The goal of this renovation was to modernize the home while preserving its warmth and character. The design introduces a more functional layout, increased storage, and a cohesive material palette that connects the mudroom, kitchen, pantry, primary suite, and bathroom. Clean-lined millwork, warm wood tones, painted cabinetry, and layered textures create a balanced aesthetic that feels both timeless and updated.The original layout featured a compartmentalized kitchen with limited storage and circulation challenges. The mudroom lacked built-in organization, and the pantry provided minimal functionality. Within the primary suite, the bathroom and closet areas did not maximize available square footage or storage opportunities. Existing finishes throughout the home relied heavily on warm wood cabinetry and beige-toned tile.

The goal of this renovation was to modernize the home while preserving its warmth and character. The design introduces a more functional layout, increased storage, and a cohesive material palette that connects the mudroom, kitchen, pantry, primary suite, and bathroom. Clean-lined millwork, warm wood tones, painted cabinetry, and layered textures create a balanced aesthetic that feels both timeless and updated.The original layout featured a compartmentalized kitchen with limited storage and circulation challenges. The mudroom lacked built-in organization, and the pantry provided minimal functionality. Within the primary suite, the bathroom and closet areas did not maximize available square footage or storage opportunities. Existing finishes throughout the home relied heavily on warm wood cabinetry and beige-toned tile.

The goal of this renovation was to modernize the home while preserving its warmth and character. The design introduces a more functional layout, increased storage, and a cohesive material palette that connects the mudroom, kitchen, pantry, primary suite, and bathroom. Clean-lined millwork, warm wood tones, painted cabinetry, and layered textures create a balanced aesthetic that feels both timeless and updated.The original layout featured a compartmentalized kitchen with limited storage and circulation challenges. The mudroom lacked built-in organization, and the pantry provided minimal functionality. Within the primary suite, the bathroom and closet areas did not maximize available square footage or storage opportunities. Existing finishes throughout the home relied heavily on warm wood cabinetry and beige-toned tile.

The goal of this renovation was to modernize the home while preserving its warmth and character. The design introduces a more functional layout, increased storage, and a cohesive material palette that connects the mudroom, kitchen, pantry, primary suite, and bathroom. Clean-lined millwork, warm wood tones, painted cabinetry, and layered textures create a balanced aesthetic that feels both timeless and updated.The original layout featured a compartmentalized kitchen with limited storage and circulation challenges. The mudroom lacked built-in organization, and the pantry provided minimal functionality. Within the primary suite, the bathroom and closet areas did not maximize available square footage or storage opportunities. Existing finishes throughout the home relied heavily on warm wood cabinetry and beige-toned tile.

In this total gut and reconfiguration of the kitchen and adjacent spaces, a seamless marriage of farmhouse aesthetic with materials that are already in the home create a space that integrates with the feeling of the original home. Significant changes to the layout and removal of walls has created an open concept living, larger kitchen area, and an organized and functional kitchen space. New French doors connect to the outdoors and introduce more light into the space, as well as increased recessed and accent lighting assist in generating a light-filled home. The new layout provides an open, inviting entertaining space where children can play in the den while meals are prepared on the oversized 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

Inspiration for a contemporary bedroom remodel in Portland Maine

Tim & Elissa have a beautiful home in the most desirable Wyomissing neighborhood. Broad sidewalks under stately oaks, with nearby parks makes it a perfect place to raise a growing family. But their 2-bedroom mid-century rancher was becoming a squeeze. They asked Spring Creek Design to come up with a cost-effective solution to their space problem, while also tackling some of the home’s aged infrastructure. Design Criteria: - Increase living space by adding a new 2nd storey Master Suite. - Enhance livability with an open floorplan on the first floor. - Improve the connection to the outdoors. - Update basics systems with new windows, HVAC and insulation. - Update interior with paint & refinished floors. Special Features: - Bright, mid-century modern design is true to the home’s vintage. - Custom steel cable railings at both stairways. - New open plan creates strong connections between kitchen, living room, dining room and deck. - High-performance Pella windows throughout, including a new triple-panel slider to the deck.

The transformation of this home was extensive. We removed walls, creating connectivity between rooms and an updated open concept floor plan. We did a complete redesign the layout of the kitchen, tripling the size, storage, and counter space for the whole family to enjoy. We created a built-in bar in the dining room and separate media room, opening up the entertaining options for both kids and adults. For the finishes throughout, the family was able to capture their love of Spanish and old-world design. We used warm neutral colors for the pallet, antique and worn textures throughout the surfaces, and pops of color and personality to make it uniquely theirs. Touches of brass and wrought iron in the lighting and railings continued the theme. The enlarged glass door systems and windows all increased the natural light and opened up the viewing area to capture the panoramic ocean view.

