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The bathroom features a Duravit sink that was incorrectly ordered for a job by the contractor and then donated to Hale. The stools are from Ikea, the tub was salvaged, and the tiles were surplus from another project.

The bathroom includes a sink Bornstein discovered in a secondhand store.

Custom cabinetry was added to meet Hixton's kitchen needs. "We measured all her jars, the plates, everything," says Dyer. The color palette was largely guided by a client-provided velvet pillow and Jackson's signature red-glazed pottery.

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

Low-VOC finishes on the walnut cabinets help improve the home’s indoor air quality. "Our suggestion is always to use water-based rather than oil-based or petroleum finishes," Britt says. Quartz countertops and a ceramic-tile backsplash continue the focus on natural materials.

In the kitchen, the countertops are Absolute Black wire-brushed granite from Walker Zanger, the cooktop and hoods are from Viking, the dishwashers are Miele, and the serious coffee setup (Mel is the former CEO of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) includes an espresso machine from La Marzocco and grinders by Mazzer. Bradley designed the cherrywood veneer cabinetry, which was made and installed by Marmol Radziner, with a custom piece by Alaco Ladder Company.

In their query letter, Ben and Sarah were clear that they wanted a home that could accommodate all of life’s messes. “We don't want a white display kitchen that only looks good when it's clean and not in use. We want our kitchen to be able to work hard. We love to cook and when we do, there are usually lots of things on the go and a mess being made.”

“I like the darkness of walnut. Other woods tend to yellow if you don’t stain it, while walnut stays true to itself,” Caleb says. The white glass tile backsplash melds with the wall.

Mint green-painted ironwork and tiles connect the indoors to the outside more fluidly.

Engelsman gave the kitchen an L-shaped layout with a large island workspace at the center, and pushed the tall storage into the garage, to create a wide circulation space to access the dining room and backyard.

A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.

“Cathie has an incredible love of color,” says Tolkin. “This was an opportunity for engagement that would feel very authentic—this kind of engagement with our clients is vital to what we do.”

A freestanding Kohler Ceric bath anchors one side of the emerald-tiled bathroom.

The downstairs bathroom was also dramatically redone for a total of $18,121.

Architect Charlie Lazor designed this peaceful, lakeside prefab in Ontario, Canada, with a Japanese-style bathroom clad in richly stained teak with a matching tub and sink by Bath in Wood.

Green tiles complement an oversized vanity in the bathroom, which gets lot of natural light.

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.