While most people recycle bottles and cans, Lisbon architect Manuel Aires Mateus salvaged a pair of old fishermen's cabins to create a rustic rental escape. The architect calls the project Cabanas no Rio (which translates to Cabins On The River). The accommodations are divided into two buildings; the kitchen and small seating area in one cabana, and the bedroom and bath in the other. Together the buildings total 678 square feet, making it a very cozy stay. Maximum occupancy: two.

Photography by Nelson Garrido. 

Above: The front door opens to reveal the bedroom, and then opens again to uncover the shower. 

Above: The bed, fitted in white sheets, has a mosquito net canopy. A bulb on a cloth cord is hung as a bedside light.

Above: The seating area, furnished in all white, overlooks the jetty. The cabins come with a kayak (and they even have Wi-Fi).

Above: A sideboard conceals storage.

Above: The kitchen sink is concealed beneath the counter.

Above: Mateus conceals plenty of storage.

Above L: The seams of each wall carefully come together in a point on the ceiling. Above R: Behind the seating area, a slab of wood opens up to reveal a tiny cooking area. 

Above: A towel hangs on the bedroom door and the front vestibule cleverly doubles as part of the shower. Bathers can shower out in the open, or close the doors for privacy.

Above: The rustic setup has a rainfall shower head. 

Above: Cabanas no Rio overlook the Sado River, a nature reserve that's home to flamingos, storks, and dolphins. They rent for €200 a night for two, including breakfast and daily cleaning. For more details and to make reservations, go to Cabanas no Rio. 

Below: The cabanas are located in Comporta, Portugal, an hour south of Portugal.

Peruse our other Architect Visits for more inspiration, and don't miss 10 Shops & Restaurants Made From Shipping Containers. Have a look at Landscape Architecture on Gardenista, plus a Garden Visit to the Academy of Sciences' Living Rooftop. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• The Architect Is In: An East Village Penthouse Taken Back in Time
• Architect Visit: The Look of Things to Come
• 10 Shops and Restaurants Made from Shipping Containers

We're wrapping up the week with a look at what's on our radar right now:

Above: Where Architects Live exhibit at Salone Mobile.

Above: In LA? This year's three-day Legends of La Cienega event, Novel Interiors: Storytelling by Design, takes place from May 7 to 9. Highlights? Panel discussions, book signings, open houses, and inspired window designs. NB: Purchase tickets here, and note that a VIP Pass gets you entry into all the events (including the evening parties); proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity LA.

Above: Planning to try this at home: flower and leaf wall.

• Above: Art as a critique on waste.  
• Splashed out celeb kitchens.
• For market days.

• Above: The pharmacist will see you now. 
• Prefab style.
• DIY: Backyard Tipi. 

• Above: Entryway rehab.  
• Refinery29's editor-in-chief has an über small apartment.  
• The American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment names the world's greenest buildings.  

• Above: For a spring tabletop. 
• Do you have a creative routine? 
• Celebrating 100 years of design. 

Go to our Going Green issue to catch up on our latest posts, and don't miss Gardenista's own Going Green issue, DIY spring floral arrangements and rose geranium tea cake recipe included.

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• The World's Greenest and Most Economical Shelving System?
• The Derelict Furniture Co. of Estonia
• Fantastic Plastic: Lamps Made from Recycled Soda Bottles

Remodelista readers voted the dining area of this penthouse loft in New York's East Village as the Best Professionally Designed Dining Space in the 2013 Remodelista Considered Dining Awards. Curious to see the rest of the apartment—two stories with a roof terrace and dramatic view of St. Marks Place—we asked Michael Neumann to lead us on a tour. Neumann is a founding partner of New York architecture MNA, a member of the Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory; he's available for the next 48 hours to answer any and all questions. Ask away! 

The apartment is located in what was originally a hospital built in the 1920s; the top floors had been converted in the eighties into living lofts with an industrial aesthetic. MNA's clients, Alfredo Paredes and Brad Goldfarb, are design-world insiders—Paredes is one of  the masterminds behind Ralph Lauren's distinctive built environments, and Goldfarb is a special projects editor at Architectural Digest. They had spent two years apartment hunting before they toured their penthouse and immediately recognized the potential of the 2,500-square-foot space. What they envisioned, however, had an altogether different vibe than simple, modern space they bought. “In our early design sessions, old manor houses always seemed to come up—rough timbered ceilings, plastered masonry walls, worn stone, and wide board floors,” says Neumann. “In the spirit of 19th century eclecticism, we recreated that romantic style for this apartment.” 

Photography by Jay Camelo and Jeff Rudy for MNA. 

Above: When visitors enter the double-height great room, they're greeted by Sid and expansive views of the East Village. The room serves as a combined living, dining, and kitchen area (behind a partition), and has six newly installed 12-foot-high arched French windows framed in blackened industrial steel. Sourced from Clement Windows, they open onto a 1,000-square-foot terrace that runs the entire length of the room. Continuous limestone floors run from the interior onto the roof: "The terrace is the open expansion of the great room," says Neumann. "The clients love to entertain and host big parties."

Above: East Village palazzo living: throughout the penthouse, the choice of materials and finishes evoke the handwork and patina of earlier eras. The plaster covered masonry walls have a rough texture and rounded corners. The ceiling is made of vintage French hardwood beams that are open grain and wax finished. Contemporary niceties are seamlessly incorporated: the tumbled limestone floor, for instance, is zoned for radiant heat.

Above: Design professionals themselves, owners Paredes and Goldfarb closely collaborated with MNA, and sourced all of the loft's furnishings and artwork. In the atelier-like dining area, vintage Tolix chairs surround a rustic circular dining table that came from Lucca Antiques in LA. The outsize lantern is Spanish wrought iron. The sideboard is a vintage Belgian console table with a Belgian bluestone top; it stands against a partition that sections off the kitchen.

Above: In the galley kitchen, the architects continue the luxe-rustic look with white oak cabinets that have a wire-brushed and hand-rubbed tung oil finish. The countertop is Belgian bluestone.

Above: The vintage 1940s Italian lighting was sourced from Obsolete in LA; it was selected to complement the bluestone slab counter and Jaclo faucet with black ceramic levers.

Above: The partitioned kitchen is hidden from view but has easy access to the living area and terrace. Did you know that galley kitchens are the optimum layout for efficient meal production? See Remodeling 101: The Urban Galley Kitchen for details. 

Above: In the living area, a large-scale monochrome artwork by Richard Serra hangs above a vintage fireplace mantel that Paredes and Goldfarb found for the room. The leather chairs are Alstead Club Chairs from Ralph Lauren.  

