7 Common Design Dilemmas Solved!

Here’s how to transform the awkward areas of your home into some of its best features

By: Sophie Seeger - Houzz Contributor 

Unless you’re designing your home from scratch, there are bound to be one or two existing features in a purchased home that you may regard as eyesores. Such design challenges can be overcome with relatively simple solutions. If you have a room that’s as small as a pocket, as narrow as a tube or far too large, read on for some tricks that can hide, divide or merely alter the focus in the room.

Noz Design

1. The Narrow Space

Add stripes. Stripes help visually expand a room, making it appear wider. Use them narrow or wide, as seen here in this slim dining nook, but make sure they’re horizontal, as they’ll make your eye travel left and right. Whether you paint the stripes directly onto the wall or use wallpaper, this is the easiest way to make a room look wider.

Sergey Harenko

Decorate with white. By using an all-white or soft-toned color palette, you can lead the eye to a window and an outdoor aspect, helping alleviate any feelings of being cramped in a narrow space. If you must include texture and pattern, do it with restraint so there’s nothing to distract your line of sight to the outside.

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

2. The Pocket-Size Room

Pick a color. This may seems counterintuitive, but painting a small room a favorite bold color can create a snug sitting area that people will gravitate toward. In the penthouse sitting room seen here, the high-gloss finish adds to the luxurious feel.

JADO DECOR CHRISTINE TSINGELIDIS / BUILDER

Install a massive mirror. Create the illusion of a larger room with mirrors. Floor-to-ceiling mirrors on a closet or covering a wall will “double” the size of the room and bounce light around.

Suzanne Hunt Architect

3. An Open Plan That’s Too Open

Divide the space. An expansive room can be impractical. Demarcating zones in an open-plan space not only enhances the room’s function, but can also offer privacy. A free-standing divider can make for an attractive feature and need not be permanent.

theMACNABs

Box off a room. Like a Russian nesting doll, you can create rooms within rooms with sliding doors or screens in paper, wood or glass. You’ll find that even though screens are impermanent, they can still feel like walls and offer the same level of privacy — just ask the Japanese. For a quick fix, rig up curtains on a ceiling track so part of the room can be sectioned off when needed.

Oliver Burns

4. Exposed Plumbing

Celebrate difference. Having the “inner workings” on display is typical with industrial buildings, former-factory apartments and warehouse conversions. The simplest solution is to embrace the look and even make a feature out of it. Paint the pipes for a bit of fun, and in a range of colors to differentiate between the various pipes and their functions. Drawing attention to them in this way will further highlight the industrial feel of your home; you’ll find that the horizontal and vertical lines create a grid-like pattern.

Andre Rothblatt Architecture

Add even more plumbing. Make your exposed pipes a special feature in the room by adding even more of them. Ask your plumber to install some to match the originals — they don’t have to be functional. The pipes will add pizzazz to the space, especially if they’re polished to a high shine. In this tiny powder room, the lustrous copper pipes are not only a sculptural feature, but they’ve been set against a dark background to really stand out.

5. Unsightly Views

Grow a natural screen. No one wants to look out their window onto an unattractive building right next door. Foliage is a wonderful answer to hiding those unpleasantries while also enhancing your property.

Bamboo grows quickly and is evergreen, a definite bonus when it comes to creating a leafy screen. (Be sure to plant it in a strong root guard underground, as many types of bamboo can be invasive.)

Talk to a local landscape designer or nursery about the best species for your climate and soil, but as a rule, if you need dense screening all the way to the ground, choose a smaller species.

Simon Eldon Photography Ltd

Hide away. Blinds are a perfect means of blocking ugly views or creating some privacy from too-close neighbors. Unlined blinds in a sheer fabric still let in plenty of light while offering some privacy. You can also have blinds custom-made with transparent horizontal rods instead of the more traditional dowel sticks, for a seamless look.

