We choose to highlight this project because even though it is a more traditional design style its light neutral color palette represents the beach lifestyle of the south bay. Our relationship with this family started when they attended one of our complimentary educational seminars to learn more about the design / build approach to remodeling. They had been working with an architect and were having trouble getting their vision to translate to the plans. They were looking to add on to their south Redondo home in a manner that would allow for seamless transition between their indoor and outdoor space. Design / Build ended up to be the perfect solution to their remodeling need. Like many in the South Bay, the kitchen is the heart of the home to this family. The homeowners wanted a space that was elegant, warm and clean – an accurate representation of their tastes and style; a place to host Sunday barbecues. The island countertop is natural quartz called Corteccia Leather Slab. A lively cream and blue green quartzite with striking linear striation, Corteccia slabs from Brazil have a special leather finish. Similar to honing, leathering a stone closes the pores, making it much less susceptible to staining and allowing for better performance. The leathered finish presents a unique texture while retaining the stone’s natural color. Since the island was such a rock star we were challenged to find its perfect understated compliment for the perimeter countertops. We selected a polished slab of Madre Perla; a classic natural quartzite. Not only are the colors complimentary but the leather and polished textures play off each other nicely. The rest of the kitchen design fell into place from there.