Island- Carbon finish with Shaker doorstyle Kitchen Cabinetry- White finish with Contempo doors
Trendy kitchen photo in Other

Island- Carbon finish with Shaker doorstyle Kitchen Cabinetry- White finish with Contempo doors
Trendy kitchen photo in Other

Island- Carbon finish with Shaker doorstyle Kitchen Cabinetry- White finish with Contempo doors
Example of a trendy kitchen design in Other

Photograph: The Office of Chris Cortazzo
Inspiration for a modern backyard rectangular pool remodel in Los Angeles with decking

Island- Carbon finish with Shaker doorstyle Kitchen Cabinetry- White finish with Contempo doors
Trendy kitchen photo in Other

Sliding barn doors separate the master bedroom balcony from the entry and living room
Example of a mid-sized trendy loft-style bamboo floor bedroom design in Seattle with blue walls and no fireplace

South east end of studio space with doors to work spaces open. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely.
Home office - contemporary concrete floor and gray floor home office idea in San Francisco

Large transitional single-wall light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen photo in New York with a farmhouse sink, gray cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, quartz countertops, matchstick tile backsplash and recessed-panel cabinets

Large mountain style l-shaped brown floor and dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Charleston with shaker cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, dark wood cabinets, a farmhouse sink, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash and stone tile backsplash

Kitchen
Kitchen - cottage kitchen idea in Philadelphia with white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2014 Houzz
Example of a small cottage enclosed medium tone wood floor living room design in New York with green walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Laundry, clean and organized space
Laundry room - transitional laundry room idea in Seattle with a stacked washer/dryer

Photo: Narayanan Narayanan, Andrew Petrich
Mid-sized trendy backyard rectangular lap pool house photo in Santa Barbara with decking

Modern contemporary home in Malibu, CA Architecture & Design: Burdge & Associates Architects Photos: MK Sadler Developer: FBHearthstone
Inspiration for a contemporary glass railing balcony remodel in Los Angeles with a roof extension

Photograper: Jim Westphalen
Large traditional gray three-story wood gable roof idea in Burlington

Photo: Tom Hofer
Example of a trendy loft-style dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom design in Los Angeles with white walls

Photo: Tom Hofer
Inspiration for a contemporary galley brown floor open concept kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

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

Inspiration for a small contemporary master green tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile, gray floor and double-sink bathroom remodel in Other with shaker cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops, white countertops, a niche and a built-in vanity