A 24-by24-foot Cor-ten-clad pavilion tops the three-story addition.

In the kitchen area and throughout the home, Mads Odgård, shown here, and Mette Lyng Hansen mixed Odgård’s pieces, such as the Odgård kettle for Raadvad and custom table, with Ikea basics and the Workshop pendant lamp by Louis Poulsen.

A Seattle family tasked Atmosphere Design Build with creating a sustainable dwelling in Nevada City, California, the matriarch's hometown and a historic mining community. The firm's material-driven approach channels the pioneer spirit of the gold rush, without compromising comfort or high-efficiency standards.

Simpatico Homes founder Seth Krubiner has lived in the prefab company’s nearly net-zero prototype since it was customized and lifted onsite in 2011.

The Cobb Haus, a wood-sided, 700-square-foot cabin in Cobb, California, features a large wood deck surrounded by towering trees.

Components for low-cost prefab homes designed by Habitat for Humanity and the firm Minarc for South Central Los Angeles were trucked in and assembled over three days. Photos by Art Gray.

Graphic and pastel textiles adorn a collection of modern chairs and sofas in the downstairs sitting room. Warm-gray floorboards extend throughout the whole lower level for a fresh, modern look.

Rice surfs the net at the built-in desk.

From urban-dwellers to empty-nesters, many are now embracing the movement toward smaller, more sensible living. Bosch's new line of 24" kitchen appliances is designed to help them save space without downsizing on style.

Bosch's compact kitchen line, which includes an electric and gas cooktop, wall oven, and refrigerator, as well as an 18" dishwasher, is particularly well-suited for city apartments and secondary hangouts, like basements and guesthouses.

Most impressive of all, a solar array on the roof empowers the residents to produce more energy than they consume on-site.

A view of the installation at the House for Contemporary Art in Belgium.

Numen's Net, occupied by gallery attendees.

Together, Bosch's sleek 24" kitchen and laundry suites address the trend toward smaller living by extending modern, European-style design to even the closest quarters.

Joining the kitchen line, Bosch recently unveiled an efficient 24" laundry pair. The units can be stacked vertically, further reducing their footprint in the home.

Join design star David Bromstad on staycation, where he will discuss how to glamp up your outdoor space for summer. Don’t miss his teepees in Dwell Outdoor and the Modern Family pavilion, which promise to inspire you with high-design surprises for grown-ups and kids alike. Sunday, May 31, 2:00 p.m., J Geiger Stage

Since it was the most recommended must-do from Dwell Twitter followers (from the likes of @sarahrich, @ladygodiva1234, and @bayne16thstate, among others), Torchy's was my truck of choice. The gal at the counter recommended a green chili pork taco and a chicken fajita taco (though I wished I'd had had room for a fried avocado taco, too!).

At a net-zero home in San Francisco, the house's green roof is more of a brown roof: a desert-like array of native and non-native succulents that require minimal irrigation. The soil area is maintained with motorcycle tires (including one from a Harley hog), which control erosion. Composting takes place here as well.

Metal shingles cut from scraps of sheet metal mix with new material as well as odds and ends, such as a road sign Baker bought at the Alameda Flea market. Baker designed stainless steel clips that allow any tile to be easily moved or replaced without the use of tools. Planter box panels add functionality to the facade and can be swapped out or relocated throughout the year.

The spruce cladding that wraps around the Vilde tiny house model patinas and eventually turns a silvery-gray tone that blends into the Scandinavian landscape.

The nearly floor-to-ceiling windows also wrap around a corner of the room.

To deck out their vacation-rental property, Nicolas Potts and Emma Pilkington Mead crafted a cushy, rose-hued space. In the kitchenette, a comfortable upholstered daybed sits above the breakfast nook.

The 24-foot RV is six foot shorter than Living Vehicles next smallest model, and sets a new standard in the luxury travel market.

An en-suite bathroom is accessible along the opposite side of the bedroom.

The wet areas open to views of native trees above allow the morning light to flood in

“I’m so tired of beige, limewash, and earth colors,” Emma says. The couple used Garden Plum paint from Behr Marquee for the cabinetry and Kelp Forest tiles from Zia to enliven the kitchen.

In smaller abodes, spiral staircases are a practical way to access the second floor without taking up too much space. This studio apartment designed by Douglas Stephen & Partners was built in 1965 and has undergone an upgrade in recent years. With a compact, playful look, the bright yellow underside of this spiral staircase brings a bit of fun into a split-level in London, England.

LIVE. LOVE. LOFT.

Rather than a one-off custom piece, Baker designed the daybed as a prototype and worked with Ohio Design on its fabrication.

The Catch lamp is based on a butterfly net.

“These are homes that are truly sustainable—they don’t create any waste in fabrication, and there’s no waste onsite.” —Tryggvi Thorsteinsson, Minarc. Photos by Art Gray.

“There’s no drilling or chopping,” says Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir, cofounder of Minarc. “It’s a very elegant way to build.” Photos by Art Gray.