9635 Penfield master bath

Pros: Concrete countertops are durable, resistant to heat, and can be less expensive than natural stone, especially when completed as a DIY project. Cons: Concrete must be sealed before being used; otherwise, its porous nature means that it will stain very easily.

For the kitchen, American cherry wood was used to create cabinets that establish a warm and sturdy tone. Each piece of lumber was purchased at auction by the Brillharts and stored in New Hampshire, before being shipped to Miami and milled on site. The wood island is painted black to provide a point of visual contrast. Himalayan marble countertops and stainless steel appliances lend moments of clean modernism to the kitchen, which is flooded with bright light thanks to patio windows that open to the yard.

Architect Paul Syme designed custom storage units with dark-stained walnut fronts that provide a place for everything in his clients’ Toronto bathroom. The wall-to-wall mirror and the Corian counter are custom, and the faucets are by Vola.

In Melbourne, Australia, local firm Austin Maynard Architects designed a compact rear extension to an existing suburban home. A large, circular window in the blue-painted living space allows natural light to pour in.

In the Roma district of Mexico City, Vertebral designed a four-unit apartment building that grants its residents access to verdant terraces.

Isaacson and his best friend, Mary T. Hatch, snack at a dining table by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller in the eat-in kitchen.

The team made sure the family’s cherished antiques each had a designated place against the wall. “They have a nice collection of art, antique furniture, and pieces that really mean something. So, we wanted to design the house around those pieces,” says Falkenberg. A Bocci 28.1 Pendant hangs over the dining room table.

The designer dressed the breakfast nook with a custom table inspired by Eero Saarinen, a Louis Poulsen-designed pendant, geometric-patterned wallpaper by Pierre Frey, pale green Farrow & Ball wall paint, and a bench upholstered with vinyl from Kravet.

The island helps to define and separate the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas.

Vintage furniture looks right at home in the refurbished mid-century space.

In the dining area, a Guild chandelier hangs above a table and chairs from Carl Hansen.

"We really love flexible, unfussy spaces,

Though the new dining area is compact, it's open to the kitchen, the living area, and the backyard.

Glass doors enclose the dining area so that it can be opened up to the terrace in warmer months, and the seascape is still a part of the interior in the cooler weather when the doors are closed.

Shannon Richards, Caleb’s partner, often uses her laptop at the 13-foot long banquette, which needed to be finessed a bit because the initial version looked too bulky. The team laid the maple floorboards at an angle and used a white-tinged stain that will preserve their natural appearance.

The cabinets and floating shelf are raw steel, and the handmade table is lime plaster, joined with Zara Home stools.