Above: The stair hall, with its paneled wall, stone steps, and arched passageway, was inspired by a manor house. 

Above: Rough-hewn tumbled limestone steps are paired with custom-designed blackened steel rails. The stairs lead to the bedrooms.

Above: Floor-to-ceiling curtains and a headboard made from Ralph Lauren Home fabric introduce layers of texture in the master bedroom.

Above: The closet doors are made from the same oiled-finish white oak and ER Butler hardware that is used throughout the project.

Above: Glossy and reflective surfaces, including solid stainless steel skirting on the Mercer Bathtub from Urban Archaeology, and a large-scale mirror and black subway tiles, create the illusion of expansive space in the master bath. The branch-like towel holder was sourced from Wyeth.

Above: In the guest bedroom, a fully stocked floor-to-ceiling bookcase behind the daybed creates a cozy welcome.

Above: The guest bathroom black and white shower tiles (from Alan Court and Associates) are laid out in a chevron pattern.

Before

Above: A glimpse of the penthouse prior to its transformation.  To see more of the architecture firm's work, go to MNA.

This time of year, we all daydream about roof terraces and gardens. See two more lower Manhattan rooftop gardens by Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory Members: Pulltab Design in the East Village and Juan Matiz in Tribeca. And on Gardenista, New York's Front Stoops are fully explored and explained in this week's Hardscaping 101. 

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• Recycle This: A Pair of Fishermen's Cabins Turned Beachside Cabanas
• Architect Visit: The Look of Things to Come
• 10 Shops and Restaurants Made from Shipping Containers

This week we're heading north to Canada and thereabouts: join us for a week of cabins, canvas tents, and made-in-Canada designs. We're launching the issue with a tour of John Baker and Juli Daoust's just-remodeled kitchen in their apartment above Mjölk, our favorite shopping haunt in Toronto.

Above: Canada is calling. 

Monday

Above: An in-depth look at Juli Daoust and John Baker's Toronto kitchen; see their cottage renovation at House Call: Juli and John Baker in Canada and Canada's Most Beautiful Guest Cottage; and for their Toronto city guide, see A Perfect Day in Toronto. 

Tuesday

Above: In her weekly Object Lessons column, Megan explains the colorful history of the Hudson's Bay blanket. A Canadian trading company plays the lead role, and did you know that the narrow stitched black lines are there to indicate the blanket size (so that it doesn't have to be unfolded)?  

Wednesday

'

Above: Christine leads us into the woods for this week's Architect Visit. Here's where we're like to stay (as soon as all the snow melts): an off-the-grid cabin designed by Scott & Scott Architects, an upstart Vancouver firm specializing in "challenging locations." (For the lakeside equivalent, have a look at A Pair of Fisherman's Cabins Turned Beach Cabanas.)

Thursday

Above: Best clothesline ever? Stay tuned. And while we're on the subject, see 10 Easy Pieces: Laundry Hampers and 12 Natural Garment Washes and Detergents.

Friday

Above: Soho House recently opened its first Canada outpost in a historical hotel in Toronto. On Friday we're welcomed into the private club for a tour of the restoration. In the meantime, have a look at Soho House Berlin and our Steal This Look: Rough Luxe Bathroom in Berlin.

Did you know that you can explore all of our posts dating back to 2007? Go to our Back Issues and start browsing; it's all there, from Vol. 1, Issue 1 (In the Pink), to last week's Going Green. And don't miss Gardenista's Archive. In the comments section, fill us in on topics you'd like us to cover in the future.

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• The World's Greenest and Most Economical Shelving System?
• The Derelict Furniture Co. of Estonia

Not too long ago, on a quick business-ey type trip to Toronto, I made a side pilgrimage to Mjölk (one of our favorite shops ever at Remodelista). Sensing my curiosity (read: snoopiness), owners John Baker and Juli Daoust invited me upstairs to take a tour of their newly remodeled flat—a sanctuary of Scandinavian design above the busy city streetscape.

Working with Toronto firm Studio Junction, the couple created a two-level flat atop the three-story building they bought a few years ago when they launched their shop (Mjölk is on the ground floor). The bedrooms are on the second floor and the living space is on the top, anchored by a kitchen-dining area. "The design was inspired by the kitchens in Norwegian summer homes featured in Norwegian Wood: The Thoughtful Architecture of Wenche Selmer," John says. 

Photos by Juli Daoust.

Above: The raw copper Kvist Chandelier is by Jonas Bohlin; €1,812 at Skulptur Fabriken. The shelves are stocked with kitchen utensils, cutting boards, and tableware from Mjölk. "Having a shop and gallery like ours, we get to make personal connections with most of the artists we represent," John says. "We're fortunate to be able to use their work in our home every day." 

Above: A Sori Yanagi Tea Kettle (CA$150). "I do most of the cooking around here," John says. "I leave work an hour early, before we close, so I can make dinner. I mostly make Japanese food, especially homestyle cooking like okonomiyaki and chicken karaage, which reminds me of our trips to Japan. And of course Canadian staples like pancakes and maple sausage (our daughter Elodie's favorite breakfast)."

Above: The counters are soapstone. Suspended from a custom oak rail are a Bagel Trivet (CA$80) and a Coffee Trough by Tomiyama Koichi ($150). On the counter, brass Utensil Holders by Oji Masanori (CA$200 for the small, CA$300 for the large) corral a set of kitchen tools. 

Above: The floors are soap-treated Douglas Fir and the dining chairs are Borge Mogensen Shaker Chairs (a set of six is currently available at Lawson-Fenning for $2,250). "The joinery and many of the proportions of the cabinetry were derived from furniture pieces by Mogensen." 

Above: "We love displaying this work on the open shelves of our kitchen and made a conscious decision to only use one staple glass," John says.

Above: The Sucabaruca Coffee Set is a Mjölk exclusive, designed by Venice- and Stockholm-based Luca Nichetto. Contact Mjölk for ordering information.

Above: A hard-carved soapstone sink with a Vola kitchen faucet and custom drainboard. To read up on soapstone counters, see our Remodeling 101 post.

Above: A charcoal gray 8-gallon Vipp 24 Pedal Bin is $469 directly from Vipp; the small Iris Hantverk Table Brush is CA$38 from Mjölk. The Harimi Dustpan, designed by Oji Masanori and made of persimmon-coated cardboard, is $22 for the small size and $28 for the large size from Ioneta Shop (it's also available at Objects of Use in the UK).

Above: A detail of the custom drainboard. 

Above: A culinary center for Elodie occupies a corner of the kitchen (her new baby brother, Howell, arrived last week).

Above: In another corner, a vintage Danish piano.

Above: The kitchen opens onto a daylight-flooded courtyard.

