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A splash of dark green paint in the sleeping nook introduces an old world drama to the space. The paint color is Billiard Green from Sherwin Williams. The crochet pendant is from World Market, and the brass bull was an eBay find. The couple's dog Waylon lounges in the pull-out dog bed drawer.

The design team retained the old supports, which now frame the kitchen. Jessica picked DeVol cabinets and systems for their traditional-meets-streamlined style.

In the living room, a Malm fireplace sits on a yellow powder-coated steel table that matches the bookshelf ladder leading to the loft. Jagoda designed the table with space underneath to store firewood.

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Homeowners Mark and Tamara revel in the newfound connectivity that the remodel has enabled. “We can sit at the breakfast nook at one end of the house, sipping coffee, and look all the way down to the other end of the house, where the kids’ bedrooms are,” says Tamara.

Spiegel and the SAW team leaned on a comprehensive wood palette from Madera to strengthen the architectural vision–wrapping floors, walls and ceilings with wood to draw attention to the geometry of the voids. “It’s a material that has natural resonance between interior and exterior spaces,” shares Spiegel. “It holds sharp geometric forms, but produces visual and tactile softness.”

The living room opens into the kitchen and a hallway that leads to the master bedroom suite. Deep-set skylights above the living space let in morning light from the east.

The Nook exterior features shiplap cypress siding, a reclaimed oak deck, and an entranceway of oak blackened in the traditional Japanese method.

8. "How often do I like to communicate with my realtor and what's the best way to do so?" "Your agent should know how you like to check in and by what method—text, email, or phone,” explains Hoffman. “The biggest complaints we hear from clients who have worked with other agents is that their agent did not communicate with them in the way they wanted."

Be selective about splurging. One of the hardest, yet potentially most satisfying, parts of staying on budget is learning where to save and where to splurge. There are certain items or pieces that are worthy of spending more on, whether it’s a sofa that will last you a decade or kitchen countertops that will really help improve the value of your home. Your contractor or other design professional can advise you on locations or pieces where a higher-quality product is important versus something more basic.

The more planning you do and the fewer changes you make, the higher chance you have of staying within your budget. Take the time to figure out what the scope of the project is and get a sense of how much work is needed so that you can make educated decisions when presented with options.