Saturday Shelterporn

If you remember the last time we featured a house in Shelterporn — longer ago than it should have been, we know — you'll remember that we have a thing for modern houses. So, naturally, we were drawn to this Montrose contemporary, a three-year-old house designed by architect Scott Ballard. The defining feature is the barrel-vaulted roof, which not only gives the house a unique silhouette but also creates some pretty impressive interior spaces.

The main living area — and one of those spaces created by that roof — is the great room, a two-story space on the second floor that takes up about half the house's footprint. It's a combined living room/dining room/kitchen with glass walls at either end and a 19-foot wood-beamed ceiling, perfect for entertaining (or for just hanging out in). There's a fireplace and built-in entertainment center in the living area; the kitchen has the requisite stainless appliances and a custom iron-framed island with a mesquite wood top; and the dining room opens onto a rear deck equipped with its own stainless-steel grill. A stairway leads from the great room up to the third floor, which has a landing that overlooks the living area, two bedrooms and a full bathroom with a glass-enclosed shower, all built under the curve of the roof, which makes the rooms pretty interesting. The master suite on the second floor has its own wall of windows overlooking the swimming pool; on the first floor, a den with built-in bookcases and a 500-bottle wine closet opens directly onto the pool area. There's also a studio on the first floor that could be converted into two rooms ... or could be left alone for you to exercise your artistic side.

All in all, it's a great house with a lot of character, which is more than you can say for a most houses being built these days. We suppose that's why it costs a cool million — but did we mention there's a 19-foot ceiling? Bedrooms: Three to five. Bathrooms: two full and two half. Square feet: 3,365. Price: $1,075,000.