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To avoid the sight of dirty dishes, the sink is on the side rather than in the island, where instead an induction stove from Bora (with a cleverly designed down-draw exhaust system) makes the kitchen “really social,” says Kate. “One of us can be cooking while the other can sit and have a glass of wine.”

Full-height, black sliding glass doors connect the interior spaces to the rear courtyard and enable indoor/outdoor living.

In the kitchen, an “Alpine Mist’ Caesarstone slab tops Alder cabinets. A mint green custom steel hood conceals a Vent-a-Hood insert, and Ann Sacks ‘Context’ tile in Frost covers the backsplash.

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.

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

Pink marble is unexpected, but adds the touch of warmth every kitchen needs.

This home that was built atop of home constructed in World War I is completely reimagined by Daniel Rabin and Annie Ritz of local architecture and design firm And And And Studio. Details like fluted white cabinetry in the kitchen give this LA home a posh look.

Danny fitted the kitchen into an alcove outfitted with Ikea cabinets and Semihandmade fronts. The refrigerator is by LG. On the jute rug from Armadillo, chairs from Threshold join a table from Inside Weather.

Audi Culver and Ivy Siosi had never built a house before, but as the founders of Siosi, a decade-old furniture company known for its use of domestic, sustainably sourced hardwood and simple, Scandinavian-influenced forms, they were up for the challenge. A large parcel a few miles from downtown caught their eye, and when the owner split it into four smaller lots, they snapped one up.

"It needed cosmetic love to bring back its former glory," the firm said of the home. "It needed better lighting, some key furniture pieces, and better and stronger colors to offset the interiors in their lush green garden setting." The bedrooms received new cork floors as well.

The homeowners “love morning light,” says Dunin, so every window in the home is positioned to make the most of the Australian sun.