Kitchen

The renovated kitchen is open, airy, and connected to the rest of the main level. Plum Projects used Bedrosians Magnifica Luxe polished white porcelain for the island, countertops, and backsplash. The black upper cabinets are made from Richlite: a durable, sustainable material made from recycled paper.

“Many of our customers watch remodel shows on television for inspiration and are under the impression that an entire kitchen can be remodeled in a few days,” explains Carter. “We explain it can typically take up to 12 weeks for a complete remodel and two to six weeks for a ‘swap the top,’ new paint, and appliances.”

Unexpected window placements, such as a soaring window sandwiched between the kitchen cabinetry, ensures ample natural light sweeps throughout the sprawling interior.

For the interior, “We worked hard to basically keep the tones the same, even if the wood may have changed, from a hardwood to a soft wood,” says Sabbeth. Interestingly, the couple first wanted to whitewash the wood, but that treatment was eventually deemed too cold for the year-round coziness everyone was after.

The kitchen is a balance of woods and stone, with marble on the large island and Naica quartzite in a leathered finish on the perimeter counters and backsplash. The stove hood is a custom plaster finish: “I was constantly looking for ways to add softness,” says interior designer Holly Waterfield.

Kitchen cabinets

Oak and concrete surfaces mingle in the kitchen, where views of the landscape are framed through a window and the sliding glass door that opens onto the cedar-clad patio.

Another view of the kitchen reveals fittingly minimalist black-and-white artwork.

Get the whole family involved in the kitchen, whether it be teaching young ones a tried-and-true recipe or exploring a new dish together.

A dramatic white oak panel wall reaches up to the new vaulted ceilings. There’s a concealed pantry to the right of the refrigerator.

A thick, poured concrete slab forms the surface of the large island and waterfalls to the floor on one side.

The backsplash and counters are Caesarstone, and a floating white oak shelf was positioned flush with the hood vent for a cleaner look.

The pair borrowed a little space on the front porch and expanded the kitchen into the breakfast nook, so the sink now looks out on the front yard and old olive tree.

The kitchen island features an elegant concrete top in a light tone that complements the white oak joinery and allows the Carrera marble backsplash to steal the show.

Cheng opened up the kitchen to the main living spaces and gave it an uber-functional layout.

"It’s not uncommon for sellers to throw some new black plastic under the house to conceal any potential water problems,” says Burkholder. “Old leaky pipes are one problem, but a high water level that leaves the crawlspace musty can be an expensive fix as well.”

"If you like the look of higher ceilings, choose a home that already has your preferred ceiling height,” says Eskandari. “Raising the height of ceilings is possible, but extremely labor intensive and costly. Taking down walls to create an open concept space is one of the most common requests from homeowners. Make sure you know which walls are load-bearing, as those are a lot more expensive to take down.”