The office houses the letter “U" as well as cameras.

Exterior

The owners wanted to have a clear distinction between the more public areas of the home and the more private ones. In the master bathroom, which is on the lower floor, tiles were used from the Italian company Trend.

The curved blue kitchen larder has a projecting “nose” that illuminates the worktop and a mirrored eye that “winks” each time the door is opened.

Four distinct structures make up the house. Their design echoes the shape of an older, gabled-roof building already on site. “We considered the neighboring construction quite interesting in terms of scale and layout,” de Carvalho says. “Due to the proximity, we felt the necessity to integrate it in the design.”

Marble is a beautiful natural material—but one of our industry experts thought it received too much attention in 2022.

Twelve letters get objectified.

Falcon Enamelware Tumbler, $8 at the Dwell Store A best seller from the Dwell Store, this enamelware tumbler is an iconic gift at an accessible price point. Durable and designed for indoor and outdoor use, the tumbler can be mixed and matched with other colors in the series, used individually, or made into a set.

The side walls have been treated as vertical extension of the horizontal surface of the garden, and are used for growing climbers such as jasmine, grapes, honeysuckle, raspberries, beans, peas, and even a climbing fig. Colorful bird’s houses and bug hotels are also mounted on the walls.

The guest room cleverly shoehorns four bunks into a small footprint.

Since the home is something of a pied-à-terre for the clients, its design is geared more toward short-term stays than full-time living. That means spaces like the kitchen are set up for entertaining. Notice the curve on the cabinetry, counter, and backsplash, which is Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble. All of the appliances are from Fisher & Paykel, and the wall sconce is a Gabriel Scott single Welles pendant in smoked glass and brushed brass.

A single bowl sink is self-explanatory: it consists of a sink that is not divided up into separate areas.

A painting by Yael hangs near the Murphy bed in the make-shift guest sleeping quarters.

The home features silent and cozy radiant floor heating—a very forward-thinking feature—and there is not a single heating vent or visible outlet in sight.

Four-year-old Ian plays in the courtyard, which is the center of family life in warmer months.

The spaces are harmoniously linked by color and material palette. In the dining area, the round travertine table mirrors the paper lanterns by Isamu Noguchi suspended above, and vintage cane Cesca Chairs by Marcel Breuer completes the warm tableau.

From the Intuition trend at Heimtextil.

From the Futuristic trend at Heimtextil.

From the Hypernature trend at Heimtextil.

From the Temptation trend at Heimtextil.

The pink bench enclosure with blue upholstered cushions is a place for the family to nestle and relax. The large mint-green table in the dining area is from Artiform’s Palladio range, and the large yellow Strom jug was designed by Nicholai Wiigh Hansen for Raawii.

The 1,668-square-foot three-bedroom home is made of four colorful, crisscrossed containers equipped with a simple ventilation system that facilitates a constant breeze.

Crittenden Frum prepares food in the galley-style kitchen, which is outfitted with a Cascade Taupe Vintage countertop from Marble Trend.

The 1,292-square-foot split-level apartment occupies the top two floors of a building in central Athens that was completed in 1995. The apartment’s configuration allows for four balconies and panoramic views of the city and its tallest natural feature, Mount Lycabettus.

Toto leads the way with water-conserving toilets that use as little as one gallon per flush. The Neorest freestanding trough tub, vessel, and 700h toilet show that good design and innovations in sustainability can coexist.

Indoor-outdoor living remains an anchor of modern living. Marvin Windows and Doors has introduced the generously sized Ultimate Multi-Slide door, which pockets into one wall.

Typically known for its electric color palette, Caesarstone introduced a subtle array of new colors and finishes. Our favorite was the durable raw concrete lookalike.

The back of one of the four photography promos sent to us by Toby Burditt

X marks the spot with House Industries’ X Ornament. An expressive font, the X has an ornate quality that dresses up the design. In addition to capturing the letter itself, the X also represents a kiss, making this a sweet token for a loved one.

Bertazzoni's 36-inch Professional series range in Arancio is even more stunning in person, and brought the brightest color we saw to the show floor.

Keiji Takeuchi's exhibition for Italian natural stone brand Antolini was an easy pick for best in show, stopping attendees in their tracks. "I wanted to make a museum out of stone," says Takeuchi, who was handpicked by Giulio Cappellini to design the booth. "This project was very much in the Italian style—when something clicks, it just works."

We applaud the emphasis on sustainability and energy savings we saw articulated at the show. Kolbe Windows & Doors tops the list, with their windows snagging Energy Star's most efficient rating for 2015.

Among the new colors from Dekton by Cosentino—made from glass, porcelain, and quartz—is Irok, which plays well with blue, another trend we spotted at the show.

Most of Häfele's new offerings, such as the LeMans Highboard corner storage system with low shelves for easy reach, had a universal design angle. Others included low cabinet shelves that extend automatically, and a closet bar on a pulley system that lowers clothing down to the user.

Coaxing the LaMetric to flex all of its muscles requires some know-how of RSS feeds and apps like If This Then That (IFTTT), but basic setup of email notification and appointment reminders is simple.