The Roof of This Indonesian Home Hides an Impressively Roomy Primary Suite

Exposed concrete trusses, birch plywood ceilings, and an open-plan make it feel grand but not gaudy.

Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.

Project Details:

Location: Tangerang, Indonesia

Architect: RAD+ar / @radarchitects

Footprint: 4,844 square feet

Builder: Lana Karya Construction

Photographer: Ernest Theofilus / @ernesttheofilus

From the Architect: "What if the attic and roofing characteristics become the identity and facade of a renovated house? Attic Above Garden consists of four introverted volumetric masses that float above a lush landscape, creating inverted spaces between the volumes.

"The open layout design eliminates barriers, removing walls and corridors within the space. By optimizing the existing structure, the design ensures that all floors above ground are open plans, minimizing walls or heavy elements that could disrupt the flow. This approach creates a series of alternating spaces characterized by intimacy and openness, light and shadow, offering room for growth and moments of variation through the strategic arrangement of furniture across the space.

"The materials employed are honest and traditional, featuring monochromatic colors and textures, with the exception of the stainless-steel pantry area. These materials constitute the background for birch plywood roof ceilings. The attic is dominated by a consistent light brown hue, which harmonizes with the natural colors of the surrounding landscape that intersect through each floor. Both staircases connecting the floors are discreetly integrated, distinguished only by a darker color and porous texture. The remainder of the house showcases lighter colors and smooth surfaces, with the bathroom offering a surprising burst of more intense color.

"The arrangement of semigeometry within the design, alongside the existing wooden elements, fosters an ambiguous and fluid space suited for essential residential functions. By working with the existing framework—determining what is sufficient and what may be excessive or insufficient—the spaces become difficult to precisely define, blurring lines and boundaries to create a more fluid functionality while the interior will be enhanced by movable elements added over time by the homeowners. This renovated house is designed for an architect couple who sought both the privacy of a home and abundant openings for natural light, along with a prime view of the greenery."

Photo by Ernest Theofilus

Photo by Ernest Theofilus

Photo by Ernest Theofilus

See the full story on Dwell.com: The Roof of This Indonesian Home Hides an Impressively Roomy Primary Suite
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They Made Sure Their Church-to-Home Conversion "Still Looked Like a Church"

"We contacted our realtor and said ‘this is the house we want.’ She thought we were crazy."

Welcome to Different Strokes, a look at unique home design choices that beg for further explanation.

Angus Fredenburg and Esther Han knew as soon as they drove by the yellow-painted wooden clapboard church in bucolic Landenberg, Pennsylvania, that it was meant to be their future home. Set on two-and-a-half acres, the picturesque property included the late-19th-century main church and several exterior buildings. But it was far from turnkey.

"We both really like old buildings and that character that comes with them, and we knew that it could be turned into something really cool," Esther says. "We contacted our realtor right then, and said ‘this is the house we want.’ She thought we were crazy."

Angus Fredenburg and Esther Han bought a former church, built in 1893, in Landenberg, Pennsylvania, after driving past the for-sale property in winter 2021.

Photos courtesy Studio IQL

Originally built in 1893, the property needed a lot of work, but it also came with a rich history. After the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was deconsecrated in the 1960s, local artist Bernard "Bernie" Felch and his wife Rosamund "Roz" duPont turned it into their home and informal artist’s salon, leaving the space mostly unchanged from its previous life as a house of worship for about 50 years. Dupont continued to live there after Felch died in 2008, and when she moved out, Felch’s daughter cared for it while it sat unoccupied.

The building came filled with books and art and several pianos (one of which Angus and Esther kept). Having purchased the place in winter of 2021 during the pandemic, the couple moved there after Esther, a gynecological surgeon, completed a medical fellowship in New York City and accepted a job at a hospital close to Landenberg. They envisioned the property as a rural residence that they could host and entertain from, but they made sure to add home offices for Angus, an educator, and Esther, who has since started a job where she works four days a week in New York, and one day remotely.

The couple wanted to maintain many of the hallmarks of the building’s past. Church-to-home conversions, which exist at the intersection of a few trends—including the global decline of religion in younger generations and the oversupply of property owned by faith-based institutions amid the growing need for new, affordable housing—require some pretty specialized expertise to pull off well. The couple enlisted Val Nehez of Studio IQL, a Philadelphia-based interior design studio whose offices are in an 1890s church the firm converted, to make theirs happen.

The couple hired Studio IQL, a Philadelphia design firm founded by Val Nehez, to help them convert the space into a full-time home where they could host and also both comfortably work from.

