Plancher

Living Room

The façade load bearing wall and its gaps have been preserved in their original state during the remodelling process as a tribute to its Mediterranean past.

In the kitchen, blue cabinets add another captivating burst of color.

Interlocking light and dark hardwood flooring fit right in with the vintage aesthetic of this small flat in Katowice, Poland.

In the living room and kitchen, soft-but-tough Expanko cork flooring provides comfort and stands up to dings and scuffs. While the kitchen was designed primarily with Surendra and a caregiver’s needs in mind, it also accommodates the five-foot-radius of a wheelchair.

Construction pausing during the pandemic turned out to be a boon: Living in the half-finished space, the couple realized they needed to open up the pass-through to the rest of the house for even more circulation.

A wine refrigerator and wet bar with the same finishes as the kitchen for cohesion brings more function for entertaining. “We use it more than we've ever used it before,” says Shawn. “It is no longer a dumping ground.”

The additional living area on the upper level is currently fitted as a light-filled office space.

"We spent a long time considering the thresholds between spaces to create a sequence of rooms where you can’t quite tell what is original and what has been altered. At the end of the journey you get the glazed dining area which is heavily influenced by Victorian greenhouses but clearly a modern intervention.

The firm placed an entry hall at the nexus where the addition meets the original house, with the door to the master suite on the left. Built-in storage, here clad in charred wood, is designed for flexibility of use and accessibility to children and adults alike.

MASA Architects also designed the large kitchen island made from infinity quartzite, which was honed and oiled by the Netherlands–based natural stone supplier Vasto Natuursteen.

Straightforward, durable materials define the kitchen and open living area. Poured concrete floors are softened by tongue-and-groove yellow pine ceilings. "Most people comment on the ceilings when they walk in, especially because they are so tall and with the crisp look of the concrete, it makes the space feel cozy,

The kitchen cabinets flawlessly fit below the line of the staircase. On the far end, a clerestory window is positioned above the cabinets to draw light into every corner of the living space.

The dining room table is also from Habitat. The oak veneered plywood is from Peter Benson Plywood.

No-fuss, sturdy materials, like Kahrs oak chevron floors that camouflage dirt and easy-care black metal siding, free up time for family. “The more durable the material, the less work to maintain it,” says Susie. Also in the kitchen is a quartz countertop by Daltile and faucet from Kohler. The windows are by Milgard.