Studio Schicketanz

6. Low Ceiling

Hang a curtain high. One of my pet peeves is a low ceiling. Thankfully, it’s easy to overcome simply by hanging curtains from ceiling to floor. With no visible rods or rails, the curtains create a waterfall effect that immediately gives the illusion of height.

Lisa Petrole Photography

Furnish with clarity. Using transparent furniture and furnishings immediately opens up a living space. (Opaque pieces tend to stop light from bouncing around the room and impede air flow.) Acrylic or glass furniture is a fashionable choice, as it also adds a touch of glamour. Another trick is to furnish the room with low-profile furniture so it looks loftier.

Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects

7. Unused Space

Squeeze in a study nook. If you don’t have the luxury of a separate study or home office, you might be able to transform the area beneath your stairs into a usable space. Alternatively, embrace the awkward angles of the space and build an upholstered seat into the nook, with some shelving to hold a few essentials. Nothing is more inviting than a seating nook in an alcove — grab a good book, a hot cuppa and perhaps a furry friend for some me time.

Stack up some shelves. Built-in shelves are a visually appealing answer to filling the spaces that bookend a fireplace. Get a professional carpenter to install them — it’s a feature you’ll be forever grateful for.

10 Ways to Create Mantelpiece Magic

From modern mantels to traditional fireplace toppers, these tips have you covered

By: Michelle Gage 

As you pack away your holiday decorations, it’s a good time to rethink your mantel decor. This year, resolve to dust off that neglected shelf and make it your own with new finds or items you already have scattered around your home. These 10 tips will help you unlock your mantel’s full potential.

Carter Kay Interiors

1. Mix it up. For an arrangement with impact, try mixing materials. This pleasant combination of wood and distressed glass makes for an elegant and eye-catching focal point. The room’s neutral color palette allows the fireplace to be the star player.

 

Christopher Burns Interiors

2. Vary levels. When making mantel magic, it’s all about scale. Pull together an artful array of framed photographs and decorative objects of various heights. For a cool and modern look, stick to no more than three colors.

 

Bruce Kading Interior Design

3. Personalize it. What’s your favorite pastime? Start there when thinking about styling your mantel. For an equestrian, this horse painting and antique trophy collection highlight a love of the sport, creating a meaningful focal point.

 

Jute Interior Design

4. Showcase treasures. For a simple and clean look, style the top of your mantel with only your absolute favorite pieces. The absence of objects can make a statement too. If your fireplace is nonfunctioning, you can decorate the interior as well. Choose a collection of glass vases, stacks of antique books or a bundle of cut wood.

 

California Home + Design

5. Work with what you have. If your home has a small mantelpiece, embrace it. This streamlined look goes well with the rest of the house’s clean lines. Just because a mantel is streamlined, however, doesn’t mean you have to leave it bare.

 

Julie Williams Design

6. Make room for media. Laying out your living room furniture can be tricky. If your space calls for hanging the television over the fireplace, go with it. Then think about how to best style the spaces around the TV. Built-in bookcases can accommodate much more memorabilia than a mantel anyway. Decorate those shelves with your favorite books, photos and objects.

 

sarah & bendrix

7. Shop purposefully. If you’re an antiques lover, scour flea markets for perfectly sized gems to fit on your mantel. By keeping a neutral theme, this vignette appears thoughtful. Be intentional with your styling — sticking to one theme or color scheme makes your mantel’s style cohesive.

 

Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

8. Consider the whole space. If your room is already full of loud prints, tone down what you do on the mantel so it doesn’t compete. Just a handful of pieces lined up in a row is enough here. Leaning mirrors against the wall can help make a space feel larger.

 

Mary Anne Merfeld - Allied Member ASID

9. Find balance. You can tell that these are the shelves of a collector. Beloved objects, art, plants and books balance one another on the bookshelves and mantel. When thinking about the pieces you want to display, consider where they fit best. Start with the largest — chances are it doesn’t fit everywhere. If you can find a home for it, you’ll have an easier time placing the rest.

