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A home near Rye, England, opens onto a deck through a Sunflex door. The living room features a sofa by Terence Woodgate, 620 chairs by Dieter Rams for Vitsœ, and an Oluce Atollo 239 lamp by Vico Magistretti. The wood-burning fireplace sits along one wall in the room, with a bright orange flue acting as a sculptural focal point.

"The ceiling moldings were kept to create a sense of intimacy, and to blend the home’s classical style with the modern look of the kitchen," architect Maxime Moreau says. A PH Snowball light pendant by Louis Poulsen illuminates the living room, and a gas fireplace by Foyer Universel keeps it warm, with a mirror above the fireplace allowing light to bounce around the space.

Eco-friendly features like solar panels and rainwater catchments keep this retreat's environmental footprint small. Immediately to the right of the entry is the main living space, which features a Jetmaster 700D wood-burning fireplace with a tiled hearth.

At a renovated farmhouse in the Italian countryside, a crisp, modern white plaster fireplace and hearth infuse the interior with coziness and warmth. The firewood is stacked in a nearly-frameless niche next to the fireplace that is lined with metal, adding a bit of shine that contrasts with the rustic firewood and wood ceiling and beams above.

The material palette is subtle, with a few feature elements. In the kitchen, for example, white cabinetry matches the wall finish for a seamless appearance, while the marble countertop is a nod to the owners’ Italian heritage and provides a natural focal point for entertaining.

Situated at the back of the living area, the kitchen is separated by a large central island. The backsplash of glass tile by Fireclay offers a contrast to the wood cabinetry and black granite.

“We did a style of kitchen that you would find in Oaxaca,” says the designer. It’s simple and durable, and made for cooking any type of food.

Walnut cabinetry with a custom finger-pull treatment, a close collaboration with local designer John Deitrich at Plum Projects, now wraps the kitchen perimeter.

The wood-paneled kitchen features tiles made from Japanese finger mosaics.

In the kitchen and dining area, chairs from Nood slide under the island and surround a Maraetai table from The Axe.

In the kitchen, bar stools by Atelier Arking line a marble-topped island.

Low-VOC finishes on the walnut cabinets help improve the home’s indoor air quality. "Our suggestion is always to use water-based rather than oil-based or petroleum finishes," Britt says. Quartz countertops and a ceramic-tile backsplash continue the focus on natural materials.

In the kitchen, walnut cabinetry is topped with terrazzo countertops and a matching sink. Under-counter appliances like a refrigerator, freezer, and ice machine help make the space appear uncluttered.

The new kitchen features a full-sized refrigerator behind the paneling, a multi-functional oven and induction cooktop, and a stainless-steel sink with integrated cutting boards. “The induction stove top was carefully chosen because it's a durable glass top and it's very efficient,” says Jones. “It's also spatially efficient because you can put a cutting board on top of it, or prepare food on top of it.”

Pam and Frank recently tasked Light and Air Architecture with remodeling this loft in New York City to get better natural light. “That’s exactly what we were looking for, is light and air,” says Frank.

"The client had sourced some period-appropriate inspirational images and asked us to run with it,