Designer: Cameron Snyder & Judy Whalen; Photography: Dan Cutrona
Laundry room - huge traditional carpeted and beige floor laundry room idea in Boston with glass-front cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a side-by-side washer/dryer and brown countertops

an existing bathroom in the basement lacked character and light. By expanding the bath and adding windows, the bathroom can now accommodate multiple guests staying in the bunk room. WoodStone Inc, General Contractor Home Interiors, Cortney McDougal, Interior Design Draper White Photography

The result after many months of tedious and careful recreation of details and renovation.
Inspiration for a mid-sized victorian brown two-story exterior home remodel in Seattle

A wonderful craft room. In a spot like this, all you need to bring is inspiration! Scott Moore Photography
Mid-sized and study space transitional gender-neutral carpeted kids' study room photo in Atlanta with gray walls

Photo: Jason Snyder © 2013 Houzz
Example of a trendy open staircase design

Example of a mid-sized beach style l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen design in Orlando with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops, white backsplash, marble countertops, a farmhouse sink and stone tile backsplash

Irene Kalina-Jones
Example of a classic deck design in New York with a pergola

Inspiration for a contemporary gray tile bathroom remodel in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Bedroom - large traditional master carpeted and beige floor bedroom idea in DC Metro with beige walls and no fireplace

Joshua Lawrence Studios
Wet bar - small transitional single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor wet bar idea with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, gray backsplash, subway tile backsplash, white countertops and quartz 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. Photography: Eric Roth Photo

Photos by Steve Henke
Living room - contemporary dark wood floor living room idea in Minneapolis with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2013 Houzz
Living room - eclectic living room idea in Tampa

Paul Crosby Architectural Photography
Arts and crafts exterior home photo in Minneapolis

A dark backyard was given a new life with dramatic additions of built in planting beds, custom cut salvaged pavers, green screen trellis and a ton of charm. The reclaimed barn doors add a focal point to the east wall while the custom built two-tier planting system allows vines to fill this garden which spans two floors of the client's home.

Inspiration for a craftsman gray one-story vinyl exterior home remodel in Grand Rapids

Huge transitional master multicolored tile freestanding bathtub photo in Miami with recessed-panel cabinets, gray walls and gray cabinets

Mike Kaskel, photographer
Example of a mid-sized arts and crafts medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Built-In breakfast nook/seating area for family meals. Photos by Chris Veith
Example of a mid-sized transitional galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in New York with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops