Dwell

Built for a scholar, Casa Biblioteca is a sanctuary for reading, stargazing, and enjoying a cigar or two. Floor-to-ceiling glass allows light to freely flood the interior and illuminate its jewel-like structure.

The Franks House is a well-preserved midcentury time capsule nestled on a tree-filled lot in prime Crestwood Hills. Designed by Raúl Garduno in 1966, the two-bedroom home boasts floor-to-ceiling glass walls that effortlessly frame 180-degree views of the skyline and the Pacific Ocean.

By reversing the positioning of the gabled roof form, and presenting and empty gabled space within the monolithic cube, he could create a parody of a “house” within the negative space.

Along Victoria’s Surf Coast, a minimalist timber dwellingcombines Scandinavian charm with the laid-back vibes of a New Zealand bach.

The black roof and siding is all galvanized sheet metal painted black.

GreenSpur and McAllister Architects imagined a cabin sided with Cor-Ten steel, glass, and shou sugi ban–treated cedar for a wooded property outside of Washington, DC.

While very modern for the neighborhood, the home still fits and pays respect to the landscape.

The black Richlite and walnut kitchen is one of Mongillo's favorite elements of the home. He says that kitchens often feel out of place—but this one is an architectural feature, with the island acting as another piece of furniture.

The custom-made steel and Douglas fir staircase leads up to the bedrooms.

The interior furnishings were all chosen by the homeowners to complement the home's modern design and building materials.

The front-facing patio is quite exposed—but it's flanked by the garage and indoor/outdoor garden so there is a barrier from the street.

The homeowners wanted a multifunctional dining space conducive to alfresco meals.

The entryway to Jim Belushi's Brentwood residence.

In a chaotic stretch of Brooklyn, architect Nicholas Hunt built a 55-square-foot reprieve from the bustle in his own backyard. The studio, crafted with salvaged fence pickets and cedar planks, is crowned with a Plexiglas skylight.

“When you’re doing a second home, a lot of the character of the design is defined by what it isn’t,” says architect Greg Howe, as a way of explaining the minimalistic approach that was taken on this Michigan weekend home. “If you think of it as cold, you have to remember, the setting, and accessing nature, is the point.”

Juilland reused the existing cabinets but added custom fronts. The countertops are concrete and the fixtures are from California Faucets.

The 377-square-foot Woodland Cabin by London-based practice De Rosee Sa was completed over the course of multiple trips to the lakeside lot in the village of Nouvelles in southern Belgium. The steeply pitched structure is clad in timber that was stained black from used tractor engine oil, which is a popular finish for local agricultural buildings.