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The pantry lines the wall to the right.

The kitchen island and cabinets at this Melbourne renovation are made of recycled timber, taking cue from the wooden bookcase that designer Kim Kneipp installed during the home’s first restyling.

The expanded kitchen has a large central island, with room for prep, seating, storage, and cooking. The cabinetry is a mix of wood, Shinnoki Milk Oak, and white fronts, Fenix NTM Bianco Kos. The terrazzo counters are by Concrete Collaborative. There are two types of tiles: the Mutina Rombini fluted tile on the island and Cepac Krave Sugar Tiles on the backsplash. “It looks very mid-century modern,” says Blaine of the backsplash tile. “But in this application, it also adds that little touch of depth that I think is really important to making the house feel interesting.” The counter stools are from Hay.

Clerestories harness sunlight for the bathrooms.

The founder of Polly Harbison Design transformed the 1940s home where her sister, Margot, resides with her family to include a new kitchen, a bedroom with an outdoor shower, and wide-open garden views. In the main communal areas, floor-to-ceiling glass doors and wooden screens slide open completely, allowing Margot, Ewen, and their three daughters to get fresh air.

Vertical-grain Douglas fir and Heath tiles reinforce the clean lines in the kitchen. “It’s one of my favorite places to be,” says Kate. “It just brings me joy to see our things displayed on the open shelf.” The range is from Miele, and the counters are Quartzite.

The ceramic floor tiles are from Ciot, while the ceramic wall tiles are from Céragrès.

The kitchen features its original built-in clock; a Michael Graves Alessi kettle stands on the range.

The kitchen features custom-lacquered cabinets with white oak handles and, in lieu of upper cabinets, a wall niche to display dishes.

A blue Hay Petit BonBon light fixture hangs in the stairwell.

The rice cooker garage.

The architects used natural materials and colors in the kitchen to make the space feel serene, expansive, and connected to the outdoors.

Natural light provides the kitchen with an ethereal quality.

Now, tall storage cabinets surround a niche with Kappa tile from 41Zero42, this time in a brighter hue, combined with a plainsawn white oak frame and Rosso Verona marble counter.

A Kraus faucet is paired with a Delta stainless steel sink. The stainless-steel refrigerator is by Samsung.

The dropped ceiling is old-growth fir that was discovered under plaster during the demolition phase of the project, and was repurposed for interior finishes. The custom island prep table is by Vintage Mill Werks, with Hay stools.