The refresh began in the living room with a large, dramatic framed photo titled Burning Book, with its smoldering pages fanned open, part of the parents’ collection. Three different light fixtures are the “jewelry” in the room—a simple Circlet chandelier, contemporary light tubing, and the flourish of a white ostrich feather lamp. With a subdued palette, Rufenacht added textures—a velvet sofa with nailhead trim, a leather chaise, an 18th-century-style chrome candle stand, and Tibetan Tiger fabric on pillows and the ottoman.

Oversized custom black metal doors lead onto the solarium, where a three-dimensional dress crafted in wire hangs as a prized sculpture. Another cased opening leads to the original kitchen. Rufenacht is not a fan of protruding kitchen cabinetry; instead, he created cavities in the plaster walls and inserted appliances. A gray floating wall shields the 12-burner stove from view and provides a café-like setting to enjoy a coffee or a snack. A jolt of red from the stained wood pendant light draws the eye.

In the library, the parents decided to keep the original red lacquered walls. An airy, whimsical glass pendant light floats like a butterfly under the original gold-leafed ceiling.

In the bedroom, the original built-in oak-veneer closets, framed in dark walnut, surround the sleepers and also hide a TV. A Phillip Jeffries wallcovering adds interest to the ceiling.

Not far away, the daughter’s compound features a tall staircase with a custom runner designed by Rufenacht that points the way up. Because the views are better higher up, the main living is on the upper floors.

A guest bedroom shimmers under a silver-leafed ceiling, with a Flokati-like bench at the end of the bed and more Tibetan Tiger pillows. Because she has dogs, the daughter opted to use large carpet squares as the base flooring throughout the house, which can be removed and replaced when necessary. Rufenacht made the best of it, using tonal custom area rugs in spaces the dogs are less likely to visit.

In the open-concept dining and living areas, the designer created a “floating” steel monolith with a cutout to define the two areas; a second steel wall does the same outside on the grounds. Curved sofas and martini tables provide a welcoming space to enjoy a cocktail and conversation before dinner. A pair of floor lamps with glass spikes like the Russian space-age Sputnik creates a lively pattern of light in the evening. A pendant light like a flowing script adds that finishing touch—like a statement necklace—above the dinner table.

The designer also avoided traditional kitchen cabinetry in the daughter’s kitchen, opting instead to hide appliances and clutter behind clean-lined white oak paneling. A two-level marble island provides prep space and seating. The globe pendant is made of feathers, another light-hearted touch. Glass tile embedded with wire in the cooking alcove skews slightly industrial.

In the second guest bedroom, three-dimensional foam core provides a basketweave pattern on the walls. And in a third, the designer shirred the walls and ceiling to make the Phillip Jeffries collage-like paper-on-paper match perfectly. A big four-poster bed in black lacquer has silvery details.

There’s a trick to getting everything right, says Rufenacht: “The more modern something is, the more every detail matters. It must be well executed and very tailored.”