Designed for an artist and entrepreneur client, this guest house features lots of light, access to the outdoors, and an industrial vibe.

"Beauty," Olafur Eliasson, 1993. In this work, a spotlight shines through a layer of mist to create a rainbow that's only visible from certain angles.

"We really love to cook and much of our home life revolves around our kitchen. When we have friends over it’s great to buzz around here; it’s almost like a cooking show. We’re a very equal couple. We wanted the kitchen island to be a single form that we could both use. We can both cook and we can both wash the dishes. The whole thing is really easy to clean as it’s just one main surface that you can wipe down. So the preparation surfaces, the hob [cooktop], and the sink are accessible from both sides. It’s a simple, fun, form-follows-function principle: Store, wash, prepare, cook, eat."

We were able to fit all five modules on one platform, so that we can have different teams working on different modules simultaneously.

Spiekermann and Dulkinys agree that their house—the first they’ve built from the ground up—is definitely different.

1993, Pierluigi Cerri.

The ever-changing daylight, plus the use of curtains and lighting options, means that Ahlgren and Lökaas enjoy a variety of different atmospheres.

The ever-changing daylight, plus the use of curtains and lighting options, means that Ahlgren and Lökaas enjoy a variety of different atmospheres.

The ever-changing daylight, plus the use of curtains and lighting options, means that Ahlgren and Lökaas enjoy a variety of different atmospheres.

A photo of Verner Panton from 1993. © Panton Design, Basel

Sunlight streams through formerly boarded-up windows in the living area that was once Madame Wong’s stage. “When we took off the drywall, we realized there were windows in there. So we had more made to match these four,” says Dan. The new windows open up the east side of the building to views of the courtyard below and the San Gabriel mountains in the distance. The apartment is furnished with an eclectic mix of furniture, including an Eero Saarinen womb chair.

Vitra Fire Station, Weil am Rhein, Germany, 1993

The Phold series from Menu is a family of flexible containers designed to provide organization for small items, wherever it’s most needed. Each Phold container features a round opening and an attached lid that can be left open to keep contents handy or pushed closed to keep items secure.

The Stem Hanging Planter from Bower NYC presents a sophisticated play of materials. The planter is made from a spun aluminum bowl that rests on an interior stem—a steel rod that travels through the base of the bowl, through the plant’s soil, and above the bowl where it hangs from a waxed black cotton cord. The result is a decidedly sculptural piece that carefully balances components to create an artful hanging planter for indoor spaces.

We were really inspired by nature. We’d be on the site and see deer, bugs, even bears. We used survey information to learn about the different species of trees. We'd stop to listen to the rain ricocheting off a leaf. We soaked up the color palette of our surroundings, with the intention of bringing that same feeling into the home we were going to create.

We check off the pieces that we have fabricated on the master drawing.

When we started the search for an architect, we began keeping notebooks of tearsheets of different architects' work. Now that we had hired Olson Kundig Architects, we focused future notebooks on Kundig’s work, making notations on particular details and features we thought would be a good fit for our home.

Local sailboat shops wanted thousands to make the 13-by-13-foot curtain that hides the Wall of Storage. "We we called my parents in Bangkok, gave them the dimensions, and they got it made for 150 bucks." says Im.

"Now we're about to create the first truly designed and conceptualized series of bike baskets with accessories. Under the umbrella name The Bike Crate, we'll launch five different bike crate models that are customizable using different types of accessories. The first three bike crate models will hit the stores in Denmark in May with an international launch to follow shortly after."

"We really fell for the building and these fabulous original features—–the elaborate decorative plasterwork ceiling and the tiled floors. Plus we have a big expansive view at the back, which is quite precious in the city—–we overlook a soccer pitch built on former railway tracks."

In a couple’s Mexico City apartment designed by David Levy of Flexform, a Murano chandelier hangs above a marble-topped dining table from the showroom.

The Deskstructure series from Seletti is a clever take on desktop storage. Crafted in fine porcelain, each Desktructure displays a familiar scene—a cityscape, ocean liner, or warehouse buildings. The structures include storage compartments for pens and pencils, paper clips, elastic bands, and other desk necessities. The components can be lined up together to create one cohesive storage structure, separated in different small groups, or spread across an entire desktop surface.

Created for Y’a Pas Le Feu Au Lac by FX Balléry, the PIK Vase is inspired by stacks of hay. Each vase is comprised of a cluster of three colorful glass cylinders that finish in beech wood cone bases. The varied heights of the cylinders creates an organic sensibility, as they replicate the variance of stack sizes found in fields. The cone bases end in small, austere points, which create the illusion that the PIK is floating slightly above the surface.

The Luster Candle Holders create an instant statement on a mantel or tabletop, and can be arranged from shortest to tallest, in a cluster, or sporadically to create a distinctive, changing look. Each holder is defined by its geometric details—a cylinder meets a circular base. Crafted from a zinc alloy with a black matte finish, the luster candleholders blend a cool modern look with a traditional feel, making them a balanced accent for a variety of interiors.

Danish designer Simon Legald was inspired by the silhouette created in a tree trunk as lumberjacks slowly chop away toward its center when he conceived of this series of Lumberjack Candle Holders. Each holder is carved from a single, cylindrical piece of solid wood. The result is a series of candle holders that blend an organic feel and a refined, sculptural quality, making them an ideal choice for a rustic kitchen or elegant dining room.

The facade is punctured by a variety of differently sized windows: Those flush to the wall indicate the house’s public rooms, while the those for the private spaces are set back.

The Antonio Citterio walnut-back Morgan chairs are also from Flexform.

We started looking at different variations on modern architecture. Finding not only photos of houses we liked but houses in the setting helped to inform some of our ideas and visions for the project.

Unlike the ornate exterior, there wasn’t much interior detail left to reuse—but the Berniers did their best. Dan says, “There was a wall that had octagonal shapes in it that we took out, and when we rebuilt it, we kept the shapes.”

Over time we'd receive many different full size renderings from the architect, surveyor, geotech and other consultants.

To practice living with the site, we made an effort to visit it at all different times of day and during different seasons. We picked up two recyclable plastic chairs, made a coffee table out of a cut stump, and would read the paper and have a beer or a Mountain Dew while taking in the view. One of the most important things I learned along the way was that, when it came to getting to know the site and accepting it as a character in this story, I had to embrace the snails pace of everything. There was no instant gratification.

The Pinwheel pattern reappears in a different form on this graphic silk tie.

'If We Build it They Will Come' illustration by Matthew Hollister for The Boston Globe.

Here is the Excel in a different set of colors for a more playful interior.