Wood is Good

The tiles were glazed by Natzler himself.

Every space, including the living and dining sections seen here, has “furniture, objects and artworks that bring us memories,” says Smud. The bench, coffee tables, and dining table are by the late Alejandro Sticotti.

The restored home sits on a tree-filled lot in Brentwood’s Crestwood Hills neighborhood.

During the day, the operable skylight is often open and provides natural cooling. At night, homeowners can see the moon and stars through the skylight.

The backsplash and countertops are green quartzite to bring the colors of nature inside (but in retrospect, Bassam and Ming would pick another material besides natural stone for ease of maintenance). The flooring and all the cabinetry is natural white oak. The pendant hanging over the dining table is NR2 by Moooi, chosen for its transparency.

Past the front door, a screen of white oak divides the foyer from the great room. The storage wall on the right includes a bench and drawers for storing shoes, a wet bar , and a closet hiding the washer and dryer on the far end. The large round mirror is from Crate & Barrel.

Keep founders Austin and Kotono Watanabe revived a compact home in Minneapolis with a dazzling kitchen, an all-electric upgrade, and a clerestory “scoop.”

The renovation updated a pair of staircases—one to the basement, one to the upper level—from their steep, unsafe angle to one that is now up to code. In the dining room, the pendant by Hans-Agne Jakobsson is from Karoline’s family cabin in Germany.

Homeowner Isaac Hase installed custom cabinetry from Wisconsin cabinetmaker Woodcraft Specialties.

One renovation request, homeowner Isaac Hase says, “was having a place to drop your shoes.” At the mudroom end of a run of kitchen cabinets, you’ll find another feature the couple asked for. “We wanted to have a dedicated, visible place for our little stash of cookbooks,” Karoline says.

Despite the space’s relatively small size, its galley layout, with countertops on each side, easily accommodates multiple cooks.

Quartz countertops and two-by-eight-inch subway tile with tan grout (on the backsplash) complement the tone of the birch cabinetry and ash shelves in the kitchen.

The breakfast area sits directly beneath the clerestory window pop-up, or scoop.

An unexpected pop of color awaits in the corner kitchen, set just steps from the dining area.