Make the most with the home you have. Modern renovations are one of the most popular design stories on Dwell. Renovation presents challenges, and smart design delivers solutions. Modern design and architecture allow old construction to meet new ideas and materials. Hire an architect or interior designer whenever possible, because professional training helps mitigate issues and yield truly beautiful spaces.

A Converted Warehouse Loft in the San Francisco Bay Area Seeks $950K
The radiant space in Emeryville features 19-foot ceilings, exposed wood beams, and a gabled skylight.
10 Creative Uses of Reclaimed Wood
The popular myth claims that cats have nine lives—well, what about a well-worn plank of wood?
Reclaimed Materials Make Up This Artist Studio in Washington
A modern cabin designed by Les Eerkes incorporates freecycled materials and makes a minimal impact on the surrounding forest.
5 Key Elements of Smart Home Functionality
As technology becomes smarter, the natural evolution is to connect devices in our homes to help us lead more comfortable, secure,...
The Things a Smart-Tech Reviewer Actually Uses
We asked an early adopter to tell us what her top devices are.
8 Beautiful Home Projects Using Reclaimed Wood
Wood in general is a beautiful, evocative natural material, and when it's saved from a landfill and reused, it has even more...
5 Stunning Uses of Western Red Cedar
Durable, low maintenance, and always beautiful, Western Red Cedar is showing up in exciting ways, proving it can enhance the...
5 Totally Unexpected Flooring Materials For Your Home
These may not be the first flooring materials that come to mind, but they sure will make a statement.
Get Smarter
The story of the smart home has yet to be written—one early adopter explains why.
In This Compact Barcelona Apartment, Space Is Maximized With Smart Material Choices
In the heart of Poblenou, a neighborhood in Barcelona that was once the epicenter of industry in the 19th century, rising real...
George Smart
George Smart, executive director of Triangle Modernist Archive, is a modern-day Lorax for modern-designed houses.
Clueless About Gardening? These 5 Smart Planters Can Help
You may not have a green thumb, but thanks to technology, you can still grow your own herbs and vegetables.
Emmanuel Pratt Is Using “Urban Acupuncture” to Reclaim Neglected Chicago Neighborhoods
The MacArthur fellow and cofounder of the Sweet Water Foundation speaks about “regenerative design” and reclaiming the community.
5 Kitchen Renovations Done for Less Than $100K
Kitchen renovations can be daunting, but here’s some expert inspiration to get you going.
A Canadian Couple Revitalize a 1970s Airstream Using Salvaged Materials
Hanson Land & Sea use local, reclaimed materials to transform a vintage Airstream into a family escape.
An Uplifting Lake Tahoe Retreat Uses Light as a Building Material
This soaring Lake Tahoe abode constantly references its sylvan setting, from the polished concrete floors that glisten like water...
Top 5 Homes of the Week With Awe-Inspiring Renovations
Rearranged home layouts, refreshed kitchens, and updated dining rooms take these modern home renovations to the next level.
Top 5 Jaw-Dropping Home Renovations of the Week
The best renovations restore homes without sacrificing their original essence.
Material Spotlight: 11 Hardworking Uses of Western Red Cedar
Durable, long-lasting, and insect-resistant, Western red cedar has been a building material of choice for generations.
5 Light-Filled Spaces That Use Glass Blocks Creatively
Glass blocks—the old-school square blocks of translucent glass found in many buildings constructed from the 1940s through the...
A Professor and Designer Tests a New Hybrid Material on His Miami Beach Home
Using his Miami Beach home as a laboratory, professor and designer Nick Gelpi tests a material that recasts concrete’s tough...
5 Ways to Master Your Domain with One Smart Home System
A prominent designer “tech-talks” about using Control4 to orchestrate smart home devices and emphasizes the importance of...
The Top 6 Backsplash Materials to Consider for Your Kitchen Renovation
Whether it's tile, glass, stone, metal, brick, or wood, there's a wide variety of functional backsplash options out there to...
10 Tiny Home Floor Plans That Illustrate Smart Use of Space
Find out how tiny homes fit everything in such a small amount of square footage with these free floor plans.
This May Be the Most Ecologically Ambitious Home Renovation on the Planet
On Bainbridge Island, off the Washington coast, Charlie Hellstern Interior Design and The Miller Hull Partnership create the...
A 1957 Midcentury in Seattle Receives a Striking Makeover
By removing walls, inserting new windows, and using a lighter color palette, Mowery Marsh Architects give this historic home a...
An 11-Year Renovation Helps a Couple Grow Simpatico With the Original Homeowner’s Quirky Vision
An inspired, if poorly constructed, Los Angeles home gets a proper retrofit that preserves its many idiosyncrasies.
In Berlin, an Auto Repair Shop Becomes a High-Performance Home for a Painter and Her Family
Playing into the space’s raw, industrial character, Studio Karhard creates a loftlike dwelling with bohemian flair.
A Major Restoration Updated This Midcentury Landmark in Belgium
A Belgian couple abide by strict preservation rules to breathe new life into an International Style villa by architect Lucien...
Before & After: A Country Home Blossoms in the Ruins of an Old Stone Barn
Type rehabs a rundown stone structure into an elegant dwelling—and then sets about rewilding its site in the English countryside.
A Minimalist Bungalow in Miami Welcomes a Sleek New Addition
In South Miami, a thoughtful revamp and extension embraces the outdoors on an intimate scale.
Outside Paris, a 19th-Century House Conceals a Minimalist Tableau Rich With Color
In a nature preserve, two creative directors design a colorful country home.
Before & After: An L.A. Loft in a Former Nabisco Factory Gets a Japanese-Inspired Makeover
Amanda Gunawan of OWIU Design turns a cookie-cutter space into an Asian-inflected haven with an industrial edge.
A Midcentury Home Renovation Celebrates Its Striking, Open-Truss Ceiling
Designed by a little-known architect in 1949, the now streamlined home honors its original bones.
An Antwerp Apartment Captures the Spirit of the Belle Époque
In Antwerp, Belgium, a historic flat is transformed into a bright and airy, dreamy oasis.
Fashion Designer Lezanne Viviers’s Johannesburg Digs Double as a Studio and Concept Store
The glass-fronted, 1960s gem acts as a display case for her eponymous label, vibrant artworks, and modernist furniture.

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