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The kitchen is a hub in the Paluskas’ home. John Paluska’s restaurant Comal in Berkeley, California, celebrates handmade, regional Mexican food.

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.

The minimalist kitchen features Fibonacci Stone Pavlova terrazzo counters and backsplash and Australian Sustainable Hardwoods GOODWOOD joinery. An operable mesh screen slides out to "shut down" the kitchen at night.

The modular, black-steel KXN system by IMO makes for a sleek and minimalist kitchen setup.

The entryway is tucked behind a thin steel wall, shielding it from the kitchen. The designers created a six-inch shelf on the kitchen side for storage.

Architect Eric Olsen imagined a space that employs contrasting colors, textures, and shapes to create a warm and inviting interior. One of many such details includes a custom light fixture above the island, which he designed in collaboration with Buzzell Studios.

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.

The kitchen cabinets were made with cabinet boxes set into framing, then a primed drywall shell covered with a textural Roman Clay finish, and sealed.

The arrangement of windows in the home creates a play of light and shadow and allows the family to experience different views as they move around the space. “It’s about creating a calm, comfortable home that is still dynamic,” says architect Line Solgaard. “There are 360-degree views but you don’t see in every direction at all times—there are moments of drama throughout.”

The kitchen flooring is 24” x 24” DalTile Chadwick Charcoal Tile and the wall tile is by Heath Ceramics.

In the kitchen, minimalism prevails. Jared notes that the use of plywood was loosely inspired by design seen in the 1960s Sonoma County Sea Ranch community. "It's something that one of my heroes, [architect] Barbara Bestor has done very well," he says.

Custom kitchen cabinetry with a stone countertop is made of the same ash wood sustainably harvested in Canada.

Light pours into the renovated kitchen from all directions, with the breezy natural palette transforming the room into a warm and inviting family space. After removing walls, the dated and mismatched floors became an eyesore, with Leah opting to replace them with Hakwood Engineered European Oak floors in ‘Aura,’ which run throughout the home.

At 700 square feet, Chris and Ady's cottage had to make economical use of space—like the bar-height dining table doubling as a cooking countertop.

A staircase leads up from the common areas to the bedrooms.

Clever cubby storage is incorporated into the base of the interior stairs, while the extra-deep stair treads provide flexible "stadium-style" seating for the kids.

The top two floors of the DFAB House are made of prefabricated, load-bearing timber modules.