On an island off the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, architect Steven Harris and interior designer Lucien Rees Roberts, both from New York, restored a 15th-century stone house as a vacation getaway for themselves. The residence, part of a compound, overlooks the harbor. The designers used handmade Tuscan terra-cotta roof and floor tiles and preserved and enhanced the stone walls. All the construction materials and furniture came in from the mainland ferry, everything had to be hand-carried 156 steps up the hill to the site. The designers created large open spaces within the 1,500 square-foot shell. They wanted to take advantage of the unimpeded views and ocean breezes by situating the living room on the second floor and relocating the kitchen and dining areas on the downstairs level, with French doors that spill out upon the lush gardens. Throughout, they stripped wood paneling back to the stone walls and preserved the existing ceiling timbers.