Homeowners Leore and Adrian Berger knew Veronica Valencia would turn their century-old home into something wonderful. The Revealed host had designed their previous home, and her style complemented theirs beautifully. With this project, however, Veronica had her work cut out for her. The house hadn’t been touched in 20 years. Ahead: See how Veronica and her team struck a balance between honoring the home’s past and adapting it to set the stage for a new generation of Berger family traditions.

The now-classic cook space teems with elegant touches. A generous, walnut-stained island looks and feels like a piece of furniture. The edges of its handsome marble top feature an ogee step detail echoing the curve of the hood that centers it. Veronica updated the old black-and-white checkered flooring with an elevated, tone-on-tone iteration of the look featuring larger slabs of natural limestone. The vintage-look pair of stools perched at the island stand at the intersection of history and luxury. "The heart of this design is the Bergers' Jewish heritage and family traditions. From Friday Shabbat dinner to teaching their children how to make challah bread, I wanted every element to speak directly to who they are as a family," Veronica says.

The warm brass tone of this vintage-inspired gooseneck bridge faucet counterbalances the right angles and straight edges Veronica chose for the farmhouse sink, Calacatta marble countertops and wraparound floating shelf. The less-is-more shelf is quite the feat of modern-day engineering: Now part of the home's bones, it’s anchored with substantial brackets installed behind the backsplash.

"With herbs on the windowsill, eggs in the colander, challah bread in the corner and stacks of everyday essentials on the shelves, every corner feels like it's been here forever," says Veronica. The slim appliance tucked into this cabinetry plays a key supporting role in the Bergers’ gatherings. “Whenever a homeowner wants to splurge on their appliances, I love including an additional warming drawer,” Veronica says. Perfect for a cook who frequently entertains, a warming drawer saves trips to the microwave, and it's more efficient than an oven when it comes to keeping prepared food at the perfect temperature.