When our clients purchased this 80-year-old home, the spaces were cramped and impractical and the basement was a dark and unfriendly rental apartment. Renovations were needed to address hazardous air quality and to create a layout suited to a young family.

Flipping the position of the kitchen to the opposite wall and removing walls at the rear of the home opened the house to the garden and transformed the main level into a well-connected family space. The compact area overlooking the back yard, which was formerly the kitchen and laundry, now contains the kitchen, powder room, mudroom and an office nook, yet it feels generous and uncluttered. A palette of simple white cabinets and wood accents is animated with a cheerful cement tile floor. New garden doors provide views into the back yard and wash the interior in sunlight throughout the day.