When Pablo Pérez Palacios’ Mexico City–based architecture firm PPAA was tasked with building an apartment tower to meet La Colonia Roma's need for additional housing, he faced a problem familiar to developers in historic neighborhoods everywhere. The site was occupied by a dilapidated home that dates to 1925, and local laws required that the facade and part of the structure be maintained. PPAA’s innovative approach was to cut the original three-story home in half, preserving enough of the building to front the street and hold two apartments replete with classic Victorian details like high ceilings and restored millwork. In the back of the lot, they designed a sleek eight-story apartment tower that would hold an additional nine apartments, for a total of 11 units. Not bad for a site that was previously an uninhabited single-family house.

Linen Place Mat From festive gatherings to everyday breakfasts, the Linen Placemat adds warmth and style to any meal. Made from durable and machine washable 100% linen, the Linen Placemat from Fog Linen Work will become softer with each use making it ideally suited for everyday dining rituals and special occasions.

The tatami room (pictured) has mats from the Futon Company and a “Hinamatsuri” mobile adds a cheery touch.

The Guiuan National High School, illustrated as mass shelter during a natural disaster. Says To: "The challenge was, 'How can we create a school that is inviting and resilient at the same time without looking like a bunker that would always remind people of the next possible typhoon hitting land?'"

These colorful t-shirt mats are woven in Brooklyn by artist Joegeda from around 40 vintage pullovers each for a 2.5' x 3.5' rug—ideal for kitchens and baths. ($130)

Part of a 1,000-square-foot space the brothers designed for their parents, the master bath features a Whittington Marlon bathtub from Signature Hardware.

A vibrant yellow pocket door adds a playful splash of color in the bathroom/laundry area on the lower level.

MAT-TER chose bamboo as the primary building material, "in order to keep the carbon footprint as low as possible throughout all stages of the building's lifespan," says To. The bamboo and interior modular units resist the effects of climate change and are flexible to local repair should a disaster incur damage. These interior units support each other and the main flooring system and are also elevated aboveground on a grid of concrete pilotis "to allow wind to pass underneath and protect flooding."

Shown in Citron, Chilewich's utility mats are just what the kitchen ordered: vibrant, easy-to-clean, made in the USA, and mildew resistant. $75 from chilewich.com.

Fog Linen Massage Bath Mat

"We wanted to create an open and inviting space that speaks of the local culture and provides an inspiring learning environment for children and local communities," To says.

Part of a longstanding modernist tradition of visual trickery, the coir coconut fiber Cuboid Door Mat's geometric shape and shading give the illusion of a three dimensional object.

Swedish producer Källemo’s furniture collection has always been an eclectic mix of strong designs with an artistic twist. The brand’s popular National Geographic cabinet—designed by Mats Theselius to store his beloved magazines—has been in production since 1991, and the 25th anniversary is celebrated with a limited edition clad in linen printed with foliage. Theselius has also added a base in patinated brass with two drawers for maps.

A small terrace outfitted with an H55 easy chair by Björn Hultén offers a view of the San Francisco Bay.

The Mini Basketweave utilizes two yarns over two, instead of the traditional four over four found in the signature Basketweave. The result is a subtler, quieter texture and pleasingly uniform surface. Made from durable woven textile and flexible commercial-grade backing, the Mini Basketweave Woven Floor Mat is perfect for everyday use in the home or outdoors.

The Skinny Stripe mat blends slim bands of color for an alluring pattern that gives a sense of movement from a distance. Made from extruded yarns, the mat features a tufted texture that adds visual interest. A strong vinyl backing makes the mat an excellent choice for high traffic areas. The Bend Lucy Chair, pictured, is also available at the Dwell Store.

The Shag Even Stripe mats are available in three sizes.

"Typhoon winds are unpredictable and can change direction anytime, as it was in the case of Haiyan. Realizing this affected our design decision to give our building its curved form that is aerodynamic in all directions," says designer Christin To. "Both the aerodynamic form of the roof and the internal organization of the spaces were derived from the concept of resilient geometries found in nature, such as the morphogenesis of biological cell structures and self-organizing patterns of atoms."

Electric Stripe Utility mats by Chilewich ($45) shophorne.com.

The tatami mats are a favorite play space for Takuma .

The meditation room has a low narrow window overlooking a birch grove. The tatami mats are from the website orientalfurniture.com.

The rebuilt “Idea House,” designed by Holly Freres and David Horning of JHL design. The driveway is permeable to encourage good drainage: crushed granite gravel is installed over a stabilization mat. James Hardie exterior siding is painted in Benjamin Moore ‘White Dove,’ with reclaimed wood used for the entry and garage.

The family sits around, and under in the case of four-year-old Kaz’ma, the sunken table for a snack. Makiko made the covers of the mats her mother sent from Japan by hand. The black lamp is from Ikea.

The walnut staircase and slide in a Chicago town house leads from the main level to the basement. To protect people on the ride down, a “crash pad” fashioned from a standard gymnastic mat covers the wall at the slide’s base.

From New York–based designer Sandy Chilewich, the Mini Basketweave floor mat utilizes two yarns layered over two, instead of the traditional four over four found in the signature Basketweave. The result is a subtler, quieter texture and pleasingly uniform surface. The mat is durable and adaptable to a variety of spaces.

The cabin’s concept was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-square-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

Four steps take you down to the kitchen, tiled with Mat’s grandmother’s catchphrase, "Waste not, want not." The countertops and storage are low, and finished in alternating colors, to add vertical emphasis in the long space.

The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

A 55-inch Samsung Smart TV, a gift, is one of few indulgences.

Grasses and moss grow in plush mats over volcanic rock on the edges of the city.

A 55-foot nautical-themed sofa runs along one side of the pool deck.

Yoga mats and plants in the living room of the penthouse.