This contemporary conservatory is located just off of historic Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The stately home featured many classic exterior details and was located in the heart of the famous district, so Sunspace worked closely with the owners and their architect to design a space that would blend with the existing home and ultimately be approved for construction by the Cambridge Historical Commission. The project began with the removal of an old greenhouse structure which had outlived its usefulness. The removal of the greenhouse gave the owners the perfect opportunity substantially upgrade the space. Sunspace opened the wall between the conservatory and the existing home to allow natural light to penetrate the building. We used Marvin windows and doors to help create the look we needed for the exterior, thereby creating a seamless blend between the existing and new construction. The clients requested a space that would be comfortable year-round, so the use of energy efficient doors and windows as well as high performance roof glass was critically important. We chose a PPG Solar Ban 70 XL treatment and added Argon glass. The efficiency of the roof glass and the Marvin windows allowed us to provide an economical approach to the client’s heating and air conditioning needs. The final result saw the transformation of an outdated space and into a historically appropriate custom glass space which allows for beautiful, natural light to enter the home. The clients now use this space every day.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

Located in the historic Fairmount Hills, in the shadow of the Oregon Governor’s mansion, this picturesque cottage feels like a little home in the woods. Featuring arch-top windows with stained-glass tulips, this home is aptly called the Tulip Cottage. The homeowner wanted to add a master bedroom as well as extend the living room without losing the small, cottage-like feel of the home. For this major addition, seamless roof design was critical to assuring that the addition blended with the historic details of the original house. The living space within the home was made to feel bigger through various techniques, such as raising the ceiling, adding windows and skylights, and opening up interior views. Available space was maximized for storage, such as the glass-front cabinet beside the dining room fireplace, the built-in dresser in the passageway separating the bedroom and bathroom in the guest suite, and the built-in bureaus in the guest bathroom. The ceramic tile work in both the guest bathroom and the kitchen stayed true to its original 1920s style. One of our favorite details of this project is the unique corner block we custom-carved for the intersection of two crown moldings in the bedroom. This corner block made the transition between the two crown moldings cleaner and smoother.

This kitchen was fully reconfigured as part of a complete Upper Lonsdale home renovation in North Vancouver. The design emphasizes clean geometry, functional workflow, and integrated finishes. Custom flat-panel cabinetry extends to the ceiling, maximizing vertical storage while maintaining a streamlined profile. A back-painted glass backsplash was installed to provide a seamless, reflective surface that enhances natural light and simplifies maintenance. Precise alignment between cabinetry, hood fan integration, and appliance placement was critical to achieving the balanced, architectural layout. Quartz countertops were fabricated with tight tolerances around the sink and cooktop zones, and appliance integration was carefully coordinated to preserve the kitchen’s minimal aesthetic. The result is a highly functional, modern kitchen executed with disciplined detailing and finish continuity throughout the space. This project reflects Arani Construction’s expertise in full home renovations across Upper Lonsdale and the North Shore, where structural understanding and finish-level execution must work together seamlessly.

The client asked us to create a low maintenance, highly functional front entry to this beachfront retreat. As with most beach homes, guest parking is critical and creating an easy to navigate parking area is paramount to design success. We chose to maximize the front yard without turning it into a parking lot. Native crushed stone parking pads surrounded by sun loving, drought tolerant plants create exactly what the client was looking for.

Photo Credit: Carlos Esteva
Bathroom - mid-sized modern multicolored tile and glass sheet ceramic tile and beige floor bathroom idea in Other with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls and granite countertops

Due to its deteriorating condition, the asphalt roll roofing on this ADU required replacement before the Fall rains. Asphalt roll roofing generally lasts only 5-10 years, leading to ongoing maintenance challenges. The original 1×10 sheathing showed significant sagging in several spots, resulting in standing water not suitable for asphalt. Additionally, there was a complete absence of ventilation after improper installation of R-21 fiberglass insulation, leaving no air gap between the sheathing and insulation. A noticeable hump along the center of the roof indicated that the load-bearing wall had been supporting that section since construction, contributing to light sagging between the walls. The old roof was completely removed down to the joists, revealing a solid base for the new installation. The central hump was eliminated by shaving the high point along that line. 2×6 beams were ripped in half then nailed on top of the existing joists, creating a 1.5″ gap for insulation and providing strong attachment points for the OSB sheathing, which was secured with screws to prevent any potential issues with nail heads popping through over the roof’s expected lifespan of over 50 years. The EPDM membrane was then adhered using glue and contact cement along the edges of each sheet, with the ends folded over the roof edges and secured with termination bars. Drip edge flashing was added and taped to ensure a water-tight seal, and EPDM-safe caulking was applied over the seams for additional protection. Finally, all exposed wood was primed and painted. The new roof features a 60mil commercial-grade EPDM rubber membrane, offering a lifespan exceeding 50 years, in stark contrast to the 5-10 year lifespan of asphalt roll roofing. Using two sheets of EPDM for installation streamlined the process, resulting in one single seam across the entire roof, compared to the asphalt roll’s dimensions of 3 feet wide by 33 feet long, which created 8 vertical seams and 9 horizontal seams—significantly increasing the risk of leakage and failure. Wrapping the rubber over the edge of the roof effectively addressed concerns about water infiltration at the edges, an issue prevalent with the asphalt and drip edge interface. Another benefit to removing the splitting 1×10 decking and replacing it with OSB sheathing is the increase in structural integrity, moisture resistance, longevity and consistency. The project successfully transformed the ADU’s roof from a maintenance-prone asphalt roll system to a highly durable 60mil EPDM rubber membrane. By addressing critical structural issues, including sagging sheathing and inadequate ventilation, the team ensured that the new roof not only offers superior water resistance and longevity but also meets higher performance standards for insulation and durability. The replacement process eliminated common weak points, such as numerous seams and poor edge sealing, which were vulnerabilities in the old roofing system. The result is a streamlined, secure installation that provides peace of mind and long-term value, with a lifespan extending well beyond the original roof.

This single-family home remodel was driven by the homeowner’s desire to “do the right thing” in the context of a neighborhood which is witnessing a change of character as the small houses of its quiet past are getting replaced by large luxury homes. One of the biggest initial challenges was to resist the temptation to increase the size and height of the house in order to gain even better views – to resist keeping up with the Joneses. The house already had an expansive view of Puget Sound. The owner also did not want the house to compete with the land for attention or resources – the house should be humble and respect nature, a metaphor for walking lightly on the earth. The site also had its physical challenges – it is classified as an Environmentally Critical Area due to its steep slope, and there is also an eagle’s nest nearby. Given these site challenges, minimizing the house’s impact on the site was established as an underlying guiding principle early in the design process. The footprint of the house was kept intact and the exterior changes were kept to a minimum. Even the deck and landscaping walls (both of which needed replacement due to failures in the materials) were rebuilt within the same size and footprints. The landscaping plan includes removing invasives and returning the site to native vegetation. The original house was built in the 1940’s and had endured various additions over the years. Another objective was to blend the division between the new remodel, the former remodels, and the original house – to make the house feel whole again and not a collection of random pieces. The use of salvaged materials and the reuse of existing materials were high priorities among many sustainable goals that included the conservation of energy, water, and materials. Photo by Grace Huang 1 of 3

The limited space available for this bath renovation made every inch critical. This is a closer look at the shower before the glass was installed. A half wall was used in the construction of the shower in order to give the illusion of more space (both looking into the bathroom as well as while in the shower). The recessed light in the shower also functions as the vent.