Interior Design: Jamie Ludens, Studio M Interiors | Photography: Landmark Photography
Mid-sized elegant vinyl floor and beige floor wine cellar photo in Minneapolis with storage racks

Linda Hall
Large country galley medium tone wood floor home design photo in New York with beaded inset cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, an undermount sink, soapstone countertops and an island

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

Low maintenance, stain- and scratch-resistant AZEK Deck carries a limited lifetime warranty and is designed to last beautifully. Available in 17 colors and several grain textures, AZEK Deck has a color to complement any housing exterior. Shown here is AZEK Deck in Acacia with AZEK Deck in Kona used as a border. Offering easy living at its finest, AZEK Deck lets you enhance your backyard experience. With superior workability, AZEK Deck is perfect to create complete outdoor spaces with built-in benches, planters, and even works great around hot tubs and pools.

Designed and Built by: Cottage Home Company Photographed by: Kyle Caldabaugh of Level Exposure
Transitional dark wood floor foyer photo in Jacksonville with white walls and a white front door

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Cleveland

Inspiration for a timeless backyard full sun patio remodel in San Francisco

Huge elegant backyard stone patio photo in Dallas with a roof extension

Example of a trendy dark wood floor walk-in closet design in Charleston with open cabinets

Example of a trendy l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and an island

What a fun children's loft! The bottom hosts a cozy reading nook to hang out for some quiet time, or for chatting with the girls. The turquoise walls are amazing, and the white trim with pops of bright pink decor are perfect. What child would not LOVE to have this in their room? Fun fun fun! Designed by DBW Designs, Dawn Brady of Austin Texas. anna-photography.com

Example of a mid-sized trendy formal light wood floor and brown floor living room design in Denver with a standard fireplace, no tv, a tile fireplace and white walls

Lori Hamilton
Example of an island style kitchen design in Miami with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and white appliances

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless l-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Albuquerque with raised-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, beige backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, an undermount sink, granite countertops, ceramic backsplash and black countertops

Example of a large transitional gender-neutral dark wood floor walk-in closet design in Houston with recessed-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Elegant living room photo in Minneapolis with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

This photo: For a couple's house in Paradise Valley, architect C.P. Drewett created a sleek modern kitchen with Caesarstone counters and tile backsplashes from Art Stone LLC. Porcelain-tile floors from Villagio Tile & Stone provide contrast to the dark-stained vertical-grain white-oak cabinetry fabricated by Reliance Custom Cabinets. Positioned near the base of iconic Camelback Mountain, “Outside In” is a modernist home celebrating the love of outdoor living Arizonans crave. The design inspiration was honoring early territorial architecture while applying modernist design principles. Dressed with undulating negra cantera stone, the massing elements of “Outside In” bring an artistic stature to the project’s design hierarchy. This home boasts a first (never seen before feature) — a re-entrant pocketing door which unveils virtually the entire home’s living space to the exterior pool and view terrace. A timeless chocolate and white palette makes this home both elegant and refined. Oriented south, the spectacular interior natural light illuminates what promises to become another timeless piece of architecture for the Paradise Valley landscape. Project Details | Outside In Architect: CP Drewett, AIA, NCARB, Drewett Works Builder: Bedbrock Developers Interior Designer: Ownby Design Photographer: Werner Segarra Publications: Luxe Interiors & Design, Jan/Feb 2018, "Outside In: Optimized for Entertaining, a Paradise Valley Home Connects with its Desert Surrounds" Awards: Gold Nugget Awards - 2018 Award of Merit – Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home – Custom The Nationals - 2017 Silver Award -- Best Architectural Design of a One of a Kind Home - Custom or Spec http://www.drewettworks.com/outside-in/

Inspiration for a traditional outdoor playset in New York.

Inspiration for a large contemporary galley dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, porcelain backsplash and an island