poorest communities in Manila. Photo: Ms. Ma. Patricia Nabong

Jensen-Lewis’ Clubber offers a retro feel and a quick conversion. The barely-there chrome legs present a nice alternative to the heftier sofa beds of yore.

Ronald Ndoro wants to “create a home for the vibrant literary community” with LIBRARY, a members-only club. The entryway features marble Bust Chairs by Tomas Libertiny and a table by Jaime Hayon for Se London.

Ribbon Bookends by Book/Shop, $16 each Gifting a book to the particular bibliophile can be tricky business—better to err on the side of utility. Case in point: these nifty steel bookends designed by Oakland-based bookstore Book/Shop. Fabricated locally in California, they come in three colors: yellow, white, and blue.

The open dining space accommodates groups such as Fashandi’s book club with ease.

"There aren’t many row houses that treat vertical circulation and the relationship between public and private spaces the same way as [this house]," Shane says. White oak treads and a painted steel handrail make up the home's signature staircase.

Interior designer Cathie Hong transformed the kitchen of this San Jose Eichler into a bright open space, but kept the wood paneling in the adjacent room, to preserve the warm, midcentury feel.

“We kept the tones very neutral because we wanted the colors of the garden to come through,” Ong says. “Light also plays an important role here, and again the neutral tones help highlight the changes in the light and sky.” Ong’s team used Melbourne's Ajar Furniture and Design store to supply the home's furnishings, and this Marcel Breuer Club Chair Model B3 sits off the dining room.

Racquet Club Road Estates by William Krisel.

In 2003, Resolution: 4 Architecture was one of 16 firms who participated in the Dwell Home Design Invitational—a competition to design a modern prefab home for $200,000. Their winning design, constructed in Pittsboro, North Carolina, is a groundbreaking case study that combines prefabricated construction with contemporary, modern design.