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The architects cleared out the ground floor and created an open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area along an elongated section at the rear. Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors were installed in this part of the house to connect the interiors with the spacious garden. This light-filled and highly-transparent half of the ground floor now serves as a shady extension of the lush green garden.

Jessica Kruse stands at the top of the former butler stairs. A cutout connects the top of the stairwell to the kitchen, bringing additional daylight into the space.

"This was the first time we had the opportunity to design a kitchen," says Hollie. "A few elements were important to us: space to prep food together, and space to move freely but smartly." As a chef and food educator, Hollie uses the airy and open kitchen as a laboratory for healthy meals to inspire her job teaching.

The hotel's rooms have a variety of interior layouts, and may include bunk beds or traditional Tatami straw floor coverings.

The open plan is visually broken up by the use of shoji screens and beams.

The open living room is anchored by a large fireplace and connected to the dining room and kitchen.

Lung Hagem Arkitekter said: "The roof is executed in 270mm thick reinforced concrete with 20mm VIP insulation underneath. The concrete itself is water resistant, thus no additional roofing materials are required. As a result, the roof is a smooth white surface creating a dialogue with the rocky landscape, and giving the cabin its distinctive character."

After: A peek inside the beautifully restored, modernized abode.

The new living area has been designed as an open space, flowing through the kitchen and out to the outdoor deck.

They opted for minimalistic kitchen appliances to not overwhelm the simplistic design.

For a Toronto couple with a love of minimalist Japanese architecture, a sleek, storage-packed kitchen was the first priority in their home's renovation. In the kitchen, white oak used for the cabinets, kitchen island, and dining table is finished with double-boiled linseed oil, which can be reapplied by the homeowners as the wood mellows and patinas. The custom beveled edge for the island's "Blizzard" white Caesarstone countertop forgoes the standard one-inch countertop overhang to save on space and maintain a sleek feel. A Vola faucet is used with a sink by Mekal.

Architect Kevin Alter integrated wood from the original bungalow into the kitchen and covered the island in Carrara marble, with an interior clad in wood. A long table extends from the side of the island, and wine storage is integrated into one end of the island. New appliances include a Wolf range, a Broan hood, and a Miele oven and refrigerator. The Fucsia pendant lights are by Achille Castiglioni for Flos.

On a sought after an idyllic island in the center of Amsterdam an old warehouse, formerly in use as a pillow factory and a garage has been converted to a warm and eclectic family home. The kitchen features a mixture of green tiles, green painted mullions, and exposed wood beams for a warm, soft feeling that contrast sharply with the more industrial stainless steel island. The kitchen island incorporates a stove top and storage, and benefits from natural light from the skylight overhead.

A new kitchen at the front of the house completes the trifecta of reworked rooms on the main level. It fits nicely into the notion of balancing new and old elements throughout the house, with oak detailing married to exposed brick, offset by strip lamps. The Hee bar stools are by HAY, the Caravaggio P3 pendants are by Light Years, and the range oven is from Britannia.

By eliminating walls and incorporating a series of interior gardens, architect José Roberto Paredes creates an eclectic and inspired El Salvador beach house. In the kitchen, rough-hewn materials like a eucalyptus-log-and-thatch roof offset the monolithic concrete island and glossy subway tile backsplash. Claudia & Harry Washington built the vivid wooden sliding walls, which are inspired by the palm leaves that change color and create diagonal patterns in trees near the house. The bar stools were a street market discovery.

Each unit is complete with a chef's kitchen and high end appliances. Simple, elegant, and full of light, they are dream kitchens for those who desire to cook a meal high up in the mountains.

Prints, plaids, and furs provide warmth and coziness, while introducing nods to he rugged American West.

The rough texture of the tile walls adds a natural element to the refined, elegant bath.