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A special finish brings out the grain in the kitchen's walnut cabinetry.

Project architects Studio Marshall Blecher and Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter opened up the center of the house, previously comprising a maze of fourteen small rooms, creating one large and airy kitchen and dining space with a high, chapel like ceiling. A six-meter-long concrete plinth standing at the center of the room which doubles as an island bench and dining table, had to be lowered into the house by a crane while the roof was being reconstructed.

The bathroom is clad in blue penny tile, and natural light pours in to illuminate it all. “It’s almost a spa-like experience,” says Khoi. The tiles are from Bedrosians.

Architect Sarah Jacoby uncovers the beauty in a timeworn home with moody interiors, a bevy of built-ins, and an unusual bedroom sink.

The cabinets and floating shelf are raw steel, and the handmade table is lime plaster, joined with Zara Home stools.

The guest room's bathroom features a sconce by Lindsey Adelman and all-green tiles. Since this bathroom is also the powder room, the owners wanted it to be fun.

A steel staircase connects the living room to the new second story while acting as a functional sculpture in the space. Cameron repurposed the timber paneling from another building site.

The original layout was very much of the time: a perfect midcentury modern flow, with a closed-off kitchen and a fire put in the floor. “They were cool but impractical spaces,” says Schaer.

"The effect of the plantings on the terrace is enormous,” reflects the couple. “Not only do the branches and formations give a sense of the four seasons, but the way it looks from the living room contributes to a sense of calmness. It gives the illusion that we are viewing art."

The home’s eaves—over eight feet long—allow the garden doors to be kept fully open without rain blowing inside, barring a severe storm. The deep eaves also provide solar protection to the interior.

The countertop is a custom Concrete Collaborative terrazzo, and the colored flecks nod to the wall tiles.

There’s more concealed storage in the bathroom, this time clad in wooden tile so it blends in with the wall treatment. The flooring is terrazzo tile.

The clients have a large collection of indoor plants, and 4 S Architecture designed a scheme with plenty of spots to display plants, from the deep windowsills to the semi-recessed extractor above the island that features an integrated shelf. “We had originally specified a fully flush extractor system, but they are very expensive,” says architect, Julia Hamson. “We went for one that is semi-recessed, so was cost effective but still has less visual impact than a dropped extractor.”

Ben Warwas set a slider by Western Window Systems at a diagonal beneath the overhang created by the second floor.

Wood panelling brings a warmth to the concrete-and-white space.