Kitchen

"It’s not uncommon for sellers to throw some new black plastic under the house to conceal any potential water problems,” says Burkholder. “Old leaky pipes are one problem, but a high water level that leaves the crawlspace musty can be an expensive fix as well.”

The kitchen now looks out to the big, open deck which houses expansive tree views.

Before: SHED redesigned the kitchen as a series of interconnected functional zones, which are linked by a continuous kitchen counter. This approach allowed the architects to increase usable space without modifying the house’s exterior. It also helped to visually connect the kitchen with the living area, while still maintaining separation via the walnut plywood cabinets and solid walnut eating counter, which serve as partitions.

In an effort to keep costs within budget without sacrificing looks, the fully gutted and renovated kitchen features IKEA cabinetry framework with shaker-style fronts by Semihandmade. The cabinets were painted Farrow & Ball Pigeon.

The white subway tile backsplash was given a unique touch with a stacked layout, rather than a typical off-set design.

"The narrowness of the house required the design to make effective yet frugal uses of space," explains the firm. "Precise positioning of walls, doors, and windows were crucial as each floor was planned to serve a purpose."

Honed Carrara marble lines the kitchen countertops as well as the backsplash.

On the opposite side of the room, there’s a stove niche, integrated refrigerator, and built-in storage that wraps the doorway.

A wider look at the open-plan dining room and kitchen.

For the kitchen, Tyler hired David Restorick, a furniture maker and friend, to build an island for storage and to wrap Ikea cabinets with oak for a customized look. He also built a staircase that doubles as display space for Tyler’s vast collection of colorful cookware by the likes of Finel, Copco, Cathrineholm, Jens Quistgaard, and Stig Lindberg.

The space is just off the kitchen, which was moved and updated. Bradley paired cabinetry of his own design with tiles from Heath Ceramics.

The owners of this home selected a geometric-patterned glass tile backsplash by Island Stone. The glass tile keeps the space bright, and the pattern adds interest.

To complement the white-washed custom cabinetry in her kitchen, architect Julie Salles Schaffer has designed a tile backsplash to resemble "melting butter in a white pan." Daltile arranged her two-color AutoCAD design—white and off-white—onto a mesh backing for a small fee. To soften the edges of the cabinets’ drawers and doors, Schaffer requested radial edging.

To accommodate an island in the kitchen, they moved an interior wall. “It was the only wall that was relocated,” says Scott.

Entertaining is at the heart of the home as evidenced by the central kitchen and open-floor layout that connects seamlessly to the outdoor deck. Natural oak floors are seen throughout.

As in the Fairview, the Federal incorporates a few “IKEA hacks” such as the Ikea kitchen cabinets combined with modern front and cover panels by Reform. The faucet is by California Faucets.

The homeowners went to great lengths to preserve the home's original design. For instance, they sourced three stovetop units to replace a trio of old burners along the island.

The original kitchen layout and cabinets remain, alongside modern appliances and Caesarstone countertops.