Mint green-painted ironwork and tiles connect the indoors to the outside more fluidly.

The Max-A studio is also built with a pine frame, though it has pine panelling on the ceiling, while the main house ceiling is painted a warm white.

99 by Von Tundra and Lydia Cambron $13,000 Oregon-based Von Tundra’s unit combines three different storage options—a rack, drawers, and boxes—into a multipurpose dresser.

Milwaukee studio Vetter Denk Architects designed this eye-catching prefab on the banks of Moose Lake, Wisconsin, as a weekend retreat. The home was based on an idea presented by the home's owner, who was inspired by a screw-top jug of $9.99 red wine.

Chalk Piggy BankFar more sophisticated than the plastic pigs of yore, the smooth ceramic piggy bank features a leather tail and comes with its own chalk. $85

The living room structure soars to two stories, with banks of glass louvers at the upper level providing cross ventilation.

Banks of windows and translucent panels help keep Casa Tuscania nice and airy.

The SEB bank headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark by Danish architecture firm Lundgaard & Tranberg. The building won the 2011 RIBA European Award.

Oita Bank Dome (Oita, Japan: 2002 World Cup) Called the “Big Eye,” since the retractable roof appears to wink when closed, the Kisho Kurokawa-designed elliptical stadium is clad with semi-transparent Teflon membrane panels on the roof, which allow natural light in during the day. Photo by NRTB, Creative Commons

For the MUFG PBO bank in Nagoya, Japan, a new idea location for banking, we have proposed a slightly reflective black metal panel façade that is installed over the existing 1970’s office building behind. The color black refers to an elegant, simple aspect of Japanese aesthetics, and reminds one of seriousness and stability, something that should be projected from a bank. From there, we have shaped and perforated this black surface in new and modern ways, from the smooth, three dimensionality of the entrance to the escalator hall, to the laser cut pattern that makes a screen for the second floor windows. Photo courtesy of NMDA.

9Hours (Kyoto, Japan) Fumie Shibata of Design Studio S created this minimal, sci-fi crash pad in Kyoto, named after the average length of a business traveler’s stay (one hour shower, seven hours sleep, one hour rest). The subtle but memorable branding system, which carries through from toothbrush containers to wayfinding systems, is as tech-oriented and soothing as the beds themselves, outfitted with computerized lighting and high-end sheets. Photo by Underutilized (Creative Commons)

The bank’s vault is now the center’s bookstore—and has been fittingly named, The Vault. A wide range of design objects, many by local artists, will be available in the shop.

Sugamo Shinkin Bank, Ekoda Branch (2012) Another branch of the Sugamo Shinkin Bank features 29 tall exterior poles and 19 in the entryway, blurring the boundary between indoors and outdoors.

The Docklands

Philadelphia rises above the banks of the Schuylkill River.

If you’re looking for a caffeine refuel, or merely to have a leisurely conversation with other local Beaconers, head over the Bank Square Café on Main street. With a hip clientele, gourmet coffee, and an overall early 90s-meets-modern-design feel, Bank Square could easily be mistaken for one of the better java shops in Williamsburg or Portland. Minus the long wait of course.

Federation Square

The interior of Eero Saarinen's Irwin Union Bank and Trust Company. Photo by Leslie Williamson, snapped during her scouting trip for the story "20th Century Fox."

The Hut rests peacefully on a bank overlooking the lake.

The Bank in the Form of a Pig was designed by Harry Allen as a part of his Reality Series for Areaware. The cast for this piggy bank was developed by casting polyester resin in a silicone mold from a real pig that died from natural causes. Available in two finishes, this bank makes a distinctive accent for kids or teens.

The Peoples Bank in Lexington, Kentucky before bulldozers arrived to warn of the building's impending demolition.

Sugamo Shinkin Bank, Tokiwadai Branch (2010) One of the four Tokyo branches Moureaux has designed for Sugamo Shinkin Bank sports 14 colorful window boxes punched into the facade.

In particular, the Darth Vader design uses a repetitive pattern to be recognizable from every angle.

Basic Village brings the entire business operation (factory, office, retail) of its owner, Marco Boglione, under one roof and throws in a bank, a bar, a supermarket, a salon, a roof garden, and a residence for good measure.

Up above the sitting room a duo of Eames shell chairs and a bank of luminous operable windows await a pair of weary readers.

The 301-square-foot cabin is situated on 99 acres on Bruny Island, an island off the coast of Tasmania. For the exterior, the architects have chosen materials that "comply with the Bushfire Attack Level of 19," they explain, including bushfire resistant wood and zincalume metal. The cabin collects its own rainwater—storage tanks are underground for an uncluttered look—and the roof sports solar panels.

The secluded location of the house at the edge of a retired shale bank allows the luxury of an open outdoor shower. Corrugated steel siding provides a durable, zero-maintenance exterior finish and captures the changing sun and woodland shadows.

A modernist teller window at the midcentury modern Peoples Bank in Lexington, Kentucky

Nestled on a crescent-shaped surf beach on South Island’s Banks Peninsula sits a deceptively simple beach house. Scrubby Bay is a rustic retreat flush with modern luxuries and breathtaking scenery at every turn.

LG SIGNATURE Washer/Dryer Combo (model LUWM101HWA, MSRP: $3,199.99) pairs a sleek design with optimal functionality. The​ ​LG SIGNATURE Sidekick Pedestal Washer (model LUWD1CW, MSRP: $799.99) is specially designed for your small, custom-care laundry loads. It can be used on its own or at the same time as the front load washer above.

Facing a COVID-19 shutdown, Taylor and Michaella McClendon recruited their family to build a breezy tiny home on the Big Island—which you can now purchase for $99,800.

Facing a COVID-19 shutdown, Taylor and Michaella McClendon recruit their family to build a breezy tiny home on the Big Island—which you can now purchase for $99,800.

Full-height cabinetry, custom-built with a white matte lacquer finish, maxes out every square inch. The appliance garage at the center hides the Vitamix and coffee maker. When closed up, this bank of cabinets reads as a single wall and the finish reflects light, helping the space to feel bigger.

Bailey decorated the toyhauler with a handmade Persian rugs, which she bought on eBay for $99 each, some poufs, woven flat baskets that she “borrowed” from her mother.

LG SIGNATURE QuadWashTM Dishwasher // MSRP: $1,699.99 (model LUDP8997SN) marries an elegant textured steel finish with fantastic functionality.