CY P R E S S
Naples-based METHOD & CONCEPT used cypress to stunning effect in a Keewaydin Island beach house, set against Vetrazzo countertops (made of marble, oyster shells and recycled glass) and translucent cabinets. With its warm, honeyed tones and natural grain, the wood is a perfect foil to stark, monochromatic design trends. Panels of cypress cladding soften cement-clad modernist facades; cypress built-ins frame the view of the Gulf; and old-growth sinker cypress—reclaimed from swamp waters and milled for cabinet veneers—can add an organic element to a black-and-white kitchen. For the ultimate in stylish-meets-welcoming interiors, wrap the space in the wood, stretching planks up and along ceilings.