Open to the valley, the home lets the Shopes fully experience the seasons, even the sound of the Hudson River’s ice cracking in winter.

In the kitchen of Floating Farmhouse in Eldred, New York, a custom-built wood-fired oven extends up to the ceiling, accentuating its steep pitch. Photo by Mark Mahaney.

Fusion Landscape Design worked with PATH to remake the backyard into a grown-up playground. Under the stairwell sits a tiny custom cedar sauna and an outdoor shower—just a literal hop, skip, and jump away from the sprawling in-ground eight-by-ten-foot hot tub. Down three short stairs, Gloster’s Elan dining table from Design Within Reach is surrounded by Spark chairs by Don Chadwick for Knoll and a built-in fire pit and DCS grill by Fisher & Paykel—all resting on a smooth surface of bluestone pavers.

All of the furniture was meticulously handmade by Klebba and Reis to serve the family’s needs.

Rahman did her own landscaping in the garden outside her house. The cedar fence was made with planks that were charred and sealed following the ancient Japanese shou sugi ban technique, which is supposed to make the wood resistant to fire, rot, and insects.

Inexpensive but sturdy James Hardie lap siding was used on the exterior.

“Our desire was to have the spaces appear as though they were carved from a single block of wood, with the movable pieces an integral part of the overall composition,” says Vincent. “This created a feeling of seamlessness.”

The couple lounges in their great room. The 16-foot-high windows are from Milgard.

Hutchins and Montague worked with Samuel H. Williamson Associates Landscape Architecture on the garden, which is planted with sword ferns, vine maple, and wild ginger. “When we look at it from the bedroom, it’s our private little forest,” Montague says.

Photo by Tom Bies

Photo by Leo Mieles

In the photos that follow, we take a look at the product offerings inspired by the house, which Yeon designed when he was only 27 years old.

Each bedroom is designed to replicated a mini house, and follows the roof's pitch. A skylight lets in light. A custom unit made of white-painted MDF panels provides necessary storage.

Don’t be afraid to invest in organization systems for your office, closet, and bedroom. They can make all the difference!

In the bathroom, a thin pane of glass separates the shower; an Aquaplane sink by Lacava hovers above a built-in vanity illuminated by a lean Adelphi light by Oxygen Lighting; and blue-green glass penny tiles by Terra Verre decorate the floor. The absence of a door, combined with windows on two sides, makes the bathroom feel like a continuation of the overall space.

The flooring in the master bath is vein-cut Ocean Silver travertine. The custom bathroom vanity is stained birch, the polished chrome fixtures are from Hansgrohe’s Axor Uno2 line, and the chair is upholstered in Checker by Alexander Girard for Maharam.

Kelly Milford helps son Adam out of the hot tub nestled on a wood deck in back of the house. The exterior paint is Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore.

Lilyvilla Gardens built custom wood and concrete steps connecting the street to the house, which flow into an exposed patio under the refurbished carport. In addition to collecting midcentury furniture, Ty Milford is a vintage car aficionado and owner of two cherry red Porsches.

Strips of white-oak flooring line the interior of the studio, created by designer Jeff Vincent and PATH Architecture. The George Nelson Bubble Lamp Saucer pendant is available at the Dwell Store; the kitchen cabinets and appliances are by Jenn-Air. All accessories are from Canoe and Relish.

PATH partnered with local woodworkers Benjamin Klebba, of Phloem Studio, and Bren Reis, of Earthbound Industries, to build furniture and cabinetry into the walls.

The cabinets in the master bathroom are made of kirei board, a material produced from the stalks of sorghum.

Portlandia would be proud.

The interior of Lowell in North Portland, which focuses on handmade, unusual and one-of-a-kind items, with an emphasis on Southwestern and Native American art. Founders Maya Rose and Dino Matt both met in Tucson before moving to Portland in 2010.

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, with project manager and lead designer Emily Kudsen Leland at the helm, remade a Portland abode with a crisp paint palette: Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron for the cladding and Venetian Gold for the front door. The home was originally designed by Saul Zaik in Southwest Portland, complete with a wood-clad exterior, in 1956. As part of the renovation, landscape design was completed by Lilyvilla Gardens.

Speaking to his original design, architect Saul Zaik says, “We were really just building boxes with a bunch of windows but experimenting with how you integrated indoor and outdoor spaces.” The house has seven different openings to the exterior, allowing different courtyard or patio settings for a range of outdoor activities, including seating for a gathering on the street-facing side. The Milfords hired Lilyvilla Gardens for the landscaping around the house, including variegated bluestone steps with thyme joints.

The box-shaped balcony of this renovated farmhouse near France’s Chinon region uses oak built-ins to complement the home’s original timber beams. Photo by Jonas Ingerstedt.

In true mid-century fashion, a George Nelson Bubble Lamp is paired with an Eames Lounge by Charles and Ray Eames in a corner of the living room. The glass walls and mitered corner are original features of architect Saul Zaik’s 1956 design.

Architect Ben Waechter wrapped the upper floor of Nick Oakley’s house in inexpensive black corrugated steel. By rounding the corners, Waechter avoided unsightly trim at the edges.

In the master bedroom, a Mandal bed from Ikea is draped with a Tuuli duvet cover by Marimekko.

The Red House, 2002.

The firm opened up the closed off kitchen, orienting it in the center of the living space.

The master bath is a bright sanctuary with a freestanding tub by Victoria + Albert and Ecostat shower fixtures by Hansgrohe.

The main built-ins—a sofa bed, table and chairs, and plenty of storage—run the length of the space and are tucked snugly beneath the ceiling. The green Tube Top 14 lamp by Pablo Pardo is from Relish Design.

Hexagonal tiles made by the Portland Cement Company continue the pattern in the bathroom, where the architect designed low drawers and cabinets that are easy for Luna to reach.

While Brooklyn brownstones conjure up memories of their turn-of-the-century roots, they also remain the modern-day face of New York’s coolest boroughs. With brownstone living, however, comes responsibility—many of these classic beauties are in need of renovation and restoration. Here are 10 standout, renovated brownstones that retain their original charm with added contemporary cool.

For the kitchen, master bath, and kids’ bathroom, the designers chose three different hues of Savoy stacked mosaic tile from Portland-based manufacturer Ann Sacks. Tractor barstools by BassamFellows pull up to a PentalQuartz countertop. The gas cooktop, oven, and dishwasher are by Miele.