Favorites

In the dining room, furniture by Wegner and local designers Speke Klein blends with the white oak floors and stair.

The family shares a meal at the counter in the kitchen.

In the bedroom, the clients requested an almost black hue, so Anderson joined "Superwhite

In the kitchen, Eames chairs flank a custom dining table, and the pendant is by Wever & Ducré.

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.”

Nikki and her mom can enjoy one another's company in the kitchen after a short walk across the garden.

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.

Lee Buchanan of Lee Build created a screen of white ash slats beside the kitchen as well as the entry. "The stairs are beautifully integrated into the kitchen so the kids and I are always talking and someone is always sitting on the bottom steps,

"We contrasted the linearity of the etched granite by curving the island edges and introducing fridge panels with hand-carved pulls,

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

The design team restored the cork floors. The island lights are Sven Middleboe for Nordisk and are original to the house. The counters are Ceppo Di Gre Marble and the door to the restored pantry is painted Tarrytown Green by Benjamin Moore, and given a porthole window with reeded glass.

8. Maximizing Space in Small Kitchens To maximize space in small kitchens, swap cupboards for drawers, which can hold as much as 30 percent more stuff. Keep the layout simple, yet smart.

A quiet garden moment on the patio. This time, the tree is real.

When it comes to the heart of the home, there’s no question Australia–based Blue Tea Kitchens holds the key to creating your ideal space. Read on for their top 10 useful tips that can assist with any kitchen remodel.

Choose meaningful embellishments. “Homeowners tend to focus predominantly on the utilitarian components of their kitchen remodels and place less emphasis on decorative elements such as tile, open shelves, visual art pieces,” says Nicole Tysvaer of Galaxy Homes. “The kitchen is the heart of our homes and the most occupied space. I encourage all of our clients to consider meaningful embellishments that add beauty and a personalized touch to their kitchen remodel, such as a display of heirloom teacups, framed photography from family vacations, or decorative wall art.”