 We're longstanding Mjölk fans—to read about Juli and John's cottage renovation, go to House Call: Juli and John Baker in Canada and Canada's Most Beautiful Guest Cottage; for their Toronto city guide, see A Perfect Day in Toronto. 

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• Domestic Dispatches: The Unused Kitchen
• 10 Easy Pieces: Recycling Bins
• 10 Easy Pieces: Compact Cooking Appliances

"I am touched by lines, curves, textures, pebbles," says Montreal-based ceramicist Basma Osama of Ceramik B. Osama makes tableware notable for its natural forms and delicacy. Her slipcast butter dishes, for instance, resemble seed pods. Meanwhile, the names of the pieces—Belia, Sultan—reflect her polyglot heritage. Originally from Egypt, Osama speaks French, Arabic, English, and Spanish. Her line of eggshell-thin porcelain recalls Eva Zeisel’s famous midcentury tea sets, but with an asymmetrical dash all her own (covered in StyleFiles by Canadian House and Home). The line is available for purchase through the artist's website. 

Above: A stack of the Vizira side plates made of porcelain.

Above: The Morjiana cups in white.

Above: The Nouma salt-and-pepper shaker set fits together like a deviled egg. Osama says it was inspired by the relationship she has with her son. "When I created it, he was little, and would often nest in me."

Above: The Wassi serving dish.

Above: Osama's pieces are glazed inside for easy cleaning, and have a matte exterior finish. They are available in white, sage, cocoa, and crème.

For an overview of our ceramics finds, browse our Photo Gallery, and don't miss our posts about Lenneke Wispelwey's Pastel Pottery and A Ceramic Artist's Enviable Life on the Scottish Coast. See Gardenista, for standout Pots & Planters.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on January 26, 2012 as part of our issue, The Rustic Life.

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The first kitchen we had, when my husband and I were newlyweds, was about half the size of our current bathroom. It had room for a sink, a placemat-sized workspace, and a four-burner stove that was one cut above an Easy Bake oven. I could roast a 12-pound turkey in it. Unstuffed.

I’ll say this about that kitchen, though: every inch of it was used. And shortly before we grew out of the house, we were able to install a built-in dishwasher, a luxury that came with a doubly high price because it diminished our storage space by half.

I thought about this the other day when my husband was rooting around in the great, unexplored Northwestern territories of my freezer. “Do you have any idea what this is?” he called, waving around a frozen block of something that could have been a stew, a tomato sauce, or a woolly mammoth.

Photographs by Liesa Johannssen for Remodelista.

Above: My Wolf range with impractical marble backsplash.

I barely heard him from the other end of the kitchen, where I was bent over the giant Wolf stove, retrieving a broiler pan from the side-by-side garage we call the oven.

It is a beautiful kitchen, with marble and nickel and a weathered barn-door table that sits on a Persian rug. And we use it all the time. Which is the problem.

When I designed this kitchen, for inspiration I relied on a big pile of tear sheets of beautiful photos from magazines and websites—pictures of kitchens that looked like no one ever cooked in them. What I didn’t realize was that no one did.

These days there are two kinds of kitchens: kitchens that get used and kitchens that don’t. I wish I had known this before I remodeled mine. 

Instead? I created a stage set rather than a workspace and now I spend half my time removing stains from porous marble and trying to hide my mismatched coffee cups from view. 

It’s a common problem. “Blame the Pinterest effect,” says Alexandra Lange, a Brooklyn-based architecture critic. “People look at pictures of high-end kitchens and think theirs need to look the same. But those photos should have a disclaimer that warns ‘This is an unused kitchen.’”

Above: To guard against stains, I installed a 3-inch-high strip of stainless steel.

Blame the trend on the 1950s. That's when kitchens began to evolve from humble workspaces—for preparing meals and washing dishes—into bloated rooms with identity crises. The first indication of trouble, says Lange, was the pass-through window to connect the kitchen to other rooms in the house.

"After the pass-through came the breakfast bar, which turned into the giant island with stools that sit two feet away from a kitchen table. The different uses of these redundant spaces became mysterious and led to the fragmentation of the meal as an idea," Lange says. "Nowadays people say, 'Why should I cook a turkey when I can buy a cooked turkey at the store and just take it out of the refrigerator to eat at one of these stations' instead of having a meal together at a table. "

These days, there are unused kitchens with fancy appliances that look new, stainless sinks as shiny as the day they were installed, and open shelving that holds museum-worthy displays of carefully arranged dishes.

There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Some people don't like to cook. Others use their beautiful kitchens as extensions of their living spaces, outfitting them with sofa, fireplaces, and oil paintings. Says kitchen designer Susan Serra, "Kitchens as living spaces has become the overarching trend in recent years, in fact in the past 20 years but with an extra strong push since 2008."

In fact, "a designer can get great enjoyment specifying materials for a kitchen that is mostly unused," says Serra. "Exotic marbles (carefully sealed, of course), wood surfaces, metals for countertops such as a very thin semi-polished stainless steel, concrete countertops, and pristine white cabinetry are a joy to work with."

But in a kitchen like mine where roasting chickens and bubbling tomato sauce and acidic lemon juice all routinely splatter surfaces, I learned the hard way that it is not a good idea to have a porous marble backsplash or countertops.

Above: My new stainless steel ledge doubles as a display shelf.

Luckily, I figured out a simple fix for the backsplash. We installed a 3-inch-high strip of stainless steel behind the stove to divert grease—and that stopped the staining. For the countertops? I have made my peace with the etching from blotches of lemon juice and will even go so far as as to tell people, "Imperfection lends character." Some days I even believe that.

But if I were to do it all over again? The next kitchen I design will be impregnable. It will have a stainless steel backsplash that covers the entire wall behind the stove, and the countertops will be made of kryptonite (as that appears to be the only surface truly impervious to wear). The Persian rug can stay, though; the pattern hides stains.

Want to know more about removing stains from marble? See My Dirty Secret: Or How I Learned to Live with a Marble Backsplash. See more of Michelle's weekly columns in our Domestic Dispatches archives.

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Located in Montreal's fashionable Outremont neighborhood Les Touilleurs is a high-end kitchen emporium with a working demonstration kitchen and an impeccably designed interior by Louise Savoie.

Owners François Longpré and Sylvain Côté aim to create a "classic store with big open-pantry displays that evoke true kitchen feelings." Among the wares: Wüsthof-Trident knives, All-Clad and Mauviel pots and pans, and hand-carved, beeswax-finished maple spoons and paddles by Quebec artisan Tom Littledeer. The couple has also added Gourmet Trips, from Bretagne to Chicago, to their offerings.

