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The preserved brick chimney was exposed and cleaned up in the remodel. A classic Smeg range and exhaust hood create a pleasing contrast with the contemporary Kerf cabinetry.

The new structural support at the island is a slim intervention that enabled the firm to open up the kitchen to the rest of the home.

The walls are covered in Milestone cement plaster.

The tile backsplash matches the wall color, though it differs in texture, and the countertop is made from local granite. The light-colored wood screen set at the back of the darkly stained cabinetry mirrors the dark outside and light inside of the exterior facade.

Modern Windsor chairs by Hay surround an oak extension table by Ethnicraft. “You flip a lever and it gets larger,” Lachapelle says. The original plan called for a center island, but the owners wanted the flexibility of a table they could also use as a prep surface. The oak cabinet behind the sofa is on casters for additional utility. “We can even use it outside,” the husband says.

Making the decision to buy a home is never easy; it’s hard to know what life will look like five or ten years down the line. But on the bright side, buying a home is exciting. The responsibility can be invigorating.

"The client had sourced some period-appropriate inspirational images and asked us to run with it,

The new kitchen features ceiling-to-countertop tiles in a grid pattern, which reappears throughout the home. The globe flush mount overhead is from Anthropologie, while the hardware is from Altas Homewares and Alno Hardware.

Niki and Gustavo splurged on more permanent finishes and budgeted on items, like faucets and shelves, that could be easily upgraded over time.

The kitchen is adorned with Fireclay olive-green tile on the backsplash that ties to the green-painted custom millwork of the lower cabinetry.

“I’ve done shelves in front of windows here and there throughout my life,” says Lanigan, who grew up in a hippie commune in the ‘70s, where plants were always hanging in the windows. “I grew up in a geodesic dome my parents built. That organic ‘70s design is very much a touchstone for me.” Beside nostalgia, this choice offers extra accessible shelving and blocks a boring driveway view while still letting in light.

The new kitchen features green kit kat tiles, a terrazzo-effect rubber floor, white cabinetry, and cherry wood veneered cabinets. The client originally wanted teak cabinets, but 4 S Architecture recommended using cherry wood instead as it is more sustainable but has the same warm tones as teak. “We couldn’t get behind teak as a product so we used FSC certified European cherry that has less air miles than American cherry,” explains architect Julia Hamson. “The client was really pleased with the result.”

Main bathroom

Kohler bathroom fixtures.

Square Vogue Ceramica tiles give the bathroom a graphic punch.

White washed bathroom

Located next to the entry hall near both bedrooms, the bathroom is fitted with Hansgrohe and Toto fixtures.

Both bathrooms are downstairs, leaving the upper level completely open with the feeling of a summer camp mess hall.

Paying homage to the husband's family's tile business, employing distinct tile was one way the couple added a special touch to their vacation home.