Inspiration for a timeless foyer remodel in Miami with white walls and a white front door

Example of a mid-sized 1950s l-shaped cement tile floor and gray floor eat-in kitchen design in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, cement tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island, black countertops and dark wood cabinets

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

Mid-sized country backyard stone patio photo in San Diego with a pergola

Example of a large trendy light wood floor kitchen pantry design in New York with white cabinets and open cabinets

Roger Wade Studio
Example of a mountain style wine cellar design with beige walls and storage racks

Modern Ina Wall Trellis for vertical garden by TerraTrellis.com.
Inspiration for a modern landscaping in Los Angeles.

This guest bathroom provides open & closed storage for the homeowners & visitors. Pendants provide great lighting for the vanity. A mix of wood elements add interest to this bathroom. Photographer: Jason Dewey

Black and white carry throughout this crisp powder room: black and white marble floor tiles, black and white graphic wallpaper, and a black and white double wall sconce. Elegant white bathroom fixtures, including the pedestal sink, and a long narrow silver framed rectangular mirror bring additional brightness to this small powder room. WKD’s experience in historic preservation and antique curation restored this gentleman’s farm into a casual, comfortable, livable home for the next chapter in this couple’s lives. The project included a new family entrance and mud room, new powder room, and opening up some of the rooms for better circulation. While WKD curated the client’s existing collection of art and antiques, refurbishing where necessary, new furnishings were also added to give the home a new lease on life. Working with older homes, and historic homes, is one of Wilson Kelsey Design’s specialties. This project was featured on the cover of Design New England's September/October 2013 issue. Read the full article at: http://wilsonkelseydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Heritage-Restored1.pdf It was also featured in the Sept. issue of Old House Journal, 2016 - article is at http://wilsonkelseydesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2016-09-OHJ.pdf Photo by Michael Lee

Jim Brady Architectural Photography
Example of a cottage kitchen design in San Diego with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and a farmhouse sink

A pair of hand carved leprechauns for an Irish pub style bar designed by architect Jim McNeil.
Elegant galley concrete floor seated home bar photo in Minneapolis with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, wood countertops and brown countertops

Shop the Look, See the Photo Tour here: https://www.studio-mcgee.com/studioblog/2016/4/4/modern-mountain-home-tour Watch the Webisode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtwvqrNPjhU Travis J Photography

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

Featuring Bakes & Kropp Meridian Cabinetry in a white hand-painted finish, this custom Southampton kitchen is an open-concept space high on elegant style and smart storage. The upper doors showcase a beautiful patterned glass for a subtle touch of shine and texture, and the rich Walnut island warms the entire space. A striking focal point, the Bakes & Kropp range hood is a one-of-a-kind stainless steel masterpiece built for this space. All of the specialty details and finishes, including the polished nickel hardware, coordinate beautifully for a truly spectacular luxury kitchen.

This modern farmhouse kitchen features a beautiful combination of Navy Blue painted and gray stained Hickory cabinets that’s sure to be an eye-catcher. The elegant “Morel” stain blends and harmonizes the natural Hickory wood grain while emphasizing the grain with a subtle gray tone that beautifully coordinated with the cool, deep blue paint. The “Gale Force” SW 7605 blue paint from Sherwin-Williams is a stunning deep blue paint color that is sophisticated, fun, and creative. It’s a stunning statement-making color that’s sure to be a classic for years to come and represents the latest in color trends. It’s no surprise this beautiful navy blue has been a part of Dura Supreme’s Curated Color Collection for several years, making the top 6 colors for 2017 through 2020. Beyond the beautiful exterior, there is so much well-thought-out storage and function behind each and every cabinet door. The two beautiful blue countertop towers that frame the modern wood hood and cooktop are two intricately designed larder cabinets built to meet the homeowner’s exact needs. The larder cabinet on the left is designed as a beverage center with apothecary drawers designed for housing beverage stir sticks, sugar packets, creamers, and other misc. coffee and home bar supplies. A wine glass rack and shelves provides optimal storage for a full collection of glassware while a power supply in the back helps power coffee & espresso (machines, blenders, grinders and other small appliances that could be used for daily beverage creations. The roll-out shelf makes it easier to fill clean and operate each appliance while also making it easy to put away. Pocket doors tuck out of the way and into the cabinet so you can easily leave open for your household or guests to access, but easily shut the cabinet doors and conceal when you’re ready to tidy up. Beneath the beverage center larder is a drawer designed with 2 layers of multi-tasking storage for utensils and additional beverage supplies storage with space for tea packets, and a full drawer of K-Cup storage. The cabinet below uses powered roll-out shelves to create the perfect breakfast center with power for a toaster and divided storage to organize all the daily fixings and pantry items the household needs for their morning routine. On the right, the second larder is the ultimate hub and center for the homeowner’s baking tasks. A wide roll-out shelf helps store heavy small appliances like a KitchenAid Mixer while making them easy to use, clean, and put away. Shelves and a set of apothecary drawers help house an assortment of baking tools, ingredients, mixing bowls and cookbooks. Beneath the counter a drawer and a set of roll-out shelves in various heights provides more easy access storage for pantry items, misc. baking accessories, rolling pins, mixing bowls, and more. The kitchen island provides a large worktop, seating for 3-4 guests, and even more storage! The back of the island includes an appliance lift cabinet used for a sewing machine for the homeowner’s beloved hobby, a deep drawer built for organizing a full collection of dishware, a waste recycling bin, and more! All and all this kitchen is as functional as it is beautiful! Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet: http://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochure

Inspiration for a transitional formal and enclosed black floor living room remodel in DC Metro with gray walls, a two-sided fireplace and a plaster fireplace

Finished basement in a new custom home with walkout to pool and beautiful Dunham Lake. A full kitchen with granite countertops and a gorgeous tile backsplash from counter to ceiling is a focal point. An exercise room and full bathroom are included in this stunning lower level. A storage room with a modern/rustic sliding barn door is functional and gorgeous. Banks of window across the whole lower elevation allow for lots of natural light. The lounge area features built-ins with a fireplace surrounded by artic white ledgestone. Beautiful views of the lake and cozy comfortable furnishings make this a great gathering area. Mars Photo & Design

John Granen
Inspiration for a contemporary backyard deck container garden remodel in Seattle with no cover

Mixed Material Front Walkway includes brick pavers and cut bluestone www.BarnNurseryLandscape.com The Barn Nursery & Landscape Center
Photo of a traditional landscaping in Chicago.