Kitchen

A compact bar concealed behind the bleached joinery is one of those smaller moments offering delight on reveal.

Unexpected window placements, such as a soaring window sandwiched between the kitchen cabinetry, ensures ample natural light sweeps throughout the sprawling interior.

Architect Ryan Leidner reimagined this 2,500-square-foot home in San Francisco.

An open chef's kitchen awaits on the first floor, with an airy living room located steps away.

Glass doors enclose the dining area so that it can be opened up to the terrace in warmer months, and the seascape is still a part of the interior in the cooler weather when the doors are closed.

The new kitchen-and-dining area connects to the living area and the rear yard.

The large kitchen island and perimeter counter is covered in Lido Quartz. “We just wanted a big entertaining space, with a big kitchen, for everyone to enjoy, and not to be used by just us,” says Monika.

Relocating the kitchen to the southeast corner and removing a wall helped not only connect it to the rest of the house, but created a more cinematic view of the nearby wetlands.

The remodeled kitchen offers a whole corner of glass, and continues as a backsplash beneath the new cabinetry.

The design team specified durable, easy-to-maintain, nontoxic, recyclable, natural, and regenerative materials. The kitchen island is engineered quartz and the cabinets are from a local cabinetmaker.

Hotho added a clerestory window to a light well, as well as an open shelving unit to divide the space, both of which let light flow through. The vintage campaign table is used as a desk, but can be broken down and stowed in place of a mattress, when the couple want to use the room as a guest suite.

Allied Maker supplied the trio of sconces above the floating shelves, while the light fixture above the dining table is from Stuff by Andrew Neyer.

The kitchen opens up to a covered courtyard, which features a fireplace that transforms the semi-outdoor space into a cozy living area year round. This courtyard connects to the covered deck, from which the bedrooms can be accessed.

Not only do built-in appliances keep kitchens tidy, but they also improve coherence between it and the rest of your home, creating a more fluid experience.

One of the system's best new features are the interior drawers, which can now be as detailed as the most expensive high-end systems, providing a place for everything with drawers for pots, knives, tablelinens, and dinnerware.