Inspiration for a mediterranean dark wood floor dining room remodel in Dallas with multicolored walls and no fireplace

Example of a mid-sized beach style enclosed beige floor living room design in Boston with gray walls

This is an example of a mid-century modern landscaping in San Francisco.

Photographed by: Bob Narod
Kitchen - transitional u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an island, white countertops, an undermount sink, gray backsplash and stainless steel appliances

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

A vacation home in Southern California. The original configuration was a U-shaped kitchen. I opened it up for high traffic & added seating for casual meals.

Amy Braswell, photography
Elegant l-shaped light wood floor kitchen photo in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, white backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Catherine Nguyen. Neill & Lee Contractors. Closet converted to a powder room.
Trendy powder room photo in San Francisco with a wall-mount sink

Living room - coastal living room idea in Minneapolis

Photo: Karen Melvin
Example of a classic kitchen design in Minneapolis with glass-front cabinets, white cabinets and marble countertops

The sun can be overwhelming at times with the brightness and high temperatures. Shades are also a great way to block harmful ultra-violet rays to protect your hardwood flooring, furniture and artwork from fading. There are different types of shades that were engineered to solve a specific dilemma. We work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

Small beach style guest medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Austin with white walls

Contemporary high-tech kitchen features elegant furnishings and smart home automation from Control4 to enhance the ambiance and add the ultimate in convenience. Broadcast the music of your choice using a whole-home audio solution, powered by Control4. The recessed smart lighting and access lighting is designed to create the perfect personalized ambiance. Other automation options may include smart appliances, programmable thermostat control for comfort and energy management, home security system integration, shade automation, and full A/V control. And everything can be controlled from virtually anywhere - using your Control4 app with a smart phone or tablet device or a convenient touch screen.

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in Los Angeles

Cabinet paint color - Gray Huskie by Benjamin Moore Floors - French Oak from California Classics, Mediterranean Collection Pendants - Circa Lighting Suspended Shelves - Brandino www.brandinobrass.com

Up the ante of your bachelor's retreat (and alternative rooms) aesthetic by adding a meticulously stylised cornice boards. The cornice boards in this house includes (2) different materials, an upholstered wood top molding and absolutely symmetrical handicraft on the curtains. Also, the (4) animal skin wing-backed chairs square measure superbly adorned with nail-heads that are carried throughout the design. This bachelor retreat features a stunning pendant and hand-tufted ottoman table. This house is warm and welcoming and perfect for intimate conversations amongst family and friends for years to come. Please take note - when using cornices, one should decide what proportion return is required. Return is the distance your material hangs away from the wall. Yes, this additionally affects the proportion. Usually, return is 3½ inches. However, larger or taller windows might need a deeper return to avoid the fabric from getting squashed against the wall. An example of a mid-sized transitional formal dining area in Houston, Texas with dark hardwood floors, more, however totally different, large damask wallpaper on the ceiling, (6) custom upholstered striped fabric, scroll back chairs surrounding a gorgeous, glass top dining table, chandelier, artwork and foliage pull this area along for a really elegant, yet masculine space. As for the guest chambers, we carried the inspiration from the bachelor retreat into the space and fabricated (2) more upholstered cornices and custom window treatments, bedding, pillows, upholstered (with nail-heads used in the dining area chairs) headboard, giant damask wallpaper and brown paint. Styling tips: (A) Use nail-heads on furnishings within the alternative rooms to display a reoccurring motif among the house. (B) Use a similar material from one amongst your upholstered furnishing items on the cornice board for visual uniformity. Photo by: Kenny Fenton

Scott Hargis
Example of a classic u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Aaron Bailey
Example of a farmhouse galley open concept kitchen design in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island