Each week Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week we look at how to make wood furnishings feel modern .

In the early 1900s, hillside developments in Los Angeles often used the same design template as the flat lots in the valley below. These layouts – typical for the time period – had the main living and dining rooms facing the street. On the hills, this layout only worked on an uphill lot where the main rooms also faced the view; a downhill lot with a parallel floor plan would face the house across the street instead of the view out the back.

Maintaining an environmentally conscious home can be as stylish as it is eco-friendly. Scrap visions of all-green interiors and materials made from grass; today’s eco-chic designs rival mainstream décor.