Transitional gender-neutral nursery photo in Los Angeles with beige walls

Playroom - transitional playroom idea in Boston

Photos by: Bob Gothard
Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal master dark wood floor bedroom remodel in Boston with blue walls

Modern Living Room
Inspiration for a transitional formal and enclosed dark wood floor living room remodel in San Francisco with white walls, a brick fireplace and a standard fireplace

Example of a classic l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in San Francisco with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, marble backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Enclosed kitchen - mid-sized traditional galley light wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen idea in Milwaukee with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops and an island

Contemporary Bedroom Photo by Casey Dunn
Kids' bedroom - bedroom and large contemporary girl medium tone wood floor kids' bedroom idea in Austin with white walls

Photo by Donna Dotan Photography Inc.
Example of a transitional freestanding desk dark wood floor home office design in New York with blue walls

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

Rob Karosis
Inspiration for a timeless green three-story exterior home remodel in New York

Scott Braman Photography
Inspiration for a craftsman two-story wood exterior home remodel in DC Metro

Aliza Schlabach Photography
Example of a large transitional enclosed light wood floor living room design in Philadelphia with gray walls and a standard fireplace

Exterior and entryway.
Inspiration for a large southwestern beige one-story adobe flat roof remodel in Santa Barbara

Inspiration for a coastal master bedroom remodel in Seattle with blue walls

Aaron Leitz
Mid-sized transitional gray split-level concrete fiberboard exterior home photo in Seattle

Inspiration for a mid-century modern light wood floor bedroom remodel in Houston with white walls and no fireplace

Aqua/blue Bathroom with Carrera Marble countertops, White cabinets with center upper cabinet, Wide spread faucets, Euro style cabinets. Framed Mirrors.

Derek Skalko
Example of a trendy medium tone wood floor bedroom design in Denver with beige walls

Interior Design by Michele Hybner and Shawn Falcone. Photos by Amoura Productions
Example of a large transitional master carpeted and gray floor bedroom design in Omaha with brown walls and no fireplace