Waechter Architecture reimagined a traditional gabled home in southeast Portland without significantly altering the original building. A simple coat of red paint abstracts the century-old structure, creating a residential work of art.

Photo by Leo Mieles

Since surrounding neighbors can overlook the one-story property, Thomson created a roof detail that is environmentally friendly and attractive: “the bio-diverse [green] roof is planted with indigenous species of flowers and grasses,” he says.

A wall of built-ins in the kitchen houses a raft of Miele appliances including a refrigerator, microwave, and espresso machine.

The steel canopy protects the residents from Seattle’s notoriously rainy weather as they walk from the entry gate to the front door.

By inserting a tunnel made from 36 reclaimed commercial doors and tearing down a handful of walls, LOT-EK and contractor Andreas Scholtz brought light into the formerly unused dark hallway in Maurice Russell (right) and Jorge Fontanez’s apartment. The glossy Safety Red paint by Benjamin Moore catches the light by day but “becomes a richer, darker, very relaxing red at night,” Fontanez says.

The bathroom features Chromtech tile, a Toto toilet, Kohler vanity, and powder-coated steel countertop.

The red acrylic hallway.

Late last year Miele celebrated the grand re-opening of its 3,000-square-foot Manhattan Experience Center, following a dramatic renovation. Dr. Markus Miele, the fourth-generation owner of the family business, was on hand to dedicate the space, which showcases Miele's latest collection of culinary, cooling, and cleaning appliances. Their Chicago Experience Center recently caught the attention of the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas, where it was nominated for an Innovative Showroom Award.

1924 - The production of bicycles starts at Miele’s new factory in Bielefeld, Germany.

1931 - Model L is Miele’s first canister vacuum cleaner, with a Bakelite casing.

In the kitchen, a sculptural replica of a shark hangs above the sink.

"Like the old farmhouses and barns of the Champlain Valley, the Foote Farm House has a clearly ordered wood frame on a sturdy foundation, an exterior skin made of local materials, an economy of form with tried-and-true proportions, a central fire place, and a common-sense relationship to the sun and the weather." - Architect John McLeod

Moskow Linn Architects of Boston tackled this ground-up renovation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for a client who wanted to maximize efficiency. Photo by Eric Roth.

"Architecture exists through states of contrast; the building as a bridge between a wooded forest and a field, a strong roof line against a backdrop of trees or mountains. In these states of contrast we truly start to see where we live." -Architect Steve Kredell

The walls are covered in Graniplast, a tinted acrylic finish. Nathan Pereira Arquitectos y Diseño advised on the facade, floors, and finishes. All the bedrooms are off one hallway; the three children’s rooms were designed by Vanessa Clark.

The Red House, 2002.

The Miele Induction Cooktop combines convenient features, like an expanded cook zone, with smart kitchen functionality. Using Con@ctivity 2.0 technology, it can communicate with applicable Miele ventilation hoods to turn on-and-off in sync.

Miele has been honing seamless design and performance for its built-in ovens since 1974. Their latest line, the Range Series, offers a fleet of tech-forward interfaces for veterans and novices alike, such as an intuitive M Touch display panel, smudge-resistant surfaces, and hundreds of culinary programs, including 15 fully automatic bread programs, that walk home chefs step-by-step through meal prep. The top-of-the-line 48-inch model (seen here) even contains a warming drawer and a speed oven, eliminating the need for a separate microwave.

Miele's Range and Induction Cooktop figured notably into their KBIS presence, and they are centerpieces of their revamped Experience Center in New York. The appliances' refined appeal belies their sturdy details, like the Range's heavy-duty knobs, which are backlit to signal when they're on.

Miele partnered with Bauformat at KBIS—demonstrating how their high-quality, built-in appliances seamlessly integrate with diverse cabinet solutions. Miele's newly launched Range Series was prominently showcased, highlighting such innovative features as their ComfortLift Panel that tilts to a 35-degree angle with the push of a button.

1974 - A new range of built-in ovens is launched to coincide with a new generation of fitted kitchens from the Warendorf plant.

2014 - Miele unveils Design for Life with the Generation 6000 series of appliances with intuitive interfaces.

1929 - Miele debuts the first dishwasher in Europe.

The streamlined shape of the home kept slab, framing, and roofing costs down, Pavonetti explains. A barn red shade on the front door adds a touch of farmhouse whimsy to the modern structure.

One family in Seattle, Washington, looked past a sloping landscape and saw the opportunity to build their dream home. Resembling a modern-day metal treehouse, the Hale and Edmonds residence is nestled within the edges of a wooded park. The house’s exterior of paneled grey is perfectly balanced against the accent of the orange frame, proving that there’s a chance for subtlety with the bright color.

Though Bruce has thus far only managed a week or two here or there on the island, he's hoping to make it a more frequent—and extended—part of his regular routine. "I'm thinking about going out for a month to write," he says.

Another of our favorite home office ideas on a budget? Incorporate a basic office space in the upper level or attic of the house, like this small workstation on the upper level of this magnificent, midcentury, A-frame prefab home off the coast of Rhode Island. Here, an airy push-open window provides a refreshing ocean breeze for this sparse workspace.

Unlike its next-door neighbor, R-House, TED wasn’t originally planned to meet the exacting Passive House standard. The building’s green bona fides came largely from four roof-mounted thermal solar panels and a 120-gallon water storage tank that architect Tim McDonald attests would have met nearly all of the home’s heat and hot-water needs. After submitting the proposal, though, he completed a course in the Passive House standard. Inspired, McDonald modified the original approach, ditching the tank and thermal panels in favor of a highly insulated, airtight envelope—the equivalent, he says, of shielding the house from the harsh Syracuse winter with a fur coat instead of a windbreaker.

Eazy side chairs by Whiteonwhite line one side of the custom-designed table by LOT-EK. Castore suspension lights by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide hang above, and a custom rug by Liora Manné lies below.

“Considering all of the foot traffic around their property, [the owners] made it very clear that they wanted to find a way to maintain as much privacy in the home as possible,” architect Chad Mitchell says of this Denver home. “Thus, the main floor of the home is elevated from the sidewalk by about six feet.” The exterior siding is red cedar with a custom Sherwin-Williams stain.

The entire family makes good use of the music room, where they hold public and private Sunday concerts with local and international musicians.

Though the home’s common areas are largely white and monotone, the kitchen introduces a pop of red, the owner’s favorite color, through the glossy AGC kitchen backsplash. Stone pietra cardosa counters are used on the center island, along with white Corian around the perimeter. A Miele range, Sub-Zero refrigerator, and Piston stools by Shin and Tomako Azumi complete the space.

With its dramatic facade, the Cornwall House, located in Cornwall, Vermont, is adjacent to the town of Middlebury, Vermont, home to Middlebury College, where John McLeod is a visiting professor of architecture.