Home ideas

The dining table is from Chilean furniture shop Moblia and the pendants are from Interlight.

The open kitchen is the home’s heart—and its literal center, designed so the couple can host casual gatherings with friends and family. Iragüen Viñuela chose light gray granite countertops, and matching engineered wood cabinets.

“Initially, we proposed fewer glass panes to control sunlight and energy loss,” says architect Daniel Iragüen. “But in the end, we made the house almost completely transparent.”

Charly collects vintage design pieces, like this wavy Pierre Paulin dining set or the chrome Verner Panton magazine rack, which he found on the German equivalent of Craigslist.

The custom aluminum shower surround reflects sunlight throughout the space.

Interior designer Heidi Lachapelle chose unfussy furnishings with clean lines. “Nothing should feel decorative or unnecessary,” she says. “We looked for things that would age beautifully to speak to the wabi-sabi concept.” The oak daybed is by Bautier, the indoor/outdoor rug is by Dash & Albert, and the trapezoidal cushions on the concrete bench nod to similar ones that the wife saw at Georgia O’Keefe’s home and studio. The Scandinavian-inspired fireplace throws heat from two sides.

“Where we let loose was on the window,” Matt says. “It’s an aluminium window frame, which is bushfire compliant and easy to install, but the way that we detailed it was about hiding the frame so that the eye is drawn into the space.”

In addition to room for seating, the terrace comes with an outdoor shower.

Harty explains that budget was an issue, and so "the house is just big enough to suit the needs of the family without being too grand.

The entryway to Maison Amtrak owes a debt to Japanese architecture, a touchstone of Peter Cohen’s career.

The living area is the main showcase of the home with soaring pine ceilings, 20ft windows and a stone walled fire place.