Vasquez

Architect Michael K. Chen, founder and principal of the eponymous New York–based firm, resuscitated a four-story, 3600-square-foot home that had been abandoned for 20 years by incorporating a playful color palette and interesting details, such as this oval-shaped skylight.

For the kitchen, American cherry wood was used to create cabinets that establish a warm and sturdy tone. Each piece of lumber was purchased at auction by the Brillharts and stored in New Hampshire, before being shipped to Miami and milled on site. The wood island is painted black to provide a point of visual contrast.

For this kitchen, the architects paired slate-gray HPL (high-pressure laminate) cabinets by Henrybuilt, cool Basaltina countertops, with custom shelving and a white Corian backsplash.

One of the owners is a chef, so the kitchen, featuring HAY Revolver bar stools, naturally takes centerstage. Although it opens to the living room, the imposing butcher block ensures that cooks can be sealed away when maximum concentration is needed.

The linear suspension pendant by Michael Raasch provides up and down lighting over the island. Like the cabinetry, the countertop is also done in Fenix. "The owner liked the idea of consistency,

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.

A long window was used as a backsplash in the kitchen to bring in even more light to the space.