900 57th

More than 6,000 pounds of green Moroccan tiles from Design Fliesen were used in their primary bathroom, which has two Falper faucets. There's a second full bathroom and two powder rooms.

The master bedroom’s fireplace boasts a black slate hearth set in white-painted masonry.

As the most common type of kitchen sink, the top-mount sink is installed by inserting the sink into a pre-cut hole in the countertop. The wide rim around the sink supports it on top of the countertop, and is then caulked in place with silicone for a water-tight fit.

Pros: Granite is a very hard substance that is resistant to scratches, heat, and, when sealed, stains as well. Cons: Because granite naturally is porous, it does need to be resealed every 8 to 10 years to maintain its resistance to staining. Its higher price point puts it out of reach in some renovations.

Launech teaches cooking classes in the house, and the mobile countertops make it easy for her to configure the kitchen to her tastes.

The once dim, cramped kitchen in this 1963 Eichler in San Jose, California, now features luxe vinyl tiling, white slab fronts from Semihandmade, and a dual-pane window, courtesy of Cathie Hong Interiors.

Windows and skylights from the eastern façade bring in an abundance of light throughout the day.

Scala Studio created the kitchen from scratch in the former office space.

The island and cabinets, fashioned from remilled Douglas-fir beams salvaged from upstate New York, sport inexpensive drawers from Ikea. The Carrara marble for the sink surround also came from the firm’s warehouse, from a section of slab orphaned from an earlier commission. A Viking chimney wall hood tops a free-standing range by Bluestar.

Surfboards placed above the rafters in the kitchen and living areas serve as artwork.

Photography by Nils Timm

The homeowners took charge with the interiors (running their selections by Spiers), and landed on polished concrete in the kitchen that features local aggregate mixed in.

lass door at the rear of the home ties the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas on the first level to a sun-drenched courtyard filled with plantings.

No-fuss, sturdy materials, like Kahrs oak chevron floors that camouflage dirt and easy-care black metal siding, free up time for family. “The more durable the material, the less work to maintain it,” says Susie. Also in the kitchen is a quartz countertop by Daltile and faucet from Kohler. The windows are by Milgard.

Black steel-framed windows continue into the airy kitchen, complete with bespoke cabinetry.

It was Elsie, the goldendoodle, who started it. “We were living in a tiny house in the center of Byron Bay with two little children and Elsie in the middle of the wet season,” says homeowner Cheryl Kitchener.