Even if you’re content with your home, lawn and neighbors, the nine houses in this year’s lineup of the AIA Houston Home Tour are sure to spark some ideas, if not a little jealousy. Having all been finished within the past five years, the houses exemplify the cutting edge of what Houston architects have to offer, and to keep things interesting, each is distinct in style and form. Some focus on sustainability, others on the use of light, and others on maximizing efficiency or blending into the surrounding area. Rusty Bienvenue, the tour’s executive director, says, “We wanted them to be diverse enough to be a cross section of what’s going on right now, and not be just one style of house.”

The homes range from a tiny 540 square feet to a Texas-size 7,000 square feet, and they’re everything from renovations of mid-century and traditional houses to more typical contemporary spaces. So whether you’re looking for inspiration for a future home or simply curious about what’s new in architecture, the AIA Houston Home Tour will deliver. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Various locations. For information, call 713-520-0155 or visit www.aiahouston.org. $20 to $25.

Sat., Oct. 22; Sun., Oct. 23, 2011

This article appears in Oct 20-26, 2011.