Above: Les Touilleurs is located on Avenue Laurier Ouest in Outremont, Montreal.

Above: A window display of artfully assembled tart pans and rolling pins.

Above: The demonstration kitchen is integrated into the shop.

Above: Wooden spoons and paddles by Tom Littledeer, who learned his craft from his father. Photograph by Alexi Hobbs for Nowness in Secret Cities: Montreal.

Above: Classic casserole dishes in every size.

Above: A cake pan holds metal scoops, one of the many kitchen accessories sold in store and online.

Above: Colorful Dualit Toasters and other small appliances tidily displayed in a grid.

Above:  Owners François Longpré and Sylvain Côté faciliate a series of workshops (in French) with guest chefs in the test kitchen.

Above: Les Touilleurs holds a workshop a week on topics ranging from pizza making and Japanese inspirations. For more information, go to Les Touilleurs.

Two more kitchen shops that we love? See San Francisco's Best Kitchen Shop—Now Online and Kitchen As Still-Life in New York.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on August 20, 2010 as part of our Marine Life issue.

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Whenever we're in Portland (Oregon, that is), we head straight to our favorite restaurant, Clyde Common, at the Ace Hotel. Located in a lofty, two-level space, the restaurant is decorated in a low-key Army-Navy style; we especially like the towering fir-tree branches casually stuck in a glass cylinder vase in lieu of a more traditional floral arrangement. 

Ace Hotel veterans Jack Barron and Natasha Figueroa conceptualized and designed the interior. Here's a tour of the space followed by the key elements to recreate the look. 

Recreate the laid-back Northwest vibe with the following elements:

Above: Factory Light No. 5 Rod in Black Enamel; $249 from Schoolhouse Electric.

Above: Thonet Era Chair; available in a coffee stain (shown) for $150, as well as black, white, green, and red; $175 from Design Within Reach.

Above: Recreate the communal-table feel of Clyde Common with the 90.5 inch long solid European oak Big Sur Table; $1,999 at Crate & Barrel. See it in use with benches in architect Elizabeth Roberts' Brooklyn townhouse on page 83 of the Remodelista book.

Above: Jasper Morrison's simple pieces for Alessi fit the Clyde Common aesthetic.

Above: Jasper Morrison Glass Family Set for Alessi starts at $34 for at set of four water glasses at Lumens.

Above: Jasper Morrison's PlateBowlCup Line of sturdy bone china dinnerware for Alessi; prices range from $20 for a set of four saucers to $64 for a serving platter at Lumens.

Above: The Clyde Common designers introduced textured to the airy space by using tarps as wall coverings and entryway curtains; 6-by-8-foot, off-white, 100-percent cotton Canvas Tarps are $33.60 at Tarps Plus.

Above: The Modern Industry Stool features a scaffolded iron base and polished stainless steel seat; $195 each from Sundance.

Above: These Heavy Duty Outdoor String Lights are on a waterproof rubber cord that's 54 feet long and has 24 light bulbs; $105 at Sival Lighting.

Above: Ikea's Korken Bottle with stopper is an affordable water carafe option; $3.99.

Above : This little Heath Ceramics Bud Vase is $22 and available in two shades of green: Olive (shown) and Avocado.

For more inspiration, sift through our gallery of Dining Rooms. Traveling to Portland, Oregon? Have a look at our City Guide—and don't miss the Ace Hotel, home of Clyde Common. Read about downtown Portland's standout Farmer's Market on Gardenista.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 22, 2010.

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Stalwarts of Toronto's irreverent creative scene, multi-disciplinary firm Castor Design has salvaged burned-out fluorescent bulbs from the trash heap and put them to new use: as glowing sculptures. The spent tubes—which Castor points out comes from "architecturally significant buildings"—are bundled around incandescent bulbs to form horizontal or vertical torpedoes that emit a soft warm light.

Horizontal fixture

Above: The Recycled Tube Light makes a dramatic statement in a loft space. This example is one of several hung in a row at Toronto's Parts & Labour Restaurant & Club.

Above: The horizontal fixtures range in length from 15 to 93 inches and are 8 inches in diameter; prices start at $2,050 CAD.

Vertical Fixture

Above: Short lengths of fluorescent tubing are transformed into the Vertical Tube, which can be hung alone or as a group.

 Above: The vertical fixtures are 17.5 inches long and 6 inches in diameter; prices start at $700 CAD. 

Read Remodeling 101: How to Choose an Overhead Light Fixture to make sure the light you have your eye is right for the job. To see more lights made from found materials, have a look at our posts: A Tumbleweed Light, Lamps Made From Recycled Soda Bottles, and DIY: Pendants Made From Drinking Straws. On Gardenista, these DIY Lanterns will help kickstart summer. 

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• Object Lessons: The Hudson's Bay Point Blanket
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In 2005, San Francisco-based photographer Leslie Williamson decided to make a list of the houses of her favorite architects and designers with the idea of visiting them all in her lifetime. As she was creating her lineup, she realized there wasn't a book that collectively documented these dwellings, and resolved to create one herself. That was the start of a journey resulting in two books to date, Handcrafted Modern: At Home with Midcentury Designers, which was released in 2005 and focuses on US designers, and Williamson's just-released, Modern Originals: At Home with Midcentury European Designers.

The new  volume explores the houses of designers both noted and lesser known, and though focused on design and architecture, Williamson writes that she felt she was “meeting these peoples as human beings through being in their homes and learning about their everyday life.” Along the way, she captured places that are still lived in, as as well as houses that are preserved with personal effects all still in place. The result is a refreshingly new perspective on midcentury designers whose work we may be familiar with, but whose own rooms provide us with an intimate glance behind the scenes.  

Above: A wall of windows in Bruno Mathsson’s living room overlook a lake in the countryside outside Värnamo, Sweden, and are  furnished with his own designs, including the Pernilla 3 chair with a lambswool cover.

Above: The tiled entry to Carlo Mollino’s apartment in Torino, Italy, is flanked by red velvet curtains and has an iconic white chair and marble table and by the iconic designer, who is said to have said, "Everything is permissible as long as it is fantastic."

Above: The living room of Italian designer Lino Sabattini—whose career was launched by Gio Ponti in the fifties—showcases his works in glass and ceramics.

Above: The open-plan living room in Finn Juhl’s house in Denmark. Williamson tells us that before he became a furniture designer, Juhl trained as an architect: “Finn Juhl’s color sense really made an impression on me. I love the subtle shift of color to the yellow ceiling, and how he controls where your eye moves with pops of coral and blue throughout the room. “

Above: A bedroom in Alvar Aalto's Helsinki home with his modern classic Artek Bench at the foot of each bed.

