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This colorful terrazzo makes a bold statement against the all-white cabinetry.

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

To complement the white-washed custom cabinetry in her kitchen, architect Julie Salles Schaffer has designed a tile backsplash to resemble "melting butter in a white pan." Daltile arranged her two-color AutoCAD design—white and off-white—onto a mesh backing for a small fee. To soften the edges of the cabinets’ drawers and doors, Schaffer requested radial edging.

Here, a brick backsplash makes this black kitchen pop.

Ben fashioned the stove-side cabinet as a freestanding unit. This area functions as the couple’s main prep space, and a deep drawer below holds bigger appliances like the food processor and a stock pot. The custom pot rack is by Kari Merkl of the local design and manufacturing company Merkled Studio.

In the kitchen, Ben removed a peninsula counter unit with upper cabinets, which previously separated the kitchen and dining rooms and impeded flow. Ceiling soffits were removed as well to open up the space.

"The spaces and materials are very kid-friendly," says Wittman. "The natural finishes are durable and easy to clean. Organic materials with their own unique textures patina over time, which will allow the spaces to be lived in and loved while weathering gracefully for a long future."

The backsplash is composed of Fireclay tile, the floating shelves are from Semihandmade, and the light above the island is by Andrew Neyer. The Virgin of Guadalupe painting that the couple picked up in a flea market in Mexico City is an ode to the home’s Catholic rectory past.

The new kitchen is an IKEA kitchen with Reform fronts painted a moody blue color, not unlike the ocean itself. "Sometimes it looks really gray, and sometimes it looks way more green-blue," says Jocie. "I like that. Depending on the light, it has a very different feel." The countertops are Richlite Black Diamond.

"It’s not uncommon for sellers to throw some new black plastic under the house to conceal any potential water problems,” says Burkholder. “Old leaky pipes are one problem, but a high water level that leaves the crawlspace musty can be an expensive fix as well.”

Making the decision to buy a home is never easy; it’s hard to know what life will look like five or ten years down the line. But on the bright side, buying a home is exciting. The responsibility can be invigorating.

The backsplash is covered in Clé Tile, and the counters are Carrara marble.

An open shelf displays the couple’s glassware collection.

"The cork literally warms up everything,

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.

The new kitchen features ceiling-to-countertop tiles in a grid pattern, which reappears throughout the home. The globe flush mount overhead is from Anthropologie, while the hardware is from Altas Homewares and Alno Hardware.

Architect Nahoko Ueda and the homeowners chose a Space Theory kitchen with a combination of white laminate and walnut cabinetry.

Ann Sacks terrazzo tile covers the floor and backsplash. The sinks were fabricated by a local artisan, Cement Elegance.

The children’s bathroom features a sink from Reece and Pittorica tiles from Classic Ceramics.