Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

The owners toured this home, which surrounds a mature tipu tipu tree, while visiting relatives for the day. The brick is original to the 1947 construction.

Sliding doors by Quantum were made to look like the original panes that couldn't be saved, and they lead to a fire pit outside.

“A building can have far greater impact than the space it stands in.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

New zoning allowed for a zero-lot-line structure, but required a public storefront, which Carpenter uses as an art gallery.

Located just off the kitchen, this room was originally designed for dining—the adjustable Ligne Roset Crescendo coffee table can be raised to 28.75 inches—but most days Bill and Abbie prefer to eat outside or at their casual Caesarstone-topped kitchen island. Today the space serves as a sunny reading spot and guest room, with a convertible futon (from Ligne Roset, since discontinued) and a set of leather-and-steel Paulistano armchairs from Design Within Reach.

A black side table rests outside the bedroom hallway.

Part of the PIXEL series, the Ripple 2.0 Coffee Table, shown in walnut with powder coated steel pulls, takes the same inspiration of the movement created by a ripple of water and brings it to a different, slightly darker, place by using a different kind of wood and pixelating the motif further.

See Arch restored the exterior fireplace wall and painted it a deep blue hue to match the repainted blue timber cladding.

For the Minster Adib Pacha (shown), walnut, glass, and enamel were used to create contrast. "My dad goes over the sketches for the furniture design, and sometimes he laughs. He sits on the mockup chairs and says the armrest needs to be one-fourth inch shorter or tilt the back another degree. He’s always right. He’s also the tie-breaker if Grace and I can’t agree on a specific design,” Sevak says.

A detail shot of the Adib Pacha highlights the easily accessible, glass-topped drawer.

A nine-foot solid walnut dining table (shown) was made for a couple that fell in love with Grace’s desk. The table was designed specifically to their preferences and plate sizes. Sevak painted the legs white to visually separate the table from the hardwood floors in the house.

The bath’s Kohler Purist fixtures and Frederick Weinberg animal figures sit on a Corian countertop

The Airstream Haus’s interior is minimalist, but comfortable, boasting a fully functional kitchen and queen-size bed that doubles as a couch.

The Airstream Haus, parked in Ojai, California. August says that when your dwelling is small, it’s important to make the most of outdoor space.

The Kelleys furnished the cottage with help from Suzanne’s daughter Betsy Burbank of Betsy Burbank Interiors. Classic modernist icons, such as a Saarinen Womb chair for Knoll, a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, and an Eileen Grey E1027 side table look at home alongside present-day pieces such as an Encore sofa (which handily folds down into a sleeping surface) from Room & Board and a Doka rug designed and produced by Stephanie Odegard. The Wohlert pendant lights from Louis Poulsen were designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1959, but grouped as such, they appear distinctly contemporary.

The Pixo Desk Lamp is a consistent Dwell Store best seller. Designed by Pablo and Fernando Pardo with sustainability in mind, the lamp was created with a small footprint and a compact, energy-saving LED light. The ultra-efficient lamp features a swiveling light shade that makes it easy to focus and redirect light as needed. The Pixo Desk Lamp is currently on sale for 15% off at the Dwell Store until 10/23/2014.

The main rooms include an art nook.

“I really believe buildings are part of a city as an organism.”—William Carpenter, architect and resident

The tiered side table was designed by Jasper Morrison.

On an island 20 miles off the coast of Maine, a writer, with the help of his daughter, built not only a room, but an entire green getaway of his own.

Outside, a set of Bertoia chairs offer an appealing perch around a vintage glass-and-metal table.

The Desert House located in Desert Hot Springs is a steel structure designed with large expansive windows, and concrete flooring.

Design runs in Grace and Sevak Karabachian’s, of Karabachian Design Office, family. Their father was a furniture designer and builder in Beirut, Lebanon, and their mother designed and tailored her own clothes. Sevak went on to study architecture at Harvard, while Grace pursued a career graphic design. “Initially we were very hesitant about working together. We both were starting our careers and I was getting ready for grad school. We had zero clients. The only thing we could do was build and create art for ourselves and share it with one another. The good thing about working with my sister is that she wont spare my feelings. If she didn’t like something she’d say ‘that’s the ugliest thing I’ve seen so far,’” Sevak says.

The Botón side tables by Guatemala and Florida-based Labrica make a subtle nod to their namesake with tops resembling buttons.

Kangaroo by Henk Desmet and Paul VermeulenA smaller cousin of the Loose Fit table, the occasional table can move around the home with ease. Photo by Filip Dujardin

In 2013, they obtained a business license in Pasadena, California, although they both are keeping their day jobs and each takes responsibility for different clients. Pictured, a detailed shot of the Minister Rafik Hariri side table.

Side table by Karakter, Hall 15 Stand C32, at Rho.

Smart Marble Top C table by CB2, $129

Black and white kitchen tiles add visual interest to this stunning modern kitchen by IKEA.

Neutra's Kaufmann home was initially designed for living just two months out of the year. Yet after the original owner passed, future tenants attempted to retrofit the space for year-long use. An air conditioning unit was placed atop the roof, and square footage was added, enclosing this courtyard. To return it to its original state, the current owner underwent a five-year restoration and reopened this courtyard to honor the original design. Photo: Tim Street-Porter

The first step was to tear out the existing wall-to-wall carpeting and replace it with cabin-grade, oak flooring to give the house a classic feel and to help anchor the more modern walls and trim. They ordered the flooring from a large company and despite it being the cheapest option offered, the total expense came to $2,300 for materials, making the wood floors—according to Anderson—their biggest splurge.