Above: The bright Antwerp kitchen of Belgium’s leading modernist architect, Renaat Braem, who apprenticed with Le Corbusier. Williamson notes in her introduction that she loved discovering these designers’ solutions for everyday living: “This might be a little crazy but Braem’s under-sink cabinet on wheels made me so happy! Who doesn’t lose stuff in the back of your undersink cabinet? Brilliant solution, right?”

Modern Originals: At Home with Midcentury European Designers written and photographed by Leslie Williamson, and published by Rizzoli, is available from Amazon for $35.26.

See our post on Leslie Williamson's companion book, Handcrafted Modern: At Home with Midcentury Designers. And go to Required Reading for more of our design book suggestions. Five-Plant Gardens? Read about this new book on Gardenista.

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"Is there any older, quieter, or finer craft than pottery?" asks Quebec-based ceramicist Renaud Sauve of Atelier Des Cent-Ans. "The clay to which the potter gives form is a basic material, one of the most ordinary and simple found in nature." Sauve, a philosophy major turned Cirque de Soleil set builder, segued into ceramics after taking a class at the Centre de Ceramique Bonsecours. He now lives and works in Irlande, a remote town in Bois-Francs, Quebec, where he communes with nature, sources clay from nearby streams, and works in his pottery studio. Juli and John of Mjölk paid a visit not long ago; see their photos here (they also offer select pieces at Mjölk).

Above: A simple cake stand in Sauve's studio.

Above: An assortment of Atelier Des Cent-Ans tea vessels atop a wood stand by Gilbert Garcia; go to Mjölk for more information.

Above: Simple, sculptural forms characterize Sauve's work.

Above: A closeup of the Atelier Des Cent-Ans cake stand.

Above: A collection of Atelier Des Cent-Ans tea ceremony pieces.

 For inspiration, browse all of our posts on Ceramics, including Handmade Tableware That Once Lived in the White House and Organic Porcelain Ware from Montreal. See Gardenista for standout Pots & Planters.

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Native Americans aren't generally associated with sheep, especially not sheep dotted about the limestone villages of the English Cotswolds. Yet the Hudson's Bay Point blanket owes its existence to both, with the Hudson's Bay fur trading post in Canada acting as a halfway point between the two cultures. The 18th century Plains Indians valued the preshrunk and felted Cotswold wool blankets for their ability to retain heat and repel water, and used them for bedding and clothing. In exchange, the British received beaver pelts, much in demand for use in the construction of top hats.

The Hudson's Bay point blanket, with its familiar off-white background and green, red, yellow, and blue stripes at either end, has remained exactly as it looked when it was known as the Chief's Blanket. According to Hudson's Bay Company, the colors don't hold any special significance and were chosen simply because they were popular and used the most reliable colorfast dyes at the time. The black stitched lines, or "points," at the top of each blanket have not changed either; they were the means by which a trader could gauge the size of a blanket without having to unfold it. The only real change is that the wool now comes from sheep grazing in Yorkshire; Hudson's Bay Company continues to sell the blankets in Canada, and Woolrich holds the official license to sell them in America. Here are a few examples:

Above: The Egan House in Seattle; photo by Michael A. Muller. A similar Hudson's Bay Multi Wool 6 Point Queen, 90 inches by 100 inches, is available for $460 at Woolrich.

Above: An early 20th century advertisement for the Hudson's Bay blanket, via Cavender Diary.

Above: Hudson's Bay blankets are often repurposed for cushions, curtains, and clothing. Image of a cabin at Camp Wandawega in Wisconsin via Martha Stewart Living.

Above: Hudson's Bay Company continue to sell a large range of the traditional blankets in a variety of colors and styles. A lighter Multi Stripe Knit Throw, 42 inches by 70 inches, is available for $150 CAD.

Above: Over the years, colors have been introduced or taken away. This grisaille king-size Woolrich Hudson's Bay 8 Point Wool Blanket, 100 inches by 108 inches, is on sale for $295 at Sierra Trading Post. 

Above: Vintage Hudson's Bay blankets are available from vintage dealers on Etsy and shops, including Modern Fifty.

Object Lessons columnist Megan Wilson is the owner of Ancient Industries and curator of the Remodelista 100, a collection of essential everyday objects presented in the Remodelista book. Watch for her column every Tuesday, and have a look at her past lessons on Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, Pastel Enamel Pots, the Ercol Stacking Chair, and Humble Cotton Cleaning Cloth.

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The solid block side table is an evolutionary offshoot, we imagine, of the world's first table. That table must have been a tree stump or a medium-sized rock dragged inside for use. Today's block tables are likely more directly inspired by Le Corbusier's oak cube stool and Donald Judd's wood stools. Versatile enough to be moved from bedside to living with ease, they also work well as seating. Here are 10 of our favorites in a range of materials and finishes:

Wood

Above: Designed by Philipp Mainzer for e15 in 1996, the ST04 Backenzahnm Stool is a graceful rendition of the block. Carved out of the wood are four identical legs that taper at the base. The stool is available through Hive Modern for $1,700.

Above: The Small Log Side Table is cut from beechwood trunks and finished in a glossy black lacquer. Made in Italy, the side table is $395 from ABC Carpet & Home.

Above: Ohio Design's ode to Donald Judd, the Blocky Stool is a sculptural piece made entirely of solid wood and available in Radiata, Carbonized Radiata (shown), and oak for $200-$360.

Above: Rama Watana's Teak Stool is made in Thailand from responsibly harvested solid teak; $398 from Design Within Reach.

Above: West Elm's Natural Tree Stump Side Table are fabricated from fallen cypress trees that are sanded and finished to a smooth surface; $199 each.

Metallic and Stone Finishes

Above: From One & Co., the 47 Table is made from reclaimed Douglas fir sourced from old buildings and then coated in a low-VOC layer of silver—the 47 in the name comes from the atomic number of silver. The piece is 47 centimeters high; $1,200 from Design Within Reach.

Above: The Cement Grey Side Table is a mix of marble, granite, stone, and natural fiber. It's finished in a non-toxic wax; $149 from CB2.

Above: The Fresco Stainless Steel Side Table is a three-dimensional block of steel with a reflective surface; $395 from ABC Carpet & Home.

Above: From Anthropologie, the Zuvan Side Table is made from recycled wood washed in a silver or gold finish; $198 each.

Above: The Gus Modern Hot Rolled Cube is made from hot-rolled steel (pure steel is heated above its recrystallization temperature and pushed through rollers to form its shape). The blue patina is a result of oxidization; $645 at ABC Carpet & Home.

