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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.

In the kitchen, minimalism prevails. Jared notes that the use of plywood was loosely inspired by design seen in the 1960s Sonoma County Sea Ranch community. "It's something that one of my heroes, [architect] Barbara Bestor has done very well," he says.

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.

Ali Fraenkel and Mentor Dida prepare for one of the many gatherings they host in their penthouse in Prishtina, Kosovo. Self-described “changemakers,” they regularly open their home to 20 or more people for get-togethers with live music from local artists or guest speakers like Uta Ibrahimi, the first Albanian woman to climb Mount Everest. The couple worked with designers Fitore Syla and Njomza Havolli of local firm Muza to create a balance of open and intimate spaces. “Gathering people is our shared calling,” says Ali.

In the bathroom, wood-paneled walls mimic the striations in the rammed earth walls. The wood is wormy chestnut from Urban Salvage in Melbourne, and the counter is recycled blackbutt.

"I've loved taking showers with my toddler in the primary bath's double shower,

The upstairs bathroom features a shower nook with a skylight. “You can look out and see palm trees,” Kuo says.

More than 6,000 pounds of green Moroccan tiles from Design Fliesen were used in their primary bathroom, which has two Falper faucets. There's a second full bathroom and two powder rooms.

If the idea of a plain white backsplash doesn't appeal to you, but you still want a neutral backsplash, consider handmade tiles or a material that comes in a range of colors and tones. Here, a cream-colored backsplash made of traditional Moroccan tiles and available through Emory & Cie line the backsplash of the kitchen.

The day always begins in the kitchen with one of Jule’s morning rituals—making a matcha latte.

The faucet is by Brizo, and the sink is from Kräus. The backsplash is a handmade white ceramic tile that lends some organic irregularity to the scheme.

The green backsplash tiles are vintage, reclaimed from another project.

The team used their office kitchen reno to explore bringing mixed materials together in a cohesive fashion.

Uncovering the original concrete surfacing of the columns, which are unusually thick thanks to the building’s original industrial function, was a major undertaking. Covered in successive layers of white paint, a team worked for over a week to expose the concrete, revealing the space’s gritty character.

The bathroom, located just adjacent to the kitchen, features a pattern of gray and turquoise tiles that climbs from the floors up the walls. They serve as a burst of color among the predominately white walls elsewhere, transforming the bathroom into one of the apartment’s most striking spaces.

Kid's Bathroom

The timber joinery in the bathroom conceals storage that allows the family home to remain uncluttered. The large windows frame green views that belie the urban context and complement the refined material palette.