Robert Swinburne
Example of a trendy metal exterior home design in Boston

Inspiration for a large industrial built-in desk light wood floor, brown floor, vaulted ceiling and wood wall home studio remodel in Denver with white walls

Design ideas for a modern landscaping in San Francisco.

Edesia Kitchen & Bath Studio 217 Middlesex Turnpike Burlington, MA 01803
Inspiration for a mid-sized country l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor kitchen pantry remodel in Boston with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, gray backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Family room - craftsman family room idea in Chicago with a tile fireplace and multicolored walls

Mid-sized trendy u-shaped slate floor open concept kitchen photo in DC Metro with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

This home was fully remodeled with a cape cod feel including the interior, exterior, driveway, backyard and pool. We added beautiful moulding and wainscoting throughout and finished the home with chrome and black finishes. Our floor plan design opened up a ton of space in the master en suite for a stunning bath/shower combo, entryway, kitchen, and laundry room. We also converted the pool shed to a billiard room and wet bar.

Simple countertop, sink, and sink for preparing cocktails and mock-tails. Open cabinets with reflective backs for glass ware. Photography by Spacecrafting

Check out our latest project in San Jose, featuring a complete home renovation. This project includes a refreshed living room, a modern kitchen, a sleek bathroom, a cozy bedroom, a well-organized garage, and a stunning exterior. Each space has been carefully designed to balance style and functionality. Discover how we've transformed these areas into beautiful and practical living spaces.

ASID Design Excellence First Place Residential – Kitchen: Originally commissioned in 1977 by our clients, this residence was designed by renowned architect Donald Olsen whose life's work is thoroughly documented in the book Donald Olsen: Architect of Habitable Abstractions. Michael Merrill Design Studio was approached three years ago to do a comprehensive rethinking of the structure, spaces and the exterior envelope. We hope you will enjoy this preview of the greatly enlarged and updated kitchen and home office.

Scott Amundson
Example of a mid-sized mid-century modern master white tile and glass tile porcelain tile and gray floor bathroom design in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, a vessel sink, quartz countertops and white countertops

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized contemporary u-shaped porcelain tile and beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, an island, white countertops, an undermount sink, paneled appliances and stone slab backsplash

Mid-sized trendy rooftop rooftop deck photo in Minneapolis with no cover

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in DC Metro

Photography by Chase Daniel
Transitional exterior home idea in Austin

Bathroom - scandinavian gray floor and double-sink bathroom idea in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, white countertops, a floating vanity and marble countertops

The corner lot at the base of San Jacinto Mountain in the Vista Las Palmas tract in Palm Springs included an altered mid-century residence originally designed by Charles Dubois with a simple, gabled roof originally in the ‘Atomic Ranch’ style and sweeping mountain views to the west and south. The new owners wanted a comprehensive, contemporary, and visually connected redo of both interior and exterior spaces within the property. The project buildout included approximately 600 SF of new interior space including a new freestanding pool pavilion at the southeast corner of the property which anchors the new rear yard pool space and provides needed covered exterior space on the site during the typical hot desert days. Images by Steve King Architectural Photography

Check out our latest project in San Jose, featuring a complete home renovation. This project includes a refreshed living room, a modern kitchen, a sleek bathroom, a cozy bedroom, a well-organized garage, and a stunning exterior. Each space has been carefully designed to balance style and functionality. Discover how we've transformed these areas into beautiful and practical living spaces.