North Beach Refresh

At the center of the kitchen stands an expansive island with a daring, black marbled countertop, complete with a waterfall edge. The island’s monolithic presence doesn’t just anchor the space, but provides a practical place for food prep and casual dining.

Repeated at the flanking counters, the dark surface balances the warm wood floors and cabinets, and plays off the glossy white backsplash, offering a grounding element to the open and spacious kitchen.

Where the kitchen is lively, the living room is cozy and intimate. Recessed by two steps, a sense of enclosure within opens to a comfortable sitting room with ample glazing adding natural light without a loss of privacy.

Earthy textures and tones in the dark brick hearth and leather ottoman are balanced by relaxing, blue textile accents, like the rug, pillows, and throw. With both open shelving and cabinets, custom built-ins around the fireplace have space for display, as well as space to tuck items away.

Design features like the cut-out wall in the living room offering a peek to the entry below, connect once-isolated spaces, leading to a more cohesive sense of place. Throughout the home, a common palette of warm browns and cool greys, blacks, and whites allow discrete spaces to feel unified and connected.

The interior’s neutral palette makes way for an abundance of textures and patterns adding drama, each complementing and accentuating the next. This idea is never so present as in the primary bedroom, where layers of textiles, wall treatments, and lighting create a cozy, yet unified, feel.

In lieu of a dramatic art piece above the bed, the homeowners opted for a subtle wallpaper in a geometric diamond pattern. The delicate sunburst-like print adds visual interest without overpowering the textured grey wallpaper on the adjacent walls.

Gray glass light fixtures above modern side tables mimic the wallpaper’s diamond pattern geometry. On the bed, a spectrum of grey hues is a complementary calming oasis.

Not to be outdone, the exterior of the home boasts updates bringing it into harmony with the revised interior. The original entry lacked presence, but an updated entry sequence and contemporary landscape design gives the home more presence on its lot.

In the backyard, a soothing green retreat is perfect for both relaxation and entertainment. The playful but utilitarian gabion wall serves double duty as a retaining wall for a planter along the perimeter wall, and support for a bench for the fire pit. Bamboo (dramatically highlighted with strategic up-lighting) along with lush, layered plantings, gives a spa-like feel to a space both discrete and intrinsically linked to the rest of the home’s updates.