There's an architect who lives in town who builds houses where one wall is made from transparent garage doors, so you can open up your living area to the outside. It can work, but you'd better be secluded, and have a fantastic view.
http://www.bartonmyers.com/SB_01.htm Bigger pictures starting at image 22:
http://www.photocover.com/ That site apparently used to belong to Leopold Stokowski, and the little fireplace pit thing was modeled after the Hollywood Bowl. --Andre