Here is a beautiful home in Kansas City, designed by HOME Contained and Debbie Glassberg that really shows what great planning and great design coming together can do.
Check out the slide show for more details and great pictures of the project from initial jobsite to beautifully decorated home: http://www.flickr.com/photos/homecontained/show
Just keep in mind that architects designed these projects. If you are building a home, you will need an architect or engineer the same way you would if you were building a traditional building. The last thing you want is for your cool new home to collapse on you!
Here is a hybrid home in the Mojave Desert from ECOTECH Design – part modular, part customized, with green features like a living roof, solar power and other great green options: