Architectural advisement, Interior Design, Custom Furniture Design & Art Curation by Chango & Co Photography by Sarah Elliott See the feature in Rue Magazine

Architectrure by TMS Architects Rob Karosis Photography
Inspiration for a coastal formal light wood floor living room remodel in Boston with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Kerri Fukkai
Kitchen - modern l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen idea in Salt Lake City with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, stainless steel countertops, metallic backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Inspiration for a transitional white exterior home remodel in Other with a shingle roof

The walls on either side of the island are cut back to the bottom of the upper cabinets which allows a full view through the kitchen. Andrea Rugg Photography

Photo Credit, Jenn Smira
Danish 3/4 white tile and subway tile black floor bathroom photo in DC Metro with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and white countertops

Mid-sized transitional porcelain tile and multicolored floor powder room photo in Denver with black walls, a vessel sink and wood countertops

This gorgeous modern farmhouse features hardie board board and batten siding with stunning black framed Pella windows. The soffit lighting accents each gable perfectly and creates the perfect farmhouse.

Operable shutters on the tub window open to reveal a view of the coastline. The boys' bathroom has gray/blue and white subway tile on the walls and easy to maintain porcelain wood look tile on the floor.

Paul Dyer Photo
Kitchen - rustic l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and beige countertops

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

Laundry room - farmhouse laundry room idea in Seattle

Patio - farmhouse backyard patio idea in San Francisco with a pergola

Danish u-shaped concrete floor and gray floor kitchen photo in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white backsplash, black appliances, a peninsula and black countertops

This transitional style kitchen remodel in Winnetka IL features a custom range hood with a retractable spice rack. It is operated with a remote control and is concealed when not in use. Norman Sizemore-photographer

Bob Narod
Example of a transitional open concept beige floor game room design in DC Metro with beige walls and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a mid-sized farmhouse open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room design in Atlanta with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and no tv

Double tier cutlery divider offers tons of storage and great organization.
Transitional home design photo in DC Metro

Example of a mid-sized classic l-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen pantry design in Charlotte with a farmhouse sink, blue cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and white countertops