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“We demoed the kitchen, installed new bathroom vanities, and sanded and finished the kitchen counters,” says homeowner Malcolm Taylor—and that was just the start.

Natural materiality is displayed through crafted timber furniture.

Casa Wabi by Tadao Ando

Looking South toward the water garden. A custom Ipe pergola is on the right with a built-in bench framed by Portland cement stucco planters.

In the kitchen, hand-glazed mosaic tiles add a touch of shine.

The rear of the home had been complicated by many additions. Davis streamlined the space as one adjoining kitchen, living room, dining room, and lower sunroom.

The arrangement of windows in the home creates a play of light and shadow and allows the family to experience different views as they move around the space. “It’s about creating a calm, comfortable home that is still dynamic,” says architect Line Solgaard. “There are 360-degree views but you don’t see in every direction at all times—there are moments of drama throughout.”

Project architects Studio Marshall Blecher and Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter opened up the center of the house, previously comprising a maze of fourteen small rooms, creating one large and airy kitchen and dining space with a high, chapel like ceiling. A six-meter-long concrete plinth standing at the center of the room which doubles as an island bench and dining table, had to be lowered into the house by a crane while the roof was being reconstructed.

Brutalist materials like concrete and steel are balanced by the gentleness of the wooden carpentry. Ash wood is used for the cabinetry throughout, from kitchen cabinets to storage units.

The renovated kitchen is open, airy, and connected to the rest of the main level. Plum Projects used Bedrosians Magnifica Luxe polished white porcelain for the island, countertops, and backsplash. The black upper cabinets are made from Richlite: a durable, sustainable material made from recycled paper.

The kitchen features custom-lacquered cabinets with white oak handles and, in lieu of upper cabinets, a wall niche to display dishes.

La Base also designed the bathroom’s modular hangers.

In Bangkok, this family residence by Looklen Architects features four different courtyards with trees that stretch beyond its double-height interiors.

The floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and windows were the most expensive line item in the renovation. “The house would simply not be the same without them,” says architect Miguel Rivera. “When you are in the living area with the doors open, it creates one large indoor/outdoor space that is simply stunning.” Just beyond the kitchen, a bookcase in the hallway is painted to appear red from one side and gray from the other.

Off-shutter concrete is created by removing the shuttering—normally wooden planks used as a temporary structure to contain setting concrete. "Casting the perfect texture of old wooden planks on the concrete, while getting all the services placed correctly inside the shuttering, was an Herculean task," says Daffonchio.