Chen used high-contrast materials to lighten the space, which has only one window. He lined the kitchen in glossy 3-D tile from Ann Sacks, and wall covering from Flat Vernacular. He removed the rear wall of the kitchen and replaced it with a sliding acid-etched glass partition, which picks up ambient light from windows in the service entrance. Chen installed drawers below the white marble countertops and swapped out overhead cabinets for full-height cabinets in the pantry. Under the glass partition, a thick counter of striped Kenya Black marble adds doubles as a bar top and work surface.
Hinging at the top and opening outward, the Awning Window allows for an abundance of natural light and ventilation in a smaller space.
The living room features the birch plywood table with circular voids that inspired the kitchen design.
The cabinets have no exposed hardware and mimic the materials and detailing of the couple's birch plywood dining table.
Breccia Capraia marble continues from the countertop to form the backsplash and open shelving.
Brandon Dean of Dean Works used two types of stone in the kitchen: a lighter, more active marble for the countertops and backsplash, and a tamer, dark soapstone for the kitchen island.
The open, 920-square-foot loft felt right to homeowners and creative couple Aubrey Ament and Will Glaser, but they needed to separate public and private spaces. A thick wall of storage did the trick.
“Don’t let the size of your bathroom deter you from transforming the space into your own meditation sanctuary,” Cyndi says. “Instead of focusing on what might be a lack of square footage, shift your attention to all the easy ways in which you can enhance the room. From layers of adjustable lighting and heated floors to a calm, neutral color palette, design the space to work for you and your needs.”