This stairway gets a very on-trend arch treatment.

Thin, slatted wood paneling adds warmth to this bathroom.

This backsplash may only cover a small surface area, but its asymmetric tiles are the kitchen’s pièce de résistance.

Fiber art brings an element of softness to this dining area.

A macramé wall hanging serves as large-scale, textural artwork in this sitting room.

Olive is a calming shade of green that works well in bedrooms.

The curvy shape of this pink sofa gives it a fun, playful quality.

If you have an underutilized space in your home (like underneath a staircase), consider turning it into an indoor garden.

Arched entryways bring to mind the cave homes in Oia, Greece.

An angled application gives this wood paneling a modern feel.

Floor-to-ceiling tiles give this courtyard a major “wow” factor.

The master bedroom is furnished with a queen bed and a cool-touch 10-inch memory foam mattress beneath a large skylight. Compared to last year’s model, the 2020 Living Vehicle offers two feet of extra space.

After: Pink-toned terrazzo tile counters and a backsplash and olive green-painted cabinetry enlivens the kitchen, where the designers created open shelving using leftover plywood from the mezzanine ceiling panels.

One of the Living Vehicle’s most popular features is its self-supporting deck, which serves as an extension of the indoor living space and can be easily lowered or raised with a garage door–style support spring. The updated deck is now rated for 1,500 pounds.

The view from the courtyard at the Casita, added in 2020.

Nestled within a forest clearing near the Argentinian city of Córdoba, this 2,153-square-foot house named "La Negrita" is designed to exist in harmony with nature. Designed by Córdoba–based Morini Arquitectos, the house first reveals itself as a black corrugated wall in the middle of the woodlands. "The house is totally introverted [and] mysterious towards the street and extroverted towards the interior," says Morini.

A Woodchuck-made loft bed anchors Sam's room. The dark green playmat is by Alex Playmats.

Top 9 Kitchens of 2020: The nominees for this year’s Dwell Design Awards are the epitome of style and function.

A mosaic tile wall softens the laboratory-like effect of the glossy kitchen cabinets.

The home's wood deck is a neutral base that compliments the home's back and white features.

Top 9 Gardens of 2020: The verdant spaces nominated for the Dwell Design Awards help enliven their biophilic homes.

Composed of overlapping cubes of different sizes, the Gjøvik house by Danish firm Norm Architects gracefully embraces its hillside terrain—naturally blending in with its stunning surroundings near Mjøsa Lake an hour north of Oslo.

A view into the sleeping nook.

In this glass-enclosed master bedroom, a LC4 armchair faces the master bed. The moveable frame adjusts along the base, allowing the sitter to switch from upright to full recline, or lounge at a number of other sitting angles.

Sited on a cramped corner lot in Manhattan Beach, California, this midcentury bungalow was renovated and enlarged with a 1,000-square-foot addition to create a total of 1,986 square feet of functional space for owners Alison and Jeff Goad and their three children. Culver City–based practice Edward Ogosta Architecture demolished and remodeled parts of the existing house to include a larger master bedroom and a new bedroom, bathroom, and powder room. The project also included updates to the two existing bedrooms, the laundry room, and garage.

In the powder room, a Tom Dixon pendant dangles above a Ferguson Badeloft sink. Dreamy blue watercolor wallpaper from Black Crow Studios lines the walls.

Jon Staff, founder of cabin rental company Getaway, and his partner Michael Thorton purchased an overgrown bayside lot in the Cherry Grove community of Fire Island, New York, in February 2020.

Jeff Waldman and Molly Fiffer built this 200-square-foot cabin on the site of their 10-acre property in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Their previous cabin, which they also built by hand, was destroyed in a forest fire in 2020.

The sunken living room is just one of many grade changes inside the structure. “We were adamant that we didn’t want something domestic,” says Andrew. “We wanted something surprising, that was hyper-animated, and that, when you moved through it, changed all the time.” The sofa, designed by the couple and Levenbetts, is upholstered in cotton velvet. The Habibi side tables are by Philipp Mainzer for e15, the fireplace tools by Fort Standard, and the doors by Fleetwood.

The 260-square-foot Hytte module features tall ceilings of up to nearly 12 feet. Multiple windows fill the interior with natural light and frame views of the outdoors.

Stepstone's narrow concrete pavers add a graphic touch to the garden.

The second-floor plan: 1. Rooftop garden, 2. Media room, 3. Guest bedroom, 4. Bathroom, 5. Deck.