This home is a custom home built by Homes by Tradition located in Lakeville, MN. Our showcase models are professionally staged. Please contact Ambiance at Home for information on furniture - 952.440.6757 Thank you!

Anthony Pippo Photography
Transitional family room photo in New York with gray walls

Photography by Ron Ruscio
Trendy dark wood floor dining room photo in Denver with blue walls and a standard fireplace

Example of an urban concrete floor home office design in New York

Bill Taylor
Example of a classic wooden curved staircase design in Boston

Photography by Studio Maha
Example of a transitional dark wood floor dining room design in San Diego with brown walls

photos by Steve Chenn
Elegant family room photo in Houston with beige walls

Example of a large beach style open concept living room design in New York with white walls

Workshop room in industrial basement. Custom work table, custom light made from 1900's skylight.
Large urban freestanding desk medium tone wood floor home studio photo in Denver

This Coastal Inspired Farmhouse with bay views puts a casual and sophisticated twist on beach living. Interior Design by Blackband Design and Home Build by Arbor Real Estate.

Inspiration for a large timeless medium tone wood floor and brown floor foyer remodel in Other with gray walls and a medium wood front door

Builder & Interior Selections: Kyle Hunt & Partners, Architect: Sharratt Design Company, Landscape Design: Yardscapes, Photography by James Kruger, LandMark Photography

Game area and billiard room of redesigned home basement. French door leads to exercise room.
Elegant underground carpeted and beige floor basement game room photo in New York with white walls

Small space living solutions are used throughout this contemporary 596 square foot tiny house. Adjustable height table in the entry area serves as both a coffee table for socializing and as a dining table for eating. Curved banquette is upholstered in outdoor fabric for durability and maximizes space with hidden storage underneath the seat. Kitchen island has a retractable countertop for additional seating while the living area conceals a work desk and media center behind sliding shoji screens. Calming tones of sand and deep ocean blue fill the tiny bedroom downstairs. Glowing bedside sconces utilize wall-mounting and swing arms to conserve bedside space and maximize flexibility.

Mark Boisclair Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary dark wood floor home bar remodel in Phoenix with white countertops

Photo: Anice Hoachlander
Inspiration for a huge contemporary medium tone wood floor kitchen/dining room combo remodel in DC Metro 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. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Drew Kelly
Inspiration for a contemporary dining room remodel in San Francisco with white walls

Rustic White Photography
Family room - transitional dark wood floor family room idea in Atlanta with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv