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9 Townhouses from Coast to Coast
Get inspired by urban dwelling space-saving strategies — plus how to make a stairwell kid-friendly
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Do you have a dark room, cramped space, closed-off staircase or other design challenge you're not sure how to address? You may want to look to townhouses for the solution.
The origin of the word "townhouse" came from simply referring to one's house in town, as opposed to one's other house in the country. Today's definition incorporates row houses and terrace houses. and these homes share at least one wall with another home (often two walls), creating big challenges as far as lighting is concerned. Often several stories high, staircases use up a lot of space in these homes. In general, these homes tend to be deep and narrow, creating unique design challenges.
Here is a roundup of the townhouses we've toured on Houzz. The owners and designers have found clever ways of meeting the unique challenges townhouses present. Perhaps you'll find a window placement idea, a way to trick the eye with a mirror, a bright paint color or a space-saving solution here that you can apply to your own home.
The origin of the word "townhouse" came from simply referring to one's house in town, as opposed to one's other house in the country. Today's definition incorporates row houses and terrace houses. and these homes share at least one wall with another home (often two walls), creating big challenges as far as lighting is concerned. Often several stories high, staircases use up a lot of space in these homes. In general, these homes tend to be deep and narrow, creating unique design challenges.
Here is a roundup of the townhouses we've toured on Houzz. The owners and designers have found clever ways of meeting the unique challenges townhouses present. Perhaps you'll find a window placement idea, a way to trick the eye with a mirror, a bright paint color or a space-saving solution here that you can apply to your own home.
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It's always fun to check in with Brooklyn blogger Mrs. Limestone. She was one of the first bloggers we interviewed on Houzz. Her blog documents the long and strenuous journey of a gut renovation.
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Mrs. Limestone utilized a large mirror to reflect light and enlarge the visual expanse of this room.
| Another Brooklyn renovation, completed by architect Kimberly Neuhaus in collaboration with homeowner Jessica Warren, balances respect for the home's history with modern life and high design. Large openings between rooms helps to share the light. Often times, townhouses will use glass paned pocket doors to separate rooms for just this reason. |
Because townhouses are often three stories or more, stairs are a big part of the home. The home shown above used the stairs as an opportunity to create a unique design element.
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by CWB Architects
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| This row house in Brooklyn belonged to dear friends of the architect, Bruce Coburn, making the renovation all the more special. Here, Coburn has taken full advantage of the stairs, lining them with bookshelves. This move makes the narrow media room seem wider. |
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by CWB Architects
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| Coburn continued to make the most of the stairwell, adding portholes and a fun fort for the kids tucked underneath the stairs. |
by Jarlath Mellett
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Moving across the bridge, designer Jarlath Mellett utilized uniquely finished walls and sculptural furniture to up the chic factor in this Manhattan stunner.
by Jarlath Mellett
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The home has plenty of kid-friendly spaces as well. A fun loft and custom wallpaper, as well as floor-to-ceiling glass make the most of these tight quarters.
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by Nic Darling
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| Now we'll head over to the fifth borough, Philadelphia. The $100K House demonstrates how one can create an eco-friendly home without blowing the budget. Nic Darling kept the labor and construction costs capped $100,000. Here the staircase plays peek-a-boo with plywood, creating a unique accent wall. |
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by Nic Darling
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| 9'6" ceiling heights in this home make everything feel more open. |
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Now we'll take a leap over to the Pacific coast. A piece of Brooklyn made it all the way across the country in this San Francisco Designer Showhouse. A fantastic and sculptural light fixture crafted by Lindsey Adelman adds a fantastic glow to the dining room.
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In the showhouse, an extra tall upholstered headboard paired with vertical stripes emphasizes height and draws the eye upwards.
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| A beautiful row house in the Mission District had been ripped to pieces over the years, destroying all of the original details. Enter architect Christian Dauer, who filled it with light and restored it to its former glory in a contemporary way. White walls and ceilings keep this living room light and bright. |
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| Dauer used recessed lighting, lots of white paint, and a skylight to brighten the kitchen. |
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by Amoroso Design
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| When designer Shelly Amoroso first arrived at this San Francisco row house, no one had pulled a construction permit for it since the 1920s, and it had fallen into quite a state of disrepair. She added light as much as possible, including the bright white exterior trim, an uncommon choice in San Francisco. |
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by Amoroso Design
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| In the bathrooms, Amoroso used clear glass shower dividers to visually expand the space, and to open a view to stunning tile accents that look like works of art. |
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Until the 1980s, one could pick up a townhouse in Boston's Historic South End for practically nothing (the trade-off was the high crime rate). Now the neighborhood is one of the most beautiful and desirable neighborhoods in the city, inspiring beautiful renovations like this one, designed by the architecture firm Stern McCafferty.
Sunny yellow walls are a great alternative to white for brightening up a space. As for that acrylic, they are part of a system of cut-outs...
Sunny yellow walls are a great alternative to white for brightening up a space. As for that acrylic, they are part of a system of cut-outs...
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| ...which let light flow from the floor above, creating a unique connection between the different levels. Do you have a design dilemma? Let the Houzz community pitch in with suggestions over on the Questions Board. More: 20 Spectacular Beach Houses 10 Wonderful Farm Houses |
Comments
Laura Warburton inspiring article, I love all the spaces even though each is so different from the other.
20 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Sept. 26, 2011.
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