Justin Krug Photography
Inspiration for a huge country open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Portland with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a farmhouse living room design with a two-sided fireplace

Photo provider by client. This beautiful fireplace uses
Inspiration for a craftsman light wood floor living room remodel in Seattle with a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Inspiration for a rustic vaulted ceiling and dark wood floor living room remodel with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Living room - mid-sized modern formal and open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room idea in Boston with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and no tv

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

Dan Piassick, PiassickPhoto
Tuscan freestanding desk medium tone wood floor study room photo in San Diego with white walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Example of a large trendy open concept dark wood floor family room design in Baltimore with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

contractor: Etai Har-El photographer: Christian Garibaldi
Family room - traditional dark wood floor family room idea in New York with white walls and a standard fireplace

Example of a large transitional open concept dark wood floor family room design in Philadelphia with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

The Bowman Group
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Orange County with a stone fireplace, a ribbon fireplace and white walls

© Alyssa Lee Photography
Inspiration for a timeless formal medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Minneapolis with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Huge trendy master medium tone wood floor bedroom photo in Kansas City with gray walls, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace

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

Photography by Patrick Brickman
Example of a large cottage open concept family room design in Charleston with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Jeff Herr
Living room - transitional medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room idea in Atlanta with brown walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace

Wonderfully executed Farm house modern Master Bedroom. T&G Ceiling, with custom wood beams. Steel surround fireplace and 8' hardwood floors imported from Europe

Mid-sized transitional open concept medium tone wood floor family room library photo in Charlotte with a tv stand, white walls, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround

This 3,036 sq. ft custom farmhouse has layers of character on the exterior with metal roofing, cedar impressions and board and batten siding details. Inside, stunning hickory storehouse plank floors cover the home as well as other farmhouse inspired design elements such as sliding barn doors. The house has three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, an office, second floor laundry room, and a large living room with cathedral ceilings and custom fireplace. Photos by Tessa Manning