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Upstairs, the private spaces comprise four bedrooms and a separate lounge.

CAB Architects deftly hid appliances, pantry storage, and a litter box for the owners' two cats in the cabinetry beneath this staircase.

Dining area, looking toward central stair and entry alcove.

Stair

No space goes unused in the kitchen, including the under-stair space. The perforated metal screens pull out to reveal additional storage.

Architect Alexandre Blouin designed a rectangular staircase at the center of this house, positioning it beneath an operable skylight that draws in sunshine that otherwise would have struggled to penetrate the core of the building, which is 50 feet deep.

"The oversized skylight enables the owners to see the sky from the center of the house," Maydan says. "It was also important to ensure that the palm tree, which was planted in the center of the entry atrium, can get plenty of sunlight."

A slatted walnut screen is a centerpiece of the home’s new design. Accentuating the height of the space, the vertical slats come together with metal rods and a sleek handrail, creating a graphic manipulation of positive and negative space. In addition to allowing light to permeate the interior, the screen is visible from most vantage points in the home, providing an anchor of visual interest.

Architect Catherine Milanese wanted to use a single material—fir plywood—for the stringer, the stairs, and the risers, visually integrating the stairway with the wood box that contains the mezzanine level.

The stair leads to a small communal landing on the loft level that opens to the new bedroom. "The communal living spaces are a really important part of the design, and it would have been easy to try and cram in more bedroom space," says the client, Andrew. "Instead, the main hallway that BVDS drew at the core of the house is a real triumph in our view."

The wood staircase is capped with a smooth brass handrail.

The screen extends down to the basement mudroom.

The exterior massing was the first thing the couple nailed down while details like the stairs took a bit longer. "The challenge is that you realize there’s an infinite amount of detail you can drill down into," says John.