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Solid walnut slabs were used for the interior stair treads—a beautiful and durable choice. Sunlight from a skylight above filters through the space, creating delicate patterns of light and shadow as it passes through the screen.

A walnut-and-steel staircase leads to the upper level. Massive, upcycled, old-growth Douglas fir beams line the ceiling.

The atrium has an open feel thanks to the metal grating platform, large window along one wall, and staircase with wire banisters.

Dappled shadows are cast by the exterior concrete screen and the cantilevered tread at the stairs.

Flywheel Industrial Arts fabricated and installed the floating steel and oak stair based on Herrmann’s design which balances geometry with organic rhythms. If Herrmann noticed a repeated pattern when she glanced at it, she played with the spacing until her eye wasn’t drawn to any single spot. “We were excited by the combination of a massive, steel superstructure and a non-repeating baluster pattern,” says Benjamin Cheney, a partner at the Montpelier-based firm. Bocci pendant lights illuminate the stair evenly and look beautiful.

The gallery includes a built-in bookcase painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hay, which complements the white oak flooring. A sculptural light, chosen in white to match the ceiling and walls, adds visual interests.

The once dim, cramped kitchen in this 1963 Eichler in San Jose, California, now features luxe vinyl tiling, white slab fronts from Semihandmade, and a dual-pane window, courtesy of Cathie Hong Interiors.

A high-efficiency wood stove found on a remainder sale pairs with radiant heated concrete floors and solar power to keep the homeowner cozy even when power goes out.

The hemlock slat ceiling runs throughout the first floor, save for the living room. The slats hide acoustical batting and tracks for lighting. It also adds warmth, texture, and interest, and provides a sense of continuity.

Local cabinetmaker Peter Pomerantz made the custom, white oak cabinetry and Flywheel Industrial Arts fabricated the steel hood. “It’s about lines and shadows; no hardware,” Herrmann says.

A long window was used as a backsplash in the kitchen to bring in even more light to the space.