 

Bmac Interiors, LLC

10. Keep it simple. For this contemporary and clean space, less is more. One large piece of art hung over the fireplace and flanked by sconces makes enough of a statement. The styling on the bookcases takes a monochromatic approach.

Fall on the Wall: Decorating With Rich Reds, Browns and Oranges

For your interiors, take a cue from nature’s colorful seasonal offerings

By Jennifer Ott -Houzz Contributor 

Autumn has arrived, and with it are colorful changes to the natural world around us. Deciduous trees, in particular, put on a pretty show with verdant green leaves transforming into gorgeous shades of gold, orange, red and brown. I’ve been known to take my paint color fan deck out with me on fall hikes to match these beautiful hues. Whether you tend to favor warmer colors over cooler hues, or are just looking to inject some warmth into your home, take inspiration from your favorite fall flora for year-round color in your home.

Putney Design

An autumn-inspired rich brown and bold orange palette is tricky to get right, but this bedroom showcases the colors brilliantly. With lots of clean, pure white and minimal art and accessories, it has a fresh and modern feel, rather than a dark and overwhelming one.

Of course, it also helps that this room gets plenty of natural light. If your room is light-deprived, you could still use a similar color scheme, but perhaps limit the dark brown wall color to a single accent wall. Another light-boosting option is to paint just the lower third or half of the headboard wall in the accent color, leaving the upper level and ceiling white or clad in a light neutral.

ALFA - Alexandra de Brem et Fanny Prat

Here’s a nice example of using restraint when working with a deep, intense color. An entire room painted this deep red could feel confining, and the room would appear much smaller than it is, especially if there aren’t many windows. But by limiting the color to a small niche, you get a fantastic hit of color without the downside of all four walls clad in the hue.

Hudson Street Design

Here’s another bold bedroom accent wall, this time in a tangy orange. I’m a huge fan of wood-clad ceilings, especially in bedrooms, because they add such warmth and coziness. The orange accent wall draws your eye right in and then up toward the beautiful ceiling.

Ralo (Tibet Carpet)

Paint isn’t the only way to add a focal point in a bedroom. This beautiful, richly hued carpet is a fantastic choice in this vintage industrial space. The exposed ductwork and brick walls could feel hard and cold, but not when the space is infused with such a warm, autumn-inspired palette.

Gary McBournie Inc.

Here’s another handsome bedroom clad in warm orange and brown. Notice how the more intense colors are reserved for items that are relatively easy and economical to change — wall color and decorative accessories. The more expensive items — window treatments, flooring and furniture — are light and neutral. This gives the flexibility to change up the palette in the future without having to buy all new things.

Cardea Building Co.

Let’s step out of the bedroom and look at autumnal hues in dining areas. Warm colors such as red and orange are thought to stimulate the appetite as well as conversation, making them excellent color options for the spaces we gather in to eat and chat with friends and family. Don’t be afraid to go a bit deeper and darker with color in the dining room. It’s typically a space that you want to have a more closed-in, intimate and cozy vibe.

Christine Nelson Design

Bright pumpkin orange and gray are a popular duo for modern interiors. Here they combine to make this kitchen a fun and inviting place in which to cook and gather.

Metson Urman Architecture

Here’s another fun colorful orange eat-in nook. If you have such an area in your kitchen, it’s a terrific location for a spot of bold color. Use that color in smaller bits throughout the space to balance it out.

mossArchitects

 

If yours is an open-concept home, keep the majority of the walls a light neutral hue that will easily flow throughout each space, and then use bold color strategically to break up the different areas. Vibrant reddish-orange hues are perfect for calling attention to interesting materials or architectural details.

Creekview Custom Homes

If you have tall ceilings or want to create a cozy feeling in a room, use one of these featured fall colors near or on the ceiling. It will visually lower the ceiling and make the space feel warmer and more intimate.

Jennifer Ott Design

Try These Palettes

Inspired to add a dose of fall color to your own home? Here are some paint color options inspired by nature’s rich autumn hues.

