The owners of this home selected a geometric-patterned glass tile backsplash by Island Stone. The glass tile keeps the space bright, and the pattern adds interest.

A peek inside the master bedroom, with touches of marigold yellow throughout.

Rooftops of Fez Fez, Morocco George Robert Horninig

Benedetta's son's bedroom, which is on the second floor of the villa. The bed is her own design.

Master Bath Casale and Crofton’s bedroom is configured as a casual open suite, with a sliding aluminum screen as the only barrier separating an adjacent bathroom and walk-in closet. The screen’s dappled, lacelike pattern was designed by Fiyel Levent, a local artist and architect. Bischoff handed her design to a metalworker, who then carved it into aluminum with a digital laser cutter. It runs on a track in front of a partial wall covered in wallpaper by Neisha Crosland. The vanity, designed and built in the MADE studio, sits atop the legs from an antique refrigerator that Bischoff and his team found in a junkyard. Calacatta mosaic tile, another MADE leftover, lines the floor of the shower (not shown). The firm had a limited surplus, so the amount of tile available dictated the shower stall’s footprint. “We have a keen understanding of the challenges presented by integrating the new with the existing,” Bischoff says of his approach. “We took this blank canvas and tailored it to the needs that Dawn and Dave had for their home. The result is fresh and unique but retains the patina of the many parts from which it was made.”

Marimekko's iconic Unikko pattern celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

A patterned steel frame serves as a front wall to the street, allowing for light and noise to penetrate the interior. The owners were adamant about the importance of integrating the culture and traditions of Saigon into their home, hoping their children would grow up with a knowledge of and appreciation for the city.

In the Spotlight“I’m a huge proponent of lighting as architecture,” says Nix, who suggests illuminating objects instead of empty space. “Light on an object creates ambiance.” In their apartment, they’ve trained track lights from the Polish company LightArt on the Cube, as well as on the handmade cabinetry. The fixtures, which Novak-Zemplinski describes as “good quality and inexpensive in comparison to more well-known brands,” are also installed at the MoMA in New York. lightart.pl Practical DecorationOne of the secrets to living neatly in a small apartment, says Nix, is lots of storage space. To that end, the couple built big cabinets along the walls. To create a sense of visual unity throughout the eclectic but compact space, the couple hand-carved the tree pattern from the kitchen into these cabinet doors (from a template) using an electric router. It’s more than ornament: The cutouts eliminate the need for jutting cabinet pulls. biolinia.com

In the kitchen, the showstopping ceiling’s herringbone pattern is echoed by the terra-cotta tiles on the floor. Architect Michael O’Sullivan, who designed the steel-and-glass kitchen cabinets, the table, and the pendant lights (made by Lava Glass), further amped up the richness of the room by specifying an onyx kitchen island. Interior designer Yvette Jay, a collaborator and classmate of O’Sullivan, kept her material palette “tight and limited. I had to restrict myself so that everything here ties in with the architecture.”

Pro and Con(crete) For Whitlock, using concrete for the first floor was an inexpensive alternative to stone, wood, or tile. “I just poured the foundation and it gave me my finished floor,” Whitlock says. “Way simpler!”

As for the interior detailing, “In contemporary construction you have a layered approach to materials. Everything is on top of something else. We tried to avoid that.” Indeed, the house’s materials are few and hardy: polished concrete, maple, and Douglas fir, and white walls with a few bold accents of green and blue.

Church and Jett's bed is splashed with eclectic textiles and linens.

In the master bath, the architect managed to combine privacy and a view by adding a horizontal-line pattern to the glass wall.

pattern instructions for needlepoint for Xenia

The home created by Patternity, the design duo comprised of Anna Murray and Grace Winteringham, plays with geometric shapes.

Marimekko: In Patterns (Chronicle Books, September 2014). Marimekko is widely celebrated for its recognizable patterns. This volume overviews the Finnish brand's over-50-year history as a powerhouse in the design world.

Santtu Mustonen created the IOM Pattern for the International Organization for Migration's visual identity.

Diana: Drawings Made with Fingerprint Patterns Fingerprints are classified into three patterns: arches, loops, and whorls. In a style somewhat reminiscent of Pointillism, artist Nicholas Jolly has used these shapes to create a series of drawings. Very cool!

The Medina pattern by Paul Schatz.

"A detail of the pattern on Donna Wilson's new quilt for @scpltd, spotted on the #MO14 show floor."

Named for it’s graphic design, the Spine Quilt features an abstract, geometric rendering of a spine. In cream and red, this bold quilt makes a striking addition to a bedding collection and can even be used as a distinctive wall-hanging. Oklahoma-raised designer Meg Callahan fuses tradition and technology in this MatterMade quilt. Using digitally printed graphics on an organic cotton base, Callahan adds intricate texture using a machine stitched overlay.

The home contains a trio of kaleidoscopes that create optical illusions.

Apply the grid look from floor to ceiling with Ferm Living's WallSmart wallpaper, a new generation of non-woven wallpaper that is supposed to be easier and faster to hang.

Adler’s Slate grass cloth, a material he likes because it feels natural, sheathes a guest room’s walls. Ravello and Nixon side tables flank the bed, which is covered with Adler’s Alexander duvet. A reissued mirror by renowned metal artist C. Jeré rounds out the eclectic room.

Continuing the postmodern theme, esteemed London design showroom, Darkroom, is currently hosting a 'So Sottsass season' with a new collection of merchandise inspired by the visionary Italian architect and designer, Ettore Sottsass.

Crypton is an engineered and patented weave that is breathable and moisture resistant, perfect for hospitals and medical offices.

Duck Pitcher and Diagonal Camp Mug by Helen Levi WorkOf's portfolio includes patterned ceramics by potter/photographer Helen Levi. Photo by Emily Johnston.

Aimee Wilder Loops wallpaper pattern.

Heat-protective polyester filling ensures that this colorful cotton mitt can protect its wearer from the oven's searing, sizzling heat. Available in the Dwell store, the Tilkkutakki Oven Mitten was designed by Maija Louekari for Marimekko.

When it comes to inspiring great work, look no further than Charles and Ray Eames. This bold notebook features a numerical pattern made famous by the pair, and includes an interior pocket, bookmark, and elastic band for keeping the notebook secure.

Patterned matchboxes designed by Saul Bass.

Patterned Shoe Pots by Wyatt Little, $50 at wyattlittle.com Wyatt Little's playful ceramics transform everyday objects—like the humble sneaker—into delightful vessels perfect for holding plants.

The Hofdi Lambswool Children's Blanket, designed by Donna Wilson and intended for babies and toddlers, is knitted in soft lambswool for perfect snuggling conditions. Featuring a colorful pattern, the eye-catching blanket is sweet enough for little ones to love and stylish enough for design-conscious parents to appreciate. With its soft texture and engaging design, the Hofdi Blanket is sure to become a treasured “blankie” for young children.

A detail of the pattern in the Terra IV rug.

The porcelain set is meant to be mixed and matched at will. From top to bottom: “Black Almond,” “Tissage Cup,” Triangle Walks” and “Howls in the Night Cup” coffee mugs, stacked on “Hats off for Mr. Squirrel Saucer.”

A dark paper lampshade wrapped in a laser-stitched triangular grid, the Take-Off Light provides an elegant platform to play with light and shadow—simply poke out and pattern at will.