Gutting the kitchen and taking out the partition that separated it from the dining room allowed designer Fu-Tung Cheng to turn what had been a U-shaped kitchen into a spacious galley.

The back of the glass-front wall cabinet is also translucent, giving the box a pleasing glow. The glass-tile sides and front frame accentuate the effect.

The door hardware and wire shelves of the pull-out pantry also gleam in the light, but the decision to make these items metal was made primarily for stylistic and ease-of-maintenance reasons.

A high-arc polished chrome faucet adds elegance and a bonus glint of brightness.

Concrete and stone countertops have a sheen that helps reflect all that California sunshine.