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The discreet fireplace in this Belgium home blends in with the wall-mounted television, Low Pad chair by Jasper Morrison for Cappellini sits near the fireplace, and the brass-and-steel coffee table was designed by Poorter and Holdrinet in the cozy living room.

"The kitchen is pretty small, so we were inspired by Japanese design where everything is highly organized,

A Cove 5 metal fireplace from Charnwood warms up the 215-square-foot cabin.

An Ambit Rail pendant lamp from Muuto lights up the new kitchen island, which allows more room for food preparation and seating.

The minimalist design approach allows the materials to take center stage.

The kitchen includes solid surface counters, a gas cooktop, midcentury-style pendant lights, and a command center by the back door.

The new kitchen has much more elbow room and an eat-in bar clad in graphic, black-and-white tile. Carrera marble tile laid in a herringbone pattern covers the backsplash, while the counters are honed marble, at the back, and walnut, at the island.

The kitchen, in particular, has strong connections to the outdoors with ample daylight, windows, and direct access to the yard.

The new kitchen is modern and utilitarian, modest yet open and spacious. The U-shaped counters face the views on one side, and bookended by a skylit wall of hand-cut blue ceramic tile. The long skylight over the back counter helps balance the light from the windows opposite, and gives a warm wash of light over the work space all day long.

An elongated, pink terrazzo kitchen island accommodates larger gatherings; it extends all the way into the dining area. Powder-blue cabinets provide a cool contrast.

Kitchen Space: The kitchen island design is inspired by Donald Judd's Library Table and was built with the flexibility of removing the cabinet storage to convert it to a counter-height table.

The kitchen counters are a glazed lava stone that is incredibly durable and antimicrobial from Pyrolab. "The glazes can be so saturated, and making it dark gray felt really clean and bright in this room," Flam says. "We used a simple tile as the backsplash, a hand-made zinc island, and unearthed beautiful, cobalt blue tile around the fireplace," she says. The rest of the fireplace is finished with green-and-blue Moroccan tile and pendants from an old Czech factory.

The kitchen is a hub in the Paluskas’ home. John Paluska’s restaurant Comal in Berkeley, California, celebrates handmade, regional Mexican food.

Blue-painted ceiling trim and pink velvet-upholstered chairs, from La Redoute, brighten the open-plan kitchen-and-dining area, where the angled edge of the built-in table mimics the mezzanine's edge.

The remodeled kitchen retained plumbing locations and general layout, but functionality and circulation was improved.

A peninsula is lined with Form barstools from Simon Legald.

The updated kitchen of this circa-1969 Claude Oakland-designed Eichler has walnut-paneled cabinetry, quartz countertops, a turquoise tile backsplash, and a large center island with seating.

Kitchen