Espresso stain enriches the original pine floors,

top

right.

“ Having them dark actually drops the floor

visually, so you feel like the ceiling is higher,” Andy says.

With a wall removed, an inefficient pass-through

bedroom is now a modern home office,

above.

“ It

feels like a loft at the top of the stairs,” Andy says.

Outfitted with cubbies, the closet is so organized that

the door could be taken off and the space passed off

as a built-in bookcase.

To-the-ceiling cabinets eke out storage and emphasize

the height, not width, of the narrow kitchen,

right.

A

counter-height peninsula that replaced a taller bar,

plus visually light metal stools,

opposite,

provide an

easy flow to a new sitting area.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

JANUARY 2010 4 5