A lofted sleeping space furnished with a king size Design Within Reach American Modern bed was made possible when the architects raised the ceiling to create a triangular skylight. The move carved out enough headroom to make the second-floor space usable, while still keeping the cottage in compliance with strict local zoning rules for “accessory” buildings.

High clerestory windows provide light over the indoor kitchen, with its Gaboon ply cabinets and joinery designed by the architects. Given the lack of a central power system on the island, Herbst Architects designed the kitchen on the premise that less is more, deliberately keeping appliances to a bare minimum. The fridge and oven run on gas, and a solar energy system supplies limited lighting.

The master bedroom’s clerestory window provides morning light while allowing for privacy from the neighbors. The Siena bed is by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia, the side table is Room & Board, and the globe light is vintage. The windows are by Fleetwood and the doors by Bonelli.

The 22-square-foot bathroom had no windows, which is common in Oslo apartments; new clerestory windows help illuminate and expand the space.

The containers’ sides and ends were removed to make way for large, aluminum-framed clerestory windows that provide sweeping views of the east and west.

Here's what you need to know before undergoing a building project with a contractor but no architect.

“The roof structure is exposed in every room of the house, which leads the eye to connect all of the rooms together, making the house seem bigger than it really is,” Hutchison says. Dunn Lumber supplied the laminate shelves for the study.

Black-rimmed steel clerestory windows add illumination in this diminutive white kitchen where black accents abound. A black Aggregato Saliscendi Suspension light, designed by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, accents against the white Calacatta marble countertops and MAP's oak Milky Stools.

The archtiects placed a bedroom on the mezzanine level above the dining room.

The original home was preserved and renovated. In the front bedroom, a small window was replaced with a large painted-steel window seat, a favorite of the residents' grandchildren.

Vignettes show off what Aumas does best. In this one, he takes advantage of the apartment’s tall windows.

A system of clerestory windows, positioned underneath a cantilevered roof, strategically filters natural light through the interior. A full-height window in the living area provides dramatic views of passing storms.

The home also prioritizes safety with expansive, open living spaces. The interior flooring features radiant heating.

Seeking to add a third level to his home in China’s Fujian Province, a sea captain was deterred due to the toll his property had taken from the coastal climate. The ocean and rain had caused erosion and water seepage, dooming the building’s structural integrity. Beijing-based Vector Architects stepped in with a solution—a 4.72 inch-thick layer of concrete wall that would be added to the home’s existing brick masonry. This allowed for a reconfiguration of the interior spaces, so living areas and the master bedroom would be situated on the sea-facing side for an abundance of natural light, the best views, and better ventilation.

In the entryway, a Tati lamp by Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell sits on a shelf Christopher made from kitchen cabinetry scraps.

In the house’s front room Monkman relaxes on a stool from local retailer Andrew Richard Designs. A new window system draws in sunlight and views of the front courtyard designed by local landscape architect Terry McGlade, the building’s former owner.

Views from the main living area focus on the surrounding vegetation. "Instead of placing the house on the spot with the best view, it is situated in a way that is tailored to the specific terrain, and gives prominence to the views from the outdoor room," write Lung Hagem Arkitekter.

A narrow glass window that cuts through the interiors from floor to ceiling.

Dan Pacek and John Roynon of Leonia, New Jersey, expanded and renovated their tiny kitchen, integrating it more sensibly into their 1911 house while borrowing natural light from secondary sources, such as a window on the landing leading to the second floor.

A band of clerestory windows illuminates the interior. The walls are recycled brick, whose thermal mass insulates the house. "One of the most challenging aspects of the build was negotiating a tight budget; however it was also one of the most exciting aspects and led in part to the refined palette of raw materials which give the home so much of its character and echo the pastural vernacular of the old cow shed," says Carter.

Butler Armsden Architects and Leverone Design reimagined this family retreat in Sea Ranch, a 1960s planned community that stretches 10 miles along the Pacific coastline in Sonoma County, California. Clear, vertical grain fir wraps the interior, while ample windows offer stunning glimpses of the sea and surrounding meadows.

In the kitchen, the couple found barely used appliances instead of new ones to save money. The cabinetry and butcher block counters are from Ikea.

One of the homeowner’s daughters, Julia, works at Unique Art Glass, a multi-generational stained glass company owned by her boyfriend’s family. The couple designed two windows for the house, including this one in the dining area.

In the master bathroom, a matte Ove tub from Wetstyle is one of Maca’s favorite getaways. The angle of the custom window, designed with a minimal frame to maximize the view, mimics the roofline.

A double-height space encompasses the kitchen, dining and living area, and features 36-feet-wide glass doors that pocket into southern and northern walls.

The Lost Cottage vacation rental is nestled in the remote lakeside town of Treangarriv in County Kerry, Ireland. The principal bedroom features a massive picture window that looks out over Caragh Lake and the surrounding farmland. A glass roof was also installed above the sunken tub in the bathroom so that guests can gaze up at the stars in the International Dark Sky Reserve.

The living room of Wood H by Dualchas Architects has a sweeping view of the surrounding landscape and the Atlantic Ocean.

Twelve electrically heated windows pierce the facade, framing views of the surrounding forest and fields.

"As one moves between levels, a variety of unexpected vantage points and views are revealed," says the firm.

The aluminium-framed windows throughout are by Australian company Capral. “We wanted as much glass as possible to enjoy the almost 360-degree views,” says resident Sarah Younger. Tasmania, Australia Dwell Magazine : September / October 2017

Blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, this 1,300-square-foot home on the island of Honshu, Japan by architect Keisuke Maeda has multiple windows and skylights surrounding its concrete base.

The home of Primo Orpilla and Verda Alexander in Orinda, in the hills east of Berkeley, California has a corridor with full glass walls and flat, glass roof and plenty of rooms that let sunlight in from many angles.