Mirror by MAP for Sabi, $160 Not only is it irresistibly cute, Sabi’s mirror is also designed for universal use. Installation is a breeze: Punch out the to-scale template from the packaging and hang it with the included adhesive or easy-mount screw.

It just seems like an oversight that refrigerators don't automatically come equipped with locks. Disagree? See what happens when you help yourself to someone else's half carton of Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey that you found in the freezer. If you survive, you'll see why the Fridge Locker that can protect tasty morsels from food thieves, is a whimsical addition to any kitchen.

Among the first Passive Houses in France, this bamboo-clad farmhouse by the Parisian firm Karawitz Architecture only uses a tenth of the energy a conventionally constructed home does. Photo by Nicholas Calcott.

The Conine family’s Jackson Hole hideaway is completely wired.

Steve Conine, a software engineer, installed and programmed many of the details himself, like the Dell UltraSharp flat-screen panels inlaid into the entryway of the home.

The entire cabin is powered by the rooftop solar system from Solarwinds Northernlights. "I still can't get over the fact that I can get an ice cube from the sun," Bruce says.

The Lai family—Mayuko, baby Shota on her lap, David, Maya, and Yumi sitting on a cushion on the deck—relaxes in their indoor-outdoor living space, made by opening the glass sliding doors to connect the living room and engawa deck.

The most sustainable element of all is the Lais’ intention to make their first home their last home as well. “Some people have this mentality of getting a starter house, then upgrading from there,” David says. “We just wanted to find a place to live in and then stay there forever.” Eventually they imagine passing the home down to their children.

The March 1, 1943 issue of Life magazine included one of publishing’s more intriguing fold-outs; the first example of Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion Map. Less outlandish today, in an age of Feltron and infographic overload, Fuller’s fold-out projection was an outlier that raised serious philosophical and political points. With no fixed direction and less distortion than then-current maps, the Dymaxion Map sought to do away with judgements based on size and position, and make the underlying point that we’re all together on spaceship Earth. Fuller deliberately presented humanity as "one island, in one ocean," so we could better face our common problems together.

Although the refrigerator line wasn’t introduced until 1990s, its iconic mid-century design makes it feel as though it has been a kitchen staple for many decades.

The refrigerator comes in ten different color ways and a small size that tucks easily into a small apartment kitchen.

Conference Room, Modern Law Firm by Jill Dudensing Lifestyle + Design

By designing the custom cabinetry themselves, and journeying outside Houston to have them made, the Fords saved a bundle—money that they invested in appliances such as this highly efficient dishwasher from Asko, a Professional Series range from Bertazzoni, and an Energy Star–rated BI-30U fridge by Sub-Zero.

When building their dream retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Steve and Alexi Conine worked with architect Brad Hoyt to create a smart house that fused technology and design. Like the rest of the home, the living-room furnishings blend high design, comfort, and kid-friendliness, including a table by Isamu Noguchi for Herman Miller, a leather sectional sofa from Four Hands, a cashmere cableknit-covered elk mount by Rachel Denny, and a custom, multicolored cowhide patchwork rug by Linie Design.

Conference Room, Modern Law Firm by Jill Dudensing Lifestyle + Design

The home's conference room, features herringbone reclaimed wood flooring and sliding glass doors that pocket allowing for an unobstructed indoor-outdoor feel.

It took a craftsman two weeks to shape the fiberglass gelcoat material into the shape of the slide, which connects a hallway off of the kitchen to the first-floor media room.

Rooftop Sunpower X-Series solar panels installed by Creative Energies of Victor, Idaho, generate about a third of the energy for the house over the course of the year. On clear, sunny summer days, they can provide energy for the entire house. Another green feature, the planted roof, was inspired by a trip to Norway.

Francesco and Mafalda’s bedroom is open and playful with only a bit of Algue by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec guarding the stairs. The lamp was designed by Francesco himself and the decal on the wall is from My Vinilo.

Angela Brooks and son Calder revel in the benefits of free solar energy, cheerfully opening the living room’s big glass doors when it’s time to play.

Design Milk An e-magazine that's dedicated entirely to architecture, art, home, and interiors. Their sister site, Dog Milk, was created for "modern dog lovers".

Nick Cave’s emblematic Soundsuits occupy an amorphous space between costuming, performance art, and dance. Soundsuit, 2009. Human hair. Image provided courtesy of the National Academy.

The Conine family engineered the stainless-steel chain-mail mesh curtain system themselves using bedsheets to mock up the design. In the final version, a sunscreen with grommets from Whiting & Davis blocks the blazing sun while standing up to the strong winds of the Jackson Hole valley.

Stick with a classic red, black, or mint green Smeg (pictured) $1,999

Beams extending from the kitchen floor give the impression of an oversize butcher-block stage for a custom walnut-slab table and a dozen Molded Plastic chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller.

Using technology to design a home as energy-efficient as possible was a priority for Hague, both from a financial and philosophical standpoint. Along with Passive House certification for the main house, a solar array on the roof of the barn keeps energy use near zero. In fact, the entire property was Net Zero before the addition of the pool, and it may soon generate an energy surplus with the addition of a second solar array at the main house.

Setsumasa and Hideaki toss on the rain fly. The solar panel in the foreground supplies daytime electricity.

A 1.4-kW solar array by Sharp and propane-powered in-floor radiant heating from Radiantec obviate any need to connect to municipal power.

Each refrigerator is made in Italy and features glass shelves, with a bottle rack, produce drawer, two egg shelves in the door, and an icebox. (Perfect for storing the best ice cube tray).

Keep the Home Fires Burning Using wood for heat and energy keeps the Wadhams’ environmental footprint small and helps avoid the use of coal- or nuclear-powered electricity. Come winter, the couple relies on an Esse wood-burning stove for cooking, heating, and feeding a set of small radiators. In summer, they use the stove’s electric component, which is powered by solar energy.

Most impressive of all, a solar array on the roof empowers the residents to produce more energy than they consume on-site.

Moore has been using the so-called beetle-kill pine in his projects for years. In the Damianos’ house, he lined the floors, ceiling, cabinetry, and walls of the second-story living area, white-washing the planks “to let a little more sunlight bounce around the room.”

Compact bedrooms mean more space for communal areas. The room designed for the Conine’s daughter boasts a custom three-level bunkbed for sleepovers. The wool rug is by Chandra, the bedding is by Coyuchi, the desk is by Misewell, and the chair is by Jonathan Adler.