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Texture is at play everywhere, from a bathroom’s pebble-wash terrazzo floors that wrap up walls to the lush landscaping outside.

“We value feeling over a perfect or manufactured finish,” says Kathryn, “so we jumped at anything touchy-feely, such as the droplet-like tiles cladding bathroom wing walls and structural columns that we are constantly petting.” Texture is at play everywhere, from a bathroom’s pebble-wash terrazzo floors that wrap up walls to the lush landscaping outside.

The tile was meticulously stacked, square upon square, to match the way it would have been installed in the 1950s.

Now, an eight-foot sliding door brings light into the kitchen and enables fluid movement between inside and out. The wider steps can serve as seats during a party, and they make for a graceful transition to the yard.

“Using only wood to form a cabinet results in artistic moments. Diagonals read as decorative, but these strong triangles are necessary when you’re not using plywood,” Caleb says. “It’s pure joy to use the kitchen, knowing that all parts of it are built with meaning and without compromise.

After: By knocking down a wall, they opened up the kitchen to the living room to create one great room, ideal for entertaining.

Australian architect Lisa Breeze loved the use of color combined with natural materials this year. Take this Madrid apartment, which features