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Addition at the rear

An arched opening was added to connect the kitchen and breakfast nook, and gain sightlines to the yard. Seamus refinished the fireplace mantle and added square zellige Zia tile in ‘Nana’s Lipstick’ to the surround. Gubi Semi Pendants hang over the island, and the sink has a Devol Ionian Bridge Tap.

“Color is something I knew going into the home that I really wanted to play with and explore,” says Kara. “I wanted to be a little bolder in this house.” The kitchen’s greys transition to a an earthy red in the breakfast room. Clement Wall Lights from Visual Comfort are mounted on the stove wall.

This photo that Calo took of the central living space is marked by tall ceilings, clerestory windows, and a cold-rolled steel fireplace.

Courtesy of James Ruiz

Courtesy of James Ruiz

Main Bedroom

Leah designed a stone planter that works as an herb garden and vinyl storage, noting that

Solk Architecture turned this tiny Brooklyn kitchen into a home cook’s dream, complete with an herb garden, a custom island, and cabinetry galore.

Yakisugi—commonly known as shou sugi ban in the West—graces the home’s exterior. “We focused our efforts on creating direct and elemental relationships between the materials,” says SHED design principal Prentis Hale. “Yakisugi shou sugi ban siding in contrast with white bricks, shou sugi ban in relation to concrete, shou sugi ban and black steel.”

The use of Nakamoto Forestry’s shou sugi ban siding over brick is a nod to the home’s original facade, while evoking the materiality of Japanese architecture.

A sleek slatted screen matches the proportions of the wall of glass blocks it replaced.

The new kitchen features green kit kat tiles, a terrazzo-effect rubber floor, white cabinetry, and cherry wood veneered cabinets. The client originally wanted teak cabinets, but 4 S Architecture recommended using cherry wood instead as it is more sustainable but has the same warm tones as teak. “We couldn’t get behind teak as a product so we used FSC certified European cherry that has less air miles than American cherry,” explains architect Julia Hamson. “The client was really pleased with the result.”