Dear Photograph brings photos of the past to the present.

Designed and built in 1878 for Judge John Murphy, this 4,400-square-foot white structure has, from the outside, the undeniable characteristics of a classic San Francisco Victorian. Stepped back from the street and resting genteelly at the top of a large hill, the house keeps a watchful eye on its neighbors and the city that surrounds it. In the boys’ shared room, Jasper finds plenty of space to scatter toys. An original chandelier provides a reminder of the house’s past while muted orange walls plant it firmly in the present.

Tom Givone's current weekend abode, nicknamed the Floating Farmhouse, is—so far—his capstone project, a synthesis of personal taste, material experimentation, and historically sensitive restoration: a living laboratory for how to bring the vernacular past into the present.

The facade of the cottage beautifully blends both past and present.

Nendo and Friedman Benda present "50 Manga Chairs" this week. These aluminum chairs express a range of emotions inspired by Japanese manga comics.

Ministry of Design blurs past, present, and future by whitewashing both new and old elements.

Metal desk boxes from Present & Correct, available in a set of two (either aubergine/lemon or mint/forest) for £27.50.

Mellon Square in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, underwent a $10-million restoration in 2014.

These little holders are a slim as the card pockets glued into library books--only they hold your credit cards, not late slips, and come in a very of-the-moment hexagon silhouette. £12.50 at Present & Correct.

Dwell's Alli Takido and Michael Sylvester with the awards presented to the winners.

Flanking the concrete wall is a carport and an entrance leading past a small, cedar-clad ancillary building for art projects and laundry.

Hans Hollein, façade from Strada Novissima, The Presence of the Past, 1980.

Organize your bookshelf. Rearrange volumes by author, by genre, or any way you’d like—just not by color, please. Test out all your pens and markers. That feeling when you go to write something down and wind up dragging a dry pen across a notepad? Never again. Throw them out. Rearrange your living room. You bought that sectional for its flexibility, so give it a go. Flip the whole room over. Change your life. Mend your clothes. Darn socks. Sew buttons back on. Adjust the length of a skirt, or give your old jeans a new look with a raw hem.

Rulers: not totally outdated if you fancy meticulous penmanship, or crafting. These striped rulers add a dash of verve to any supply drawer. £6-£7.50 at Present & Correct.

Fritz explains, “The primary inspiration was Dutch International Style design. The clients have roots in Holland and it started out looking more De Stijl than it does now, but ultimately, they wanted something that drew as much from their present in Hawaii as their past in Europe.”

Everything in the shop is thoughtfully presented, including this assortment of notebooks arrayed on a kid's worktable.

The Eraser Pick & Mix from Present & Correct is a grab bag for your desktop—select between 3 and 12 and you'll get a random selection of vintage "rubbers."

Is there anything more tactile and pleasing than a pair of really sharp scissors cutting through paper? Wethinks not. This £10 brass version from Present & Correct will get the job done, while looking sharp (ahem) on your desktop.

Inside the exhibition hall, oversize covers of past dwell issues hang overhead.

Just past the stadium's deep eaves is downtown Miami. Photo by Rick Bravo.

The main bathroom is a vision from the past and hasn't been updated with contemporary fixtures.

The outside steps of the Zulaikha–Laurence house in Sydney’s suburb of Balmain Point present an effective transition from the solid rock underfoot to the delicate structure of the house beyond. This approach helps to define the singular space of the residence.

When the team presented the plans to the neighborhood historical society for approval, “everyone was thrilled,” says Martin Locraft, a member of the architecture team.

This nifty notebook sports subtle patterns on its page celebrating all things brick. Perfect for the architect in your life and sized at a generous 8"x5", these pads are £9.50 each from Present & Correct.

Cantilevered desk tray in untreated oak wood, £95 at Present & Correct, has one for in, one for out, and one for shaking it all about.

Passageways were carefully planned to present intriguing interior perspectives.

Past Present House new floor plans

Paper makes for the best stocking stuffers, particularly paper in the form of a smart linen diary. Start 2014 with an immaculately managed schedule, why don't you! £16.50 from Present & Correct. (And see here for more giftable desktop items from Present & Correct.)

Simple yet effective maple-and-brass tape dispenser, £25 from Present & Correct.

Back to school means new notebooks. These from Present & Correct (£5.50 apiece) sports a metallic slash across the cover; the orange has lined paper within while the stone is dotted.

Daybed by Nina Bruun, part of MINDCRAFT 13 exhibition presented by Danish Crafts. See it at Ventura Lambrate.

Inside, a suspended staircase rises up past the couple’s bookcase over a well-lit seating nook. Aalto stools by Artek join Eames molded plywood dining chairs by Herman Miller to give an especially modern touch to the kitchen.

Past Present House existing floor plans

Past Present Guest House

Small spaces and tiny homes present some physical limitations, but they actually make room for imaginative solutions.

Past Present House Kitchen