For a list of more Side Tables, have a look through the archived favorites in our Shop section. For bedroom ideas, visit our recent post, 10 Easy Pieces: Modern Wood Bedside Tables.

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When snowboarders Susan Scott and David Scott of Scott & Scott Architects set out to build themselves an off-the-grid alpine cabin, they let the free spirit of their sport be their design guide. Located on the north end of Vancouver Island, the structure is located in an area renowned for its powder. Determined to tread lightly in the woods, Scott & Scott created a building that required minimal machine excavation: it withstands heavy snowfall by rising above it on tree-trunk columns. The couple say their design/build process was an adventure “not bound heavily in pre-determination.” The results? A stylish snowboarder’s idyll that is as light on its feet as it is on the environment.  

Photography courtesy of Scott & Scott Architects via ArchDaily.

 

Above: The two-story cabin is located in an alpine recreation area that is 4,200 feet above sea level with a heavy annual snowfall. In order to elevate the structure above the height of the snow, the architects used six columns of Douglas fir tree trunks that they exposed inside the cabin. A window wall creates a snow globe effect in the living room.

Above: The minimalist interior is clad in planed fir.

Above: The cabin is 1,000 square feet and off the grid: it's heated by a wood-burning stove and lit by candles; water is collected and brought in from a local source. In the living room, wood is stowed in shelves and the built-in bench has cushions upholstered with vintage Swiss Army blankets.  

 Above L: Candles set in blackened steel that runs the length of the living room provide lighting at night. Above R: Leather-covered door handles are warmer to the touch than bare metal handles. 

Above: A Hudson's Bay blanket supplies year-round warmth in one of the two bedrooms. Learn the surprising history of the Hudson's Bay blanket (and what the narrow black lines stand for) in Megan Wilson's recent Object Lessons post.

Above: The cabin is accessible by gravel road for only five months of the year. When the snowed-in season supplies are delivered by toboggan.

Above: A corner of the ground floor has been carved out to become a porch for storing firewood and snowboarding equipment. 

Above: The cabin was built to withstand not just snow but strong wind. Its cedar-clad exterior has weathered into a silver-gray that matches the surrounding woods.

Above: The sustainable cabin just received an Architizer A+ 2014 award in the Architecture +Self Initiated Projects category.

Above: The plan of the entry level.

Above: The second floor plan. 

Another cabin built for and by architects, Slow House: A Serene Cabin in the Woods, has stirred serious cabin envy in Melbourne.  For warm-weather inspiration, see 10 Summer Cabins from Members of the Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory. Over on Gardenista, we're all admiring the The Deck that Looks Like a Lightbox. 

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Not just for floors: lately we've been spotting herringbone-patterned walls and exteriors everywhere.

Above: Herringbone wood walls at Father Coffee in New Zealand.

Above: Herringbone ceramic tiles in a kitchen; photo by Nicole Franzen.

Above: Atelier Chan Chan's Herringbone House in London features a distinctively patterned exterior; see more at Architect Visit: Herringbone House in London.

Above: The East Pole Restaurant in NYC features a chevron-paneled wall; photograph by Nicole Franzen.

Above: Masahiro and Mao Harada of Mount Fuji Architects Studio added character to the interior of this Tokyo home by covering the interior surfaces with herringbone oak boards. Photo via Dwell.

Above: A herringbone wood-paneled wall in a project by Swedish stylist Lotta Agaton.

Above: A herringbone-tiled wall at Exchange The Hotel in Amsterdam, designed by Studio Ina Matt.

Above: A chevron-patterned stairway in the London Hearth House by AOC Architects.

Above: A herringbone backsplash by Sarah Richardson Design. 

Above: The counter at Meat and Bread in Vancouver is clad in reclaimed wood in a herringbone pattern.

Curious about the difference between herringbone and chevron? See Chevron and Herringbone: Spot the Difference. For more inspiration, see Trend Alert: 10 Rooms with Color-Washed Wood and Geometric Flooring, Chateau Edition.

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Eileen Fisher began her company 30 years ago with a focus on natural fibers—but ultimately realized that natural is not enough. Natural fibers can still come with herbicides and pesticides that have dire environmental consequences. That's why Eileen Fisher introduced organic cotton into its collection 10 years ago.

This year, the company took a hard look at its mission and progress, and decided to do more. Before the cotton and linen were harvested, the fabric woven, or a single stitch of Eileen Fisher's Eco Collection sewn, a commitment was made: to clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment for workers and wildlife. 

Above: “Becoming more mindful about clothing means looking at every fiber and every seed and every dye and seeing how to make it better,” says Eileen. To start, the company doubled the amount of organic fibers used in its spring collection. This pewter-and-white striped Funnel Neck Top is a blend of organic linen and cotton; $158.

Above L: The Racer-Back Knee-Length Dress, shown here in midnight, is made of organic cotton and hemp; $178. Above R: A Knee-Length A-Line Skirt made of hemp and organic cotton chambray; $158.

Eileen Fisher has committed to increasing its use of organic fibers by 10 percent every year. That may sound easy, but global organic fiber production is still small: only 1.1 percent of all the world's cotton is grown organically.

Above: This Ballet Neck Sleeveless Top is made of organic linen jersey and available in flamingo (shown) and white; $168.

Eileen Fisher returns to its favorite fabrics year after year because they have a drape and feel the company loves. So switching to new fibers—organic ones from new sources—presents a challenge. “With yarns that are so important to our collection, it’s daunting to change up the content,” says sweater designer Julie Rubiner. 

Above: Made of fine-gauge organic linen, this striped Jewel Neck Top has a nautical feel. In midnight and white; $158. 

It turns out that organic fine-gauge linen and organic linen-cotton slub, which the company introduced this year, are even more beautiful and reliable than the conventionally grown ones. "Both yarns feel nicer, which doesn't surprise me," says Rubiner. "I've found that things grown organically have a better quality."

Above: Organic fibers and processes come at a premium, but it's an investment the company believes in—and hopes its customers will, too. This chambray railroad-stripe Scoop-Neck Dress is made of a blend of hemp and organic cotton. It's also available in black denim; $218. Go to Eileen Fisher's Eco Collection to see more.

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Objets Mécaniques is the work of Ariane Ouellet-Pelletier and Ariane Martel-Labrecque, who specialize in making practical objects using sustainable materials and techniques—and their own French-Canadian style. The two met at architecture school and after being dissatisfied with their first professional experiences, decided to start their own venture. They introduced Objets Mecaniques, their online store, in 2012 with milk-painted cutting boards, wooden planters, and beds with built-in storage. We've been visiting regularly ever since, and were happy to discover their latest addition: a playful children's furniture collection in wood with artful hints of color.

