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The netting suspended over the water feature makes for a whimsical spot to stargaze.

The kitchen is streamlined and modern, with a black seamless backsplash, a minimalist faucet, and a wood-clad vent hood.

The budget was nearly as tight as the space in this cheerful renovation of a 516-square-foot flat in Bratislava. The centerpiece of Lukáš Kordík’s new kitchen is the cabinetry surrounding the sink, a feat he managed by altering the facing and pulls of an off-the-rack Ikea system. The laminate offers a good punch of blue, and in modernist fashion, Kordík forwent door handles in favor of cutouts. “I wanted the kitchen to be one simple block of color without any additional design,” he says.

For this Swedish kitchen, an extra-thin slab of Carrara marble was used for the countertop and backsplash so that it would recede into the space, not overwhelm it. The room is also outfitted with IKEA cabinets painted a serene powder blue—adding a vintage vibe, and a high-low sense of style.

The aluminum windows are powder coated in a charcoal color, which is intended to match the shadows created by the forest and help the building further blend in.

The bedroom is elevated around five meters above the forest floor, and the space beneath has—like the green roof—been given back to the Bushveld. “Naturally, this space is shadier than the surrounding forest, so it creates a different microclimate for different species to flourish in that area,” says architect Ant Vervoort. “It’s an area that we have cultivated.”

The design of this Australian houseboat features a soft, modern color palette. Here, light sage laminate kitchen cabinets are paired with leather recessed pulls.

Inspired by the sea and sand, Richard and Jackie Willcocks chose blue and orange joinery colors for their 1,140-square-foot prefab. The modular home is by New South Wales company ArchiBlox.

After: Pink-toned terrazzo tile counters and a backsplash and olive green-painted cabinetry enlivens the kitchen, where the designers created open shelving using leftover plywood from the mezzanine ceiling panels.

In this kitchen, three globe pendants with brass details and burgundy cords match the hood tube hanging above the kitchen island.

Vibrant blue cabinets brighten up this kitchen and serve as a bold contrast to the exposed brick. The stainless-steel countertop wraps slightly up the wall, and creates a trough for storing items.

One of Catherine Williamson's favorite Semihandmade cabinets includes this appliance cabinet, which keeps things out of sight. The piece of art to the right is a vintage portrait from her grandparents.

Inside, rustic elements (like wood beams and whitewashed wood) nod to the structure’s former life, while walls of glass, black metal accents, and sleek furnishings give it a fresh, new look. After the renovation, the couple loved the guesthouse so much they decided to make it their full-time dwelling.

The Stewart-Schafer team hand-selected each slab of Calacatta Vagli marble to be book-matched. "We love the beautiful natural veining and imperfections of marble against the clean lines of the kitchen design," noted Stucker. To protect the marble, they used a trade secret sealing product that comes with a lifetime guarantee, which, according to Stucker "helps alleviate the hesitations some clients have with marble."

In the kitchen, olive green cabinets pair with Calacatta marble, stylish fixtures, and a circular, wood-clad island.

Hatchet Design Build took a contemporary approach with this kitchen while still drawing from the a traditional palette. The grain-matched walnut cabinets echo the walnut pocket doors elsewhere.

By removing walls and a counter peninsula jutting into the room, interior designer Corine Maggio was able to create enough space for a generous island. The stove wall is a fitting focal point with a hood vent accented in tigerwood and a quartz slab backsplash that helps to tie the space together.

A custom-made black walnut dining table is surrounded by chairs from Matthew Hilton Designs. A Lindsey Adelman chandelier hangs overhead. The team chose to paint the dining room in Railings by Farrow and Ball to create a mood apart from the airier kitchen and living area.