• Courtesy of Robert Umenhofer Photography | John James

In summer, our living spaces expand to the great outdoors. For this issue of Nest, Seven Days' quarterly guide to homes, design and real estate, we take a tour of the midcentury-modern Stockmayer House in Norwich. With architecture recalling that of Frank Lloyd Wright, it has a patio that melds outside and in; "the house gets twice as big in the summer," owner Gregory Russo said. In Chittenden County, landscape architect Ken Mills flexes his professional skills in his home garden: He's added a koi pond, Celtic labyrinth and meditation chamber, among other creative touches. If that inspires you to spruce up your own space, head to Burlington gift shop Home & Garden Vermont for nature-themed décor — and perhaps a bouquet of local blooms. Got lawn? You might want to try Dairy Dirt, a soil-health ingredient made from dairy farm by-products. Read about that news and more — from worker housing to carpentry courses — in Last Quarter.