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While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”

The main entry flows into the living room, which now accesses the outdoor terrace via the door to the left.

Artistic Tile’s Blue Fan Club glass mosaic tile is a focal point in the shower. The sink console is composed of Nero Marquina marble and polished nickel by Michael Smith For Town by Kallista. The polished nickel hardware is also by Michael Smith For Town. Above the sink, Sperry wall sconces by Hudson Valley Lighting flank a Restoration Hardware glass moulded mirror. The ceiling light is vintage.

Kitchen appliances are hidden behind sliding aluminum "garage" doors.

Sandwiched between two ornate Victorians, the London home designed by Alma-nac remedies a midcentury blunder with a contemporary correction.

Skylights in the addition and in one of the new bathrooms bring natural light into the home.

Before the renovation, the kitchen looked out onto the street. Alma-nac moved it to the rear extension.

A central pedestal holds both the wall-hung toilet and sink to save on space. "We wanted the bathroom to feel open and easy for two people to move around in if we both happened to be in there at the same time," says Dale.