This kitchen literally doubled in size, when we took over the previous dining room space by knocking out a wall. This family loves to cook, so lots of counter space was a must have as was one island for food prep and one for eating. With young kids and dogs, durable floors were a high priority, and new luxury vinyl flooring (that looks just like hardwood!) was installed throughout the main living spaces as well as the stairs and hallways. The black cabinets, white quartz countertops, gray wash flooring, and brass hardware make for one stunning combination!

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

The owner of this home in Maine involved Koncerted in the design process from day one, allowing us to create unique, integrated systems with no workarounds. Design was first priority for this client, so all tech—including whole home audio, full surveillance, video doorbells, home entertainment, and five televisions—was chosen and installed with a minimalist aesthetic in mind. This secure, tech-enabled home also has as its centerpiece a custom-made floating staircase with embedded motion-sensored LED lights that give it a glowing effect. Metalwork: Sincere Metal Works Photographer: Keitaro Yoshioka

This kitchen literally doubled in size, when we took over the previous dining room space by knocking out a wall. This family loves to cook, so lots of counter space was a must have as was one island for food prep and one for eating. With young kids and dogs, durable floors were a high priority, and new luxury vinyl flooring (that looks just like hardwood!) was installed throughout the main living spaces as well as the stairs and hallways. The black cabinets, white quartz countertops, gray wash flooring, and brass hardware make for one stunning combination!

Hunter Douglas Solera™ Soft Shades Hunter Douglas Solera™ Soft Shades with EasyRise™ Cord Loop Hunter Douglas Solera™ Soft Shades with EasyRise™ Material: Riley Light Filtering Color: Silken Operating Systems: EasyRise Cord Loop Room: Living Room Room Styles: Contemporary, Transitional Available from Accent Window Fashions LLC Hunter Douglas Showcase Priority Dealer Hunter Douglas Certified Installer Hunter Douglas Certified Professional Dealer #Hunter_Douglas #Solera #Soft_Shades #EasyRise #Cord_Loop #Living_Room #Contemporary #Transitional #Blinds #Window_Shadings #Window_Treatments #HunterDouglas #Accent_Window_Fashions Copyright 2001-2013 Hunter Douglas, Inc. All rights reserved.

This kitchen literally doubled in size, when we took over the previous dining room space by knocking out a wall. This family loves to cook, so lots of counter space was a must have as was one island for food prep and one for eating. With young kids and dogs, durable floors were a high priority, and new luxury vinyl flooring (that looks just like hardwood!) was installed throughout the main living spaces as well as the stairs and hallways. The black cabinets, white quartz countertops, gray wash flooring, and brass hardware make for one stunning combination!

A cabin in Western Wisconsin is transformed from within to become a serene and modern retreat. In a past life, this cabin was a fishing cottage which was part of a resort built in the 1920’s on a small lake not far from the Twin Cities. The cabin has had multiple additions over the years so improving flow to the outdoor space, creating a family friendly kitchen, and relocating a bigger master bedroom on the lake side were priorities. The solution was to bring the kitchen from the back of the cabin up to the front, reduce the size of an overly large bedroom in the back in order to create a more generous front entry way/mudroom adjacent to the kitchen, and add a fireplace in the center of the main floor. Photographer: Wing Ta Interior Design: Jennaea Gearhart Design

After weighing the pros and cons of moving, which included the cost of a move, proximity to schools and shopping, and the overwhelming presence of honey oak woodwork, this Farmington couple finally came to the conclusion that staying put with significant improvements to the main floor, was the best approach for them. The first priority was restructuring and enlarging the kitchen and of course getting rid of the honey oak cabinetry. In fact, a large aspect of this remodel had to deal with a whole new color pallet for the main floor. This involved several discussions with our paint and fine finishing experts as well as our design/build lead consultant on the project. Notice trim and doors that were honey oak have been painted an off white. Design/Build Lead — Courtney Walker

This kitchen literally doubled in size, when we took over the previous dining room space by knocking out a wall. This family loves to cook, so lots of counter space was a must have as was one island for food prep and one for eating. With young kids and dogs, durable floors were a high priority, and new luxury vinyl flooring (that looks just like hardwood!) was installed throughout the main living spaces as well as the stairs and hallways. The black cabinets, white quartz countertops, gray wash flooring, and brass hardware make for one stunning combination!