Deep reds: Dinner Party from Benjamin Moore, Wild Currant from Sherwin-Williams and Antique Ruby from Behr

Jennifer Ott Design

Autumnal oranges: Harvest Moon from Benjamin Moore, Yam from Sherwin-Williams and Maple Leaf from Behr.

Jennifer Ott Design

Rich browns: Hearthstone Brown from Benjamin Moore, Turkish Coffee from Sherwin-Williams and Bear Rug from Behr.

Deep Wall Colors That Feel Extra Cozy in Fall

Wrap your rooms in richer or seasonal hues for a warm, comforting feeling this autumn

Laura Gaskill - Houzz Contributor

A great paint color works year-round but can also take on different moods depending on what furnishings and accents are teamed with it. Here are six color choices, from moody charcoal and black to autumnal orange, that will make your home feel extra cozy this fall — and still work (with a tweak here and there) once spring has sprung.

Ml-h design

Black. Black as a wall color is certainly dramatic — but it can also be surprisingly simple to work into a room scheme. Try it on an accent wall in a large, open-plan space to draw the eye to your coziest conversation area. In the fall, boost warmth with accents in shades of mustard and goldenrod, and a mix of textures, from chunky hand-spun fibers and rustic pottery to silky-smooth wood and buttery leather. Repeating the black in fine details — the pattern of a Moroccan rug, a handmade dish — will tie the look together.

Claudia Georgi Photography

Black also has the benefit of making Halloween decor super easy: Just add vibrant orange pumpkins and gourds and a tall vase filled with fall foliage. To up the spookiness for a Halloween party, pin a few fake spiderwebs to the black wall and let a pot of “witch’s brew” bubble on the stove.

In the spring and summer, lighten up the space by swapping out mustard accents for fresh mint green and crisp white.

See more ways to work with black

AnneLiWest|Berlin

Dark khaki. Somewhere between beige and army green lies this versatile neutral hue. Dark khaki works well with other warm neutrals, from mocha to cognac, with a bit of crisp black or white for contrast.

But khaki is also happy to take a backseat to brighter pops of color, from turquoise to bubblegum pink, making it easy to change the mood of the space when you are ready for an update.

Color Combos: Khaki and Tangerine

Ml-h design

Charcoal. Think of charcoal as the softer, moodier cousin of black. Used in a living or dining room, it’s sophisticated and cozy; in a kids’ space, it’s surprisingly grown-up.

In autumn, charcoal walls look splendid with accents of plum, aubergine and oatmeal. Natural materials like bamboo or lighter-toned wood furniture and jute rugs keep the overall look from feeling too dark or heavy.

Studio Munroe

Charcoal doesn’t have to be all drama — for an upbeat twist come spring, use the walls as a backdrop for a colorful, eclectic collection of artwork and roll out a floral rug.

How to Work With Charcoal Gray

Amy Krane Color

Mocha. This milk-chocolatey hue is as comforting as the name suggests, making it a lovely choice for spaces where coziness is the utmost priority. Try it in a den or bedroom, accented with layers of textiles and collected treasures for a worldly look that works in any season.

Wall paint: Baked Pretzel, Benjamin Moore

Coffeehouse Color Palettes Perk Up Rooms

A&D Vanessa Faivre

 

Teal. Deep and mysterious, teal calls to mind the sea, gemstones and the dramatic evening sky. This color looks stunning with fall-hued accents in persimmon or mustard, and luxurious materials like velvet. For the most flexibility, go with a neutral color (like gray) for the big pieces of furniture, and you can tweak the color scheme seasonally with different pillows and throws.

Adeeni Design Group

Orange. Deep, spicy shades of orange look especially at home among the colors of fall leaves and rich, burnished bronze and gold. A warm, saturated orange wall color works well in a small dining room, where it makes a cozy backdrop for candlelit dinners. Indigo, sky blue and charcoal gray also work well as accent colors when you want to change things up.

