Chalet

The white oak hardwood staircase between the main and second floor were installed by RK Woodworking. A plywood, MDF-finished guardrail is painted white to match the walls; the handrail features an integrated LED strip light.

Black leather West Elm sofas anchor the room atop a gridded Annie Selke rug.

Rich black soapstone counters wrap black-matte IKEA cabinets, and appliances are hidden behind cabinet fronts so the room recedes. Storage now extends under the windows and lines the dining area, where the table and chairs were both Craigslist finds.

A new retaining wall lines the exterior walkway to form a light well for the large glass doors in the basement. This level has become a flex space for the owners, where they can watch TV as a family, host guests in their own suite, or set up an office space.

Open tread on the stairs lets light from the large window pass through.

The pantry has a bar, extra storage, and display for the owners’ cookbooks and favorite kitchen wares. Since it’s used every day, the architects wanted it “to equal the pleasure of being inside the kitchen,” says Edmonds. “I often tell people it's my favorite room in the house,” adds the owner.

In order to connect the basement to the rest of the house, the architects replaced a bedroom and bathroom on the main floor with a light-filled staircase, pantry, and powder room.

Oak lines the interior for a tactile surprise, and the marble counter echoes the marble on the island and perimeter counters.

Custom cabinetry ensures there’s room for everything.

“The kitchen is really the heart of the home,” says the owner. “It feels very special to us.” An extra-long island hosts everything from children’s homework sessions to “cooking parties,” such as when the owners have friends over every year to make apricot jam from fruit picked in the yard. The placement of the cooktop means the cook can be working and there’s room for people to help, or mill about easily, inside and out. “We'll open the big doors and dine on the deck, and have appetizers on the island,” says the owner. “I'll still be cooking in the kitchen and never feel like I've left the party.”

The new addition is spanned by a sliding glass door to the kitchen, bringing in much more natural light and creating easy flow between inside and out. The owners especially appreciate how the new deck is at grade with the exterior door for a seamless transition, making the kitchen feel “a part of the garden,” says the homeowner.

Clad in natural pine, the building is designed to weather as it may. “As artists, Donna and Oliver love that idea of something living,” says Lolley. “The house is sort of like an art piece in itself. What will it look like next year? What will it look like tomorrow?”

The roof is made of simple sheet steel, another sustainable choice. “In two generations from now, whoever wants to replace the roof can just recycle it," says Lolley.

Plans for a separate artists' studio on the property are currently in the works.

Small, penny-shaped Carrara marble tiles add texture to the master and guest bathrooms, which share a similar template.