Dwell May/June 2023

You can put in a pool no matter where you live—if you’re determined. At least, that’s how the undaunted bathers in this issue see it. They don’t let barriers like, say, not actually owning property stand in their way. And their tales of aquatic triumph (p. 99) sum up an issue dedicated to outdoor living spaces that carve a bit of nature out of cities and towns. Some of these stories are adventures. In our Modern World section (p. 31), we follow three excursions that range from urban hikes to nude picnics (all of which our editors have at one point undertaken) and match the gear you might need for such a trip with furnishings that will bring the spirit of the journey to your backyard. We also visit a…

John Trujillo Dwell Editorial Fellow “I got my master’s in architecture, but the thing about it was that I didn’t really get to design any houses. All my projects were very large-scale,” says John Trujillo. As Dwell’s editorial fellow, Trujillo is becoming reacquainted with the residential side of design, whether conducting interviews for stories, writing roundups, finding homes to feature, or brainstorming themes for Modern World. For this issue’s Houses We Love section, Trujillo looked at hundreds of reader submissions to help compile a selection of apartments. “I don’t mind the tedium at all, because of the inspiration,” he says. “You think an apartment is relatively straightforward, but in reality, the things people do with them are pretty far out.” Alana Hope Levinson Writer “The Poolside Life—on Loan,” p. 99…

“Incredible to see two people working so hard, for two damn years, to make something happen within their budget. Love the resourcefulness, creativity, and DIY approach. Inspiring.”@brrkerr via Instagram Re: “Scaling Up: The proprietors of an Indiana furniture company take on a bigger project—their own house.” March/April Nothing but total admiration for all the fantastic design and work they put in, but $380 for kitchen cabinets? @KEVINKOSTYK VIA INSTAGRAM We used leftover plywood and free sassafras lumber. All we had to pay for were drawer slides and one more sheet of maple ply. @SIOSIDESIGN VIA INSTAGRAM I’m curious about the cistern. Why that rather than a well if municipal water isn’t available? I’m really only familiar with cisterns being used in very arid areas. @ERICAWALKERJEWELRY VIA INSTAGRAM The only drawback,…

Diffused light and a silhouetted pattern?? Ummm, yes, always! @slowloris_jessica Love them, but in NYC/New England they’re less useful. @redmhan So out of style they are back in style! @silversuedehead Definitely not passé, foundational in Mexican architecture and design. @moramistudio And in Indian architecture—these walls are a tool to live with heat and fierce sun. @ungranola Love—structured texture that also allows light through. @goldenrod.vintage I adore them! Have a 1963 home with a breeze-block courtyard around the entryway (and pink tile in the bathroom). @lupo_in_viaggio I love them, dated or not. They are varied and capable of establishing a wonderful mood in a private space. They’re brilliant, used correctly. @momstix Love breeze-blocks, especially mid-century modern ones as an ode to my beloved town of Palm Springs. I wish regular home-supply…

“I’m a sucker for dichroic glass. It adds a sheen to this otherwise stripped-back space.”JACK BALDERRAMA MORLEY, MANAGING EDITOR Dichroic Cube by Yael Perry “The process was festive,” says interior designer Yael Perry of renovating her 485-squarefoot apartment in the Old North neighborhood of Tel Aviv. “I used my favorite materials.” After removing the unit’s interior partitions, the designer split the floor plan in half with floor-to-ceiling millwork that holds home systems and storage. The custom cabinetry “was dyed black to create a focal point in the space and match the monochromatic palette,” says Perry. Nearly 10-foot-tall panels of dichroic glass—a material she’d been keen to use for years—further separate the bedroom from the adjacent kitchen and bathroom. “Sunlight shines through the dichroic glass to create a multitude of shades…

@STRUTZ @KEITHBOOS Get Naked in Berlin Berlin may be known for its rollicking nightlife, but for the next time you find yourself in the German capital, we suggest another traditional activity—flinging off your clothes and embracing the lifestyle of Freikörperkultur, or free body culture, aka nudism, and commonly shortened to FKK. At many of Berlin’s lakes and parks, it is rare to not see someone nude enjoying the sun and avoiding any tan lines whatsoever. “Germans love to be naked,” says Gabriele Mercatali, project manager for an electronic music platform and longtime local. “Even the parks in Berlin have nudist areas. It’s like if you went to Central Park in New York, and you saw a huge nudist area.” There’s a long and fascinating history of German nudism, which dates…