World of Design: 10 Great Escapes Built for R&R

These vacation homes from around the globe will make you want to take flight

 

One in a series from Houzz international editors on how our lives shape home design around the world
Whether it’s for a weekend, a week or a whole summer, a vacation home to which you can escape can be the greatest form of liberation. You might retreat to it to unwind, contemplate, marvel at a view, be adventurous or spend quality time with family and friends — just as no home is the same, neither is how it’s used. Let’s take a look at just how different vacation homes can be, from Tokyo Bay to St. Petersburg and beyond.

Chris Snook

1. Cottage on a Tiny English Island

Location: South Cerney, Gloucestershire County, England
Who vacations here: Mouse Martin, a ceramicist, and her dogs, Sid and Maisi
Size: About 323 square feet (30 square meters); 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

This cottage on a river island, originally a cart shed next to a water mill, dates back to 1750. It’s now a holiday escape for Mouse Martin, who reaches the retreat via an old bridge that spans the river. “It’s so peaceful here,” she says. “Ducks waddle up onto the grass and there are two otters in the river — Squeak and Whistle!”

Chris Snook

Inside, everything is upcycled, recycled, reclaimed or handmade. One of Martin’s neighbours was clearing out an old barn she owned. “Her father was a hoarder, and it had absolutely everything from here to Timbuktu in it,” Martin says. “That really started the ball rolling on this house. It’s a real joy to use old materials. Half the world is full of plastic now, but there’s no plastic in here!”

Save and splurge. Martin saved money by using secondhand furnishings and upcycling wherever possible. But she did invest in dry-stone walling by employing a specialist, James Harris Contracting, to build up the land alongside the river to protect against flooding.

See more of this cottage

Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects

2. Beach Shack on Runners in New Zealand
Location: Coromandel Peninsula, North Island of New Zealand
Who vacations here: A couple and their three children
Size: 431 square feet (40 square meters); 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
Architect: Crosson copy Carnachan Architects

Built directly on the sand, this compact beach house is portable because it rests on two wooden runners, a design feature deemed necessary because of the coastal erosion zone in which the house sits.

Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects

When the family arrives on weekends, it simply turns a wheel, using a “chain and crank system,” to open a vertical bifold shutter, which exposes the view out to sea and provides shade and shelter for those on the deck below. The generous overhang can be adjusted according to weather conditions or closed tight when not in use.

Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects

Save and splurge. The design team was able to keep costs down with the economical use of space — triple-height bunk beds, for instance, squeeze in more sleeping spots — but the big splurges were the wooden bifold shutter and the double-height steel-framed glass doors, which together open up to create a shaded outdoor room.

See more of this beach shack

William Johnson Architect

3. Camper Fit for a Road Trip in the U.S.

Location: Pictured here at Piney River Escape, a former farm outside Dixon, Tennessee, United States
Who vacations here: Bill and Cathy Johnson
Size: 28 feet (8.53 meters) long

Bill and Cathy Johnson love camping. The architect and real estate agent have been doing it since they started dating at age 15. So the couple, now married 34 years, jumped at the chance to buy and restore a 1972 Avion camper they could turn into a mobile summer home for canoeing and fishing trips around Tennessee.

William Johnson Architect

The Johnsons wanted the interior to have a brighter look, building on the wraparound bank of windows at the front of the camper. So they removed all the original finishes, painted the cabinets white and added new vinyl flooring. “We wanted to try to create the most open and airy feel possible,” Bill says.

Save and splurge. The couple saved money by keeping the camper’s layout the same. Everything remained in its original place, including the appliances. The couple splurged by replacing the upholstery with a durable outdoor fabric and adding new hardware and curtains.

See more of this 1972 camper

iv7design

4. Russian Chalet With Spa Rooms

Location: St. Petersburg region, Russia
Who vacations here: A family
Size: 2,347 square feet (218 square meters)
Architect: iv7design

The main level of this cottage in the suburbs looks like your typical upscale Russian home, but for one family it’s a private spa retreat.

