After the walls between the original kitchen and dining rooms were knocked down, architect Christy Seals of Loop Design had to integrate a large beam to support the load of the second story, which was quite a challenge. Since the beam is a foot thick, it meant they had to lower the ceiling height in this area. However, Ott loves the varying ceiling heights — they allow for a subtle openness in the kitchen and intimacy in the dining area. Ott chose the colors based on housewares she'd fallen in love with. Her strategy was to use neutral colors for materials that are expensive or difficult to change — like the quartz countertop and concrete floor — and use bold colors for materials that are cheap and easy to change out — like paint and accessories.Flooring: concrete overlay; wall paint: Parakeet, Sherwin Williams; island paint: Larchmere, Sherwin Williams; bar stools: Ikea