Ab Rogers dons a bold suit that suits the spirit of the accompanying decor he designed.

Perched just above the edge of the Narrows, the house is an ideal place to live surrounded by the wild beauty of Ketchikan.

In the guest room, for example, the built-in unit contains a pull-down Murphy Bed, which makes the most of the elongated space.

High ceilings with restored gypsum mouldings are another nod to the structure's historic past. "The project is best understood as an art gallery whose main objective is to offer the best possible frame to exhibit art whilst at the same time providing an optimal experience for its users," says Victor Alavedra, a partner of the firm. Glass doors connect the kitchen to the guest room beyond.

The firm also framed all of the original mosaic tiles with oak parquetry, a discrete detail that blends seamlessly with the material palette of the new cabinetry throughout, while also accentuating each mosaic composition to appear almost as a graphic rug. The pendants above the kitchen workspace are Duo pendants by Anglepoise.

In Barcelona's Eixample district, young firm Built Architecture updated a historic 19th-century flat with an eye towards preserving its colorful mosaic tile floors, which date back to the early 1900s. In the dining room, a sculpture by Laurent Martin Lo hangs suspended above the table.

The cabinetry extends all the way to the large master bedroom at the end of the hall; the bathroom is also accessible from the guest room.

The cabinetry also accommodates a compact library, which can be accessed from the guest room. "The perimeter of the apartment is completely free by concentrating the intervention in one single and continuous volume that works as a spine," the firm explains.

In the guest bedroom, cabinetry was installed at just below the ceiling height to bring natural light into the space. The central cabinetry unit unites various areas of the home, and serves multiple functions, depending on the room.

Typical of historic homes in Eixample, the apartment's rooms are laid out along two central corridors that meet to form a 'V' shape. The firm's update to the space centers around the addition of an oak cabinet wall, which adds generous storage to the narrow floor plan.

A floor plan shows the unique dimensions of Casa AB, centralized around two main corridors, which the firm says is typical of Eixample homes. The service areas of the home (kitchen, dining bar, guest room, bathroom) are aligned along one end, where the cabinetry was installed; situated along the other are the communal areas, including the sitting room, dining room, and library.

Set on a southeast-facing slope, the AB Cabin is fitted with double-glazed windows that frame views of the town of Taihape and rolling hills beyond.

“A building can have far greater impact than the space it stands in.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

New zoning allowed for a zero-lot-line structure, but required a public storefront, which Carpenter uses as an art gallery.

Lightroom 1.0, a photography studio, is a freestanding structure on the property. “Together, they represent an autobiography of my career,” Carpenter says.

Swedish design by Metagram art AB, www.metagram.se

The extensive use of natural wood on nearly every surface makes the inside of The Barn feel like an extension of the landscape outside.

AB Design Studio transformed a warehouse into the headquarters of Forms + Surfaces in Carpinteria, California.

Sleeping nooks that look like the grooves in a block of cheese.

The two tiny homes were designed by CAST Architecture.

A&B Awards, a set of modern trophies.

A look at the living room in the show apartment by Ab Rogers Design. Bespoke pieces by the Goldfinger Factory include the aluminum planter base and glass table with cardboard base.

The AB Cabin is set in the middle of high country with Mount Ruapehu to the north and the Ruahine Ranges to the south. The building takes inspiration from the surrounding timber-framed houses and metal-clad farm buildings.

A passage between the walls for hide and seek.

Formerly an aging dive bar, this acclaimed restaurant in Montecito, California, was transformed by AB Design Studio into an inviting and high-end eatery with a 20-foot-long custom accordion-style door system.

Solvatten Solar Safe-Water System. Petra Wadström (Swedish, b. 1952), Solvatten AB. Manufactured by Mälarplast AB. Sweden, 2008. ABS plastic, acrylic. Photo: David Wadström