Example of a mountain style light wood floor open concept kitchen design with an undermount sink, brown cabinets, window backsplash, stainless steel appliances, two islands, gray countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

Trendy gray two-story flat roof photo in Phoenix

Large rustic brown stone exterior home idea

Karen Swanson, owner of New England Design Works in Manchester, MA keeps designing award winning Pennville Custom Cabinetry kitchens. You may remember that earlier this year, Karen won both the regional Sub-Zero Design Contest and the National Kitchen & Bath Association's medium kitchen of the year. nedesignworks@gmail.com 978.500.1096.

Inspiration for a cottage white two-story gable roof remodel in Seattle with a shingle roof

J.E. Evans
Inspiration for a timeless l-shaped kitchen remodel in Columbus with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Photography by Dennis Mayer
Elegant white tile and subway tile multicolored floor alcove shower photo in San Francisco with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet and gray countertops

Trent Bell Photography
Huge trendy beige three-story house exterior photo in Las Vegas

Gridley+Graves
Kitchen - traditional galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, paneled appliances, white walls and an island

Photography by Jorge Alvarez.
Transitional indoor indoor pool photo in Tampa

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. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Casey Dunn
Example of a trendy deck design in Austin with a roof extension and a bbq area

Our take on the Modern Farmhouse!
Example of a large cottage white two-story concrete fiberboard house exterior design in Calgary

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized modern galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Dallas with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, beige backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Trendy mudroom photo in Birmingham with white walls

www.danielkellyphotography.com
Example of a large classic backyard round pool design in Houston

http://www.seancostellophoto.com
Example of a classic u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen design in Los Angeles with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Architect: Swan Architecture | Interiors: Katie Redpath Constable | Landscaping: Bechler Landscapes | Photography: Landmark Photography

This amazing powder room features an elevated waterfall sink that overflows into a raised bowl. Ultramodern lighting and mirrors complete this striking minimalistic contemporary bathroom.