Above: All of Objets Mécaniques children's pieces are made to order of locally sourced wood finished with non-toxic natural oils.

Above: Painted with stealth bits of pale color, the Chair for Kids has a seat and backrest made from the workshop's own leftovers and pieces of recycled wood. The legs and base of yellow birch. They're $150 CAD each, and buyers can select a range of color options, including "with a little pale green" and "with a neon pink thin line."

Above: Like the chairs, the Table For Kids has a top made from wood cutoffs and a yellow birch base and legs. The table is available in two versions: a plain pale wood top or one with a dark triangle in a corner; $165 CAD. 

Above: The Tent For Kids is intended for "reading a story, napping, and hiding from monsters"; $285 CAD. The is shipped in pieces that assemble easily, and can be folded when playtime is over.

Above: The tent is covered with fabric that has hand-painted glow-in-the-dark stars that light up at night.

Above: The Outdoor Swing is made from braided polypropylene rope and a wood plank that has been through a torrefaction process, making it naturally weather resistant; $90 CAD.

Go to Objets Mécaniques to see more.

Looking for sustainable children's furniture? Check out LA-based Kalon Studios and Battistella's Woody collection. Over on Gardenista, have a look at a Hidden Brooklyn Garden Intended for Kids Only. 

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Leaping (or lurching) into a kitchen remodel? If so, you're likely about to make an important appliance decision: whether to install a range or a cooktop-wall oven combination.

The good and bad news is that the options in size, configurations, and cooking functions of ranges, cooktops, and ovens are vast. This allows for better adaptability to your cooking needs and your kitchen's physical constraints. But it also makes the selection process complicated. Here are some key questions and tips from architects and designers to help you determine which cooking setup is best for you.

Made this decision recently? Please share your experiences in the comment section below.

Above: A San Francisco kitchen renovation by architect Mark Reilly.

What are your kitchen's space constraints?

The consensus among experts is that a range is the best option for a small kitchen with limited wall and cabinet space. Ranges are straightforward in their space needs: They come in standard widths (generally 24, 30, 36, and 48 inches) and fit into a cabinet opening. Cooktops take up counter space but leave the base cabinet space available for storage. A single wall oven's space needs are similar to a standard range and offer great flexibility of placement. It's the double wall oven that's the space hog—double ovens effectively remove 30 to 33 inches of usable countertop real estate.

How to decide which combination to go with? "The choice comes down to available square footage: a range usually takes up less space than a cooktop and a separate wall oven," says Alison Davin of Bay Area-based Jute Home (a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory). "Our first priority in a kitchen is creating good flow: ample space for working, relaxing, and entertaining. It's followed closely by storage. If these two boxes are checked and there's room to spare, I love the functionality of a cooktop."

Above: This Paris galley kitchen pairs a cooktop and wall oven in an over-under configuration that keeps the appliance impact to a minimum and the counter lines clean. Design by architect Anne Geistdoerfer via Afflante.

Do you need one or two ovens?

How often do you use your cooking appliances and how much capacity do you need? Be realistic about how you cook. Try keeping a log for a few weeks to track how many times you use the stovetop and the oven. Julie Lacap, owner of Contractor's Appliance Source in San Francisco, sees consumers often overestimating their need for an enormous oven. Call it the Thanksgiving turkey phenomenon. It can be a mistake to design the entire kitchen for that one annual meal.

• Are you an avid baker and don't want to wait until your roasted vegetable are done before cooking the tart? Then a double oven setup might be in order.
• Do you entertain every weekend and have friends bring food that needs to be heated while your main course is in the oven? Sounds like a double oven—or a warming drawer—is needed. See our post: Rediscovering the Warming Drawer.
• Do you have two ovens now and only use the second oven once a year for a family gathering? Consider making do with a single oven; as is, you're losing valuable storage space the other 364 days a year.

Because ranges are generally limited (though not always) to one oven, wall ovens are the way to go if you need two full-sized ovens. Or, if you love ranges but need two ovens, consider supplementing with a single wall oven. If you're short on wall space, it can be mounted in a base cabinet.

 Above: Double stacked wall ovens in a kitchen by UK-based Mole Architects. 

What are your cooking habits?

Your cooking habits also impact appliance choice:

• Do you tend to stand in front of your stovetop tending to your cooking? If so, you might want to avoid the heat radiating from an oven.
• Do you frequently move transfer dishes from the stovetop to finish in the oven? Proximity is important in this case.
• How close do you want your pots and pans to your appliance?
• Do you have back issues? Hauling heavy pots out of a range oven can be burdensome. A wall oven at arm and eye height is likely a better choice for those with bad knees or backs. Be mindful, however, of wall oven placement in relation to your height. If the oven is placed too high, your forearms are at risk of getting burned, and reaching into the oven might not be possible, forcing you into an awkward spot at the side of the oven.
• Is burner configuration important to you? Cooktops offer more flexibility in burner style, size, and options like induction burners.

Above: A cooktop is defined by a modernist hood in this kitchen by Netherlands-based Lodderkeukens.

How many cooks are in your kitchen?

Here's an instance where the number of cooks in the kitchen matters. If you're a solo cook, then you don't need to worry about competing for appliance access. If, however, it's common for your kitchen to have two (of more) chefs operating side by side, it's wise to consider a configuration that keeps you from getting in each other's way. Using a cooktop and oven allows for the creation of separate cooking and baking zones.

Above: Lodderkeukens installed a cooktop in the kitchen island and a wall oven in a cookbook niche.

Does your kitchen need a focal point?

"If a kitchen needs a focal point, use a range," says San Francisco architect Mark Reilly, a member of the Remodelista Architect/Designer Directory. "It adds visual heft to a space and can act as the anchor when other features are lacking." Alternatively, if a window, sink, view, and/or backsplash are the focal points, a cooktop is a good choice. It will let the other features stand out.

Above: Architect Mark Reilly's Belvedere kitchen remodel won the Remodelista 2013 Best Design Professional Kitchen Award. "Adding a stately hood over a cooktop can give it the heft of a range when a strong focal point is desired but a range won't work," says Reilly. Another tip: "When possible, center the range/cooktop on the kitchen space, island, and doorway. This helps organize the space, and creates a strong visual connection between adjacent rooms."

What are your aesthetic preferences?

Because there are so many options, the choice between a range and a cooktop-oven combo may come down to looks. Do you like the impact of a pro-style cooking setup? Then a range may be for you. Do you prefer the sleekness of built-ins? Wall ovens and a cooktop are the way to go. Even those who prefer the over-under setup of a range sometimes opt for a sleek fitting cooktop with a wall-oven mounted underneath.