The interior is in the style of a traditional Russian chalet, with plenty of wooden furniture, a big chimney and large windows with panoramic views of the countryside.

iv7design

The basement, however, is a lot more high-tech. There are two massage rooms, a cryosauna (a therapeutic treatment using cold air), a floating table (pictured) and a regular sauna with a large spa. A chromotherapy system operated with LEDs adds to the relaxation.

iv7design

The spa level is enjoyed by the homeowners’ friends and family as well. This summer, the owners plan to build a more active component to the property in the form of a sports pavilion; it will connect to the main house via a covered bridge.

See more of this chalet

Wright-Built

5. Boathouse Getaway in the U.S.

Location: Lake Hawkins, Texas, United States
Who vacations here: A couple with a permanent residence nearby
Size: 301 square feet (28 square meters); 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Design: Wright-Built

Before building their main home, builder Erin Wright and her husband got a taste of tiny-home living. They built this lakeside boathouse first and moved in during the main home’s construction. They got cozy in the space, which includes the bare essentials: a bedroom, a kitchenette, a sitting area and a bathroom with a shower and incinerating toilet. “The only thing it didn’t have was a washer-dryer, but if I’d really needed that, I’d have found a way,” Wright says.

Wright-Built

The most important part of the house is the deck, which floats over the water and gives the couple plenty of room to hang out, barbecue and take off on their paddle boards. The couple loved life in the boathouse so much, they now consider it a camper, front porch, guesthouse and second home, just steps away from their main residence.

Save and splurge. The homeowners saved by finding an antique refrigerator and restoring it by hand. They splurged by adding an electronic garage door.

See more of this boathouse

studio zero85

6. Traditional Fishing Hut in Italy

Location: Pescara, Abruzzo region, Italy
Who vacations here: A family
Size: 1,464 square feet (136 square meters)
Architect: studio zero85

This trabocco — the traditional name for this type of wooden structure with a platform, historically used for fishing — was built in place of the original, which was falling apart. While it’s not a typical vacation home (there’s no bathroom, for instance) it’s nonetheless a getaway for its owners, who try to spend as much time here as possible during the summer.

A multipurpose beach retreat, it’s ideal for meditation and hosting friends on the sea-facing terrace. It’s also used as an exhibition space in low season. The children especially love it for their pajama parties.

studio zero85

There are strict building rules in place for this type of hut in Italy, so the architects had to follow precise guidelines, especially regarding the roof shape and size of the windows. Though traditional trabocchi are made of wood, this structure is made of metal, wood and mineral wool, with the floor covered in wood parquetry. This keeps the house from being affected by the humidity.

The architects, together with the owners, decided to keep the furnishings simple, so as not to distract from the view, which is the real star of the show.

studio zero85

Save and splurge. The owners were able to save on furnishings, not needing (or wanting) to overdecorate. This meant the bulk of the money could go toward replicating the original form. The whole project cost about $280,000.

See more of this trabocco

ÁBATON Arquitectura & Construcción

7. Abandoned Stable in Spain

Location: Comarca de La Vera, Extremadura region, Spain
Who vacations here: A family that includes two children
Size: 3,466 square feet (322 square meters); situated on 13 acres
Architects: Ábaton Arquitectura & Construcción

This abandoned stable in the province of Cáceres has been transformed into a vacation home where the owners can spend their weekends and extended breaks, away from the hustle and bustle of Madrid.

They wanted any renovations to be respectful of the environment, so the electricity and water are sustainably sourced. A solar panel system with storage batteries supplies energy during the summer, while turbines take advantage of the two streams that run through the estate, providing electricity during winter.

ÁBATON Arquitectura & Construcción

Visitors can enjoy views of the woods of the Sierra de Gredos mountains from every room in the house. ”When the sun shines, one of the most beautiful things is to see the reflections of the water inside the house,” the architect says.

ÁBATON Arquitectura & Construcción

Stone found in the surrounding area was used to build both the house and the swimming pool.

