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The bathroom’s warm, natural finishes include a brass faucet and wood paneling.

A view from the top of the main residence’s staircase reveals a serene internal courtyard situated between the garage and the home.

A shell of concrete in the desert

Edgewood House Mill Valley, CA

The lighting, tile, and drawer pulls all feature a circular form that was inspired by the home's curves.

The kitchen and double height living room is steps from the pool. The heated floors are made of recycled arbutus—small flowering trees that were blown down.

A white marble dining table and matching plastic chairs sit beneath copper pendants with Plumen light bulbs. On the other side of the open-plan living area, the sofa, table, and chairs, which predate the house, are perfectly integrated with their new surroundings.

When architect Nick Martin was hired to rework an art curator’s Hamptons property into a Zen-like getaway from the big city, he took an appropriately holistic view. It’s the beach house that’s got it all: green technology; passive solar design; rich materials; an expansive feeling, despite a petite half-acre corner lot; and a design concept that references its humble beginnings as an off-the-rack kit house.

Candy Sarvis loves feeling connected with dinner guests while she cooks. The African teak kitchen cabinetry is by Pedini, with Miele appliances. A Big Bang pendant by Foscarini illuminates the Montecarlo table by Cattelan Italia.

In the dining room, a James Burleigh table sits beneath a sizeable skylight. Throughout the ground floor, additional lighting is recessed in the coffered ceilings. Painted brick walls provide a reminder of the building’s industrial past.

What are some places the children's and parents' needs dovetail in the design? There was a lot of concern about minimizing clutter. There's acres of cabinetry to put things away. I think that helps to keep the kids calm. Clutter is really hard on autistic kids. Being able to keep things clean seems to really help. This place had to be user-friendly for the kids, parents, and tutors.

“The owners were looking for a relaxed, welcoming environment. We suggested an interior atmosphere that is simultaneously cozy and airy. We went for a stripped down, almost purified aesthetic. Simplicity is luxury.” Interior designer Lexie Mork-Ulnes says.

Zames reconfigured the apartment to improve circulation and open some of the confined rooms. What was formerly a hallway is now integrated with the kitchen. A bank of floor-to-ceiling cabinets offers storage and an island covered in carrara marble offers space for working or dining. "We embraced dark colors in the kitchen to keep a contrast with the bright white of the surrounding living areas," Zames says of the constrasting finishes. The barstools are from CB2.

"Even a simple hardware swap or new lighting can transform a space, so keeping those core materials within a neutral palette allows for flexibility with updates over time," Gebhardt advises. "You really can’t go wrong with white oak, marble, and white-gray cabinetry." In the reimagined kitchen, Caesarstone quartz countertops meet Boston Arctic white subway tile, punctuated by Rejuvenation hardware. Meritage Hardwood Flooring was used throughout.