Jane Beiles photography The design for this client’s “dream house on the water” capitalizes on every opportunity to incorporate views of the Long Island Sound within the home. The placement and expanse of the fir windows and sliding doors underscore the water’s proximity. The interior gathering space spills out onto the raised outdoor deck and lap pool overlooking the seawall. Reducing the house’s carbon footprint is another priority, accomplished by generating renewable energy on site. The precise angle of the house on the property is calculated for optimal solar energy production by the rooftop photovoltaic panels and a geothermal system installed under the driveway provides heating and cooling for the house. Due to the fact that the site is located on a floodplain, the ground floor of the house is raised and no basement is allowed. This presents a challenge in terms of carving out enough storage space in the main house that one might normally relegate to a basement. Rooms are efficiently sized and serve multiple functions and storage is built-in wherever possible.

H2D Architecture + Design developed a comprehensive vision for the renovation of this Bellevue residence, creating a cohesive master plan that can be implemented in phased construction to align with the homeowners' priorities, budget, and timeline. The first phase reimagined the primary suite, including a redesigned bathroom, reconfigured closet and bedroom. Strategic space planning enhanced the functionality and flow of each space while creating a serene, spa-inspired retreat tailored to the homeowners' lifestyle. Future phases will transform the home's main living areas through a complete reconfiguration of the kitchen, dining room, entry, and living room. The design will improve circulation, increase functionality, and create light-filled, beautifully connected spaces. Architecture: H2D Architecture + Design www.h2darchitects.com Interiors: Kat Lawton Interiors Photos by: John Granen

When designing the new layout for the kitchen, counter top work space and storage were top priorities on the home owner's list. The existing window and desk were eliminated to allow for an additional storage tower, including a coffee bar. A new professional-style dual-fuel range was added to the main wall to maximize counter space and give the home owner better work flow. We added a modern version of the traditional Farm-house style sink and quartz counter tops for style and ease of clean up. Pendant lights were added above the island to enhance task lighting.

Updating the finishes was a main priority for the homeowners to ensure that the new space blended well with their existing home. Smooth Hardie lap siding with a large reveal was installed on the exterior for durability and to modernize the look of the detached structure. We replaced the dated, raised-panel garage door with a new flush-panel door. Aluminum-clad windows, metal screen tracks, standing-seam metal roofing, and decorative metal wall sconces accent the new dark grey exterior paint color.

At the site level, our first priority is to remove all the existing clutters (such as a light well, stairs and level changes) in order to create a unified outdoor space that serves both the ADU and the main residence.

Our clients wanted to modernize their 1980's home, focusing on reimagining the main floor. We used warm palettes, natural elements, and clean lines while maximizing natural light and preserving key architectural features to create a welcoming, functional space. The living room features vaulted ceilings lined with wood shiplap, adding warmth and charm. Tall windows capture the beautiful outdoor greenery. With comfort as a priority, we sourced a reclining sofa and chair, complemented by a cozy fireplace and thoughtful decor for an organic feel.

At the site level, our first priority is to remove all the existing clutters (such as a light well, stairs and level changes) in order to create a unified outdoor space that serves both the ADU and the main residence.

The owner of this traditional charmer in the Madrona neighborhood contacted Board & Vellum for a whole-house remodel. Creating a more functional kitchen was one of their main priorities, and they stipulated that whatever work we did should look like it was part of the existing style of the house. The original floor plan did not utilize space very well, so we opened it up, connecting the kitchen to the adjacent dining room and hallway. We also moved a window in the kitchen in order to provide more built-in storage and allow for maximum natural light. Gleaming white Shaker-style cabinets and marble subway tile contrast beautifully with rubbed bronze drawer pulls, polished quartz countertops and navy accents. Photos by John Granen

Inspiration for a coastal patio remodel in Los Angeles with a roof extension and a bbq area

Amanda Kirkpatrick Photography
Example of a farmhouse kitchen design in New York