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

Operable shutters on the tub window open to reveal a view of the coastline. The boys' bathroom has gray/blue and white subway tile on the walls and easy to maintain porcelain wood look tile on the floor.

Inspiration for a huge farmhouse u-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in San Francisco with medium tone wood cabinets, gray backsplash and two islands

Photography: Dan Piassick
Transitional dark wood floor hallway photo in Dallas with white walls

Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in DC Metro with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets and white backsplash

Example of a farmhouse garage design in Philadelphia

Bathroom - transitional dark wood floor and brown floor bathroom idea in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white walls and white countertops

bruce damonte
Deck - large modern backyard deck idea in San Francisco with no cover

Mid-sized transitional open concept dark wood floor living room photo in Toronto with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and gray walls

Example of a classic shed design in Detroit

A beautiful new front door can increase the curb appeal of your home. It is also a great update for security and energy efficiency. Larsen sells and installs several major manufacturer's doors.

A beautiful new front door can increase the curb appeal of your home. It is also a great update for security and energy efficiency. Larsen sells and installs several major manufacturer's doors.

Designed to appear as a barn and function as an entertainment space and provide places for guests to stay. Once the estate is complete this will look like the barn for the property. Inspired by old stone Barns of New England we used reclaimed wood timbers and siding inside.

Dare to create a focal point with a red door. A beautiful new front door can increase the curb appeal of your home. It is also a great update for security and energy efficiency. Larsen sells and installs several major manufacturer's doors.

This doggie dog is hidden in cabinet when cabinet door is closed and it goes out to a dog run.
Example of an eclectic u-shaped dark wood floor home design design in Portland with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances, two islands and stone slab backsplash

Create more light with added sidelight and half-round to go with a new door. A beautiful new front door can increase the curb appeal of your home. It is also a great update for security and energy efficiency. Larsen sells and installs several major manufacturer's doors.

Image by 'Ancient Surfaces' Product: 'Indoor Courtyard stone elements' Contacts: (212) 461-0245 Email: Sales@ancientsurfaces.com Website: www.AncientSurfaces.com Central Mediterranean courtyards within homes of all major South European design styles, featuring antique stone pavers, fountains, columns and more...

Trim is WindsorONE. Interior door is TruStile TS3000 with Emtek Rope Knob.
Mid-sized beach style dark wood floor and brown floor home design photo in Boston

Fu-Tung Cheng, CHENG Design • Front Pivot Door, 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