The transformation of this home was extensive. We removed walls, creating connectivity between rooms and an updated open concept floor plan. We did a complete redesign the layout of the kitchen, tripling the size, storage, and counter space for the whole family to enjoy. We created a built-in bar in the dining room and separate media room, opening up the entertaining options for both kids and adults. For the finishes throughout, the family was able to capture their love of Spanish and old-world design. We used warm neutral colors for the pallet, antique and worn textures throughout the surfaces, and pops of color and personality to make it uniquely theirs. Touches of brass and wrought iron in the lighting and railings continued the theme. The enlarged glass door systems and windows all increased the natural light and opened up the viewing area to capture the panoramic ocean view.

Tim & Elissa have a beautiful home in the most desirable Wyomissing neighborhood. Broad sidewalks under stately oaks, with nearby parks makes it a perfect place to raise a growing family. But their 2-bedroom mid-century rancher was becoming a squeeze. They asked Spring Creek Design to come up with a cost-effective solution to their space problem, while also tackling some of the home’s aged infrastructure. Design Criteria: - Increase living space by adding a new 2nd storey Master Suite. - Enhance livability with an open floorplan on the first floor. - Improve the connection to the outdoors. - Update basics systems with new windows, HVAC and insulation. - Update interior with paint & refinished floors. Special Features: - Bright, mid-century modern design is true to the home’s vintage. - Custom steel cable railings at both stairways. - New open plan creates strong connections between kitchen, living room, dining room and deck. - High-performance Pella windows throughout, including a new triple-panel slider to the deck.

Staircase - transitional staircase idea

Tim & Elissa have a beautiful home in the most desirable Wyomissing neighborhood. Broad sidewalks under stately oaks, with nearby parks makes it a perfect place to raise a growing family. But their 2-bedroom mid-century rancher was becoming a squeeze. They asked Spring Creek Design to come up with a cost-effective solution to their space problem, while also tackling some of the home’s aged infrastructure. Design Criteria: - Increase living space by adding a new 2nd storey Master Suite. - Enhance livability with an open floorplan on the first floor. - Improve the connection to the outdoors. - Update basics systems with new windows, HVAC and insulation. - Update interior with paint & refinished floors. Special Features: - Bright, mid-century modern design is true to the home’s vintage. - Custom steel cable railings at both stairways. - New open plan creates strong connections between kitchen, living room, dining room and deck. - High-performance Pella windows throughout, including a new triple-panel slider to the deck.

Who wouldn't fall in love with the Water Street building, and the elegant industrial vibe? The light that floods in through the floor-to-ceiling windows makes this a perfect spot to entertain and host friends from California or adult kids who visit. The location can't be beat--these clients ride their bikes to meet friends for lunch or a tour through the Hirschhorn. We knocked down a wall to open the kitchen, and added modern furnishings punctuated by splashes of deep orangey-red. High contrast and lots of rich textures can be found throughout this urban loft. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Renovation of an existing mews house, transforming it from a poorly planned out and finished property to a highly desirable residence that creates wellbeing for its occupants. Wellstudio demolished the existing bedrooms on the first floor of the property to create a spacious new open plan kitchen living dining area which enables residents to relax together and connect. Wellstudio inserted two new windows between the garage and the corridor on the ground floor and increased the glazed area of the garage door, opening up the space to bring in more natural light and thus allowing the garage to be used for a multitude of functions. Wellstudio replanned the rest of the house to optimise the space, adding two new compact bathrooms and a utility room into the layout.

Tim & Elissa have a beautiful home in the most desirable Wyomissing neighborhood. Broad sidewalks under stately oaks, with nearby parks makes it a perfect place to raise a growing family. But their 2-bedroom mid-century rancher was becoming a squeeze. They asked Spring Creek Design to come up with a cost-effective solution to their space problem, while also tackling some of the home’s aged infrastructure. Design Criteria: - Increase living space by adding a new 2nd storey Master Suite. - Enhance livability with an open floorplan on the first floor. - Improve the connection to the outdoors. - Update basics systems with new windows, HVAC and insulation. - Update interior with paint & refinished floors. Special Features: - Bright, mid-century modern design is true to the home’s vintage. - Custom steel cable railings at both stairways. - New open plan creates strong connections between kitchen, living room, dining room and deck. - High-performance Pella windows throughout, including a new triple-panel slider to the deck.

In this total gut and reconfiguration of the kitchen and adjacent spaces, a seamless marriage of farmhouse aesthetic with materials that are already in the home create a space that integrates with the feeling of the original home. Significant changes to the layout and removal of walls has created an open concept living, larger kitchen area, and an organized and functional kitchen space. New French doors connect to the outdoors and introduce more light into the space, as well as increased recessed and accent lighting assist in generating a light-filled home. The new layout provides an open, inviting entertaining space where children can play in the den while meals are prepared on the oversized island.

Example of a large farmhouse black two-story wood gable roof design in Seattle with a metal roof and a black roof

© Casey Dunn
Trendy kitchen photo in Austin with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, gray backsplash, paneled appliances and an island