Save and splurge. Money was saved by reusing the original stone of the facade and the red roof tiles. The owners splurged on energy-efficient solar panels, as well as the pump and turbine that produce hydraulic energy.

See more of this house

Lode Architecture

8. Timber Time-Share in a Wild French Field

Location: Near Honfleur, Normandy region, France
Who vacations here: Two families linked by friendship
Size: 517 square feet (48 square meters); situated on 2.5 acres
Architect: Lode Architecture

Two families share this vacation home, situated in a meadow near Honfleur. There are almost no personal objects inside, since the families share the contents of the house as well. A deck on the south side lets them while away the hours under the sun. The surrounding greenery has been left to grow wild, helping the house blend in with the landscape. The families can enjoy an “outdoor kitchen” thanks to the large sliding windows that open onto the terrace.

Lode Architecture

Inside, a building site net has been used to separate the zones while maintaining an open-plan feel.

Save and splurge. To keeps costs down, the walls and ceiling were covered in plywood. In addition, the second-floor sleeping area is organized like boat or train cabins, with curtains for privacy.

The splurge is found in the living room, which holds an illuminated bath. “It reminds us of Westerns, when cowboys come back from a horse-riding trip and take a bath in the middle of their hotel room,” says architect Arnaud Lacoste.

See more of this holiday house

Yonder - Architektur und Design

9. Alpine Retreat in Austria

Location: Krumbach, Vorarlberg state, Austria
Who vacations here: The architect’s parents, plus family and friends
Size: 1,238 square feet (115 square meters)Architect: Yonder Architektur und Design

Locals call this modern vacation house “Bienenhus” (bee house) because of the precision of its design. The building, a wood frame construction on a concrete base, was built by Benedikt Bosch, an architect at German studio Yonder Architektur und Design, for his parents. They use it as a weekend retreat, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends and family. There’s space for eight people, but it also feels cozy when the couple are on their own.

Yonder - Architektur und Design

The building sits by itself on a hill near the woods, and offers an unobstructed view of the landscape. “The visual relationship to the natural surroundings played a major role in the design,” Bosch says. Little cutouts and panoramic windows open the interior to the outdoors.

The rooms are mostly clad in local white fir (also used for the exterior). In some areas, however, such as in the sauna, the architect used reclaimed wood from the building that stood here before.

Yonder - Architektur und Design

Save and splurge. Bosch wanted to create a quality building on a fixed budget of $163,000. “This was only possible by reducing the standard in other areas,” he says. “For example, there is no central heating in the house, only a wood-burning stove in the living room. We also completely dispensed with impact sound insulation. And in order to give the living room a luxurious sense of spaciousness with an open gallery, the height of the sleeping rooms has been reduced to 2.2 meters,” about 7 feet.

See more of this alpine retreat

廣部剛司建築研究所　Takeshi Hirobe Architects

10. On Top of the World in Japan

Location: Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Who vacations here: A couple
Size: 1,253 square feet (116.4 square meters); situated on 20,129 square feet (1,869.8 square meters) of land
Architect: Takeshi Hirobe

This hilltop vacation home is in the Uchibo area of Chiba Prefecture. “The site was just perfect for a weekend retreat,” says architect Takeshi Hirobe. “Situated on a hill 200 meters above the coast, one can see Tokyo Bay, where ships come and go.”

Just a one-hour drive from the owners’ home in central Tokyo, it’s a place where they can unwind or entertain friends, complete with an enviable view of Mount Fuji in the distance. They wanted to take full advantage of the panorama of sky and sea, so a huge glass wall spans the front of the villa.

廣部剛司建築研究所　Takeshi Hirobe Architects

Save and splurge. The architect was able to save on the interior by cladding it in modest basswood plywood, but it doesn’t look shabby thanks to the meticulous design and finish. One request of the owners was that Hirobe “create an architectural form that we have never seen before, while using usual materials.” In response, the architect designed a unique structure composed of many triangles set along the sloping site.