Peter Rymwid
Large elegant dark wood floor living room photo in New York with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an undermount sink, white backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Vladislava Kolosova

Studio Lux introduced the cove elements, designed to conceal LED strip lights viewed at shallow angles from great distances, and eliminating harsh shadows generally caused by light valences. Photography by Jim Bartsch

Modern family loft in Boston’s South End. Open living area includes a custom fireplace with warm stone texture paired with functional seamless wall cabinets for clutter free storage. Photos by Eric Roth. Construction by Ralph S. Osmond Company. Green architecture by ZeroEnergy Design. http://www.zeroenergy.com

Elegant multicolored floor laundry room photo in Minneapolis with white cabinets, a side-by-side washer/dryer and gray countertops

Inspiration for a large farmhouse white two-story wood exterior home remodel in San Francisco

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

John Magnoski Photography Builder: John Kraemer & Sons
Example of a large arts and crafts beige two-story vinyl exterior home design in Minneapolis with a hip roof

Picture Perfect House
Mid-sized transitional galley dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in Chicago with white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops, a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets and glass tile backsplash

Example of a country l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Burlington with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets and an island

Janine Dowling Design, Inc. www.janinedowling.com Michael J. Lee Photography Bathroom Design by Jodi L. Swartz
Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless master white tile and stone tile marble floor alcove shower remodel in Boston with gray walls, a one-piece toilet, an undermount sink and a niche

This cute cottage, one block from the beach, had not been updated in over 20 years. The homeowners finally decided that it was time to renovate after scrapping the idea of tearing the home down and starting over. Amazingly, they were able to give this house a fresh start with our input. We completed a full kitchen renovation and addition and updated 4 of their bathrooms. We added all new light fixtures, furniture, wallpaper, flooring, window treatments and tile. The mix of metals and wood brings a fresh vibe to the home. We loved working on this project and are so happy with the outcome! Photographed by: James Salomon

Small beach style enclosed porcelain tile and gray floor family room photo in Boston with blue walls, a corner fireplace and a concrete fireplace

Her master closet was designed with very specific needs. It features limestone floors, side lit cabinets and electric rods. Photo by Sam Smeed
Walk-in closet - traditional gray floor walk-in closet idea in Houston with beaded inset cabinets and white cabinets

Our clients on this project were inspired by their travels to Asia and wanted to mimic this aesthetic at their DC property. We designed a water feature that effectively masks adjacent traffic noise and maintains a small footprint.

Inspiration for a mid-sized cottage slate floor enclosed dining room remodel in New York with white walls

Photo by Emily Kennedy Photo
Family room - large cottage enclosed light wood floor and beige floor family room idea in Chicago with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Kitchen with Panda Doors open to exterior dining and pool. Architect: Drawing Dept Contractor: Camery Hensley Construction Photography: Ross Van Pelt
Eat-in kitchen - modern galley eat-in kitchen idea in Cincinnati with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite countertops

Photography by Michael J. Lee
Large transitional master marble floor and white floor freestanding bathtub photo in Boston with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, a hinged shower door and white countertops