Simple glass?? Triple paned, low e, insulated glass isn't "simple glass".
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

It surprises me how a lot of people don't understand windows, which are holes in the insulated walls covered with simple glass, make the house cold.

I think its lack of appeal is that there's no landscaping to it. It's a if it was plopped down in the middle of an open field. Which, by the sounds of it, it was. It's certainly not a house that you're going to raise a family in, but for a single or couple, it's fine, especially if there is a downstairs.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

Me too! This was my favorite movie as a kid and I loved the house but after seeing it again the house is so ugly and disproportionate. I love the windows and the openness of it, but the design is so odd and tiny. They didn't use space very well.
As for the cold temp in the winter, he could have had heated floors in place and insulated windows. But yeah the windows would have made getting up in the morning on that side of the house horrible (no matter how insulated or if they're double pane). Windows are going to be colder than if there were walls there. I had a friend who had a bedroom like the breeze way and in the winter it was always much colder in that room than the rest of the house. Curtains didn't help. And this was in Texas where our winters are 40 degrees. I couldn't imagine facing a snowy winter in a place like that.
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all

When I was younger I thought the house was gorgeous and looked so cool and modern. Now I'm older (and wiser) I actually think it's hideous!

I was just going to post that I am sure this home was heated and vented and the glass is probably insulated. As a licensed builder, I can tell you that you are not going to be cold just because you have a lot of windows or fixed glass in your home. These look like they could be cold but in reality are very snug.
I don't particularly care for the design but to each his own. To me, it is too awkward having the master bedoom way off the main portion of the house connected by a breezeway. However, it would be nice if you had kids and their rooms where up in that loft above the kitchen area! More privacy.

The walkway, by the way, is heated and very nice! (See my earlier post about touring the house yesterday during an Open House)

The thread above was an assumption on my part which is somewhat wrong. I just saw what they did on "Revolutionary Road" and I assumed it was similar. Just did a little investigating and the house in "Housesitter" is actually based on a real house which won the "Best Small House Design for 1990" from Home Beautiful Magazine. The real house is in Westport Connecticut (Home to Samantha & Darrin LOL) in which two stuctures were joined together by a breezeway (which was not glass). The producers of Housesitter got the original house plans amd re-built it as a set for the movie (somewhere in Mass) and survived a hurricane shortly before filming began. Many of the interior shots were shot on location. The house reamined standing for two years trying to get permits so the owners could live in it or use it in someway but it was rejected by the city because it was not up to code and din't have a foundation. The house had no electricity, running water or plumbing. The lot was eventually sold and the new owners tore it down.
Macklin Crew

I don't know about the lake but as I understand it, a lot of interior scenes were filmed on the location set. It would make sense to to have all sides open when trying to establish certain shots. Therefore, the design would be great for making a movie but very cold in the winter and very odd as previously mentioned. Especially, if someone wanted to run to the kitchen for a snack in their underwear.
Macklin Crew

The house looks more like a summer cottage by the lake. The only problem is that it doesn't face the lake which is behind the house. The left (smaller) portion of the house looks like a bunkhouse, servants quarters, or guest house.
It's supposed to be an advanced design but instead it's an odd design.

Love your posts!
I adore the house but I am a bit odd as I dont feel the cold much. I love the design and open feeling. My partner agrees with you though. lol.
Here in Australia the house might be too hot!
All the best!

And you know what else? Her groceries! Her groceries would have gone bad. You know that scene where she gets all those groceries and charges them to the Newton Navis account? She gets some perishables like steak and a pint of ice cream. Then right after that Becky takes her to the hardware store then she wanders over to the sale where she buys the chair, then spends some time talking to Davis' parents. That ice cream would have been soup by then.