Scott Winter determines precisely what his laptop is telling him at the kitchen bar. The poster on the wall behind him celebrates the Schubert opera Snow White.

With nary a necktie in sight, this year's gift guide for men offers something distinctive for every guy on your list, from the sartorialist to the grilling enthusiast to the classic car aficionado and the whisky lover. (We admit, there is a bowtie.)

Dollahite perches on the steps to his living room beside his dog, who saw him through the entire renovation.

Luc Tuymans. When I photographed him he was up-and-coming. Today he is a most sought-after painter—museums galore want to collect him.

Pardo onstage with Knoll founder, Hans G. Knoll, on the screen behind him.

The compulsive, the absurd, and the tailored: works by Jorinde Voight, Tom Ngo, and Theresa Himmer.

Ray Kappe relaxes in the central living space, which offers views onto other shared family zones. Behind him is a view down into his office. Half a level up, Shelly Kappe stands at the entrance to the upper family room.

Erecting a modern cabin where a tool shed once stood became a family exercise for architect Jim Cutler and his daughter, Hannah, who worked with him on the design and build.

The summer home is located on the west coast of Zeeland in Denmark. Egelund’s son had also recently built a summer house nearby, and Egelund and Dahl appreciated the work of the architect, Mads Lund. “We felt we could have a good collaboration with him, rather than being a small client with a big company,” Egelund explains. “We started to talk with him about what we liked about my son’s house, as well as our own ideas for our summer home.”

Here is Aldo Amador's 1968 movie poster for the Soviet film "We Knew Him Only by Sight."

Tosdevin says Miele has always been an easy fit for him and his clients, and sites the appliances’ longevity as a big factor. “Dealing with companies you trust and that stand behind their product make business more pleasurable.”

For architect Stephen Chung, the design of his Wayland, Massachusetts, home was all about blending into the natural environment. The first floor is a serene composition of white and wood. The demand for a domestic office space inspired him to build up, adding a second floor for him to "experiment." In a departure from the Cape Cod aesthetic that rules his block, he was able to give the addition a modernist take, while also literally reflecting the existing landscape of the neighborhood. The entire 1,100-square-foot adjunct that encompasses his second story office-studio, master suite, and fort for his two young sons is swathed in mirrored siding and plate-glass windows.

Working with his colleagues at Austin Maynard Architects, architect Andrew Maynard added a 184-square-foot, sun-saturated greenhouse extension to his existing 364-square-foot home, and the new space serves as an office for him and his team.

Pierre Kozely mends his bike on a patio in the rear yard, seen from their garage—which was transformed into a media room. Behind him is a Cor-Ten rolling gate that gives access to the back alley.

Architect Pascal Grosfeld designed seven houses on this plot of land in suburban Holland. The Collettes worked closely with him to make their residence distinct from the neighboring houses and more in keeping with their personal vision of home.

Diego's typewriter. Easier to imagine him thundering his orders, but I expect he must of put a few to paper.

Architect Don Dimster designed this duplex as two family homes – one for him and his family and one for his brother’s family – with a pair of glass-walled, suspended steel stairways that connect both family homes to a shared 1,000-square-foot rooftop patio.

Fun Fact: The first Uniform Plumbing Code in the United States was developed by the Los Angeles City Plumbing Inspectors Association in 1928. This code dramatically improved the quality of sanitation systems, thus helping reduce the spread of waterborne illness.

Upon his first visit to Tasmania, an island south of the Australian mainland, resident David Burns was immediately smitten with its varied, pristine landscape. Working with architecture firm Misho+Associates, he built a self-sustaining, 818-square-foot retreat that would allow him to completely unplug from urban life.

Penelope, Nolan’s canine roommate, keeps him company.

Moose has his own special area in the bus. Over the past eight months the bus has really become a source of comfort and home for him. Wherever we travel, the bus remains a source of comfort for him (and for us!).

Homeowner and surfer Christopher Hansen envisions a secluded oceanfront retreat that lets him keep an eye on the waves.

Ando's love of materials, such as glass and concrete, made him the perfect person for the job.

Jens Martin Skibsted salvaged an 1890s house just outside of Copenhagen, reworking it with architect Jürgen Mayer H. The structure is a retreat for Jens, his wife, Naomi, and their children. The dining table was designed by him to accommodate 18; the legs were produced by HAY, as were the Shanghay molded plywood chairs. “The house has so many things,” explains Jens. “Every corner has a story.”

Jorge and Paola proudly displayed their son’s name on their back patio for his christening. With plenty of cousins to keep him company, Max (in Paola’s arms at left) will undoubtedly be pleased that his parents decided to stay put in Tijuana.

Cristián created slots in the rear facade so that each home’s primary bedroom could have three exposures. The voids also allowed him to install skylights that illuminate the ground floor. The detailing of the ribbed exterior was adapted from a large institutional building designed by his father—“really almost a cut and paste,” says Cristián. The overhang at the rear of the building offers partial cover for the private walled patio that each family enjoys.

Architect Bill Yudchitz asked his son, Daniel, to help him create a self-sustaining multi-level family cabin in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

The client wanted to be able to prepare meals efficiently. A red steel pegboard backsplash lets him easily access cooking utensils. The cabinets are Ikea.

Architecture and Visual Arts student Sam Kronick muses over which concrete building page he would like to take home with him.

Nine-year-old Stan reads on the platform bed his father built for him. A trio of birch branches helps to bring the outdoors in. The pendant and bed linens are custom.

Debbi Gibbs’s son Blake had one primary design requirement: bunk beds. Specifically, he wanted "two sets of single bunks, one on each side, with a bridge over the top." Gibbs says the Venetian-style arched bridge connecting the two beds exceeded her expectations: "I was expecting a flat platform, but our builder decided to take Blake’s request (to connect them) and made him his very own Bridge of Sighs."

The spirit has found a place to emerge again, he shakes and touches those that are outside and protects and shelters those that have welcomed him.

Jackson is a potter and he is responsible for the bespoke backsplash tiles. Dyer worked closely with him on the module and layout, and coordinating to get the tiles to match their perfect shade of green: Sherwin-Williams' 'Rosemary'.

Tim reclines in an Eames Lounge. The bookcase behind him connects to the kitchen storage system. Mill Valley, California Dwell Magazine : September / October 2017

Knowing that Andy’s multi-tasking begets clutter, John provided him with plenty of cabinets. By making very particular requests of The Home Depot—asking for irregular-sized doors and painting them electric green—John defied the generic look of big-box cabinetry.

The dining table is from French retailer AM.PM., the pendants are by Him + Her, and the shelves are by Tomado Holland. An Ikea rug echoes the geometric motif found throughout the apartment.