jeff herr photography
Inspiration for a large transitional master gray tile and stone tile freestanding bathtub remodel in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, a one-piece toilet and beige walls

Example of a trendy bathroom design in Atlanta

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2013 Houzz
Bedroom - shabby-chic style bedroom idea in Tampa with white walls

Angle Eye Photography
Large elegant powder room photo in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, marble countertops, beige walls and white countertops

Image via Serena & Lily
Minimalist patio photo in San Francisco

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

Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal formal and open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in New York with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Tessa Neustadt
Example of a mid-sized beach style dark wood floor utility room design in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, wood countertops and white walls

Susan Teare
Example of a mountain style tiny house design in Burlington

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional carpeted bedroom remodel in Minneapolis with blue walls and no fireplace

The Stressless Legend features unique cushioning that feels sumptious and luxurious as it embraces and supports your body. The specially designed foam and the Stressless glide system means the sofa adjusts to your body smoothly. It simply stretches to that extra degree of comfort you have come to expect. This means that it’s more responsive to the way your body moves. You never have to force it to do anything – simply move, and it moves with you.

Our American made advantage series wine racks in pine. Our racks qualify for NAFTA as they are made right here in North America so we can ship duty free to Mexico and Canada.

Leighton Embroidered Pillow Cover Image via Serena & Lily

Innovative and modern, the Stressless E200 is more beautiful than you can imagine and more comfortable than you can conceive. In addition to the design and quality that Stressless sofas are famous for, the E200 is equipped with the Stressless patented ErgoAdapt® system. Created by Stressless, ErgoAdapt allows the cushion of the sofa to tilt down automatically the moment you take a seat placing your body in the perfect sitting position. The brilliance of ErgoAdapt is that if you prefer to lie down on your sofa, the cushion automatically elevates to a flat position, placing your body in the perfect lying position. The simple lines and classic proportions make the E200 the choice of those who want the very best of contemporary Scandinavian design. With the Stressless E200 you can choose between different back cushions and get your own combination of colors and upholstery in fabric or leather. The soft back-cushion is filled with a mix of ripped foam and down, which shapes to give you optimum support while sitting on the sofa. As with all down cushions, you need to regularly plump them back into shape, and fabric back cushions should also be turned regularly.

Primary Bathroom Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg Photography; Interior Design: Kristin Try Interiors; Builder: Harry Braswell, Inc.
Example of a beach style blue tile and subway tile white floor walk-in shower design in DC Metro with medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, white countertops and shaker cabinets

The calming master bedroom with woven warm wall treatment. A folding glass door opens the bedroom to the living space while still allowing for both visual and acoustical privacy. Photos by Eric Roth. Construction by Ralph S. Osmond Company. Green architecture by ZeroEnergy Design. http://www.zeroenergy.com

When it comes to styling your shelves, stack books for height; play with shape, scale, and texture; and group like items together (as Susan has done with her “herd” of elephants, a collection inspired by OKL’s logo).