Houses

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.

The existing Ikea cabinet boxes received new Semihandmade fronts: the DIY Flat Slab painted Benjamin Moore's “Revere Pewter.” The butcher block was replaced with a Ceaserstone Empira White slab, and the wood shelves were preserved, though received new brass brackets. The brass hardware is from Rejuvenation and the pendant is the Pirlo from Tech Lighting. The new zellige tile is from Riad, in the Natural White color.

The original Cedar Cottage design by Cast Architecture, seen in this rendering, was a one-bedroom plan; Adi and Chris chose a larger two-bedroom model.

A Seattle couple built their own backyard house with a city-sponsored design—and then rented out their old home on the property to friends.

The window ledge is actually a fire step for egress from upper storeys. Here, it makes the perfect perch for the family cat.

The use of the stone as a foundation allowed the budget to be reduced as it minimized the amount of work and materials.

The studio was initially designed to sit atop an elegant stilt system. When architect Cristian Stefanescu drove past a construction site littered with large boulders, however, he had the idea to replace the conventional foundation with a rock. “It would be much cheaper and much more interesting,” he says. “I had to spend many hours driving around Bergen with the builder to find a suitable stone that someone was willing to part with.”

The renovated kitchen is open, airy, and connected to the rest of the main level. Plum Projects used Bedrosians Magnifica Luxe polished white porcelain for the island, countertops, and backsplash. The black upper cabinets are made from Richlite: a durable, sustainable material made from recycled paper.

23 Neck Path in East Hampton, New York, is currently listed for $2,495,000 by Lori Schiaffino of Compass and Esteban Gomez of @TheCreativesAgent.

140 Heather Lane in Princeton, New Jersey, is currently listed for $1,195,000 by Linda Twining of Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty.

A fire pit, hot tub, and pool provide tons of space to lounge and entertain at Desert Wild.

We hand-stapled every saguaro rib to the outdoor ceiling. It was a long process, but we think it was worth it.

The grey flooring on the ground floor is polished concrete with a distinctive aggregate. Underfloor heating in the polished concrete floor allows for efficient low temperature heating throughout the home.

The entire home is wrapped in pine tongue-and-groove, which matches the original finish on the ceiling.