The owner of this 1939, half-timbered, 1,300-square-foot landmark building on the Normandy coast hired Nous Studio for a complete renovation. (The bones were good, including original oak floorboards protected for decades by rugs.) Traditional materials used in innovative ways helped update the look: for example, on the sidewalls, where molded plaster creates a light-and-shadow stripe effect, a wink at the postcard-perfect beach-like furniture.

In the kitchen, strips of mosaics in crystal and gold leaf punctuate a geometric, ceramic-tiled wall. Tall stools provide a glimpse of the charming, colorful neighborhood while enjoying a café au lait at the counter.