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"My wish for the bathroom was for it to feel like walking along a creek through the Tasmanian wilderness,

Moving into this apartment meant starting over. Sequoia began with building out the essentials—large pieces, that she thrifted or found on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.

A decidedly sculptured hall.

The foyer displays an antique wooden table and vases.

Other than blocking off some exposed plumbing and repairing the fireplace, the team left the library relatively untouched. "We wanted to preserve all the beautiful wood and stained glass and add a couple modern pieces,

The fireplaces juxtapose ornamental wood and a modern concrete finish on the firebox surround.

Refinished floors and a coat of Benjamin Moore’s Devon Cream helped breathe new life into the space. The original ceiling fixture remains in place.

The island and cabinets, fashioned from remilled Douglas-fir beams salvaged from upstate New York, sport inexpensive drawers from Ikea. The Carrara marble for the sink surround also came from the firm’s warehouse, from a section of slab orphaned from an earlier commission. A Viking chimney wall hood tops a free-standing range by Bluestar.

In the kitchen, the countertops are Absolute Black wire-brushed granite from Walker Zanger, the cooktop and hoods are from Viking, the dishwashers are Miele, and the serious coffee setup (Mel is the former CEO of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) includes an espresso machine from La Marzocco and grinders by Mazzer. Bradley designed the cherrywood veneer cabinetry, which was made and installed by Marmol Radziner, with a custom piece by Alaco Ladder Company.

Another view of the kitchen showcasing the ensemble of natural light and a bright, bold patterns.

On a sought after an idyllic island in the center of Amsterdam an old warehouse, formerly in use as a pillow factory and a garage has been converted to a warm and eclectic family home. The kitchen features a mixture of green tiles, green painted mullions, and exposed wood beams for a warm, soft feeling that contrast sharply with the more industrial stainless steel island. The kitchen island incorporates a stove top and storage, and benefits from natural light from the skylight overhead.

Parota wood continues in the spacious kitchen. Marisa and Christopher found the blue tile that runs throughout the home on a trip to León, Mexico. "It called out to us," says Christopher. Festooned with small stars, its tone matches the color of the ocean perfectly.

Doug’s mother, Julie, visits with Melissa, Doug, their daughter Simms, and Birdie the dog.

In their query letter, Ben and Sarah were clear that they wanted a home that could accommodate all of life’s messes. “We don't want a white display kitchen that only looks good when it's clean and not in use. We want our kitchen to be able to work hard. We love to cook and when we do, there are usually lots of things on the go and a mess being made.”

One of the home's many stunning features is its cathedral-like living area with exposed redwood beams rising over 20 feet. A large red-brick fireplace enhances the room's regal aesthetic.

Not only is green Daniel’s favorite color, but the green in the sun room also references the greening of the copper cathedral room. “It sort of pulls the outside in, in a way,” says Fohring.

In 2009 on a quiet Los Angeles corner, Mel Elias found a severely water-damaged, crumbling 5,000-square-foot house hidden behind a tangle of overgrown vegetation. Its former owner, the late Hollywood acting coach Milton Katselas, had filled his property with industrial skylights and enormous, wood-burning fireplaces. The glass-and-concrete construction was framed by high ceilings, rusted steel beams, and varied elevations across the single-story plan. Thanks to an 11-year long, multiphase renovation by designer Carter Bradley, the home—with all of its quirks and character—shines again.

More than 6,000 pounds of green Moroccan tiles from Design Fliesen were used in their primary bathroom, which has two Falper faucets. There's a second full bathroom and two powder rooms.