Working is much more pleasant when you have natural light to brighten up your space. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a window, then invest in some stylish lighting.

Houston-based designer Barbara Hill is known for a stripped-down aesthetic that blends art-world cachet with Texas modernism. Vitra’s Slow chair sits in front of a powder-coated-steel bookcase made by Hill’s go-to fabricator, George Sacaris; it was originally built for the Houston house.

A George Nelson pendant hangs in the reconfigured entrance hall, whose stairs echo the concrete steps off the back deck.

More prized possessions that made the cut: A George Nelson Half-Nelson lamp sits atop an Alexander Girard bedside table.

George Nakashima with his daughter Mira in his workshop.

George Nakashima in his workshop.

More than 70 years of furniture making by two generations of Nakashima’s gets the spotlight at the gallery show.

In true mid-century fashion, a George Nelson Bubble Lamp is paired with an Eames Lounge by Charles and Ray Eames in a corner of the living room. The glass walls and mitered corner are original features of architect Saul Zaik’s 1956 design.

The sunken bathtub in George Nakashima’s Sanso Villa mimics the shape of a swimming pool on the grounds. His daughter, Mira Nakashima, took over the studio after his death and now lives and works on the property. “A Japanese garden often has a central pond derived from the character for ‘heart’ or ‘spirit,’ and this may be an abstraction of that character,” she says of the tub’s sculptural form.

A George Nelson cabinet for Herman Miller, a Paul McCobb chair, and a Gilbert Watrous table lamp for Heifetz adorn another bedroom.

A George Nelson Saucer Pendant hangs over the table. Behind it, a vertical slot window frames a Douglas fir tree while editing out the windows of a nearby town house. “All the openings were composed in direct response to appealing fragments of the site and to avoid relationships that would leave the owners feeling exposed,” Schaer says.

Sample (on the right) at SOM in the ’60s before he carefully considered his values and quit. Raised a Quaker, he was a conscientious objector during World War II and was used to standing apart for what he believed in.

In the eat-in portion of the kitchen, a George Nelson Bubble Lamp hangs above an Artek table and chairs by Alvar Aalto.

A Nelson Ball Clock and subway sign decorate one hallway.

Resident Ty Milford peruses a book by the George Nelson–inspired built-ins fabricated by Big Branch Woodworking

The kitchen features many built-in and hidden features. A Miele integrated refrigerator and freezer are sheathed with custom wood panels and Sub-Zero under-counter refrigerator drawers offer extra space for chilling food. Since the family cooks a lot, Fisher worked with them to incorporate specialty appliances including a Wolf Duel Fuel range, a Wolf deep fryer set into the countertop, a Miele wok burner and dishwasher, and a Panasonic microwave. A custom hood by Best keeps the space ventilated. Calcutta Gold marble adds a striking contrast to the Modulnova cabinetry and island units are from McDuffee Design. The faucet—which boasts an extra-strong spray—is by KWC.

The rear addition is clad in James Hardie’s Fiber Cement siding.

Benjamin Moore’s Mustard Field paint adds a vibrant touch to another bathroom in the house.

From the previous owners, Lange spied several key pieces of vintage furniture, including two rare George Nelson Thin Edge dressers for Herman Miller.

Lucy chairs from Bend and an Eero Saarinen Tulip base outfitted with a custom top offer places to eat and sit in the kitchen. Porcelain tile lines the floor.

The exhibit includes the Shoki Collection (back left), the ASA-NO-HA Lamp (back wall), and an array of Nakashima originals.

Produced in 1948, the Ball Clock’s playful colors speak to the nation’s optimism and the scientific potential of the era. But the shape—reminiscent of an atom—also carries the shadow of atomic warfare, which haunted the national psyche during the Atomic Age.

Georges Perec after a shave.

The Batmobile designed by George Barris.

Ball clock, designed by George Nelson. Loaned by Vitra Inc. Available at the Dwell Store.

In Sweden, architect Bengt Mattias Carlsson created a pavilion adjacent to a residence dating from the late 1800s. The pergola is made from glue-laminated timber beams set atop steel posts; it protects the pool from falling pine needles. George Nelson benches offer places to sit.

In the couple’s art-filled living room, a vintage coffee table sits atop a rug by Gunta Stölzl, purchased from Design Within Reach. To accommodate get-togethers with friends and family (Peart’s twin brother, Dexter, lives in a neighboring unit with his wife and daughter), they sought a sofa that could hold 10 to 15 people at a time. The George sectional, designed by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, fit the bill.

Greene purchased the vintage George Nelson dining table and cane-back chairs together. “We assume they were originally a set, but there is no way to be sure,” he says. A pass-through fireplace from Regency Fires separates the dining platform from the living space.

The walnut cabinets in the kitchen, which update and warm the space, were designed by Nilus de Matran and fabricated by George Slack.

In the master bathroom, glass tile clads the shower and Carrara marble lines the floor. The shower fixtures are Hansgrohe.

Studio Roller paper roller by George & Willy, $210 at georgeandwilly.com Post class schedules or chore lists (to encourage roommates to pull their weight) with ease with this paper roller. The wall-mounted bracket is made with high-quality aluminum with a black powdercoat-matte finish. It was designed to fit 24-inch rolls, which are readily available from most international packing suppliers.

“Completing the sequence [of the structure] is the bedroom and bathroom, beyond the barn door threshold, designating them as the least frequently used spaces,” Schaer says. For now, grandparents can use the bedroom when they visit, but the owners also hope to rent it out one day. The George Nelson Bubble Lamp is from Modernica.

Fisher characterizes the house as having an “understated niceness” to it. “The clients wanted everything nice, but not precious,” Fisher says. “A comfortable and functional home that has hints of fun and colorful interjections—just like them.” Here, a painted wall with decals purchased on Etsy, Restoration Hardware’s Devyn Daybed, a Flokati rug from gilt.com, and custom drapery by Workroom Couture Home mix with a toy piano that’s been in the family for years.

The Ball Clock was the first of more than 150 clocks designed by George Nelson Associates for the Howard Miller Clock Company. Production started in the late 40s and continued through the 80s. Vitra still produces a number of the Nelson clocks, including the Sunburst, the Eye, and the Sunflower.

The historic George Inn Pub on London's South Bank.

Atelier Brancusi, located in a small one-level building in front of the Centre Georges Pomidou, is open everyday from 2-6PM. Admission from the Pompidou is not required.