The covered approach, a common element in Wright's works, is flanked by Japanese stone lanterns.

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.

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

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.

1935Chair 65 by Alvar Aalto for Artek.

"Capitello, Easy Chair" by Studio 65.

Inspirational spaces

Minimalist sliding doors separate the rooms.

An existing bedroom was sacrificed to make room for a first-floor bathroom, which is fitted with a large skylight. The herringbone wall tiles are from Topps Tiles.

An old sugarcane dock was turned into a swimming pool, which offers views of the Karst mountains and Li River from a distance.

The home’s sunny vestibule features a vibrant yellow door and a photo by William Bailey.

This Sydney home was designed to be an emblem for climate-conscious design. Aspiring to create a self-sustaining mini ecosystem, the architect-owner embraced clean and renewable energy with a facade of photovoltaic panels, a garden rooftop, and myriad green details.

Norm 12 comes in two finishes, pure white and simple matt white, the extra large light is intended for hallways or larger rooms, while the small light is meant to be hung over a table or in a nook.

The 4,478-square-foot Yellow Door House features two parallel concrete prefab buildings that are offset from each other. Between the structures, a semi-enclosed area features a bar, outdoor shower, and storage racks for surfboards.

Pockets of greenery add a warmth to the interior courtyards.

An interior courty

British artist Hannah Sawtell and technologist Avi Flombaum created sawbaum.com, where users can create visual collages using multiple vine streams. "We wanted it to look like a visual comic book, with overlapping panels," said Flombaum. "And we wanted it to be fun!" Photo courtesy Rhizome.

The home’s walls are clad in Oregon white oak reclaimed from a dismantled barn on the property. Jessica Helgerson chose to paint them white to create a bright, airy look, but she left the kitchen wall au naturel for a visual pop. With storage at a premium, the kitchen needed ample cabinetry as well as some ingenious solutions—including a pull-out cabinet hidden in one half of the range hood. A vintage cabinet on the left wall provides open storage for everyday dishes.

An Alvar Aalto table is surrounded by a quartet of the designer’s Chair 65.

To further reduce the possibility of water seepage, a vaulted structure was used for the third floor extension, so rainwater flows down from the roof and drains away.

A side view of the front entrance.

The main floor spans 200 square feet, and the loft is 65 square feet.

Danish designer Cecilie Manz reinterpreted Bang & Olufsen’s classic Beolit Transistor Radio from the 1960s with rounded corners, an iPhone jack, and a leather carrying strap.

The Ilo Playhouse features a footprint of roughly 42 square feet, and it’s approximately 6.5 feet tall at its highest point.

Lodging at the hostel includes 12 suites that are outfitted with 65 custom-built beds tucked into handcrafted bunks complete with privacy curtains, a lamp, and plug. A communal "Romper Room" includes eight single beds tucked into handcrafted bunks, a California king-sized bed, sofas, three full bathrooms, and 1,000 square feet of space for those "rock star nights."