Elegant men's reach-in closet photo in Miami

The family's important "out-the-door" items and reminder notes are located in an ideal spot (making mornings a bit easier). Mary Parker Architectural Photography

Photos by Manolo Langis.
Living room - coastal living room idea in Los Angeles with green walls, no fireplace and no tv

Large trendy two-car garage photo in Los Angeles

Inspiration for a rustic brown one-story wood gable roof remodel in Seattle

For this urban loft in an old paint factory, the builder used reclaimed wood, a custom island, rolling "cabinet doors," exposed pipes and industrial lighting. In keeping with this feel, we added these great wire caged pendant fixtures and a punch of orange for the barstools to create a fun, ecclectic, urban feel. Photo:Aimee Mazzenga

Scott Janelli Photography, Bridgewater, NJ
Example of a classic light wood floor dressing room design in New York with white cabinets

Shiflet Group Architects Photographer Nick Johnson
Bedroom - cottage master bedroom idea in Austin with white walls

Susan Whisman of Blue Door Portraits
Large arts and crafts l-shaped kitchen pantry photo in Dallas with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, beige walls and no island

URRUTIA DESIGN Photography by Matt Sartain
Inspiration for a large transitional bathroom remodel in San Francisco

Jim Schmid Photography
This is an example of a traditional front porch design in Charlotte.

This 1902 San Antonio home was beautiful both inside and out, except for the kitchen, which was dark and dated. The original kitchen layout consisted of a breakfast room and a small kitchen separated by a wall. There was also a very small screened in porch off of the kitchen. The homeowners dreamed of a light and bright new kitchen and that would accommodate a 48" gas range, built in refrigerator, an island and a walk in pantry. At first, it seemed almost impossible, but with a little imagination, we were able to give them every item on their wish list. We took down the wall separating the breakfast and kitchen areas, recessed the new Subzero refrigerator under the stairs, and turned the tiny screened porch into a walk in pantry with a gorgeous blue and white tile floor. The french doors in the breakfast area were replaced with a single transom door to mirror the door to the pantry. The new transoms make quite a statement on either side of the 48" Wolf range set against a marble tile wall. A lovely banquette area was created where the old breakfast table once was and is now graced by a lovely beaded chandelier. Pillows in shades of blue and white and a custom walnut table complete the cozy nook. The soapstone island with a walnut butcher block seating area adds warmth and character to the space. The navy barstools with chrome nailhead trim echo the design of the transoms and repeat the navy and chrome detailing on the custom range hood. A 42" Shaws farmhouse sink completes the kitchen work triangle. Off of the kitchen, the small hallway to the dining room got a facelift, as well. We added a decorative china cabinet and mirrored doors to the homeowner's storage closet to provide light and character to the passageway. After the project was completed, the homeowners told us that "this kitchen was the one that our historic house was always meant to have." There is no greater reward for what we do than that.

Ben Finch of Finch Photo
Patio - mediterranean stone patio idea with no cover

Wade Weissmann Architecture, Photo: © David Bader
Farmhouse dining room photo in Milwaukee

Family Room in the Brentano Model at Quail West. Built by Diamond Custom Homes.
Example of a classic family room design in Miami with beige walls

Mid-sized urban l-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen photo in Madrid with flat-panel cabinets, no island, wood countertops, gray cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Photo: Whitney Lyons © 2014 Houzz
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern l-shaped concrete floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and white walls

Example of a classic u-shaped dark wood floor laundry room design in Portland with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a stacked washer/dryer and gray countertops

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