Above: A walnut island crafted by Henrybuilt incorporates a cooktop. The design team at Henrybuilt note that a benefit of using a cooktop is that "the countertop line can carry across for a much more streamlined and linear look." This is often an important consideration in setups where the kitchen and living areas blend together.

Above: Instead of the double-height wall oven duo, this kitchen uses two wall ovens installed in the base cabinet space on either side of a pro-style cooktop. Image via GE Monogram.

Are there significant cost differences?

The two cost factors are the appliance and the installation. Generally, ranges are the way to go to keep costs down. There more options at the lower end of the budget spectrum, and they're also easy to install. That said, top-of the line ranges are not more affordable than cooktop-oven combos. If you're replacing existing units, it's obviously less costly from an installation standpoint to stick with the same type of appliance. If you're building a new kitchen, your options are varied.

Another cost consideration is replacement. If one cooking component of a range breaks, you have to replace both functioning parts (stovetop and oven). With a separate cooktop and oven setup, you can replace them individually. That said, separate cooktops and ovens vary in size from brand to brand and since they integrate closely with the adjacent cabinetry, you might have fewer options when it comes to replacement. Ranges are more standard in size and easy to replace.

Range vs. Cooktop/Oven Recap

Benefits of Ranges:

• All cooking functions are in one location
• A design statement good for kitchens needing a focal point
• Can be more affordable
• More space efficient for small kitchens
• Easy to install

Benefits of Cooktop-Wall Oven Combos:

• Easier for multiple cooks
• Oven cooking can be more ergonomic: at eye and arm level
• Dual full-size oven capability
• Adaptability in kitchen configuration with separate cooking and baking zones
• Flexibility in cooktop configurations and sizes, and you can have different sized stovetop and oven widths

For information on specific makes and models, see our posts

• 5 Favorites: Freestanding Electric Ranges
• 10 Easy Pieces: Freestanding 36-Inch Ranges
• 5 Favorites: High-Style Italian Ranges
• 10 Easy Pieces: Cooktops
• 13 American-Made Appliances

Coping with a compact kitchen?  Get some more ideas at 10 Easy Pieces: Compact Cooking Appliances. And for more remodeling resources, see all of our Remodeling 101 Features. 

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When Alaa Mendili moved from Montreal to Seattle to take a job as a creative director at a digital design studio, he packed lightly, arriving with only two suitcases and an air mattress. During a brief sublet in a Capitol Hill apartment, Mendili, like most residents of the neighborhood, became fascinated by the Egan House, a lone modernist statement built directly into the hillside.

After a friend of Mendili's passed up a spot on the Historic Seattle Foundation's rental wait list for the Egan House, Mendili himself was miraculously first in line. Designed by Harvard-trained architect Robert Reichert in 1958, the Egan House (named for its first resident, Willard Egan, a retired admiral of the US Navy) was the first of its kind in Seattle. The triangular building, as the foundation explains, "represented a shift away from traditionalist styles" and introduced the city to Reichert's expressive modernism.

Historic Seattle acquired the Egan House in 1998 and worked with the Parks and Recreation Department to repair the deteriorated exterior and gently update the interior. The renovations were completed in 2003, and since then the building has served as a rental for one lucky person or family. When Mendili settled in, he was surprised to discover a few mysteries: "There's not all that much information about the house, and there are odd things, like a door in the living room that doesn't go anywhere," he says. "I'm not sure if there was a balcony there that was removed or not." These riddles only add to the charm of living in an architectural landmark.

Photography by Michael A. Muller for Remodelista.

Above: Tucked into the hill, the triangular design is intriguingly hard to decipher. Thanks to the foundation, it has a new roof and support column for the cantilever above the entry.

Above: The front door reads, "There's no place like home" in Swedish.

Above: The first of the three stories is a half floor with a washer-dryer, small bathroom, and dramatic staircase.

Above: Mendili accents the house with a few spots of color using objects such as this trio of artisan-made wooden toys. "The house is so standout that it doesn't need too much in it," he says.

Above: A small kitchen (along with the main bathroom and bedroom) occupy the second floor. Thanks to the lofted layout, Mendili says the kitchen is very sociable, and you can carry on conversations with people on the third floor.

Above: The foundation preserved the 1950s refrigerator inside of one of the kitchen cabinets; it's no longer functional and is now used as storage space. Overall, the kitchen was kept true to its original design and appliances were only updated when necessary.

Above: White cabinets, a miniature fridge, and simple Ikea Förhöja Kitchen Island extend the kitchen into an L-shape.

Above: Mendili is the interactive creative director at Digital Kitchen (a Seattle studio that designs title sequences for HBO series, among other things). At home, he created a sign to hang on the bathroom's pocket door: "The thing about the house is that there are no locks on any doors, so I tried to fix a functional problem by alerting guests to when the room is occupied."

Above: The bedroom is just big enough for a queen-size bed and has very low ceilings, so Mendili keeps decor to a minimum: a vintage Pendleton blanket, a single wall sconce, and a wooden glasses rack sourced on Etsy.

Above: The reading sconce is Good Flock's Aurora Lamp; made from hand-turned wood, it can be mounted or used as a table lamp.

Above: At the time Reichert was designing the house, he was obsessed with two things: architecture and organ music. The staircases and metal gates partitioning off each lofted floor are reminiscent of pipe organs.

Above: The top floor is a triangular living room—"you lose about half the space because of the shape," says Mendili. Fortunately, he has minimalist tendencies and an appreciation for negative space: "Whether I'm designing a website or my own place, every decision has purpose; there is nothing there just for the sake of being there." 

Above: Classic wool blankets are another unobtrusive way of adding color to the house. In the living room, a Hudson's Bay Point Blanket is draped over a Gus Modern Atwood Sofa.

Above: With an open floor plan that spans three floors, the house can be difficult to heat, but the original wood-burning fireplace helps in the winter months.

Above: The coffee table is made from oiled Sheesham pallet wood from Capitol Hill furniture store Area51.

Above: Mendili's home office is furnished with Blu Dot's Medium Strut Table in black and the Real Good Chair in white powder-coated steel.

Above: A collection of design magazines are on constant rotation on a set of black floating shelves.

Above: Three evenly spaced air vents at the topmost point of the house allow for air circulation.

Above: A view of the Egan House exterior from below.

Above: The triangular deck was added in 2000; it's where Mendili entertains guests in the summer months.

For more houses to explore in the Pacific Northwest, see our posts: A Coastal Retreat in the Pacific Northwest, Mountain Views Included and A Seattle Floating Home by Ryan Mankosi. And on Gardenista, have a look at a Year-Round Seattle Urban Garden.  

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