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

Black and white kitchen cabinets painted with a triangular pattern add a whimsical touch to this funky kitchen.

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.

Measuring only 180 square feet, this exquisite, off-grid tiny home features a big sense of style.

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.

A salvaged 19th-century soaking tub wrapped in stainless steel is topped by Hudson Reed faucets.

This 19th-century New York factory houses the apartment of Brandon and Amy Phillips as well as the workshop for their company, Miles & May Furniture Works.

Keeping the original mottled, worn-brick walls and outfitting the kitchen with their own custom cabinetry were among this couple’s cost-saving measures.

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 home office of 19th St. Residence by Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects peeks into the lush side yard.

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

The bathroom evokes the building’s industrial bones. The pendant light is from Ikea, and the towel racks are repurposed train car luggage racks. The Carrara tiles are mismatched seconds. “It works if you let yourself not try to fix it,” says Brandon.

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.

The dining area, with a table and hickory chairs from Miles & May, opens onto a kitchen the couple created as part of a DIY gut renovation. The result, says Amy, is an “intentional raw and polished combination.” The lamp is from M&M Electrical Surplus.

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.

We snapped a shot just as workers poured the copper-brass alloy over a Bocci 19 series mold, click through the slideshow to see the rest of the process.

Farnley Hey’s heart is a large, double-height living area, dubbed "the dance floor

This award-winning home by New York–based West Chin Architects is situated on a narrow corner lot in a Long Island neighborhood. The cedar-clad residence features a garage-style glass door that opens to welcome the salty sea breeze from the neighboring beach.

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

Numen's Net, occupied by gallery attendees.

Lyng Hansen steamed and framed remnants of 19th-century wallpaper found during the renovation.

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.

For our In the Modern World section, we shared a process shot of a Bocci 19 series. Here is a finished product of a Bocci 19 series bowl. Photo by Gwenael Lewis.

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!).

The board-formed concrete retaining wall holds firewood and is also a bench. Beyond, the garden lounge backs up against the studio and a retaining wall. “It’s a study in how little you can do to define a space,” Thomas says.

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.