Glenn Rose Photography
Kitchen - transitional medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Sacramento with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash and an island

Kitchen - coastal u-shaped kitchen idea in Charleston with an undermount sink, open cabinets, white cabinets and an island

©Brett Bulthuis 2014
Mid-sized elegant two-story vinyl gable roof photo in Chicago

Eric Zepeda
Living room - large contemporary open concept light wood floor and gray floor living room idea in San Francisco with a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace, beige walls and a wall-mounted tv

Mid-sized urban open concept concrete floor and gray floor living room photo in Atlanta with white walls, no fireplace and a tv stand

Inspiration for a coastal open concept living room remodel in Miami

This large eat in kitchen features a gray stained table, bringing out the beauty of the natural wood grain, painted vintage chairs, and a modern light fixture. The effect is a contemporary twist on a rustic kitchen. Photography by Christina Wedge.

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

Family members enter this kitchen from the mud room where they are right at home in this friendly space. The Kitchens central banquette island seats six on cozy upholstered benches with another two diners at the ends. There is table seating for EIGHT plus the back side boasts raised seating for four more on swiveling bar stools. The show-stopping coffered ceiling was custom designed and features beaded paneling, recessed can lighting and dramatic crown molding. The counters are made of Labradorite which is often associated with jewels. It's iridescent sparkle adds glamour without being too loud. The wood paneled backsplash allows the cabinetry to blend in. There is glazed subway tile behind the range. This lovely home features an open concept space with the kitchen at the heart. Built in the late 1990's the prior kitchen was cherry, but dark, and the new family needed a fresh update. This great space was a collaboration between many talented folks including but not limited to the team at Delicious Kitchens & Interiors, LLC, L. Newman and Associates/Paul Mansback, Inc with Leslie Rifkin and Emily Shakra. Additional contributions from the homeowners and Belisle Granite. John C. Hession Photographer

Ema Peter | www.emapeter.com
Mid-sized beach style built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room photo in Vancouver with white walls and no fireplace

Living room - traditional dark wood floor living room idea in Minneapolis with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

©ThompsonPhotographic.com 2015
Inspiration for a contemporary master bedroom remodel in Phoenix with brown walls, a stone fireplace and a corner fireplace

Living room - large contemporary open concept light wood floor living room idea in Tampa with beige walls, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a bar

Jane Beiles
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional l-shaped light wood floor enclosed kitchen remodel in New York with a drop-in sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

A tiny room appears to be large when furnished with over-sized elements. The large round cocktail table provides adequate circulation and pulls the room together. while the large triptych creates interest. The pieced hide rug feels modern within the otherwise traditional space. The gray draperies resonate with the blue ceiling in the Living Room.

Andrew Bramasco
Example of a large country underground dark wood floor and brown floor basement design in Orange County with white walls and no fireplace

Photos by Giovanni Photography
Example of a mid-sized transitional master gray tile freestanding bathtub design in Miami with gray walls and a hinged shower door

Example of a classic dark wood floor open concept kitchen design in Dallas with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash and stone slab backsplash

Inspiration for a large timeless mudroom remodel in New York