Favorites

Mikei, his partner, and their dog Shabu Shabu in their living space. The table was made for the outdoors, but repurposed for the dining area from Urban Outfitters. It's surrounded by '80s-era vintage chairs sourced from Betsu.

Where the screened porch once stood, the sunroom’s windows face the back yard on three sides. The sofa is from The Sofa Company, and the floor lamp is from CB2.

In the new living room, wall sconces are from Kalco Lighting, the ceiling light is from Pottery Barn, the sofa is from Interior Define, and the ottoman is from Home Goods.

“Our objective was always to have a luminous house,” explains homeowner Isabel Pinto of the choice to have a window cover the entire north-facing wall.

The custom banquette has a slatted back so as to allow the window behind it to open and let in light. The table is a vintage piece from John and Kelly, made with reclaimed wood from a bowling alley. The overhead pendant is by Brendan Ravenhill.

“We wanted something cozy with nooks, where you can be aware of what’s going on elsewhere,” says Isabel of the floor-to-ceiling shelving units. “They separate the environment, and cut the light a bit, but you can still see what’s happening in other spaces,” adds Matías.

Concrete and travertine slabs were installed on the exterior, alongside an ipe deck with mahogany railings.

Also in the foyer, beside a wall of glass that brings light into the living/dining area, is storagefor coats, bags and shoes.

In Portland, Oregon, a culinary couple called on architect Michael Howells to raise the roof, revamp the floor plan, and spice up the kitchen.

The kitchen acts as the family hub, its multicolored surfaces anchored by a black tile backsplash, sprinkled with dots of uncolored, earth-toned tile.

The home now features an elegant, brick side extension with a rounded form that elevates the view of the home from the garden. “I really wanted a curved wall,” says client Nicola Kendall. “It all began with an image of a house on a mood board I put together on Pinterest.”

The clients have a large collection of indoor plants, and 4 S Architecture designed a scheme with plenty of spots to display plants, from the deep windowsills to the semi-recessed extractor above the island that features an integrated shelf. “We had originally specified a fully flush extractor system, but they are very expensive,” says architect, Julia Hamson. “We went for one that is semi-recessed, so was cost effective but still has less visual impact than a dropped extractor.”

“My orange cats look really good in the green kitchen now,” says Nicola.