Atelier Riri devised a creative way to make living inside a shipping container in Indonesia’s tropical climate both comfortable and economical. The architects layered recycled pine, glass wool, and planter mesh on top of the home to help keep temperatures down.

Golden Age This poll about people’s perceptions of their ideal age revealed that “most people are very happy with their current age,” according to Domestic Data Streamers member Pau Garcia.

LAYOUT The ADA states the minimum clearance for wheelchair accessibility is 32 inches wide. To improve flow, Soheil Nakhshab of Nakhshab Development & Design prefers a distance of 48 inches between the kitchen cabinets and the island (1). LIGHTING LED lights are long-lasting and easy on the eyes. In addition to task lighting above work stations, install lights in storage spaces to spotlight hard-to-see areas. STORAGE “You want daily-use items at waist-height,” says architect Karen Braitmayer, who recommends rolling cabinets (2) and pull-down shelves (3). Rotating lazy susan trays (4) and full-extension slide shelving also give easier access to deeper storage spaces. Child-safety locks on cabinets keep contents secure (5). DRAWERS Lever-style door handles and wide drawer pulls (6) are easier to grasp. Nakhshab also suggests a touch system “where you push the door and it pops open.” COOKTOP Induction cooktops (7), which conduct heat only when in contact with a magnetic cooking vessel, are safer for homes with children, as well as for adults who may forget to shut off the burners. Braitmayer likes burners set side-by-side with controls at the front. APPLIANCES Drawer-style appliances and side-opening doors can be game changers. “Imagine if you have a bad back,” says architect Robert Kahn. “The side-opening oven (8) is an ADA design that benefits the general population.” Light signals, which can be clearly seen from a distance, can also complement or replace audible alerts like buzzers. SINK Wheelchair users require clearance below the sink (9). Covering exposed pipes with insulating wrap can prevent burns or abrasions, says Braitmayer. Lever-style fixtures (10) are easier to grip than twist knobs, and motion-sensor technology gives users hands-free control. WORK SURFACES Countertops installed at varying levels (11) offer easy-to-use work spaces, regardless of the user’s height. Rails installed along the perimeter (12) offer extra support. FLOOR Surfaces like cork and rubber are comfortable, provide extra traction, and are smooth for wheelchairs plus, they hide nicks and scuffs.

Bill Thompson sits on his deck.

This "local prefab" home on the Isle of Skye is made mostly from materials sourced in northern Scotland. The timber-framed model, meant to evoke the simple agrarian barns of the area, can be constructed on-site in as little as a day and is designed for affordability.

Dollahite tackled landscaping last, installing climate-sensitive plants in metal planters he designed himself.

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

When Abbie and Bill Burton hired Marmol Radziner to design their prefab weekend home, their two requests were “simple-simple, replaceable materials,” says Abbie—such as concrete floors (poured offsite in Marmol Radziner's factory) and metal panel siding—and “the ability to be indoors or outdoors with ease.” Deep overhangs provide shade and protection from rain, so the Burtons can leave their doors open year-round and hang out on their 70-foot-long deck even in inclement weather. They visit the house once a month, usually for a week at a time, with Vinnie and Stella, their rescue Bernese Mountain dogs. Their two adult children occasionally join them. The couple hopes to one day retire here.

The broad deck and seating area are perfect for the Mediterranean climate and invite guests outdoors.

This low-maintenance home near Brisbane, Australia, exemplifies architect James Grose’s design philosophy based around simple, lightweight construction techniques well suited to the region’s subtropical climate.

The 70s, curated by designer Nate Berkus. Berkus pulled together vintage pieces from 1st Dibs, wallpaper from Flavor Paper, and his own collection of accessories available at Target.

“I'm really inspired by the 60s and always have been,” Vinas says. “It's something I really gravitate toward. It's a hide and go seek game at 200 Lex [the New York Design Center]. You just go find your pieces that are calling your name.”

The organic form of a philodendron leaf and its shadows play off of the geometric shapes and patterns of Berkus’s selections.

Fake money was crammed into drawers and filled a large vessel sitting under a neon “Money Orders” sign. “My three-year-old and six-year-old assisted me in photocopying their toy money, cutting it up, and crumbling it,” D’Haene explains. “It was a Sunday project. It was a lot of fun.”

