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The bathrooms all feature a skylight that brings natural light into the space. "We felt that it was very important to bring the sky into the most private space. We really pushed to have this," says Tatangelo. "It makes the room feel completely different." The pebbles in the wall element were all hand cut and hand placed.

Concreteworks installed a custom concrete sink in the master bathroom, which is finished with Lacava Signo faucets and surrounding penny tile by Ann Sacks.

A clerestory window lets sunlight into the primary bath without compromising privacy. The water closet and pivoting shower doors are fabricated from frosted glass. Large format porcelain slab walls mitigates the need for distracting grout lines.

"The family are very close-knit with a lot of nostalgia for a cottage that their grandparents once owned. Things like cedar shakes, painted pine paneling, handmade bed quilts, and ceramic tiles reminiscent of quilt patterns bring those memories back. The clients' children are now young parents with contemporary taste and needs, so the design had to feel youthful," says Hope.

It’s a good idea to read reviews about specific pieces before buying them, which can help prepare you for the unexpected.

Thanks to a careful renovation that included a handful of preservation challenges, a family's Spanish beach house is given new life—and a big dose of light. Situated along the historic Camí de Ronda footpath in Spain's Costa Brava region, the Es Garbi beach house was renovated by Nook Architects to reflect the light and tranquility of the surrounding Mediterranean landscape, as well as to function as a well-designed family home.

Eden Locke in Edinburgh, Scotland