little ideas

It was important, says Kaplan, to define the kitchen area with the “heavy horizontal lid” that runs along the top of the windows. The custom stove hood echoes the lines of the original wainscot.

A brick fireplace feature creates a low window from the kitchen into the living room to keep a connection between the rooms without relying on a completely open floor plan. Energy-efficient MR16 halogen lights are recessed into the wood ceiling to further emphasize the clean lines throughout the interior spaces.

Embracing the natural environs of their family home—a 1970 Deck House nestled among 175-foot-tall tulip poplar trees—residents Darren Selement and Cathryn Rich updated the kitchen with a rich material palette of wood and stone. Cherner barstools are paired with custom, cherry-stained alder cabinets by Holiday Kitchens, Barocca soapstone countertops, and flooring from Globus Cork.

City Cabin | Olson Kundig

An outdoor breezeway between the storage shed and the main house is ideal for outdoor dining.

A nearby, built-in coffee station was designed to look more like a furniture piece, with white rift oak stained ebony, to match the cabinets in the island.

The Nickell family, including children Dash and Arli, makes cookies in their new kitchen. "Both Shondi and Jake, being a part of Threadless, have such creative backgrounds themselves," says Suzanne. "The best part was just how seamless and easy it was to work through the colors and the palette and the materials."

Blackbutt veneer cabinetry inject warmth into the kitchen and match the blackbutt ceiling planks seen throughout. Granite and concrete countertops create visual breaks in the timber surfaces.

The built-in hardware is one of Simon's favorite elements of the kitchen. "We liked the idea of not having a lot of jewelry in this room," she says. The pendant lights are from Shades of Light, the bar stools from Interlude Home, the wall sconces from Cedar and Moss, and the accessories are from Everything But the House, an online auction house.

If you find a particular tile with black accents, do like Tim and Merrill Melideo and work with the shade throughout your kitchen.

The building is 6,500 square feet, so each loft feels spacious and airy. The arched windows, which rest in the original openings, let in light and views of the adjacent oak sanctuary.

The fully equipped, rustic-inspired chef's kitchen is just steps away from the dining room, which is accented by a large stone hearth. A wall of windows ushers ample natural lighting throughout.

The hot tub is a highlight of the home. “It was worth the investment,” says Kara. “Especially late at night when you can see the stars.”

“We wanted something cozy with nooks, where you can be aware of what’s going on elsewhere,” says Isabel of the floor-to-ceiling shelving units. “They separate the environment, and cut the light a bit, but you can still see what’s happening in other spaces,” adds Matías.

Adair and Kopp commissioned the metal fabricator who did the railings to create the monkey-bar rungs that line the hallway, powder-coated in seafoam green. Rings can attach to the monkey bars to give the boys a different type of challenge.

Studio Becker Xu streamlined the kitchen by building all of the appliances into the millwork. The budget-friendly countertops are a Formica solid surface.