During construction, Mariscal’s team adjusted the design to accommodate the boughs of an old pine tree in the backyard. The unique detail imbues the home with a spirit of wabi-sabi—or beauty through imperfection.

The charred cedar exterior gently basks in the Alaskan sun.

In the shadow of Denali mountain, amid Alaska’s meadows and icy streams, a former teacher and a four-time Iditarod winner calls upon Mayer Sattler-Smith to design a modernist cabin as expansive as the Last Frontier.

A 24-by24-foot Cor-ten-clad pavilion tops the three-story addition.

This home's open kitchen, living, and dining area includes a small pantry and an office, but the cedar cladding is the showstopper.

In the kitchen area and throughout the home, Mads Odgård, shown here, and Mette Lyng Hansen mixed Odgård’s pieces, such as the Odgård kettle for Raadvad and custom table, with Ikea basics and the Workshop pendant lamp by Louis Poulsen.

A PK 22 Easy Chair by Poul Kjaerholm for Fritz Hansen adds a dash of yellow to the breakfast room.

It might not make you popular with your contractor, but for a more streamlined look, Chris recommends forgoing trim. "It lends a clean look with less visual clutter," the architect says. In their house, the doors, lights, cabinetry, and even wall sockets (all 22 by Bocci) are installed without trim. This allows the planar surfaces to recede and do their jobs without unnecessarily distracting the eye.

The front door of this house in Scotland is built from charred cedar boards—a traditional way of fireproofing wood developed in Japan. In this case, the effect on the front door is likely more aesthetic than preventative, though you can never be too careful.

A series of charred modern boxes, the home Petra Sattler-Smith and Klaus Mayer designed for Martin Buser and Kathy Chapoton, is organized around views of the Alaskan landscape.

Abutting a costal reserve, the property has uninterrupted views of the Snowy River and surrounding wetlands

The concrete-and-steel home by Faulkner Architects gives one family a refined escape in the mountains of Northern California.

Danny envisioned the space between the ADU and the house as an informal place to gather. "It creates a sort of courtyard sensibility, which works for our intergenerational family dynamics."

Danny fitted the kitchen into an alcove outfitted with Ikea cabinets and Semihandmade fronts. The refrigerator is by LG. On the jute rug from Armadillo, chairs from Threshold join a table from Inside Weather.

In the new living room, the floors are covered in pine wood with a Bona Craft Oil finish in Frost, and the walls and ceiling are coated in lime plaster, Mortex by Beal. The handmade hanging chair, made of plaster, is a favorite spot for the couple’s cat, Paka.

In the primary bedroom, built-in storage is ship-like and not particularly plentiful. “I’d rather live in 850-square-feet by the ocean and see the sunrise every morning than in 3,000-square-feet in the suburbs,” Caleb says.

The island of Møn in Denmark has a remarkable landscape with dramatic white-chalk cliffs, so it’s fitting that Birkedal—a vacation rental property not far from the beach—features a shape and form that matches its impressive locale.

After: At the master bathroom's bathtub, the architect turned an existing water feature into a planter.

The angled tiny house's distinct shape recalls a folded leaf—a nod to the homeowner’s love of nature. The rear facade is clad in pine that's punctuated by elongated shutters that create the effect of sunlight being filtered through treetops.

A black Soapstone backsplash makes a dramatic focal point in this otherwise simplistic kitchen. The stark white kitchen counters, made of Cosmos Quartz, are complemented by custom Dopko Cabinetry.

One of the most astounding views from the house extends all the way to Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America at over 20,000 feet.

Here's a sample menu from the restaurant. "We wanted to subtly nod to the early to mid-20th century through choices like the logo 'stamp' for the packaging and hand-embossed menus on recycled cream paper stock," says Hooper.

The wood-clad cabin is currently situated on the grounds of Wehrmuehle, a venue for contemporary art and culture in Biesenthal, Brandenburg, just one hour north of Berlin.

Bocci's 22 Series offers stealthy electrical, cable, USB, and phone outlets.

The Cobb Haus, a wood-sided, 700-square-foot cabin in Cobb, California, features a large wood deck surrounded by towering trees.

The three arms of the Apfel House stretch out to catch the best views of Ranco Lake and the Andes Mountains.

Mary and Kundan Bhullar built a shipshape country escape that sits lightly on the land in the Aravalli hills near Gurgaon, India.

The Armadillo is parked on a 1,000-square-foot lot that gives the couple ample outdoor space.

Graphic and pastel textiles adorn a collection of modern chairs and sofas in the downstairs sitting room. Warm-gray floorboards extend throughout the whole lower level for a fresh, modern look.

A gently winding set of exposed aggregate concrete pads leads to the Wabi House’s front door. Mariscal sought to “hide the house behind a dense forest front yard.” As the crape myrtles grow in, they will further filter the home’s facade.