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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

“A building can have far greater impact than the space it stands in.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

The Jorgensen's Menlo Park home is a model of green design with features that are smart for everyone to consider. "Every project is different, but there are some universal things that will apply from project to project," says Feldman about designing a green home. "The first—and most obvious thing—is to always try to build less, to have a smaller house and be smart about how the rooms are designed and oriented so that you can get by with less space. Smart design will lead to a smaller building, but it won't feel smaller."

New zoning allowed for a zero-lot-line structure, but required a public storefront, which Carpenter uses as an art gallery.

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.

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.

Architect Guta Louro moved from New York City to Austin on the last day of 2020, and designed an apartment full of textures and colors. "I love awakening sensations and provoking thought through my designs," she says.

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.

Rian and Melissa Jorgensen's 2 Bar House in Menlo Park boasts all the usual green design suspects: energy-efficient lighting, good insulation, renewable material finishes, radiant heat, and the roof is pre-wired for future PV panels. Executed by Feldman Architecture, the house requires only natural lighting during the day which keeps energy costs way down. Still, the most stunning aspect of the green design is the living roof planted with succulents, aloe, viviums, and ice plants. "I'm absolutely glad that we did it," says Melissa. "It turned out so well and I really enjoy sitting up there and taking advantage of it as much as I can. It's very peaceful." Read more about this total remodel here.

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

Inspirational spaces