“There is something so memorable about 70’s inspired design,” Berkus says. He balances the “metallic sheens and edginess” of an aluminum side table with a crisp, graphic carpet and the softness of fur.

The opening night crowd at “Design Through the Ages.” Furnishings provided by Stephanie Odegard Collection, HighTower, 1stdibs, Weinberg Modern, Smith and Watson, Brueton, Giorgetti, Global Views, Arteriors Home, Dennis Miller Associates, Thom Filicia Home Collection for Safavieh, and accessories by Nate Berkus at Target. “Design Through the Ages” is on view October 2-5 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the New York Design Center, 200 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY, and is free to the public.

D’Haene sits amongst his collection of objects mirroring the “decade of decadence.” “To me, the lesson to be learned is that you should be more humble,” D’Haene says. Nevertheless, his assortment of brash designs and neon sculptures are vibrant and delightful.

Designer Francis D’Haene took on the challenge of the “ME! ME! ME!” decade of the 80s. “It’s a difficult decade because you can’t find a lot of 80s pieces,” D’Haene says. “I absolutely took a fun approach.”

Close up of a “contemporary glass sculpture,” filled with candy in D’Haene’s 80s-themed office arrangement.

Elements of nature, organic forms, and clean colors are illustrated in Filicia’s comfortable living room setting.

American-made interiors and designs showcase the look of the present assembled by designer Thom Filicia.

Filicia brought together pieces from his own collection for Safaviah with selections from the New York Design Center. “What I love about design in this moment is that it bridges all time periods and styles effortlessly,” Filicia says

“If you look at the 60s it’s all about a really graphic black and white and these pops of color,” Vinas says.

Designer Ghislaine Vinas with her 1960s inspired selections. Graphic wallpaper by Flavor Paper. How does one balance so many bright colors when they’re decorating a room? “I always say this: getting a white base—and I mean a really white base, not cream or beige—is really important for contemporary interiors,” Vinas says. “In this case we have a really graphic black and white and it’s like painting really. You have to balance out the colors. It’s all about composition and getting the colors right.”

The concrete wall mimics the slope of the hill outside as a reference to early Maori structures that were dug into the land. The simple kitchen has strandboard cabinetry and an MDF island that conceals a fireplace at one end. The ceramic works on the built-in seat at right are by Raewyn Atkinson and Robyn Lewis.

After living on and studying a woodsy acre of land in North Zealand, Denmark, architect Jesper Brask cleared a stand of pine trees and, from the timber, built a getaway open to its surroundings. The house, which Brask shares with his wife, Lene, and sons, Kristian, Jens, and Niels, is used mainly in summer, when the weather is optimal for throwing open the glass doors.

Mami and Goo the Kishu dog return from a frolic in the forest, which the couple, along with Hideaki, has thinned and trimmed back over many weekends. It’s an idyllic escape and a world away from the concrete expanse of Tokyo.

In Seattle's rapidly developing South Lake Union neighborhood, the Art Stable is a classic example of urban infill. Built on the site of a former horse stable, the seven-story mixed-use building carries its history into the future with highly adaptable live/work units.

The all-ages crowd on opening night.

Japanese showers are usually set low down so the bather can sit on a stool and scrub, then pour cedar buckets of hot water over their heads for a refreshing rinse. This homeowner in Venice, California mounted a handheld shower head on the wall for added flexibility. The drain is under the removable cedar floor slats, keeping the room design uncluttered. Wood tubs are cleaned with a simple rinse and last for decades, as the antiseptic properties of cedar guard against mold and rot. This ofuro was designed by Santiago Ortiz and fabricated by Bartok Design.

With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees in the summer, energy-efficient climate control was central to the design.

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

Tanya, Chris, Jackson, and Zeke spend much of their day outside.

Because the house is narrow and long (16 by 68 feet), the design team decided to create a huge open-air space to light the interior naturally. Two retractable motor-driven canvas canopies shelter the space during Singapore’s frequent rains.

A monumental German climate map enlivens the dining area, which also sports CH 23 & CH 30 chairs by Hans Wegner.