Large elegant l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen pantry photo in Houston with open cabinets and gray cabinets

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

The wallpaper is a dark floral by Ellie Cashman Design. The floor tiles are Calacatta honed 2x2 hexs. The lights are Camille Sconces in hand rubbed brass by visual comfort.

Example of a transitional gray floor kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, an island, white countertops and brown backsplash

Sean Costello
Example of a beach style dark wood floor kitchen design in Raleigh with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Example of a classic l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Seattle with an island, a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash and gray countertops

Spacecrafting
Inspiration for a large timeless carpeted and beige floor home bar remodel in Minneapolis with glass-front cabinets, distressed cabinets and matchstick tile backsplash

Photo by S. LeClair.
Beach style laundry room photo in Portland Maine

Example of a classic kitchen design in New York with a farmhouse sink, wood countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

The lovely primary bedroom feels modern, yet cozy. The custom octagon wall panels create a sophisticated atmosphere, while the chandelier and modern bedding add a punch of personality to the space. The lush landscape draws the eye to the expansive windows overlooking the backyard. The homeowner's favorite shade of aubergine adds depth to the mostly white space.

Huge trendy master light wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Los Angeles with a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace and white walls

Photo Credit - Katrina Mojzesz topkatphoto.com Interior Design - Katja van der Loo Papyrus Home Design papyrushomedesign.com Homeowner & Design Director - Sue Walter, subeeskitchen.com

Photography by Jared Kuzia
Inspiration for a farmhouse mosaic tile floor bathroom remodel in Boston with blue walls and a trough sink

Rod Pasibe
Bathroom - traditional master white tile and subway tile bathroom idea in Charleston

Kitchens are magical and this chef wanted a kitchen full of the finest appliances and storage accessories available to make this busy household function better. We were working with the curved wood windows but we opened up the wall between the kitchen and family room, which allowed for a expansive countertop for the family to interact with the accomplished home chef. The flooring was not changed we simply worked with the floor plan and improved the layout.

Example of a large transitional master carpeted bedroom design in Charleston with white walls

Barry Grossman Photography
Trendy foyer photo in Miami with white walls

Traditional Hall Bath with Wood Vanity & Shower Arch Details
Inspiration for a small timeless master mosaic tile floor, white floor and single-sink bathroom remodel in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, a two-piece toilet, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, white countertops, a niche and a built-in vanity

Inspiration for a large modern master double-sink bathroom remodel in Chicago with marble countertops and a built-in vanity