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The primary bath has large slabs of porcelain tiles made to look like veined marble, which cost much less than real stone. The seamless concrete floor flows into the curb-less shower for access. There is in-wall storage on the left, and the sink and countertop are made of seamless Corian. The wood door pockets away.

“Cocktail hour is sacred,” says Roberta. So, in a storage wall (shared by the living area on one side and the kitchen on the other) Bjorngaard tucked in an elegant bar (with a French Pyrolave lava stone counter and backsplash) that has everything she needs for drink service.

The custom slatted wood railings is fitted with discreet flip-down hooks to hang coats. Stairs lead down to a guest space and an additional unit for a future caretaker. An elevator, not visible, also connects the two levels. The Overlap pendant is by Michael Anastassiades for Flos.

The kitchen is customized for Roberta, an avid cook. Easy-to-reach pots hang from a custom rack by Bjørn Design. Its hooks can be lengthened if she has to reach from a wheelchair someday; a lowered counter where she likes to work, read, and play cards can accommodate a wheelchair, should she need one. Oak veneers for the ceilings, floors, and cabinetry were a splurge, but Roberta loves their warmth and texture.

The wife notes that the pattern on the concrete reminds her of a floor she once saw in Nepal.

In the entry, a high interior window borrows light from the bedroom wing and a woven wood screen in the kitchen lets the owners see who’s at the front door. Kalon Studios crafted the bench from a single ash log. “It will split a bit over time,” Lachapelle says.

DeNiord designed a simple concrete bench with a honed top to run parallel to the randomly sized concrete pads that lead to the covered entry. He planted blueberry bushes behind the bench and a river birch tree behind the boulder. To conjure a wabi-sabi feel outdoors, diNiord poured concrete around a boulder. “It represents the interruption of perfect geometry,” he says.

While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”

DiNiord collaborated with craftsman Ken Hood to design the concrete bench with firewood storage and detachable wood back. Douglas fir columns along the walkway creates a colonnade. The mono-sloped roof is a nod to the long roofline of the original house that stood on the property. “Reducing the angles also reflects the strictness to budget,” the wife says.

On the home's second floor, a guest bedroom features a Foscarini lamp and bed and nightstands by Pianca.

A George Nakashima chair sits in the corner office off the stair landing.

In the kitchen, mini orb pendants by Allied Maker illuminate the island. The kitchen stools are by KBH through Fair Design.

“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.

The kitchen is marked by its Wolf gas range, white Carrara marble countertop bar, and Cobb Rise & Fall pendants by Original BTC. The architect designed a custom wine glass holder, which hangs nearby.

Make sure your kitchen fits seamlessly with the rest of your home. A good entertaining space should have a look that's consistent with the overall design, so use finishings, colors, and other elements that compliment the rest of the space.

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.

Tile from Bedrosians Tile and Stone makes up this backsplash, which plays against the dark, masculine countertops.

This kitchen is outfitted with concrete counters and floors and off-grid-friendly low-energy appliances. The ceiling is paneled in reclaimed barn wood.