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“I’ve done shelves in front of windows here and there throughout my life,” says Lanigan, who grew up in a hippie commune in the ‘70s, where plants were always hanging in the windows. “I grew up in a geodesic dome my parents built. That organic ‘70s design is very much a touchstone for me.” Beside nostalgia, this choice offers extra accessible shelving and blocks a boring driveway view while still letting in light.

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

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to move larger appliances and heavier pieces of furniture to clean all the dirt, dust, and grime that is usually left unnoticed.

As you tour a potential home, look out for a lack of natural light or possible renovations—those details can be used during negotiations.

Black steel-framed windows continue into the airy kitchen, complete with bespoke cabinetry.

To avoid the sight of dirty dishes, the sink is on the side rather than in the island, where instead an induction stove from Bora (with a cleverly designed down-draw exhaust system) makes the kitchen “really social,” says Kate. “One of us can be cooking while the other can sit and have a glass of wine.”

“I like the darkness of walnut. Other woods tend to yellow if you don’t stain it, while walnut stays true to itself,” Caleb says. The white glass tile backsplash melds with the wall.

The kitchen acts as the family hub, its multicolored surfaces anchored by a black tile backsplash, sprinkled with dots of uncolored, earth-toned tile.

A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.

David likes to cook and entertain so the architects designed a full-scale kitchen with Forbo Marmoleum flooring, white oak cabinets, ceramic tile backsplash, and Richlite counters.

The kitchen, which friends helped put together, pairs affordable Ikea cabinetry with birch countertops and glazed brick tile.

Boy Boy fabricated the framing for the flue shroud and base, which was then finished with plaster, and given a limestone benchtop. The Arto Ceramic tile extends into the kitchen, which has a preserved wood ceiling with new skylights.

The kitchen reflects the creative personalities of the homeowners—Alaina Smith, founder of accessories brand Cold Gold, and Ryan Schaefer, a musician, software designer, and founder of Hologram Electronics, which designs unique stomp boxes and pedals.

Erica and her mom enjoy cooking together, and this kitchen makes that easy to do so, with an expanded footprint, leathered quartzite counters, and custom white oak cabinetry. Shoe storage was built-in by the exterior door, with a slim cupboard for cleaning supplies.

“They really wanted to have tile in the kitchen and at the front door, but everyone disliked that hard edge line,” says Gregga. “Doing the organic edge of the tile helped make the entry space and kitchen feel like one, and then it disintegrates into the living and dining room.”

Lee helped the couple source lighting, like the Nuura Anoli pendants above the kitchen island. “We're constantly having meals at home,” says Serena. “We get a CSA and I like to cook, so it's nice to have a lot of space in the kitchen, and have it be really functional for cooking and entertaining.”

The homeowners chose knotty alder cabinets and concrete countertops, starkly contrasting with the rest of the home. A white tile backsplash draws attention to the black faucet and barstools.