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Two beautifully preserved arches with glass doors establish a transition between the patio and the open-plan living spaces.

Warm, earth-toned furnishings contrast the guesthouse’s primarily white palette.

On the main level, a wood-burning fireplace sits between two arched doorways in the open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas.

Belgian interior design firm Studio Stories sourced handmade ceramics and vases from shops and flea markets throughout Portugal’s southern Algarve region.

Recycled Altrock work surfaces and larch cabinetry define the kitchen design.

To accommodate a young family leaving New York City, design firm Stewart-Schafer revamped the kitchen and living areas of an outdated upstate home in just three months.

Homeowners Mark and Tamara revel in the newfound connectivity that the remodel has enabled. “We can sit at the breakfast nook at one end of the house, sipping coffee, and look all the way down to the other end of the house, where the kids’ bedrooms are,” says Tamara.

Once an inaccessible attic (and essentially “dead space”), soaring ceilings and striking angular lines are now a focal point, geometrically integrated through vertical protrusions and light-funneling skylights.

"Go with your gut, and don’t be afraid to mix things up as you go along," Owens advises. "Originally we didn’t have open shelves flanking the hood, but we added them at the last minute and now it’s one of my favorite elements of the space."

"Around the time we were thinking of moving back [to San Francisco], I took a trip to Marfa, Texas, and fell in love with the agelessness of Donald Judd’s work," says Amy. "I liked the idea of having a classic American reference to the space, since we are influenced as much from America as we are by Asian culture."

"It’s not uncommon for sellers to throw some new black plastic under the house to conceal any potential water problems,” says Burkholder. “Old leaky pipes are one problem, but a high water level that leaves the crawlspace musty can be an expensive fix as well.”

Wooden carved out a cozy sitting area by the back window. The walls are painted with Farrow + Ball's Great White. The chime on the wall is from The Tienda at Hotel San Cristobal in Baja California. The backsplash features glazed Moroccan zellige tiles from Cle.

Rich black soapstone counters wrap black-matte IKEA cabinets, and appliances are hidden behind cabinet fronts so the room recedes. Storage now extends under the windows and lines the dining area, where the table and chairs were both Craigslist finds.