Cool and bright kitchen

Besides capturing the driveway area, the house also grew into the backyard with a kitchen addition extending from the rear of one of the original units. Clerestory windows to the east and west let in even more natural light.

The kitchen's color palette is like a muted Monet painting; in a true artistic effort, Shemchuk and Farley custom-mixed the floor stain and several paints.

A symphony of cool pastels ― robin's egg-blue walls, smoky lilac cabinets ― infuses the home with fresh colors.

See another view of the kitchen.

Resources: White 3- by 6-inch field tile by B&W Tile. Rolling island designed by Artdecor (510/527-3904) and fabricated by Mark Turpin (510/469-6784). GE Profile CustomStyle side-by-side refrigerator in stainless steel ( www.geappliances.com or 800/626-2005). Vertical-grain ash cabinets designed by Artdecor. Cabinet hardware from Häfele (800/423-3531). Bianco Carrara marble countertops from Creative Stoneworks (510/428-2202).