The extensive use of natural wood on nearly every surface makes the inside of The Barn feel like an extension of the landscape outside.

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

The Jorgensen's Menlo Park home is a model of green design with features that are smart for everyone to consider. "Every project is different, but there are some universal things that will apply from project to project," says Feldman about designing a green home. "The first—and most obvious thing—is to always try to build less, to have a smaller house and be smart about how the rooms are designed and oriented so that you can get by with less space. Smart design will lead to a smaller building, but it won't feel smaller."

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

Rian and Melissa Jorgensen's 2 Bar House in Menlo Park boasts all the usual green design suspects: energy-efficient lighting, good insulation, renewable material finishes, radiant heat, and the roof is pre-wired for future PV panels. Executed by Feldman Architecture, the house requires only natural lighting during the day which keeps energy costs way down. Still, the most stunning aspect of the green design is the living roof planted with succulents, aloe, viviums, and ice plants. "I'm absolutely glad that we did it," says Melissa. "It turned out so well and I really enjoy sitting up there and taking advantage of it as much as I can. It's very peaceful." Read more about this total remodel here.

Inspirational spaces

The countertops in the kitchen are a mix of quartz surfaces and custom and salvaged stainless steel. "We use the kitchen all of the time, it turned out really nice," says Melissa. "It's very open, certainly one of the central focuses of the house, and is fun for entertaining."

The living room, dining room and kitchen are in one open space. The flooring is bamboo. The cabinetry is a mix of bamboo, walnut, and maple, and was fabricated by City Cabinetmakers out of San Francisco.

The entryway leads into the living room, and a low wall hides the staircase that leads to the lower level from view.

Shelter No. 2, Broisson Architects, 2008 This prefab made mostly of recycled materials is modest, but not too modest for a spiral staircase. Three levels culminate in a large skylight, which filters natural light all the way down to the ground floor's hydroponic garden.

It Will Get Loud: A Small Speaker That's Big on Sound Home audio companies are managing to make speakers smaller, more portable, and more wallet-friendly while keeping sound quality as robust as their larger (and pricier) brethren. Soundfreaq's co-founder and creative director Matthew Paprocki will demo and deconstruct the award-winning Sound Stack and demo Sound Platform 2 to let you in on the technology behind making big sound come from a tiny package. See this Saturday, June 22, at 12:30 p.m. on the Demonstration Stage.

Designed by Belgium architectural studio OYO Architects, this 1,883-square-foot family residence in Maldegem, East Flanders, was conceived with a single green roof that meets the grass at ground level. The concrete base of the structure supports a lightweight timber frame, which was assembled in a local warehouse before being mounted on site. Different plants are grown on the green roof throughout the seasons.

The couple asked Bryan Richards of Real Natives Landscape Design to incorporate drought-tolerant plants into the landscaping. Surrounding a table from CB2 are chairs from Design Within Reach.

This is the entrance to my backyard. To the left is my bedroom and to the right is my garage. We have 3 fruit trees and we used to have healthy grass but my husky has wore out my grass. I used to sit under tree during summer and relax but its not so relacing anymore. Id like a mini outdoor kitchen to entertain maybe to the left?

2206 Parklands Lane, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416

Though this home is close to downtown Minneapolis, it sits on a quiet, 3.77-acre piece of land. When you approach the brick home, it immediately becomes clear that it’s a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home—thanks to its wing-like shape and Cherokee Red-painted steps.

The interior is furnished with Lubi Daybeds from CB2, which Howell and Porter designed to include hidden cubbies behind and beneath the cushions.

Completed in 1946, the Booth House was originally built for an advertising executive and his wife before becoming a rental property in 1955 for the architectural photographer Robert Damora, and architect Sirkka Damora. The Damoras later purchased the home and have lived there ever since. Now 93 years old, Sirkka has been seeking a new owner for this piece of architectural history. Litigation over the title means that the Booth House could face being torn down—so its buyer will also be its rescuer.

British artist Hannah Sawtell and technologist Avi Flombaum created sawbaum.com, where users can create visual collages using multiple vine streams. "We wanted it to look like a visual comic book, with overlapping panels," said Flombaum. "And we wanted it to be fun!" Photo courtesy Rhizome.

For privacy and quiet, the home's three bedrooms are situated the furthest from the street. Each faces its own courtyard.

In this photo of the Diamond Street House taken by Julius Shulman, Lyster Brock (left) stands next to his brother on his father's roof truss.