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.

Grade A Maple “For us, the dinner table is huge,” says Katie. The pair met furniture designer Seth Eshelman—whose Rochester-based company Staach produces what she called “environmentally conscientious furniture”—at a teatasting event, and they felt he shared their “vision and values.” Eshelman’s Cain dining set is made from maple. Now Yukimi “The meditation room is where we get our Japanese ya-yas out,” says Scott. “I wanted yukimi, which means ‘snow-viewing,’ shoji screens because they open from the bottom as well as side to side. Glen Collins, a guy in Oakland, California, is the one American I could find whose company makes them.”

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, with project manager and lead designer Emily Kudsen Leland at the helm, remade a Portland abode with a crisp paint palette: Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron for the cladding and Venetian Gold for the front door. The home was originally designed by Saul Zaik in Southwest Portland, complete with a wood-clad exterior, in 1956. As part of the renovation, landscape design was completed by Lilyvilla Gardens.

Wood decking extends out to the yard.

Amending Meeuwissen’s early request for an open bathroom space, the architects devised a more private chamber with an overhead skylight and walls in stone tile from Intercodam Tegels.

Another view of the kitchen. What looks like drawers are not all drawers—some are false cabinet fronts that conceal appliances.

After - living room (Rubio monocoat floors, Chantilly lace walls, used fireplace)

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.

Idée Concrète To get a concrete look for the floors throughout the house, the team first considered Pandomo flooring, a slick treat-ment that would be even more expensive than a standard finish. Instead, says Winterhalder, they experimented with raw materials. “I’d call the suppliers and say, ‘Do you have something grayer?’ They thought I was crazy.” In the end, instead of a concrete look, the couple went with actual concrete—at a fifth of the price. pandomo.de

The clean, simple lines of Indigo/Slate Dinnerware by Heath Ceramics, based in Sausalito, California, showcase the materials to their best advantage.

The Armadillo is parked on a 1,000-square-foot lot that gives the couple ample outdoor space.

We’ve never met a hot-dog vendor we didn’t like, and neither, apparently, has French designer Mathieu Lehanneur: The classic quilted street-food cart provided inspiration for his Delicious storage units. Click here for more information on the Delicious storage units.

Brightly colored womens' clothing.

With their Colour Glass collection, the duo Scholten & Baijings create a language of colored glass, with gold lines marking wine glasses, and color gradients designating water glasses. Pastels and soft lines show off the subtlety and understatement of glassware, modernizing its elegance without diminishing its place in the kitchen.

Teema Mug by Iittala "I’m on a lifelong search to find a perfect mug," Hesser says. "This one appeals to me because of the matte color—it's very simple and easy to hold. I like that it can crossover between tea and coffee. If I were choosing colors, I’d stick with the gray and cream. When it comes to food and drink, I try to shy away from color because I think the food should provide the color."

A simple yet distinguished solution to book storage, the colorful set of three bookends by Danish design studio Hay is based around the principle, “form follows function.” The Bookend design is sleek and minimal, allowing the object to recede and the emphasis to be on the books themselves.

"Lumen" multi-colored vase, candle holder and ash tray.

This outdoor chair from designer Damian Velasquez is both striking and strikingly comfortable—you might not believe you're sitting on metal. The mesh design is sturdy, but has just enough give to conform to your body. The heat-dispersing, wind-resistant powder-coated stainless steel construction makes it a smart addition to your yard.

O Table by Half 13 $2,800 This curvy powder-coated stainless steel outdoor table, fabricated by Damian Velasquez in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is available in nine vibrant colors.

Wooden decks can be added to heighten the indoor-outdoor living experience.

Landscape architect Kevin Campion went to great lengths to protect the poplar trees during construction. Delta Millworks charred the cedar gable fronts following the shou sugi ban technique.

A Rafa Kids swing hangs below the loft bed near the large desk designed for playing with Legos.

Shumaker Design + Build Associates honed in on natural light, rich tones, and earthy materials to update this Chicago kitchen. The renovated kitchen now boasts a ten-foot-long banquette paired with a West Elm table, offering seating for everything from quick breakfasts to grand dinners.

Light pine finishes make the interiors feel airy and spacious.

An opaque sliding glass door separates the bathroom from the dining area. White tile with pink-colored grout ties the two spaces together.

A pool cage with a retractable awing makes the pool deck feel like a natural extension of the home's interior, while the terraced construction lifts the building up above the level of floods and storm surges.

With the help of architects X+L Studio, Nynke Meeuwissen and Mark Aink rehabilitated an old school outside of Amsterdam into a comfortable roost for their family of five. The former gym—with original herringbone parquet floors—is now the living room, furnished with Minotti sofas, a Danskina rug, and a Gyrofocus wood-burning stove.

Local sailboat shops wanted thousands to make the 13-by-13-foot curtain that hides the Wall of Storage. "We we called my parents in Bangkok, gave them the dimensions, and they got it made for 150 bucks." says Im.