Contemporary

Despite zoning restrictions, a simple floor plan and traditional materials unite in a design of understated eleganceby Peter Sandall

A cast-in-place concrete soaking tub is the centerpiece of this Japanese-inspired bathby Greg Brooks

Straddling a Sonoma ridge, this contemporary house is an edgy mix of weathered boards, corrugated metal, and a plan that invites outdoor livingby Charles Miller

Straddling a Sonoma ridge, this contemporary house is an edgy mix of weathered boards, corrugated metal, and a plan that invites outdoor livingby Charles Miller

Ocean views on top, multicar parking below, lots of light in betweenby Laura Du Charme Conboy

Inspired by Northwest Native American homes, a new retreat points its gabled prow seaward and shows off its structure insideby David Hall

A sculptor and a collector of antiques use simplicity and honesty to reinvent their 18th-century farmhouseby Debra Judge Silber

How plans for a "faux adobe" house evolved into a modern desert getawayby Maria LaPiana

A modern remodel takes shape on the California coast -- with light, views, privacy, and budget in mindby Michelle Leise

A California couple shows how 'his' house and 'her' house became their houseby Debra Judge Silber

A simple house wraps around a hillside, blending with its surroundings while embracing the viewby Carl Bunch

A Toronto architect updates a traditional cottage for his office and adds a modern three-story home, but you'd never know it from the streetby John O'Connor

Two steps up, this kitchen overlooks the party and hides the clutterby Christopher Simmonds

A surprising second story changed the space, while innovative materials gave this home a sense of styleby Maria LaPiana

A growing family turns a dramatic 19th-century townhouse into a contemporary home filled with natural lightby Jessica Keener

A hillside home with a simple, barrier-free floor plan features an exercise pool in an enclosed courtyardby Will Foster

Two solutions to the same hillside lot yield one clear winnerby Michaela Mahady

No-nonsense materials and exposed trusses distinguish a Houston house with a home office built for less than $100 per sq. ft.by Scott Ballard

Pastoral on the outside, this house has an interior that blends finely crafted details with industrial elements in a whimsical whirlby John W. Lindsey