Photo by Rebecca McAlpin

Their renovation retained the 22-foot-high ceilings, stained-glass windows, and original tin ceiling tiles. "A lot of what I would call ‘repurposing’ in the renovation process was reusing original materials in different spots in the church," Angus says. "We removed and refinished a lot of materials like trim, railing, doors, glass, and ceiling panels and then put them back either in place or somewhere new." The confessional became a closet with the original doors intact, and the sacristies transformed into a pantry and mudroom. They converted the choir loft into the primary bedroom, put the kitchen in a raised area that used to be the altar, and added a catwalk along one side of the former church’s nave to create upstairs workspaces above a family room. The addition of radiant floor heating ensured that the notoriously drafty building type was warm and cozy year-round. 

Thanks to Angus’s DIY chops—which he developed as a kid helping his "jack-of-all-trades" father with projects around a house that was in a constant state of renovation—and both his and Esther’s hands-on roles in the interior design, Nehez likened the process of transforming the 100-seater former house of faith into a comfortable 4,000-square-foot home to an Amish barn raising. We spoke with Angus, Esther, and Nehez about the specific challenges presented by this project, and how they made it their own while honoring the legacy of its past. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

The renovation retained the former church’s 22-foot-high ceilings, stained-glass windows, and tin ceiling tiles.

From left: photo courtesy Studio IQL; photo by Rebecca McAlpin

See the full story on Dwell.com: They Made Sure Their Church-to-Home Conversion "Still Looked Like a Church"
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Set on a Mountain, This $3M California Dome Home Has Top-of-the-World Views

A father, son, and uncle built the one-of-a-kind residence with a grotto, pool, and observation perch.

Location: 13600 Diamond Point Drive #1, Yucaipa, California

Price: $2,999,998

Year Built: 1997

Designers: Barry, Al, and John Braswell

Footprint: 3,895 square feet (3 bedrooms, 3 baths)

Lot Size: 43.8 Acres

From the Agent: "Welcome to Vista Dhome, an extraordinary monolithic dome residence situated atop a breathtaking mountain in Yucaipa, California. Spanning 3,895 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space, this unique home rests on 42 acres of pristine mountaintop land at an elevation of 3,800 feet. Here, you’ll experience true 360-degree panoramic views that sweep across Yucaipa, Calimesa, Cherry Valley and the rugged majesty of the surrounding mountains. On a clear day, you can see as far as Palm Springs and even the distant outline of Catalina Island. Relax in the inviting in-ground spa, or retreat to the additional above-ground spa perched on the expansive deck, perfect for soaking in the breathtaking mountain views. Vista Dhome isn’t just a home; it’s a one-of-a-kind mountaintop retreat."

The home is composed of three domes. The center volume measures 50 feet in diameter, and each wing clocks in at 40 feet in diameter.

Photo by Uriel Sanchez, Courtesy of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty

Photo by Uriel Sanchez, Courtesy of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty

A father, his son, and his brother built Vista Dhome with the help of an engineer.

Photo by Uriel Sanchez, Courtesy of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty

See the full story on Dwell.com: Set on a Mountain, This $3M California Dome Home Has Top-of-the-World Views
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The Perfect Climate Bunker Is...Your Mall? Plus, Everything Else You Need to Know About This Week

AI slop comes for real estate listings, the White House clears out the agency in charge of national design, and more.

• The shopping mall is emerging as an unlikely refuge in the age of climate crises. Here’s how cooled, communal bunkers built for capitalism are being reconsidered as spaces for survival and togetherness. (Next City)

• Chicago’s skyline is full of empty offices—but that’s already started to change. Last year, plans were announced to turn four downtown office buildings into mixed-use developments with 226 apartments. Now, some of Chicago’s skyscrapers may be next in line, turning vacancy into much-needed housing. (Construction Dive)

• The White House has dismissed six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the century-old independent agency that shapes the nation’s architectural identity from memorials to monuments. The purge clears the way for new appointees aligned with Trump’s "America First" design policies. (NPR)

• Scrolling through real estate listings is turning into a game of "is this AI?" Listings now feature "hallucinated" staircases, AI agents, and virtually staged rooms. While generative tools like AutoReel and ChatGPT can save money and time, they’re also blurring the line between reality and render for buyers. (Wired)

Boston is the recipient of the first and only public sculpture in the United States by the late Italian artist and designer Gaetano Pesce. Titled Double Heart, it’s a celebration of love, joy, and connecting with others.

