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

Peabody's Design, Photo: © David Bader
Elegant kitchen photo in Milwaukee

10x12 Studio Shed home office - Lifestyle Interior plus our added height option. The standard height of most models is 8'6" but you can choose to add 1 or even 2 extra feet of ceiling height. Our small kit "Pinyon" sits perpendicular to the office, holding garden tools and other supplies in a 4x8 footprint. The concrete pad, which extends to serve as the interior floor as well, was poured and stained by the home owner once the design phase of his project was complete.

Architect of Record: David Burton, Photographer: Jenny Pfeiffer
Drop-in bathtub - 1960s master white tile and glass tile slate floor drop-in bathtub idea in San Francisco with blue walls

Large country u-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen photo in Atlanta with white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops, shaker cabinets, quartzite countertops, a farmhouse sink and subway tile backsplash

Example of a transitional dark wood floor dining room design in Denver with gray walls

Rob Karosis: Photographer
Example of a mid-sized classic medium tone wood floor kitchen design in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets and white cabinets

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in DC Metro with white cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

This remodel was all about blending functionality with style. We began by referring a trusted painter to refresh the cabinets, then customized the layout to maximize storage and add character. The cabinet mullions were removed to allow for full-width rollouts, while the old desk area was reimagined into a beautiful custom wine rack cabinet with natural maple racks and a new beverage refrigerator. A tailored tray divider was crafted to perfectly fit the cooktop cabinet, and additional rollouts with adjustable pilasters were installed for easy access and organization. To complete the transformation, we installed Calacatta Laza quartz countertops with dramatic waterfall ends on the island and a full-wall quartz splash for a seamless, luxurious finish. The refinished dark walnut flooring ties the entire space together, creating a warm and elegant backdrop. The result is a kitchen that’s as functional as it is beautiful—ready for everyday living and effortless entertaining.

This remodel was all about blending functionality with style. We began by referring a trusted painter to refresh the cabinets, then customized the layout to maximize storage and add character. The cabinet mullions were removed to allow for full-width rollouts, while the old desk area was reimagined into a beautiful custom wine rack cabinet with natural maple racks and a new beverage refrigerator. A tailored tray divider was crafted to perfectly fit the cooktop cabinet, and additional rollouts with adjustable pilasters were installed for easy access and organization. To complete the transformation, we installed Calacatta Laza quartz countertops with dramatic waterfall ends on the island and a full-wall quartz splash for a seamless, luxurious finish. The refinished dark walnut flooring ties the entire space together, creating a warm and elegant backdrop. The result is a kitchen that’s as functional as it is beautiful—ready for everyday living and effortless entertaining.

This remodel was all about blending functionality with style. We began by referring a trusted painter to refresh the cabinets, then customized the layout to maximize storage and add character. The cabinet mullions were removed to allow for full-width rollouts, while the old desk area was reimagined into a beautiful custom wine rack cabinet with natural maple racks and a new beverage refrigerator. A tailored tray divider was crafted to perfectly fit the cooktop cabinet, and additional rollouts with adjustable pilasters were installed for easy access and organization. To complete the transformation, we installed Calacatta Laza quartz countertops with dramatic waterfall ends on the island and a full-wall quartz splash for a seamless, luxurious finish. The refinished dark walnut flooring ties the entire space together, creating a warm and elegant backdrop. The result is a kitchen that’s as functional as it is beautiful—ready for everyday living and effortless entertaining.

Kitchens, Stunning & Functional, by IndoTeak Design IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

We are in love with this kitchen right from the custom made metal hood fan to walk-in hidden pantry. This kitchen would make anybody feel like a master chef!

Rob Karosis
Elegant eat-in kitchen photo in New York with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, soapstone countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash and stainless steel appliances

White Oak screen and planks for doors. photo by Whit Preston
1960s concrete floor foyer photo in Austin with white walls, a medium wood front door and a pergola

Wet bar - mid-sized transitional single-wall wet bar idea in San Francisco with a drop-in sink, glass-front cabinets, blue cabinets, wood countertops, blue backsplash and brown countertops

This remodel was all about blending functionality with style. We began by referring a trusted painter to refresh the cabinets, then customized the layout to maximize storage and add character. The cabinet mullions were removed to allow for full-width rollouts, while the old desk area was reimagined into a beautiful custom wine rack cabinet with natural maple racks and a new beverage refrigerator. A tailored tray divider was crafted to perfectly fit the cooktop cabinet, and additional rollouts with adjustable pilasters were installed for easy access and organization. To complete the transformation, we installed Calacatta Laza quartz countertops with dramatic waterfall ends on the island and a full-wall quartz splash for a seamless, luxurious finish. The refinished dark walnut flooring ties the entire space together, creating a warm and elegant backdrop. The result is a kitchen that’s as functional as it is beautiful—ready for everyday living and effortless entertaining.

Love these custom functional corner drawers and floating shelves!
Example of a large transitional medium tone wood floor and vaulted ceiling kitchen design with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized contemporary brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in DC Metro with white cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops