Favorites

A warm palette of birch plywood with olive green linoleum outfits the kitchen.

The handmade-look white brick tiles on the kitchen backsplash echo the brickwork used on the outdoor fireplace. They help to provide visual continuity from the exterior to the interior.

A soapstone apron-front sink with an integrated drainboard adds a simple yet luxe touch. The single floating shelf puts everyday dishes close by without creating visual clutter.

An assortment of vintage glassware fills the open shelves, as well as ceramics from Don Corleon picked up on a trip to Italy.

In the kitchen, mullioned glass cabinets showcase Isabella’s tableware and treasures, while a brass pot rail makes it easy to grab her cooking tools.

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 stretch from the counter to the ceiling to maximize the view. The difference in ceiling height gives the kitchen a cozier feel.

New custom walnut cabinetry syncs with the rest of the built-ins throughout the home, to create a pleasing rhythm in the open plan. The backsplash is Heath Ceramics tile, and the counter is Pental Quartz. Open shelves at the rear overlook a cozy den, and allow sightlines out the new windows at the front of the home.

"I often choose finishes that allow the natural texture to show through, and finishes that emphasize the cathedrals and burls of the graining,