This project was a complete gut remodel of the owner's childhood home. They demolished it and rebuilt it as a brand-new two-story home to house both her retired parents in an attached ADU in-law unit, as well as her own family of six. Though there is a fire door separating the ADU from the main house, it is often left open to create a truly multi-generational home. For the design of the home, the owner's one request was to create something timeless, and we aimed to honor that.

Photo by KuDa Photography
Cottage u-shaped light wood floor and gray floor kitchen pantry photo in Portland with recessed-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, wood countertops and brown countertops

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 transitional 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and multicolored floor alcove bathtub remodel with blue cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, white countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

This modern farmhouse located outside of Spokane, Washington, creates a prominent focal point among the landscape of rolling plains. The composition of the home is dominated by three steep gable rooflines linked together by a central spine. This unique design evokes a sense of expansion and contraction from one space to the next. Vertical cedar siding, poured concrete, and zinc gray metal elements clad the modern farmhouse, which, combined with a shop that has the aesthetic of a weathered barn, creates a sense of modernity that remains rooted to the surrounding environment. The Glo double pane A5 Series windows and doors were selected for the project because of their sleek, modern aesthetic and advanced thermal technology over traditional aluminum windows. High performance spacers, low iron glass, larger continuous thermal breaks, and multiple air seals allows the A5 Series to deliver high performance values and cost effective durability while remaining a sophisticated and stylish design choice. Strategically placed operable windows paired with large expanses of fixed picture windows provide natural ventilation and a visual connection to the outdoors.

Brian vanden Brink
Inspiration for a timeless brick floor mudroom remodel in Portland Maine

Example of a beach style l-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen design in Miami with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and an island

Bernard Andre Photography SDG I am the photographer and cannot answer any questions regarding the design, finishing, or furnishing. For any question you can contact the architect: http://www.simpsondesigngroup.com/

The finished product of the remodel of our very own Gretchen's bathroom! She re-did her bathroom after seven years and gave it a lovely upgrade. She made a small room look bigger!

Walk-in shower - contemporary brown tile beige floor walk-in shower idea in Los Angeles with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and a wall-mount toilet

Example of a mid-sized classic master beige tile and subway tile ceramic tile and beige floor alcove shower design with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls and quartz countertops

Inspiration for a small contemporary 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and black floor alcove bathtub remodel in Chicago with gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, solid surface countertops, white countertops, an integrated sink and flat-panel cabinets

Large transitional master white tile and subway tile marble floor claw-foot bathtub photo in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops and gray walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless gray two-story concrete fiberboard gable roof remodel in Chicago with a shingle roof

Master bath Photo by: Papillos
Inspiration for a transitional beige tile and stone tile beige floor freestanding bathtub remodel in New Orleans with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and dark wood cabinets

New View Photography
Mid-sized urban 3/4 white tile and subway tile porcelain tile and brown floor alcove shower photo in Raleigh with black cabinets, a wall-mount toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and flat-panel cabinets

Alcove bathtub - small modern 3/4 gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile alcove bathtub idea in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and solid surface countertops

Inspiration for a large contemporary master brown tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and brown floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, an undermount sink, marble countertops and gray walls

This cozy and welcoming study with a wood burning fireplace, raised paneling and a flush marble surround makes you want to sit and stay awhile! Photo credit: Kip Dawkins