Home Inspiration

After: The island acts as a transition from the dining area to the kitchen. "When we receive our friends, we usually gather around the island,

This home in Melbourne by design duo Kathryn Robson and Susie Cohen has deep nook shelves at one end of the wardrobe, which gives the bathroom a warm, natural and organic feel.

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The one-time guest bedroom on the parlor level is now the kitchen, where one of the draws is the island, raised on a brushed stainless steel frame and legs.

Giant round window with pendant light and accent sconce lights. This drift-wood was found on the beaches of Hawaii. When we say we use local materials- we really do, scores from the cliffs, we even ave cut down trees in our own yard and used the wood from them. I will always be inspired by nature, and we know other are too; that's why I love incorporating things like this into a built- so the owner my always be inspired! coffee table with wooden leg and glass top. Light grey furniture.

The exterior features natural slate cladding and massive floor-to-ceiling Marvin windows on the east side to take advantage of the home’s views of the rolling terrain. The tongue-and-groove clear cedar accents are used between the windows to make them a single mass and “warm up and bring some accents to the house,” says Nate.

The home's central courtyard provides green space, as well as a place for the two boys, Jesse and Jamie, to play. The use of bright colors for transitional elements—windows and doors—brightens the otherwise neutral palette.

The kitchen cabinetry is crafted from black-stained American Oak by Pro-Reno Kitchens. The dining table, chairs, and bar stools are made by local wood manufacturer Houtlander. A diamond-shaped skylight is a unique touch.

The concrete fireplace doubles as a source of heat and a structural element. Originally, Katz planned to plaster the fireplace with cement to create an ultra-smooth surface, but once the design team saw the initial roughness, they liked the look and decided to keep it. "It looks like a rock formation in the living room," he says.

The public wing of the house has a large, open plan that includes the living room, kitchen, and dining room. The six-seater island is made from South African granite sourced through a local quarry. The homeowners had it leathered to look like it came straight out of the ground.

South Africa experiences frequent, planned blackouts, so the homeowners wanted to be smart about the orientation of their house and the materials used to build it. They opted for a mostly glass box that would allow the maximum amount of light in, so, as homeowner Toni notes, "you never need to switch a light on in the daytime."

An oculus overhead of the conversation pit lets in extra light while giving occupants below a glimpse of the sky. The family often hangs out in the conversation pit—some to read, others to play video games—and hidden built-in power adaptors make sure the two sons' electronics are always fully charged.

Rice is a must for the family's meals. The rice cooker comes out onto the counter when it's time to cook.

The three kids share a bathroom that's also located in the attic. The penguin basket is from Bloomingville.

Kitchen- the flooring says it all

The ground floor is a music room with a kind of blue vibe, thanks to the Richard Woods flooring.

Cracked Pepper is Behr’s 2024 color of the year. While forecasting the hue, the firm found that 74 percent of Americans would consider painting a room a dark color.

An elongated, marble waterfall island anchors the open kitchen, which is located just steps away from the primary living spaces.

The Bulthaup b2 brings the woodshop into the kitchen with utilitarian workspaces and pristine, orderly wooden cabinet systems.