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

Storage never looked so attractive with this customized mudroom. The space incorporates a broom cabinet, coat and shoe storage and seating. Because this kitchen entrance is a high-traffic area, tile that mimics the color of the cabinetry was used underneath the bench area - a more practical option than wood. Heart pine floors were also sourced to match the original flooring throughout the house.

Mark Lohman Photography
Example of a bedroom and mid-sized beach style gender-neutral light wood floor and beige floor kids' bedroom design in Orange County with green walls

Kitchen - traditional dark wood floor kitchen idea in New York with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash and an island

Justin Ramsdell Photography
Kitchen - farmhouse kitchen idea in DC Metro

A stunning rustic modern exterior blends organic materials and sleek design in this energy-efficient mountain retreat, showcasing sustainable construction and luxurious craftsmanship.

Custom cabinets - stained wood - cherry wood - modern Home office - LED strip lighting - wood desk - bookshelves - Architect - The MZO Group / Photographer - Greg Premru

This light filled laundry room is as functional as it is beautiful. It features a vented clothes drying cabinet, complete with a hanging rod for air drying clothes and pullout mesh racks for drying t-shirts or delicates. The handy dog shower makes it easier to keep Fido clean and the full height wall tile makes cleaning a breeze. Open shelves above the dog shower provide a handy spot for rolled up towels, dog shampoo and dog treats. A laundry soaking sink, a custom pullout cabinet for hanging mops, brooms and other cleaning supplies, and ample cabinet storage make this a dream laundry room. Design accents include a fun octagon wall tile and a whimsical gold basket light fixture.

Walk-In closet with raised panel drawer fronts, slanted shoe shelves, and tilt-out hamper.
Large elegant gender-neutral carpeted walk-in closet photo with raised-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Carriage doors open to reveal a wealth of extra space in the garage, including an area custom built to accommodate a collection of bicycles hanging from the ceiling.

Located on a partially wooded lot in Elburn, Illinois, this home needed an eye-catching interior redo to match the unique period exterior. The residence was originally designed by Bow House, a company that reproduces the look of 300-year old bow roof Cape-Cod style homes. Since typical kitchens in old Cape Cod-style homes tend to run a bit small- or as some would like to say, cozy – this kitchen was in need of plenty of efficient storage to house a modern day family of three. Advance Design Studio, Ltd. was able to evaluate the kitchen’s adjacent spaces and determine that there were several walls that could be relocated to allow for more usable space in the kitchen. The refrigerator was moved to the newly excavated space and incorporated into a handsome dinette, an intimate banquette, and a new coffee bar area. This allowed for more countertop and prep space in the primary area of the kitchen. It now became possible to incorporate a ball and claw foot tub and a larger vanity in the elegant new full bath that was once just an adjacent guest powder room. Reclaimed vintage Chicago brick paver flooring was carefully installed in a herringbone pattern to give the space a truly unique touch and feel. And to top off this revamped redo, a handsome custom green-toned island with a distressed black walnut counter top graces the center of the room, the perfect final touch in this charming little kitchen.

Jim Schmid
Large elegant gender-neutral playroom photo in Charlotte

Photography: Nathan Schroder
Tuscan dining room photo in Dallas with white walls

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Mud Room, laundry room, Groveport, Dave Fox, Remodel, Design Build, gray tile floor, white countertops, open shelving, black hardware
Example of a transitional laundry room design in Columbus

Brad Peebles
Mid-sized asian master beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile japanese bathtub photo in Hawaii with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, granite countertops and beige walls

We teamed up with an investor to design a one-of-a-kind property. We created a very clear vision for this home: Scandinavian minimalism. Our intention for this home was to incorporate as many natural materials that we could. We started by selecting polished concrete floors throughout the entire home. To balance this masculinity, we chose soft, natural wood grain cabinetry for the kitchen, bathrooms and mudroom. In the kitchen, we made the hood a focal point by wrapping it in marble and installing a herringbone tile to the ceiling. We accented the rooms with brass and polished chrome, giving the home a light and airy feeling. We incorporated organic textures and soft lines throughout. The bathrooms feature a dimensioned shower tile and leather towel hooks. We drew inspiration for the color palette and styling by our surroundings - the desert.

Kitchen - modern l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Toronto with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, black appliances, an island and white countertops

The multi-purpose furniture transforms the compact space for different uses. The coffee table is on casters which is used for dining and storage. The side table tucks under sofa. The sofa is also a guest bed and storage below. Photo: Eileen Descallar Ringwald