Courtesy of Gaetano Pesce’s Studio, New York and Champ Lacombe, Biarritz/London. Photo by Aram Boghosian

• Gaetano Pesce, the late Italian artist and designer, has left his mark on Boston. A 30-foot-tall sculpture comprising a pair of red hearts pierced by an arrow now sits at Lyrik, a development in the Back Bay neighborhood. Adapted from a 1970s lamp, Double Heart turns a familiar Valentine’s image into a public reminder that love and connection are what matter most right now. (Dwell)

Top photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images.

This $1.9M Cliff May Midcentury Has a Rare Second-Story Addition

The 1954 home was expanded before the City of Long Beach barred upper-level expansions in the Rancho Estates tract.

Location: 3110 Pattiz Avenue, Long Beach, California

Price: $1,895,000

Year Built: 1954

Architect: Cliff May

Addition Date: 2003

Footprint: 2,288 square feet (4 bedrooms, 4 baths)

Lot Size: 0.13 Acres

From the Agent: "A rare and remarkable interpretation of Cliff May’s vision, this expanded Rancho Estates residence pushes the boundaries of classic California modernism while preserving every ounce of its soul. Nearly 2,300 square feet of thoughtfully designed space unfold across two levels, offering a flexible and functional floor plan that lives large without losing the intimacy and indoor/outdoor harmony that define May’s work. Set on a tree-lined and tranquil street just moments from the 800-acre El Dorado Park and nature preserve, 3110 Pattiz Ave embodies the Rancho Estates ethos: architectural authenticity, a deep connection to the outdoors, and a lifestyle that’s both relaxed and refined. This is where midcentury design meets modern life and where space, style, and soul come beautifully together."

Cliff May, renowned as "father of the California ranch house," was a pioneering SoCal builder.

Photo by REWS Media LLC

Photo by REWS Media LLC

Photo by REWS Media LLC

See the full story on Dwell.com: This $1.9M Cliff May Midcentury Has a Rare Second-Story Addition
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The Natural Swimming Pool at This Australian Home Also Nurtures the Landscaping

Reeds, charcoal, and polishing ponds clean water that makes its way through the pool, down a waterfall at the entrance, and back through the system.

Houses We Love: Every day we feature a remarkable space submitted by our community of architects, designers, builders, and homeowners. Have one to share? Post it here.

Project Details:

Location: Manly, Australia

Architect: CplusC Architects + Builders / @__cplusc__

Footprint: 2,476 square feet

Builder: CplusC Architects + Builders

Interior Design: Jase Sullivan

Structural Engineer: ROR Consulting Engineers

Landscape Design: Duncan Gibbs

Landscaping and Natural Pool: Land Forms

Photographer: Felix Mooneeram / @felixmooneeram

Photographer: Michael Lassman / @michaellassmanphotography

Photographer: Renata Dominik / @photographybyrenata

From the Architect: "Holocene House is like being in nature. The home is canopied in plants, water flows through it like a creek in a rainforest, and every room opens to the outdoors. Balancing residents’ health and comfort with environmental performance, the carbon-positive residence is the first in Australia to be certified by the global Active House Alliance.

"Holocene House replaced an existing home with million-dollar views to Sydney’s Shelly Beach from the front and a national park at the rear giving a delightful outlook to coastal heath. This proximity to bushland brought unique challenges: the design needed to achieve a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating of 29 and provide a bandicoot corridor so endangered fauna can forage undisturbed at night.

"The owners wanted their home to feel like a rainforest creek. So CplusC designed Holocene House around a water source shaded by plants. Cleansed by a biofiltration system of polishing ponds, reeds, charcoal, and pebbles, water flows from the rear to form a natural swimming pool that animates the living spaces and outdoor deck. Tumbling to the entrance in a waterfall, the water is recycled back into the system.

"To enter the home, you step from stone to stone, ascending beside the cascading waterfall to the living space. All around you is what feels like a quiet watercourse shaded by a veil of plants and open to the natural world. The air is filled with a play of water, light, and soundscape awash in color from colored glass windows in the double-height front living space.

"To create this playful and rejuvenating space for family life, the home turns inward, away from an ocean view. People can still enjoy the views by climbing a spiral stairway to an intimate roof garden. They’re also perfectly framed through the unconventional patchwork of the stained-glass windows, inviting a different perspective on how a harbor city like Sydney fetishizes every water glimpse. Light streams in, creating beautiful and unexpected effects that uplift and delight—a reminder that here, what’s sacred is the relationship with nature, and sustaining ourselves within it.

