Some houses are all about the interior … others the exterior … this one walks a beautifully wide line between extremes, dealing with indoor and outdoor spaces as part of an interactive and permeable whole.

Multi-story plants climb toward organically-chaotic skylights, cozying up to upper-story walkways along the way. Meanwhile, tree trunks drop through the  ground floor and come to rest on interior rock-and-pebble gardens.

Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld crafted this home in Sao Paulo with both existing and invented landscapes in mind, from ivy climbing the walls to much much more.

Even where greenery does not come directly into the dwelling, there are beautiful points of intersection and places where nature is framed explicitly by large expanses of open or glazed void.

Simply Monumental: Stoic Underground Estate in Greece

Clean lines, solid materials and a sense of permanence surround this partly-subterranean house on the Aegean Sea. Large areas are reserved for ramps, decks and pools to engage the beautiful outdoor settings on all sides.

Traditional stone and white stucco tie the building into the place, but the modern cubes and rectangles make this clearly a work of contemporary construction at the same time.

Designed by Deca Architecture, there are comforting accents to the austere structure, too, like a natural-wood canopy and wooden benches with copious cushions in one of the outdoor deck areas.

Dream Bathrooms with Saunas & Showers, Space Permitting

It does not hurt to dream, though most of us might have trouble finding room for such a luxurious bathroom setup.

Duravit Inipi has a series of white, wood and glass sauna-and-shower combinations that can slot right into existing open spaces, like lofts lacking a master bath, for instance.

Intimacy is high on their design checklist, and privacy low, so again: it requires the right area in which to work, but would be a lovely way to relax if one had such a house or condo.

Perforated Steel Mixes Light & Mystery in Windows & Doors

Too often, doors are more of an afterthought for designers, even though they are the first piece of a home we are confronted with, and the last impression when we leave.

Dubbed Hidden House by Teatum+Teatum (images by Lyndon Douglas), there is a stark austerity to this structure, making the decorative perforations in the butterfly-winged pair of front doors all the more apparent as a decorative touch.

Limited windows and a light well bring in illumination from above and behind, but to maintain privacy the side openings, front and back, are dotted with small openings in larger steel panels.

The structure itself acts as neutral infill between two older buildings, deferential and dark while also comfortably modern.