7 of the year's best homes

Joshua Tree, California. Famed architect Fritz Haeg designed the Barrel Cabin, a compact one-bedroom house 15 miles from Joshua Tree National Park. The 2010 home features polished concrete floors; wood-clad ceilings; and two roofless corrugated-aluminum cylinders housing a half-bathroom and a shower.

The 45-acre property includes a walled planted courtyard, a covered patio, and desert landscaping. $468,000. Paul Karr, Cherie Miller & Associates & Joshua Tree Realty, (760) 362-3568.

Status: Sold

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Sarasota, Florida. This four-bedroom home was built in 1960 by renowned architect Philip Hiss, and updated in 2013. Features include the original diamond-cut terrazzo floors; a gourmet kitchen with marble island; and a master suite with dual shower, soaking tub, and walk-in closets.

Outside are a pool and covered patio, drought-tolerant landscaping, and private access to Lido Beach and the Gulf of Mexico. $2,499,000. Barbara and Ryan Ackerman, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, (941) 780-6045.

Status: Off Market

Princeton, New Jersey. Part of the former mansion of J.P. Morgan, this three-bedroom, two-floor apartment was built in 1897. Gilded Age elegance is preserved in the mahogany-paneled walls, carved bookshelves, 8-foot limestone fireplace, gold-leafed and vaulted ceilings, and master suite with fireplace and sitting area.

The large terrace overlooks manicured common gardens, and the great hall is available for entertaining. $2,195,000. Norman Callaway, Callaway Henderson/Sotheby's International Realty, (855) 242-5776.

Status: Same

Savannah, Georgia. The 1865 Hill Gowdy House stands in Pulaski Square. Updated twice, in 1965 and recently, the two-bedroom home has slate floors and plaster molding in the open living-dining room; a gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances; en suite bedrooms; and solar panels and air purification.

French doors open onto one of the largest walled gardens in Savannah. $1,250,000. Austin Hill, Austin Hill Realty, (912) 547-2714.

Status: Sold

Burtchville, Michigan. Architect William Kessler created this 1976 home on Lake Huron out of triangular sections. The five-bedroom house features color-saturated finishes, cedar-clad walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the lake.

The 5.1-acre property includes a hot tub, pool, pool house, and guesthouse, and 250 feet of sandy beachfront. $1,699,000. Denise Bellore, Keller Williams Realty Rochester, (586) 242-5752.

Status: Reduced to $1,599,000

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pritzker Prize–winning architect Robert Venturi designed this two-bedroom home in Shadyside, near Chat­ham University. The open living space features a 20-foot-high “wheel” of south-facing, floor-to-­ceiling windows and a lofted bedroom area.

The lot includes an antique stone bridge. $1,100,000. Helen Eaton, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, (412) 421-5068.

Status: Sold

Attica, Indiana. The Rohlfing House, built in 1887, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Italianate brick home's three-year renovation, completed in 2010, preserved period fixtures, original woodwork, oil-on-canvas wall coverings, a stained-glass window, and the kitchen's period sink and prep room.

The double lot is close to downtown and area parks. $265,000. Tommy Kleckner, Indiana Landmarks, (812) 232-4534.

Status: Sold