David Welch
Living room - large transitional open concept light wood floor living room idea in Boston with white walls and no tv

Inspiration for a transitional living room remodel in Orange County

Another excellent example of mixing the old and new. A treasured family piecrust table sits comfortably under modern collages and a contemporary lamp. Collectibles from the couples travels make interesting and personal accessories.

Example of a transitional formal dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in DC Metro with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and no tv

Living room - mid-sized transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room idea in New York with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

The adjoining cozy family room is highlighted by a herringbone tile fireplace surround and built-in shelving. Bright pops of color add to the interest.

The Craftsman shiplap continues into the Living Room/Great room, providing a relaxed, yet finished look on the walls. The built-in's provide space for storage, display and additional seating, helping to make this space functional and flexible.

Large transitional formal and open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room photo in Burlington with a stone fireplace, beige walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

This Great Room features one of our most popular fireplace designs with shiplap, a modern mantel and optional built -in cabinets with drywall shelves.

Giovanni Photography, Cinnabar Design for Pizzazz Interiors
Inspiration for a transitional open concept dark wood floor living room remodel in Miami with white walls

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. Eric Roth Photo

Living room - large transitional formal and open concept carpeted and beige floor living room idea in Other with brown walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Transitional living room photo in Orange County

Polished is good, but sometimes unpolished is better. With a fresh, raw quality, natural finishes and furnishing add a rugged earthiness that provides the perfect complement.

Family room - transitional family room idea in Boston

Example of a transitional living room design in Los Angeles

Living room - transitional living room idea in Atlanta

Transitional formal and open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room photo in New York with a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and no tv

Living room - large transitional open concept light wood floor living room idea in Seattle with white walls and a standard fireplace