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"The wonderful thing about this line of tile from Fireclay is that there's no order minimums," says Jonathan. Considering that the designers were dealing with such a small footprint, this meant that they didn’t have to order more tile than what was needed.

Gardiner Architecture ensured that flexibility, practicality, comfort, and spaciousness were all present in Elm Street House, as well as natural connections to the oft-used backyard and the surrounding neighborhood. The kitchen units are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish; the counters are Caesarstone. A pass-through window at the sink connects to the yard and makes for easy entertaining.

Like the kitchen and other storage-heavy areas, the master bathroom features Douglas fir plywood cabinetry fabricated by Goodweather. The countertop is by Corian.

New Kitchen detail

The owners of this updated Tudor-style abode in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Eagle Rock, Amanda and William Hunter, are the design duo behind the William Hunter Collective, which rehabs homes. Handmade tile, soapstone counters, walnut wood, and steel make up the artfully styled kitchen.

It was cramped and dark when Hernán Landolfo and his girlfriend bought this Buenos Aires apartment, but after Landolfo reconfigured it as open-plan space with a greenhouse-like folding glass wall that unites the indoors and outdoors, it now feels airy and spacious.

“The terra-cotta backsplash in the kitchen is probably most people’s favorite feature. It was such a simple way to tie all the colors together in the house,” adds Rebecca.

"We wanted to create a kitchen that would develop and become prettier with time. Something that was raw, tactile, and natural. Our kitchen reflects this thought by using materials from nature to carry the design. In Scandinavia, we have a tradition of inviting nature inside, blurring the boundaries between what is inside and outside," says Bjerre-Poulsen.

A warm palette of birch plywood with olive green linoleum outfits the kitchen.

"It is also possible to add a separate kitchen island in a different color than the rest of the kitchen," suggests Christensen.

Kerf cabinetry, Heath Ceramics tile, and a BlueStar range complement stainless steel countertops and a porcelain sink in the kitchen.

A tiled niche sports cutting boards from the local Steelwood Design.

Shands paired maple wood kitchen cabinets with veined marble countertops to provide character to the space without overwhelming it. "These materials, complemented by the open shelves with stacked ceramics, are key to the experience," she says. Sub-Zero undercounter refrigerators and freezer opened the kitchen up to allow for more counter space.

Amy worked with Josh Tomlinson of Tomlinson Woodworks to craft the island, which is as much of a showpiece as it is for storage. He also did the cabinetry.

"In the kitchen, we really wanted to show the structural elements as well as some locally made earthenware," designer Adam Bennett-Smith says. "Open cabinetry really makes you consider the aesthetic nature of what you own and cook with."

Slim-lined shelves highlight the wood backdrop. Cabinet hardware was custom powder-coated to match the cabinet color.

Low-VOC, zero-formaldehyde white plywood cabinets, a subway-tile backsplash, and stone counters run through the kitchen.

To increase the visual space, Herrmann took advantage of the bucolic, hillside setting, and made it a vital part of the interior experience. Every room features at least one large window, each showcasing a different view of the ever-changing landscape: mountains from the living room, woods from the kitchen, and wooded hillsides from the rooms upstairs.