Open concept kitchen - huge contemporary galley porcelain tile and black floor open concept kitchen idea in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white appliances, an island, a single-bowl sink, quartz countertops, white backsplash and white 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

Lee Manning Photography
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, green backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and wood countertops

Example of a mid-sized transitional freestanding desk dark wood floor and brown floor study room design in New York with beige walls and no fireplace

Living room - rustic living room idea in Minneapolis

Photo: Kimberley Bryan © 2014 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic bathroom remodel in Seattle

Master Bedroom with Red Bed Frame and custom drapery and bedding.
Bedroom - traditional master light wood floor bedroom idea in Charlotte

Have a very Happy Earth Day! Come stop in and check out some of our eco friendly products. Our newest ‬environmentally friendly porcelain ‬tiles are antibacterial, durable‬ and easy to clean. You could use these tiles beautifully for any projects including medical centers, food industries, laboratories and all residential‬. For more information, images and samples please contact us. www.trendysurfacesinc.com info@trendysurfacesinc.com Trendy Surfaces @ Stonemill Design Center 2915 Red Hill Avenue B101 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Tel: 714 540 5542 Trendy Surfaces @ Laguna Design Center 23811 Aliso Creek Road Suite 176 Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 Tel: 949 446 8121

Small elegant gray one-story mixed siding gable roof photo in Charleston

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2017 Houzz Kitchen: Modern Farmhouse Designer: DLC - ID

Soapstone is the only counter top material that is not affected by heat and resists staining. You can spill on it, or place a hot pot directly on the counter. Soapstone was the material of choice for thousands of laboratory countertops for many years because it is completely non-absorbent. It is comparably priced with most other counter top materials. It is soft and will show wear, but scratches are quite easy to repair with a little mineral oil. Soapstone was used by Native Americans in Maryland; it is a traditional and natural material.

Huge transitional u-shaped vinyl floor and brown floor dry bar photo in Milwaukee with no sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, blue backsplash, glass tile backsplash and white countertops

We used: Custom cherry cabinetry in Arts & Crafts Shaker style by Kabinart in Boulder and Espresso stains. Liberty Hardware Venetian bronze 1-1/2" cabinet knobs. KitchenAid Architect II Series 22 CF counter-depth French door refrigerator. KitchenAid Architect Series II 27" convection single wall oven. KitchenAid 36" 6-burner dual fuel freestanding commercial-style range. KitchenAid Architect II Series 24" dishwasher. Sharp Insight Pro Series 24" built-in microwave drawer (Model #KB6524PS). Crystorama Solaris 12" wide pendant lights in English bronze. Granite countertops in Brown Fantasy. 3"x6" polished marble backsplash. Paint colors: Walls: Glidden Silver Cloud 30YY 63/024 Ceilings/Trims/Doors: Glidden Swan White GLC23 Robert B. Narod Photography

Our carpenters labored every detail from chainsaws to the finest of chisels and brad nails to achieve this eclectic industrial design. This project was not about just putting two things together, it was about coming up with the best solutions to accomplish the overall vision. A true meeting of the minds was required around every turn to achieve "rough" in its most luxurious state. PhotographerLink

Living room - traditional formal dark wood floor living room idea in Phoenix with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a media wall

Toby Ponnay
Inspiration for a cottage wine cellar remodel in Orange County

Katherine Sfeir
Example of an urban home bar design in Miami

http://www.heidisbridge.com/
Minimalist home design photo in Philadelphia