Our goal of providing a clean design with great functional lighting was achieved by working with the architect, contractor and interior designer to perfect the details in this bathroom. Inverse coves provide the illusion of daylight coming from above while the mirrors illuminate occupants by lighting above their heads and below their chins for maximum function. Trimless recessed lights in the ceiling add to the rectilinear geometry of the interiors. Brent Moss - Photographer David Finholm - Architect Interior Design - Atelier A.M. General Contractor - Hansen Construction

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

Gutterson Craftman home in Berkeley, CA. Interiors: Kathy Farley, ArtDecor. Photos: Kathryn MacDonald Photography | Web Marketing, www.macdonaldphoto.com

This charming home sits on a 500-acre horse farm in Lexington, KY, providing a peaceful retreat for a family of four and their two dogs. The homeowner not only lives here but also manages the property on behalf of the horse farm owner’s. The farm owner wanted to ensure that the family had a comfortable, welcoming space to unwind after a day’s hard work. To bring this vision to life, we collaborated with Ayers Custom Homes to design an abode full of thoughtful, beautiful details. Every aspect, from the custom floors to the ceiling details, was carefully planned. We handpicked every feature in this home, resulting in a space filled with intricate, custom touches that make it stand out. The goal was to create a home that feels cozy, comfortable, and ready to be lived in from day one. The more time you spend here, the more you’ll notice the fine details—like the stone arches, coffered ceilings in the living room, detailed trim work, hickory floors, wood beams, and more. This home was crafted with love and precision, ensuring it’s a perfect fit for this wonderful family.

Inspiration for a coastal entryway remodel in San Francisco

This renovation project of a 1920s home included a kitchen, bar/mudroom, laundry room, guest bathroom and primary bathroom. This home, located in the Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, had an unusual layout and a good bit of unused space. The two main goals were to bring the outdated spaces to suit modern living standards, and to better utilize the space.

Stone accentuated by innovative design compliment this Parker Basement finish. Designed to satisfy the client's goal of a mountain cabin "at home" this well appointed basement hits every requirement for the stay-cation.

Durston Saylor
Example of a mid-sized classic light wood floor home office design in New York with multicolored walls and a standard fireplace

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Example of a 1960s open concept concrete floor, gray floor, vaulted ceiling and wood ceiling living room design in Los Angeles with white walls

From the street, it’s an impeccably designed English manor. Once inside, the best of that same storied architecture seamlessly meshes with modernism. This blend of styles was exactly the vibe three-decades-running Houston homebuilder Chris Sims, founder and CEO of Sims Luxury Builders, wanted to convey with the $5.2 million show-home in Houston’s coveted Tanglewood neighborhood. “Our goal was to uniquely combine classic and Old World with clean and modern in both the architectural design as well as the interior finishes,” Chris says. Their aesthetic inspiration is clearly evident in the 8,000-square-foot showcase home’s luxurious gourmet kitchen. It is an exercise in grey and white—and texture. To achieve their vision, the Sims turned to Cantoni. “We had a wonderful experience working with Cantoni several years ago on a client’s home, and were pleased to repeat that success on this project,” Chris says. Cantoni designer Amy McFall, who was tasked with designing the kitchen, promptly took to the home’s beauty. Situated on a half-acre corner lot with majestic oak trees, it boasts simplistic and elegant interiors that allow the detailed architecture to shine. The kitchen opens directly to the family room, which holds a brick wall, beamed ceilings, and a light-and-bright stone fireplace. The generous space overlooks the outdoor pool. With such a large area to work with, “we needed to give the kitchen its own, intimate feel,” Amy says. To that end, Amy integrated dark grey, high-gloss lacquer cabinetry from our Atelier Collection. by Aster Cucine with dark grey oak cabinetry, mixing finishes throughout to add depth and texture. Edginess came by way of custom, heavily veined Calacatta Viola marble on both the countertops and backsplash. The Sims team, meanwhile, insured the layout lent itself to minimalism. “With the inclusion of the scullery and butler’s pantry in the design, we were able to minimize the storage needed in the kitchen itself,” Chris says. “This allowed for the clean, minimalist cabinetry, giving us the creative freedom to go darker with the cabinet color and really make a bold statement in the home.” It was exactly the look they wanted—textural and interesting. “The juxtaposition of ultra-modern kitchen cabinetry and steel windows set against the textures of the wood floors, interior brick, and trim detailing throughout the downstairs provided a fresh take on blending classic and modern,” Chris says. “We’re thrilled with the result—it is showstopping.” They were equally thrilled with the design process. “Amy was incredibly responsive, helpful and knowledgeable,” Chris says. “It was a pleasure working with her and the entire Cantoni team.” Check out the kitchen featured in Modern Luxury Interiors Texas’ annual “Ode to Texas Real Estate” here.

Builder: Kemp Homes Interior Designer: Kathleen Grim, Srote & Co Cabinet Design: Detailed Designs by Denise Cabinet Production: Wright Cabinet Shop
Example of a small transitional built-in desk light wood floor and brown floor home office design in St Louis with white walls

This award-winning home in Cannon Beach, Oregon takes advantage of excellent ocean views and southern solar exposure. The client’s goal was for a home that would last for multiple generations and capture their love of materials and forms found in nature. Designed to generate as much energy as it consumes on an annual basis, the home is pursuing the goal of being a “net-zero-energy” residence. The environmentally responsive design promotes a healthy indoor environment, saves energy with an ultra energy-efficient envelope, and utilized recycled and salvaged materials in its construction. Daniel Root

This charming home sits on a 500-acre horse farm in Lexington, KY, providing a peaceful retreat for a family of four and their two dogs. The homeowner not only lives here but also manages the property on behalf of the horse farm owner’s. The farm owner wanted to ensure that the family had a comfortable, welcoming space to unwind after a day’s hard work. To bring this vision to life, we collaborated with Ayers Custom Homes to design an abode full of thoughtful, beautiful details. Every aspect, from the custom floors to the ceiling details, was carefully planned. We handpicked every feature in this home, resulting in a space filled with intricate, custom touches that make it stand out. The goal was to create a home that feels cozy, comfortable, and ready to be lived in from day one. The more time you spend here, the more you’ll notice the fine details—like the stone arches, coffered ceilings in the living room, detailed trim work, hickory floors, wood beams, and more. This home was crafted with love and precision, ensuring it’s a perfect fit for this wonderful family.

Light and Airy shiplap bathroom was the dream for this hard working couple. The goal was to totally re-create a space that was both beautiful, that made sense functionally and a place to remind the clients of their vacation time. A peaceful oasis. We knew we wanted to use tile that looks like shiplap. A cost effective way to create a timeless look. By cladding the entire tub shower wall it really looks more like real shiplap planked walls. The center point of the room is the new window and two new rustic beams. Centered in the beams is the rustic chandelier. Design by Signature Designs Kitchen Bath Contractor ADR Design & Remodel Photos by Gail Owens

Eagan, MN kitchen remodel by White Birch Design, serving the Minneapolis and St. Paul area. To learn more about us and see more examples of our work, visit our website at www.whitebirchdesignllc.com

The Alessandra model master bedroom features a custom made, wrought-iron four-poster California king bed. There is a door leading out to the outdoor living area and pool. A salon style loveseat is set in front of a large window that provides an abundance of natural light and a view of the outdoors. Built by Diamond Custom Homes. Interior Design by Pacifica Interiors Design.

Inspiration for a cottage medium tone wood floor, brown floor and exposed beam breakfast nook remodel in DC Metro with gray walls

Kitchen - transitional l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Charlotte with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops