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Don't dismiss the kitchen as a modern day parlor. Sarrah Khan of Agencie Architecture & Engineering says, “ Kitchens are modern parlor rooms. In today’s homes, kitchens serve a double function of both cooking and entertaining zones.”

Choose meaningful embellishments. “Homeowners tend to focus predominantly on the utilitarian components of their kitchen remodels and place less emphasis on decorative elements such as tile, open shelves, visual art pieces,” says Nicole Tysvaer of Galaxy Homes. “The kitchen is the heart of our homes and the most occupied space. I encourage all of our clients to consider meaningful embellishments that add beauty and a personalized touch to their kitchen remodel, such as a display of heirloom teacups, framed photography from family vacations, or decorative wall art.”

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

In the kitchen, pops of orange and blue break up an otherwise black-and-white palette. The bursts of color are a nod to the hues in the stained glass in the refurbished front door.

After: By knocking out a wall and building a new island, the kitchen flows more cohesively into the living room and dining room. The

The newer downstairs bathroom features textured sky-blue tiles that nod to the natural ceramics Rose loves.

Waterfall concrete sink by Compound Concrete.

The use of raw, natural materials continues into the bathrooms, which feature timber joinery with concrete countertops that appear to float weightlessly.

“I’ve done my share of neutral bathrooms with white tiles, and these clients are adventurous, so we really had fun with the material selections and color palettes in the bathrooms,” Damonte says.

"Since we knew the house would have bold color blocks, we wanted the bathroom to feel a bit more fluid and loose,

More than 6,000 pounds of green Moroccan tiles from Design Fliesen were used in their primary bathroom, which has two Falper faucets. There's a second full bathroom and two powder rooms.

"My wish for the bathroom was for it to feel like walking along a creek through the Tasmanian wilderness,

The master bathroom uses black-and-white finishes to enhance the home's pastel palette.

The master bathroom is the only spot in the home that features actual hardware. Simon went with a rich blue-green tone for the double vanity and Colton wall sconces from Y Lighting.