Benjamin Hill Photography
Minimalist formal living room photo in Houston with gray walls and no tv

Custom sound-proofed music room in basement - acoustically isolated for sound and vibration dampening. Carpet: FLOR
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional enclosed carpeted and gray floor home theater remodel in New York with white walls

Example of an island style open concept living room design with beige walls, a wood stove and no tv

This attached kitchen island has all the perks of an isolated one, but saves more space.
Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in San Francisco

The 1979 contemporary home sits on a terraced hillside above the Bay. The renovation opened formerly isolated rooms to that view, the natural light, and the surroundings.

Cette piscine creusée en coffrage isolant possède une entrée en plage avec marches pleine largeur. Son contour est fait de pavé uni.
Example of a mid-sized classic backyard concrete paver and l-shaped pool design in Montreal

Floatation tank installed and waiting to be enclosed. A floatation tank is a lightless, soundless tank filled with highly concentrated Epsom salt water heated to skin temperature to provide the perfect environment for drifting into a medative state that rejuvenates your mind and body.

Michael's Photography
Mid-sized elegant galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, gray walls and an island

Example of a large trendy enclosed carpeted and red floor home theater design in Miami with red walls and a projector screen

After removing most of the wall that isolated this galley kitchen from the living space, the beautiful lake view was now a part of the kitchen. Additional light wasn't the only benefit, however. Conversation and interaction with family in the adjoining living area was made much simpler, thanks to the placement of the cooking surface.

Family Room Detail
Transitional staircase photo in Dallas

Design ideas for a mid-sized craftsman full sun front yard stone formal garden for spring.

Our clients purchased this older home with three separate additions. The first addition was a slab tie-in. The second two additions were achieved with off-grade floor joist systems. To further complicate this floor, our clients replaced their cast iron waste lines with PVC. We recommended a decoupling membrane for a plank porcelain tile throughout the entire home. Here we ground down the trench work, feathered the transitions, and removed the high spots throughout the floor in preparation for the crack isolation membrane application. We then sealed/primed the cutback adhesives before applying the Ditra.

The clients' program was simple: "Light, please." The original layout of this forty year old, generous 3300 square foot residence isolated the kitchen and dining room. The dark cabinetry and imposing structure added to an already claustrophobic sense. Finish photography by Dale Lang, PhD, AIAP.

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

Our clients purchased this older home with three separate additions. The first addition was a slab tie-in. The second two additions were achieved with off-grade floor joist systems. To further complicate this floor, our clients replaced their cast iron waste lines with PVC. We recommended a decoupling membrane for a plank porcelain tile throughout the entire home. Here we ground down the trench work, feathered the transitions, and removed the high spots throughout the floor in preparation for the crack isolation membrane application. We then sealed/primed the cutback adhesives before applying the Ditra.

White marble and English oak juxtapose to create an over the top master bath that feels both timeless and up to the minute modern.
Large tuscan master marble tile and white tile beige floor, limestone floor and single-sink freestanding bathtub photo in Los Angeles with recessed-panel cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, white countertops, medium tone wood cabinets and a built-in vanity