The large center island, where the family can prepare and share a meal, organizes the space and makes the room seem equally efficient and spacious. Still, the main attraction is the dramatic backsplash behind the professional-style cook top. Mounted next to the double windows on the back wall, it consists of two copper panels, one the same size as a single window and one the size of a window minus its 4-inch mullioned panel. Finished with an acid wash, the panels hang like abstract art. The living room is small but intriguing thanks to a tall corner window well that allows light to stream to the back of the room, a front corner window that fills the space with morning light, and double doors that overlook the courtyard.
Living room flows into dining area, which, in turn, leads to the family room.
To get more ceiling height in this multipurpose room, Lukez went down, not up, by ending the foundation at ground level. Here, the architect gave his modular base an offbeat interpretation. If the backsplash in the kitchen is an abstract canvas, the fireplace, its surround, mantel, and bookcase come together as a modern sculpture. Dropping the room to ground level also put it on the same level as the courtyard, which makes for an easy flow of traffic in and out of the house when the weather encourages outdoor living. There is also art in Lukez's staircase, which is framed by a slatted cherry wood screen designed by the architect.