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Quynh-Vy and her sisters Tuvy Pham and Yenvy Pham share a laugh while folding shrimp dumplings. “I wanted a kitchen big enough for everyone to gather in,” says Quynh-Vy, “but even though it’s big, it feels warm and intimate. It draws everyone in.”

Seattle-based Shed Architecture & Design worked with kitchen systems company Space Theory to create Quynh-Vy’s dream kitchen, complete with pink cabinets, open walnut shelving, and a 12-foot marble island.

Penny tiles in two colors cover the walls in the wet room on the second floor where wall-mounted plumbing fixtures preserve countertop space atop the solid brass sink.

The basement now has a rec room, with a full kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, and exterior access, so it can function as an independent suite for guests or renters, depending on the couple's needs.

In the primary bathroom, the large format tile is Loire limestone from Stone-Tile, and the small format on the walls is Tatami green from Creekside Tile.

The counters are natural quartzite, called "Elegant Grey

Aleksandra shifted and shortened the window to pack in usable storage around it. The cabinets are painted Rainy Afternoon by Benjamin Moore, combined with white oak boxes for contrast. “We were also badly hit by the material price increases during Covid,” says Aleksandra, whether it was kitchen cabinets or framing lumber. The couple were receiving quotes that changed week to week.

A new powder room behind a pocket door in the hall reveals Nagoya Dark Green tile from Ames Tile. The salmon paint color is Benjamin Moore "Sharon Rose."

The kitchen cabinets are clad with black walnut, with a black steel built-in bookshelf nearby.

Studio Becker Xu streamlined the kitchen by building all of the appliances into the millwork. The budget-friendly countertops are a Formica solid surface.

Using slats of MDF and tracks from Rakks, Ben and Emilio created a reference library on the studio’s southern wall.

Thanks to a few good thrifty finds—like the $300 stainless steel fridge from Craigslist or the black wood countertop saved from the landfill—Ben and Emilio were able to cut costs while investing in more modular features, like the custom-made aluminum shelving ($100 each).

Rakks shelving ($400) and two BluDot cabinets ($1200) mark the transition from front to back of house. A well-loved Tobia Scarpa Monk chair and Robert Sonneman Orbiter Sconce stand guard to the left. Because they’re not monsters, Ben and Emilio also disconnected the industrial overhead lighting immediately upon moving in.

Ben and Emilio wheeled sheets of MDF over from a nearby Home Depot to create the radiator cover. They perforated the sheets by hand on the roof just beyond the windows. The total project cost around $350.

Sage green tile and a custom vanity reflect the new design details elsewhere in the house.

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

The interior wall of the kitchen that contains the refrigerator and pantry happened to line up with a side window, so it stops short of extending the length of the space, creating an opening that visually and acoustically connects the kitchen and dining room.

Black hex tile ground the new design. The vanity is maple with a quartz counter. Schoolhouse Electric sconces float over a CB2 mirror.

INAX tile is paired with walnut cabinets by Bellwether Millworks in the master bathroom, which also features Ladena sinks and Purist faucets from Kohler. The tab pulls are from Häfele, the Syncro floor tiles from Century, and the Niveous pendant from WAC Lighting.