The clean, calm, restful interiors of this heart-of-the-city home are an antidote to urban living, and busy professional lives. As well, they’re an ode to enduring style that will accommodate the changing needs of the young family who lives here. Photos by June Suthigoseeya

The designer wanted to make an innovative use of this office/media room space. Due to the small office area, the designer used glass walls as a sort of memo/schedule board. Photos by Soho Kitchen Studio Inc.

Our Clients, the proud owners of a landmark 1860’s era Italianate home, desired to greatly improve their daily ingress and egress experience. With a growing young family, the lack of a proper entry area and attached garage was something they wanted to address. They also needed a guest suite to accommodate frequent out-of-town guests and visitors. But in the homeowner’s own words, “He didn’t want to be known as the guy who ‘screwed up’ this beautiful old home”. Our design challenge was to provide the needed space of a significant addition, but do so in a manner that would respect the historic home. Our design solution lay in providing a “hyphen”: a multi-functional daily entry breezeway connector linking the main house with a new garage and in-law suite above.

Image by Peter Rymwid Architectural Photography © 2014
Inspiration for a transitional light wood floor and beige floor dressing room remodel in New York with open cabinets and white cabinets

Photography by: Danielle Poff Photography Interior Design: Diann Kartch Design
Example of a large transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen design in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and an undermount sink

Example of a mid-sized cottage galley porcelain tile and beige floor utility room design in Sacramento with an utility sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, beige walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Ed Ritger Photography
Inspiration for a transitional built-in desk light wood floor study room remodel in San Francisco with blue walls

Kitchen bar with custom cabinets, wine refrigerator, and antique mirror.
Home bar - farmhouse u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor home bar idea with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

A circular stone terrace is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine after work. The larger gravel terrace below accommodates a small crowd for dinner or s'mores around the custom metal fireplace. Small trees and a gentle slope help define two very different seating areas in a compact back garden. mosaic-gardens.com

Interior Design Naples, FL
Bedroom - mid-sized transitional master carpeted and beige floor bedroom idea in Miami with green 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. Photography Eric Roth Photo

An outdoor environment custom designed for privacy on one side and a view of the lake on the other. With family activities in mind a terrace, pool and spa, and putting green all find their way into this landscape. Gardens throughout are abundant and colorful, in a cottage style, framed in stone. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

Designer Allie Mann Photography by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Transitional home office photo in DC Metro

Michael Moran
Patio - mediterranean concrete patio idea in New York with no cover

White oak vanity
Alcove bathtub - mid-sized contemporary 3/4 white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile, gray floor and double-sink alcove bathtub idea in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a vessel sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a niche

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

This award-winning single family home on Chicago’s north shore is an 8500 square foot space, designed to accommodate the social lifestyle of its family of five. Light bathed window seats and naturally sunlit circulation paths optimize views to enjoy the wooded five-acre site. Custom kitchen furniture was built with trees cleared from the location – and with an English country inspired style – the space is reinterpreted in a fresh contemporary way. Designed under the auspices of Full Circle Architects, built by RedRock Custom Homes. Photo by Linda Oyama Bryan

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

Design by Amy Trowman Photo by Matthew Bolt
Example of a beach style medium tone wood floor dining room design in San Francisco with gray walls