I’m continuing to pose a question based on a statement by poet John O’Donohue. He said that good architecture demands a second look. I started this series with very modestly sized homes—just one bedroom. This week the homes are slanted more toward luxury living, and I ask the same question: For you, which of these homes demand a second look? 

The opening shot taken at dusk is a home located in the Park City area designed by Sparano + Mooney Architects with interior design by J-Squared Interiors. The sleek modern lines of the deeply overhanging roof seem to swallow the sky.

There’s a calmness to the interiors. The open-planned space has the effect of being without boundaries with the white floors, walls, and ceiling, but the wood paneling lowers the scale and warmly contains and defines the living areas. This design has an inherent flexibility to adapt with time. 

Despite the modern design, the home’s family room suggested to me a room in a cabin. Perhaps it is the wood-formed concrete of the walls, the comfort of the furniture, and the close ties to the site and views to the mountains. 

luxury

Turning to another project, the sweeping overhang over the long entry curves in and out and up and down. Arthur Dyson Architects designed this home on the shore in Alyce Beach on the Florida panhandle. 

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The glass walls blur the sense of whether you are inside or outside, addressing the dilemma of the Florida climate that so often demands retreating to air-conditioning. The ceiling floats like a wooden cloud. Audrey Dyson designed the interiors. 

luxury

Returning to the Salt Lake area, two telescoping forms expanding from a low center apex are silhouetted against the setting sun in a home designed by Gigaplex (Hank Louis) and built by Sausage Space (Mark Haslam). The wing on the left finished with metal is the social portion of the home, created for entertaining. The wooden private wing ion the right has a rooftop deck for catching the sunset. 

luxury

The disappearing glass wall merges the entertainment spaces. The clear views to the rugged Wasatch peaks serve as a constant reminder of the surrounding beauty.

Here are three very different and dramatic homes. I would be interested your reactions. Second looks? 

Whether natural or someone’s artistic expression, beauty has a wonderful, sustaining effect. I hope you are finding and being nurtured by beauty in these challenging days.

See more of Scot’s Photo Friday blogs.

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