The houses at Oxley Woods, however, are a more modest case study in sustainable design and innovative construction.

The shape of the Post-It Dispenser is based on that of a stone. Its color and gloss, however, give it a very futuristic look.

Dinner, however, has fewer rules and playing with food is permissible, as Tony Antonelli displays. Image courtesy of NASA.

Technically, this small building is not a tree house, since it’s braced at the ground by supports, but Grey didn’t want to compromise the tree, which “doesn’t have a very long lifespan,” the designer says. “So, I didn’t want to jeopardize however long that tree had with any excess baggage.”

The front of the trailer features an aluminum bar laser cut with half of the word Taxa (the name of Cricket Trailer's parent company). The cutouts act as makeshift bottle openers. There is a learning curve, however; whereas Finney had no problem popping open cold Topo Chicos, I managed to spray myself with the carbonated water on more than one occasion.

While Brooklyn brownstones conjure up memories of their turn-of-the-century roots, they also remain the modern-day face of New York’s coolest boroughs. With brownstone living, however, comes responsibility—many of these classic beauties are in need of renovation and restoration. Here are 10 standout, renovated brownstones that retain their original charm with added contemporary cool.

In years gone by, the street was lined with Milkwood trees, some of which still remain. The angled bay window was specifically designed to frame two ancient Milkwoods, which were sadly removed by neighbours despite many objections. It does, however, remain a cosy, sun-filled nook with 180-degree views.

The couple asked for a “no maintenance, not low maintenance” backyard. However, Shino tends to “Carlsbad's largest public bathroom for cats” (otherwise known as their Japanese-style rock garden) about once a month. Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

The wood-frame residence and studio are clad in vertical cedar siding—back then, a daring competitor to clapboard—instead of concrete to save costs. The effect is equally seamless, however: “If you drive by it fast enough,” Charles Gwathmey once said, “you still might mistake it for a concrete house.” Photo by Norman McGrath.

"A well-performing house extension facing south on a small inner-city block built in rammed earth is not easy to achieve," said Welsch. "However, in this challenge was our opportunity: We decided that our extension will curl around to capture the sun, creating a communal courtyard and allowing the occupants to look at their own house rather than a paling fence."

I did, however, peek inside through the windows and spotted this Eames molded plastic side chair—as well as a pile of manikin parts (not pictured).

Renee capitalizes on space by placing the modular drawers underneath the bed. However, this configuration precludes sunlight from entering the room via the lowest row of windows.

However, in this architectural project, you can feel reasonable composition.

The various platforms give the family freedom to organize their furniture and possessions however they want.

The interior of the Pinecone is a 100-square-foot octagon, however the tree house can be custom made in a larger size.

The revamp also comprised of reworking the layout of the master suite. However, the windows and original wood ceilings were maintained for warmth and light.

The living area is small, however, the double-height ceiling give is a more vast sense of space.

The back, however, is a different story. The shape of the roof eave is designed to allow winter sun into the house while cutting out the hot summer sun.

The handles of Bjerre-Poulsen’s kitchen are bronzed tombac, a material that has been discontinued; however, Reform now offers handles in brass for a similar look.

The living room features full-height, wraparound walls of glass and elegant wood details—however, the highlight is a lovely bush-hammered concrete fireplace.

The new home sits on the same footprint, however it gained two bedrooms and another bath and a half. One challenge was extending the cantilevers as far as possible to add more square footage.

The rough brickwork at the front entry was also retained, however a high fence was removed and replaced with a concrete bench that’s offered as a welcoming rest spot to the community.

The indoor/outdoor kitchen has been renovated and is equipped with top-of-the-line appliances. The clear highlight, however, is its retractable back wall.

JD Composites clad the exterior with aluminum and vinyl siding for looks, however the composite prefab panels could have been simply coated with stucco.

The table in the dining area folds down to make a bed; however, Bonnie says that the family actually prefers to sleep together in the convertible sofa area.

With the door separating the existing home and the addition open, there is a clear flow between the new family room and the kitchen and dining area. With the door closed, however, the space is divided into two more private spaces.

The pièce de résistance, however, is a one-of-a-kind Grillworks grill. Located in a refurbished wood-burning fireplace, it has been clad in striking tiles from Heath Ceramics and is flanked by open shelving.

To stay within the budget, the designers decided to forgo natural stone in the bathrooms in lieu of simple vitrified tile. The bathroom isn't without its luxuries, however, as evidenced by the heated towel rail from Hydrotherm.

However, relying solely on concrete was not the best use of the budget, so Mulvena “balanced the concrete floors and highlights with a simple palette of affordable but industrial materials: black steel and plywood." The couch is by BoConcept.

"The tile selection was intentionally simple and cost effective, however executed in a modern way with sharp detailing that lifted the outcome," says Berit Barton, studio design director at Pleysier Perkins.

Guests enter the home by walking through the kitchen, following the same layout that existed when architect David Webber arrived on the scene; however, the sophisticated materials and warm lighting make the space much more inviting than it was before.

Placing seating in a hallway or corridor might sound counterintuitive. However, adding seating— in particular a piece that takes advantage of the length and narrowness of a hallway, like a bench—is particularly well-suited because it works as a waiting nook.

The renovation made only minor changes to the kitchen's original footprint changes were minimal. However, the entire ceiling was vaulted and skylights were added for additional natural light. "This was a reaction to the neighbors building an ADU right up to their property line,

Completed in 1960, this Alexander home was designed by William Krisel for Robert Alexander and his wife Helene, however, it’s most famous as the location where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their 1967 honeymoon.

As the former home of modernist architect Barry Dierks, this French Riviera residence that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea was updated with modern interiors and amenities. However, its white cubic architectural facade from 1926 was kept intact.

The cover of Counter Space offers us a winking view of domestic tranquility. The objects inside the book however take a much more functionalist view of the space where we cook and clean.