Michelle Drewes Photography
Example of a mid-sized transitional kitchen design in Santa Barbara

Inspiration for a transitional dining room remodel in Orange County

On-site in Seattle, our team turns vision into reality with precision and care.

Example of a mid-sized classic open concept dark wood floor and brown floor family room design in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

When thinking of having family and friends over for dinner, nothing like having a spacious dining room to accommodate everyone comfortably! Suburban Builders always strive to create a dining space with convenient access to the kitchen and family and/or living rooms. Every detail is important; from the windows and wall panels to flooring and the right lighting. #SuburbanBuilders #CustomHomeBuilderArlingtonVA #CustomHomeBuilderGreatFallsVA #CustomHomeBuilderMcLeanVA #CustomHomeBuilderViennaVA #CustomHomeBuilderFallsChurchVA

Example of a large trendy open concept dark wood floor family room design in Baltimore with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Troy Thies Photography
Bathroom - transitional bathroom idea in Minneapolis

Large transitional white two-story brick gable roof photo in Atlanta with a shingle roof

Photo of a mid-sized rustic partial sun backyard stone pond in Minneapolis for summer.

Eat-in kitchen - large u-shaped brick floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in New Orleans with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Mid-sized transitional open concept dark wood floor living room photo in Toronto with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and gray walls

Chilipics Photography
Large minimalist wooden l-shaped staircase photo in Atlanta with wooden risers