Santa Barbara

The dressing area, positioned between the bedroom and bathroom in the primary suite, is painted the same soft yellow color as the gallery downstairs. The clients didn't want hardware on the cabinetry, so Janusz used small round holes for cabinet-opening ease. An opening above the counter looks over the stairs and lets in natural light through the ceiling glazing.

Custom built-in storage was a splurge Michelle and Haden were willing to spend on. In the laundry room, Fireclay tiles were another high-spend choice. "It was out of our budget," Michelle says, "but it was so dramatic, and we saved so much by using inexpensive white tile in the bathroom.

The kitchen remains mostly untouched, but the design team added new cabinetry around the refrigerator. “We changed the light fixtures over the island,” Janusz says of the Dutton Brown pendants. “We used simple shapes like squares and balls. We repeated globe light fixtures throughout, so you see them in the kitchen, the dining room, the laundry room, as well as up the stairs.”

The sprawling 5,200-square-foot residence by The Up Studio is sited in a fairly secluded and densely-wooded area of Old Westbury, New York, surrounded by mature oak and maple trees. The home’s front facade—with undulating gables and long, winding entry—is undeniably cinematic. In contrast to the traditionally-influenced front, the rear of the home embraces a more modern design sensibility. Rotated perpendicularly, the L-shaped configuration and wall of windows from Marvin maximizes natural light flowing into the home, and encourages unobstructed sightlines from the interior to the lush landscape outside.

Floor Plan of Butterfly House by Oliver Leech Architects

When Eric and Emily first moved into the house, they found a kitchen that had undergone a partial renovation and divided into two separate sections. They opened it up and added the peninsula for more counter space topped with Silestone.

The kitchen is customized for Roberta, an avid cook. Easy-to-reach pots hang from a custom rack by Bjørn Design. Its hooks can be lengthened if she has to reach from a wheelchair someday; a lowered counter where she likes to work, read, and play cards can accommodate a wheelchair, should she need one. Oak veneers for the ceilings, floors, and cabinetry were a splurge, but Roberta loves their warmth and texture.

The custom slatted wood railings is fitted with discreet flip-down hooks to hang coats. Stairs lead down to a guest space and an additional unit for a future caretaker. An elevator, not visible, also connects the two levels. The Overlap pendant is by Michael Anastassiades for Flos.

In another bathroom, a polka dot wallpaper print creates a playful atmosphere while the dark-toned vanity adds a more serious contrast.

If you don't like handles sticking out from your cabinet doors, then one quirky and clever idea is to have a hole drilled near the top of the cabinet door, so you can stick you finger in it and pull the door open. These orange-painted MDF cabinets in a New Zealand beach house is an example of how this idea works brilliantly in cheery, low- kitchen.

A Sub-Zero refrigerator is set into the corner of the kitchen, with quartzite countertops across a sky-blue island.

The kitchen takes up the entire back wall of the ground level, ensuring that there's always enough room for whoever stops by.

The couple has about 3,000 square feet of living space and 1,000 square feet of office space. There is currently two finished bedrooms, but they've "pre-plumbed