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Ash lives in the detached backyard unit and has comfortably hosted 10 people in the space.

Floor Plan of Kitchen in the Woods by A Small Studio

“I love the nighttime lighting of the new extension,” says architect Helena Rivera. “It allows the space to change from a functional workspace to a chill-out area very quickly through dimmers and carefully positioned track lights.”

Reimagined by architect Lisa Breeze, this compact semidetached brick home in Melbourne was built by the client's granduncle in the 1940s and passed down through generations. While the kitchen was updated to fit a modern lifestyle, the pastel color, gentle curves, and preserved Bakelite handles are a nod to the original era.

Light wood cabinetry and black-and-white checkerboard flooring create a simple, classic look for the kitchen, where functional elements have been pared back to a bare minimum; there’s a sink and a small amount of cabinetry where hot plates and a microwave are stored. "Our client is not a big cook and often orders out when she’s at home," Hostache says.

Australian expats Carla and Paul Tucker tasked designer Dan Gayfer with expanding their Melbourne bungalow without adding any square footage. In the kitchen, a soft palette of wood, laminate, and tile created cohesion, impressive considering the clients didn’t see a single finish, color, or material in person prior to their homecoming. The kitchen cabinets were clad in Russian birch plywood, and the countertops were concrete.

A DeVol marble sink and faucet are lit by Ramsey Conder 8

The wall shelf with rail and cabinet hardware are also by DeVol.

Hotho added a clerestory window to a light well, as well as an open shelving unit to divide the space, both of which let light flow through. The vintage campaign table is used as a desk, but can be broken down and stowed in place of a mattress, when the couple want to use the room as a guest suite.

In the living room, a Malm fireplace sits on a yellow powder-coated steel table that matches the bookshelf ladder leading to the loft. Jagoda designed the table with space underneath to store firewood.

Adam and Karyn Bechtel tasked architect Emily Jagoda with renovating the 1960 home they share with their two daughters in the hills of Woodside, California. A curvilinear, built-in sofa with integrated storage sits below a lofted art studio and angular clerestory windows that frame views of the surrounding trees.

The kitchen cabinets’ MDF fronts have a serrated finish

In the kitchen, buffed concrete floors, chrome globe lights, and a fleet of Bertoia chairs comprise a sleek backdrop for quirkier pieces like the marble-topped wooden tables from a Catholic school, snagged at a local flea market. The secret to the spare, uncluttered shelves? A dispensa, or walk-in pantry, down the hall. “We hide everything we don’t want to see,” Sticotti explains. “We don’t want to have to look at brands.”

“I love the house more each day,” says Tamami Sylvester of her and husband Michael's home by Sebastian Mariscal in Venice, California. The kitchen, which includes all Miele appliances, is sheathed in custom woodwork from Semihandmade. Accessories from A+R complement the Caesarstone countertops and Franke faucet. A LifeSource Water System provides filtration. Photo by Coral von Zumwalt.

View from the kitchen towards living and sleeping zone.

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