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The basement-level family room connects with a guest bedroom that features a painting by Marleigh Culver.

In the relocated kitchen, on the annex's ground floor, a whole wall, from cabinets to backsplashes (as well as the adjacent island), was painted green, as if they're single pieces of furniture.

Mary Ellen House features large open garden spaces in both front and rear, offering plenty of scope for entertaining. A spacious guest house is positioned in front of the pool.

The renovated kitchen is open, airy, and connected to the rest of the main level. Plum Projects used Bedrosians Magnifica Luxe polished white porcelain for the island, countertops, and backsplash. The black upper cabinets are made from Richlite: a durable, sustainable material made from recycled paper.

“Using only wood to form a cabinet results in artistic moments. Diagonals read as decorative, but these strong triangles are necessary when you’re not using plywood,” Caleb says. “It’s pure joy to use the kitchen, knowing that all parts of it are built with meaning and without compromise.

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To his credit, the original owner and builder of an ’80s-era home in Byron Bay, Australia, kept it “in pretty good nick,” as designer Micka Etheridge puts it. “He’d dusted the window frames once a week for thirty-five years.” Etheridge took that same care expanding the house for its new owners, Cheryl and James Kitchener, who love its greenery and mellow, vintage vibe.

The kitchen and dining space lead to a sunken lounge anchored by a fireplace built with stone from Sydney-based provider Eco Outdoor. Art by Bobby Clark hangs above a sofa from HK Living accented with pillows from Città Design. The rugs are from Armadillo & Co.

A white onyx countertop extends from the kitchen island to create a breakfast bar, outfitted with Bobby stools by Daniel Tucker for DesignByThem. “The floating benchtop is the most brilliant thing we’ve ever done, and we’ll never have a house without one again,” says Cheryl. Metallic accents like pendants from Lighting Collective and brass drawer handles complement rich wood finishes. The runner rugs are from Pampa, and the faucet is from ABI Interiors.

Artwork by Octavia Tomyn adorns the living room, where Huggy faux-shearling chairs flank a Chub coffee table, both designed by Sarah Ellison. A neutral rug from Nikau ties the pieces together. The artwork is by Octavia Tomyn.

Stand in the right spot between the office and the kitchen, and you can see through all the different layers of the house.

Brutalist materials like concrete and steel are balanced by the gentleness of the wooden carpentry. Ash wood is used for the cabinetry throughout, from kitchen cabinets to storage units.

The slim, steel staircase is designed to allow maximum light and sight-lines.

The new living room sports a new design vocabulary, as well as greater connectivity to the outdoors.