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

Raised bluestone patio with granite sitting walls and custom granite fireplace.
Mountain style patio photo in Boston with a fire pit

Fu-Tung Cheng, CHENG Design • Interior View of Front Pivot Door and 12" thick concrete wall, House 6 concrete and wood home House 6, is Cheng Design’s sixth custom home project, was redesigned and constructed from top-to-bottom. The project represents a major career milestone thanks to the unique and innovative use of concrete, as this residence is one of Cheng Design’s first-ever ‘hybrid’ structures, constructed as a combination of wood and concrete. Photography: Matthew Millman

Chuck Williams
Large minimalist l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Houston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Refined Oak & Stone kitchen renovation, nestled near Rancho Santa Fe. This stunning kitchen features rift-cut white oak cabinets, sleek black accents, and timeless Taj Mahal quartzite countertops and backsplash. Perfect for those seeking a modern yet refined aesthetic, this design blends natural warmth with sophisticated elements. The spacious layout and meticulous craftsmanship make it an ideal example of luxury kitchen design in San Diego. If you’re looking for inspiration or a high-end kitchen remodel, the Refined Oak & Stone project is a showcase of excellence in materials and design. Whether you want custom cabinetry, premium stone surfaces, or a sleek, contemporary feel, this kitchen renovation highlights the best in modern kitchen design.

Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in San Diego

Bathroom - small transitional kids' ceramic tile mosaic tile floor and blue floor bathroom idea in San Francisco with a wall-mount sink, gray walls and a two-piece toilet

MASTER BEDROOM SOFT COLORS WITH WOOD PANELING
Example of a large minimalist master marble floor and white floor bedroom design with multicolored walls

Eat-in kitchen - huge traditional l-shaped dark wood floor eat-in kitchen idea with an island, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, black backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Bathroom - modern bathroom idea in Toronto

Landmark Photography
Example of an eclectic exterior home design in Minneapolis

Joseph Schell
Trendy dining room photo in San Francisco with white walls

The spacious modern farmhouse kitchen boasts a blend of timeless and modern materials from the dramatically veined quartz countertops to the custom hand-made herringbone patterned tile. Open shelving and cubbies provide an opportunity to display accessories and dishes and the slate grey cabinet bases ground the space while the creamy white upper cabinets feel light as air.

For more photos of this project visit our website: https://wendyobrienid.com.

Thorough rehab of a charming 1920's craftsman bungalow in Highland Park, featuring low maintenance drought tolerant landscaping and accomidating porch perfect for any petite fete. Photography by Eric Charles.

Roy Weinstein and Ken Kast of Roy Weinstein Photographer
Kids' bedroom - mid-sized and bedroom transitional girl medium tone wood floor and brown floor kids' bedroom idea in New York with pink walls

Photographer: Kevin Colquhoun
Living room - large contemporary open concept light wood floor living room idea in New York with a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, gray walls and a stone fireplace

Living Room with 15' ceilings and Kitchen with 9' ceilings. White Oak floors.
Living room - large contemporary open concept dark wood floor living room idea in Chicago with white walls and no tv

Kitchen - contemporary galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Tampa with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Inspiration for a contemporary dining room remodel in San Francisco