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Guest bathroom with floor to ceiling steel windows, custom cabinetry, polished concrete floors

Den with Eames chair overlook backyard

Kitchen

CCS Architecture designed this 5,800-square-foot home for a family of five in Palo Alto, California. The home’s bent, linear configuration divides the site; the public-facing, street sides wrap the corner, creating a more private interior. A breezeway leads to the entry and the yard beyond, while also separating the main house from the garage and guest studio, which opens directly out to the garden with large sliding doors.

The family shares one main bathroom, which is outfitted with Vipp’s new line of products: 982 bath furniture, a 906 faucet, and a 992 mirror. The shower sports a Raindance Connect showerhead by Hansgrohe, and there is a wall-mounted toilet by Villeroy & Boch. The Nomad light fixture is from Modular Lighting Instruments, and the floors are topped with ceramic tiles by LaFaenza.

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

Get the whole family involved in the kitchen, whether it be teaching young ones a tried-and-true recipe or exploring a new dish together.

In this kitchen and dining room, architect Bergendy Cooke rethought traditional wood panelling using black pigment-stained veneer. The kitchen has expansive surfaces, including a long, wood-topped kitchen island where the couple cook and entertain, and where the children eat and play. "All of the materials were selected for their integrity and longevity," says Bergendy.

At a home about half an hour from Lake Tahoe, architect Jack Hawkins and interior designer Cheryl Chenault built a house that would support their clients’ unique requirements in a home that would be 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. In the kitchen, two islands, one in the shape of an L and the other a smaller rectangular island, are layered table over one portion create generous space to spread out. Norman Cherner barstools from Design Within Reach line the island in the kitchen, which is crowned by an open loft office. The faucets are from Dornbracht; the countertops are Caesarstone. Hawkins integrated a steel-clad casual eating nook, at left.

The kitchen features marble and zinc counters, a Waterworks faucet, and cabinetry from Jerry Short.

The antler chandeliers above the kitchen table are from local lighting store Milton Lighting.

The in-law suite shares two walls with the main house to save construction and operation costs, but is equipped with a separate entrance, a private patio, and a full kitchen, living area, ensuite bedroom, and laundry.

The ceiling in the great room is accentuated with hemlock to contrast the brightness from the outdoors.

Bronze, aluminum, and black oak were used as part of the kitchen design. A stainless monobloc island is surrounded by polished quartz countertops on the perimeter.

In the kitchen, honed Welsh slate tops pale English Sycamore cabinetry.

Breezeway garden vignette with fountain and warm landscape lighting that leads you to the backyard.

Wide open parking outside the sleek breezeway.

Generous breezeways, walkways, and overhangs frame views beyond: “It’s like a promenade, with a forest at the end of the road,” says Deb.

One of Taryn’s favorite new features is the kitchen island, which acts as prep counter, has seating, and an inset wine rack, and was designed by Mickus, who also designed and fabricated the linear pendant overhead.