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Divine Interventions

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Strike-Through Shelves • More and more people are going beyond open cabinetry and installing shelving that runs in front of windows. As Threads user @creepyjunk pointed out to us, the effect is reminiscent of strike-through text, as though the shelves were crossing out a reconsidered idea. Here, our Instagram followers tell us whether backlit storage is worth blocking a good view.

Japan’s Dwindling “Signboard” Buildings • Within Japan’s megacities, there remain a dwindling number of early-20th-century buildings from a time when Western influences contributed to shifting tastes away from traditionalism and toward something a little…kitschier. Known as kanban kenchiku (signboard architecture), these three-story buildings employ decorative facades inspired by Art Deco and neoclassical styles. In most cases, the first floor serves as a shop space, with the upper floors as living quarters for the proprietor. Though kanban kenchiku buildings have become increasingly rare as aggressive urban planning has often meant replacing them with bland, low-rise residential and mixed-use structures, some surviving examples have been preserved and reimagined by people and brands that see them as an important record of local craftsmanship—and an evolving Japan.

Modern World • Truly Good-Looking Home Gadgets for Every Style

The Dumb Reality of the Smart Home • Our more-or-less connected gadgets have turned out to be disappointingly dense.

Nifemi Marcus-Bello • A wrecked car and a scrapyard prompted the Nigerian designer’s latest collection, which displays new forms created with old techniques.

Great Minds • After drawing up a design for his family home, architect Rick Cook discovered someone had already done it better.

Breaking the Mold • Haddock Studio preserves a San Francisco apartment’s Victorian details while giving its interiors a sculptural twist.

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT • A CHEF TURNS A WALLED-IN PROPERTY IN A BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR MISSION TOWN INTO AN OASIS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

OCCULT FOLLOWING • HOW JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL TURNED HIS NEW ORLEANS HOME INTO A QUEER ART CHURCH.

Pas de Deux • AN ARTIST AND HER ONCE-CRUMBLING HOME IN THE FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE START A NEW LIFE TOGETHER.

Display Case • A pair of vintage furniture dealers remodel a rare Maine prefab into a backdrop for their prized personal collection.

Up Around the Bend • A couple’s redesign of a 1975 Argosy is calibrated for a blend of creative work and off-grid bliss, whether they’re parked at the beach, in the mountains, or somewhere in between.

sourcing • Explore the products, furniture, architects, designers, and builders featured in this issue.

one last thing • An Indian yarn-making tool reminds textile designer Arati Rao that preserving craft culture requires human touch.