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In the master bathroom, all boundaries between inside and outside and public and private are virtually eliminated. The dark tiles are by Ann Sacks.

A gentle site crossfall offered an opportunity to experiment with internal level changes. “I just loved the idea of a conversation pit,” says architect Jeremy Bull. “It is a quirky oak and leather bench which gets used for most of our sitting, meals, board games, and spilling things.”

The clients enjoy boating and kayaking and often utilize the site’s direct water access. “There’s a boathouse at the bottom of the site, so we’ve tried to clean the view up,” says architect Fraser Mudge of the framing. “We also controlled the height of it a little bit to frame the beauty of the water and the National Park, rather than the sky.”

The sunken living room features a multifunctional piece of built-in furniture that integrates a sofa, sound system, and television, and also contains a "secret door" that leads to a wine cellar. "[We incorporated this] as a clin d’oeil to the midcentury tradition of built-in work stations and bookshelves," says Morales.

The entire home is wrapped in pine tongue-and-groove, which matches the original finish on the ceiling.

After: "We don't believe in the hierarchy of materials,

The new bathroom features Terrazzo flooring from Concrete Collaborative and gorgeous green tiles from Heath Ceramics.

Bedrosians ceramic tile was used on the walls and ceiling in the master bathroom.

Because the primary bathroom receives little natural light, the designer employed Zellige shower tile that reflects light and offers texture.

The contractors working on the project started referring to the bathroom as a "jewel box" because of the meticulous attention required to piece it together. "The 1" x 1" Japanese porcelain tiles were laid out in a grid that aligns with every element in the bathroom," says Eng-Goetz. "For example, the bathroom sink aligns with the adjacent grout lines, as do the inset cabinet doors below." The cabinetry is white-washed red oak and the vanity lights are by Anastassiades.

Bedroom window box seat for morning coffee at Westbourne Cottage

Curved bath placed in the principal bathroom upstairs in Westbourne Cottage

Colorful ceramic tiles on the back wall in the Westbourne Cottage scullery

Stone and timber against navy colored kitchen joinery in Westbourne Cottage

HGAA ensured that all the rooms of the home have a direct view of nature. The windows in the bedroom of the Ninh Binh House provide light and ventilation, while the outside greenery helps create the privacy needed for the interior space.

The parents’ bedroom is intentionally small, with a custom storage unit framing a giant window. “It makes the views feel that much bigger,” says Handa.