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

A young family moving from Brooklyn to their first house spied this classic 1920s colonial and decided to call it their new home. The elderly former owner hadn’t updated the home in decades, and a cramped, dated kitchen begged for a refresh. Designer Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn helped her client design a new kitchen layout, while Virginia Picciolo of Marsella Knoetgren designed the enlarged kitchen space by stealing a little room from the adjacent dining room. A palette of warm gray and nearly black cabinets mix with marble countertops and zellige clay tiles to make a welcoming, warm space that is in perfect harmony with the rest of the home. Photos Adam Macchia. For more information, you may visit our website at www.studiodearborn.com or email us at info@studiodearborn.com.

A farmhouse coastal styled home located in the charming neighborhood of Pflugerville. We merged our client's love of the beach with rustic elements which represent their Texas lifestyle. The result is a laid-back interior adorned with distressed woods, light sea blues, and beach-themed decor. We kept the furnishings tailored and contemporary with some heavier case goods- showcasing a touch of traditional. Our design even includes a separate hangout space for the teenagers and a cozy media for everyone to enjoy! The overall design is chic yet welcoming, perfect for this energetic young family. Project designed by Sara Barney’s Austin interior design studio BANDD DESIGN. They serve the entire Austin area and its surrounding towns, with an emphasis on Round Rock, Lake Travis, West Lake Hills, and Tarrytown. For more about BANDD DESIGN, click here: https://bandddesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://bandddesign.com/moving-water/

Ashley Wilkerson Photographers Stone Fireplace with Rustic Iron Decorative Moose Doors
Large mountain style dark wood floor and green open concept and two-story wood exterior home photo with green walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a clipped gable roof

Example of a mountain style wooden floating open staircase design in St Louis

Patrick Cline
Example of a small transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen design in Denver with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Living room - transitional living room idea in Boston

This project is a good example of what can be done with a little refresh. Sometimes parts of your space work well and parts don’t, so a full gut and replace might not make sense. That was the case here. After living with it for a decade or so realized they would really prefer two sinks in the vanity. Since there were two windows in the bathroom, we decided to eliminate the window to the left of the current vanity and replace with it with a longer run of cabinets. The other window is to the right of the vanity let’s in beautiful morning light. The window we removed was a northern exposure and its location under an eave didn’t allow for much light, so it was the perfect solution! In addition to the new vanity, we also changed out the countertop, added new mirrors and lighting, and changed out the tile floor to a larger hex with fewer grout lines. This adds a brighter more modern look while still maintaining the vintage feel of the room. The shower was in great shape, so we left that as is except for swapping out the shower floor tile to match the main floor and adding a more updated decorative mosaic tile. We added a new toilet and for a bit of luxury a heated towel bar. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com Project Year: 2020

Will Austin Photography. Dave Pelletier Architect Gary Perreault, steel fabricator.
Home design - contemporary home design idea in Seattle

William Lesch Photography
Mid-sized trendy hallway photo in Phoenix

The renovation of this 1911 heritage home included a new kitchen. Traditional craftsman style blended with an open concept design preserves the original beauty but adds functionality. Added windows open up the space to light, solid wood cabinetry and milled trim match the original woodwork and quartz countertops and high quality appliances complete the efficient and beautiful space.

New sitting room, looking toward kitchen.
Inspiration for a small craftsman enclosed light wood floor living room remodel in Portland with green walls, no fireplace and no tv

Example of a small trendy u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen design in DC Metro with a single-bowl sink, recessed-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

The key to forest bathing is to create or update spaces as they appear in nature — and add only amenities that fit naturally in that environment. In this case, Deck and Patio added a bridge, water feature, imported boulders and rocks and landscaped it with robust plantings. It feels like you are in upstate New York, in the mountains. Yet, it’s right in our clients’ backyard. www.deckandpatio.com

This step-down family room features a coffered ceiling and a fireplace with a black slate hearth. We made the fireplace’s surround and mantle to match the raised paneled doors on the built-in storage cabinets on the right. For a unified look and to create a subtle focal point, we added moulding to the rest of the wall and above the fireplace. Sleek and contemporary, this beautiful home is located in Villanova, PA. Blue, white and gold are the palette of this transitional design. With custom touches and an emphasis on flow and an open floor plan, the renovation included the kitchen, family room, butler’s pantry, mudroom, two powder rooms and floors. Rudloff Custom Builders has won Best of Houzz for Customer Service in 2014, 2015 2016, 2017 and 2019. We also were voted Best of Design in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 which only 2% of professionals receive. Rudloff Custom Builders has been featured on Houzz in their Kitchen of the Week, What to Know About Using Reclaimed Wood in the Kitchen as well as included in their Bathroom WorkBook article. We are a full service, certified remodeling company that covers all of the Philadelphia suburban area. This business, like most others, developed from a friendship of young entrepreneurs who wanted to make a difference in their clients’ lives, one household at a time. This relationship between partners is much more than a friendship. Edward and Stephen Rudloff are brothers who have renovated and built custom homes together paying close attention to detail. They are carpenters by trade and understand concept and execution. Rudloff Custom Builders will provide services for you with the highest level of professionalism, quality, detail, punctuality and craftsmanship, every step of the way along our journey together. Specializing in residential construction allows us to connect with our clients early in the design phase to ensure that every detail is captured as you imagined. One stop shopping is essentially what you will receive with Rudloff Custom Builders from design of your project to the construction of your dreams, executed by on-site project managers and skilled craftsmen. Our concept: envision our client’s ideas and make them a reality. Our mission: CREATING LIFETIME RELATIONSHIPS BUILT ON TRUST AND INTEGRITY. Photo Credit: Linda McManus Images

The arched front entry door pays homage to the Tudor aesthetic of this home. Cherry hardwood flooring used in conjunction with light finishes keep the look and feel light and airy. This custom home was designed and built by Meadowlark Design+Build in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Photography by Joshua Caldwell.

This project is a good example of what can be done with a little refresh. Sometimes parts of your space work well and parts don’t, so a full gut and replace might not make sense. That was the case here. After living with it for a decade or so realized they would really prefer two sinks in the vanity. Since there were two windows in the bathroom, we decided to eliminate the window to the left of the current vanity and replace with it with a longer run of cabinets. The other window is to the right of the vanity let’s in beautiful morning light. The window we removed was a northern exposure and its location under an eave didn’t allow for much light, so it was the perfect solution! In addition to the new vanity, we also changed out the countertop, added new mirrors and lighting, and changed out the tile floor to a larger hex with fewer grout lines. This adds a brighter more modern look while still maintaining the vintage feel of the room. The shower was in great shape, so we left that as is except for swapping out the shower floor tile to match the main floor and adding a more updated decorative mosaic tile. We added a new toilet and for a bit of luxury a heated towel bar. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: LOMA Studios For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com Project Year: 2020

Michael's Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman l-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, laminate countertops, brown backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Master-bedroom. Neutral accent wall blends in nicely with the home exteriors. The slate tiles around the built in fireplace were hand selected to create a dramatic accent in the room. Coffered ceiling with rope lighting created a interesting visual and romantic lighting.