"Regenerative thinking guided every aspect of design and construction, from the use of low-embodied-energy spotted gum yakisugi for exterior cladding to the natural swimming pool and extremely low-toxicity finishes throughout. The home will soon generate more energy than was used to create it. Its photovoltaic system generates twenty percent more energy than the family needs and a 15-kiloliter underground rainwater tank provides water self-sufficiency. Gray water sustains the carefully selected local plants year-round. The natural swimming pool is a reservoir, recycling and cleaning water to nurture coastal ecology—and our friends the bandicoots."

Photo by Renata Dominik

Photo by Renata Dominik

Photo by Renata Dominik

See the full story on Dwell.com: The Natural Swimming Pool at This Australian Home Also Nurtures the Landscaping
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All-Wood Kitchens Don’t Have to Feel Dated

The key to a timber-clad space that looks modern? Clean profiles, unfussy finishes, and complementary textures and tones.

Welcome to Color Stories, a series where we look at how (and when) to be brave and bold with color—and look at the trends that shape the colors we use and why.

If the mere thought of an all-wood kitchen instantly evokes a mental highlight reel of all the popular ’70s sitcom setups, you are not alone. One of the main reasons my dream kitchen vision contains no wood is mostly because I have no clue how to include it without the space feeling and looking too heavy, bland, and dated. And based on a flurry of recent open house and apartment visits I’ve gone to, in which the wooden kitchens were lacking fresh, modern touches, some homeowners are struggling with this concept as well. But as recent trends indicate, people are eagerly looking for ways to incorporate the timeless element into their kitchens, a decision due in part to the over-reliance on neutrals like greige and white. Not surprisingly, people want to meal prep, convene, and cackle with wine-filled cups in a warm, earthy space. And even less of a shocker? A wood kitchen doesn’t have to look like a scene out of Three’s Company.

To crack the code on how to make wood work well in your kitchen (and in your space in general), we tapped interior designers Michele Bönan of Michele Bönan Interiors and Tara Bernerd founder of Tara Bernerd & Partners for their expert advice.

Why wood finishes in the kitchen work better than paint  

We’re not saying that a painted kitchen can’t provide a homey, inviting feel, but according to Bönan, that’s easier to accomplish using wood versus paint. 

In this kitchen, wood accents bring warmth to a space dominated by stainless steel and Cararra marble.

Photo: Casey Dunn

"A home should have a soul, and wood helps bring that to life. It has depth, texture and a quiet elegance that painted cabinetry can’t quite match," says Bönan, who leaned heavily on the medium in his latest project for the Four Seasons Private Residences Coconut Grove. "There’s an ongoing desire to reconnect with natural elements and bring that organic, calming energy indoors," he adds. "The wood cabinets bring a warmth and richness to the homes that are otherwise light and airy."

Take the wood, leave the dated aesthetic

Pine, oak, and birch are among some of the options we’ve spotted in modern kitchens with warm wood details. For additional safe options that bring the grounded energy without skewing too retro, Bönan recommends "balanced tones" such as white oak or walnut. "They’re warm without being too rustic, elegant without being too formal." He also suggests steering clear of extremes and instead emphasizes clean profiles and good proportions to maintain a fresh aesthetic. "Nothing too glossy, nothing overly distressed. A clean profile, natural finish and good proportions will always feel current."

Matching the grain and texture of the kitchen to the rest of the cladding in the house creates a seamless look and adds coziness and warmth to an otherwise open space.

Photo: Andres Garcia Lachner

Bernerd agrees, highlighting "quiet luxury and lasting appeal" as the main characteristics that led to her cabinetry finish choices at The Perigon in Miami, a luxury residential property outfitted in custom Italian French white oak or Canaletto walnut cabinetry.

Wood…and then what else?

Now that we’ve broken down the whys behind wood’s winning interior appeal, let’s get into some of the more ideal pairings and how to balance the material with appliances, countertops, flooring, and other accents. For instance, what will make those pretty plywood cabinets pop and prevent your oak accents from appearing dry and dull?

For both Bönan and Bernerd, contrast and layering are key. "If you have strong wood cabinetry, you need air and light elsewhere—white marble, creamy stone, maybe a brushed metal. I love mixing materials that contrast in texture but complement in tone," Bönan says.

In this project, the mahogany-paneled Poggenpohl kitchen system is original to the house—and the brick walls and tiled floors create layers of texture and tone.

Photo: Christopher Sturman

See the full story on Dwell.com: All-Wood Kitchens Don’t Have to Feel Dated
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