A stepping stone path meanders through drought-tolerant plantings including Dymondia, Rosemary 'Barbeque', and Euryops. The owner's favorite roses are integrated with Penstemon 'Apple Blossom' and variegated Tulbaghia 'Silver Lace' to provide color and contrast. Photo © Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

Donna Dotan Photography Inc.
Example of a transitional single-wall laundry closet design in New York with white cabinets, white walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white 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

Inspiration for a farmhouse landscaping in San Francisco.

Transitional patio photo in Seattle

This small addition and kitchen remodel reimagines a classic St. Paul home for a growing family—prioritizing natural light, smart function, and modern warmth. A modest side-yard addition creates space for a mudroom and ¾ bath, carefully positioned to preserve the dining room’s original piano windows. New windows throughout balance light, privacy, and flow. Inside, custom bleached butternut cabinets and a curved enameled tambour island bring warmth and sculptural contrast. Heated porcelain tile floors extend to a new deck, blending indoors and out. The exterior pairs vertical cedar with dark cement board for a subtle, modern update. Small in size, big in intention—this project honors the past while supporting the way this family lives now

This is the renovated design which highlights the vaulted ceiling that projects through to the exterior.
Small 1960s gray one-story concrete fiberboard and clapboard house exterior photo in Chicago with a hip roof, a shingle roof and a gray roof

The Setup: After purchasing this home, the homeowners faced a unique opportunity to reimagine their kitchen and nearby spaces. Water damage from a burst pipe had left much of the home’s interior in need of repair, and while the existing kitchen was functional and in relatively good shape, it didn’t align with the family’s vision for their new home. The layout included a peninsula that wasn’t ideal, and there were some druthers with the nearby pantry. Since the space needed to be rebuilt anyway, the homeowners saw this as a chance to create a kitchen that was both highly functional for their four young children and timeless in its design. The project also included a refresh of the adjacent message center and dining room — spaces that play key roles in the family’s daily life. The goal was to create a cohesive flow between these areas, balancing modern functionality with the craftsman-inspired character of the rest of the home. Design Objectives: - Replace the outdated peninsula with a large island to maximize counter space and create new seating options. - Open up the space visually by removing soffits and rethinking the cabinetry layout. Incorporate concealed refrigeration and freezer units to provide significant storage for the family while maintaining a streamlined aesthetic. - Integrate black cabinetry into the design without making the space feel harsh or heavy. - Ensure the lighting plan balances functional task lighting with ambient accent lighting. - Avoid visual clutter in the cabinetry design while still giving a nod to the craftsman aesthetic. - Incorporate a slab backsplash as a key design feature. Design Challenges: - The outdated peninsula left dead space in the kitchen and lacked sufficient seating for the family. - The cooktop wall was cramped, with small cabinets flanking the hood, limited storage, and soffits that made the space feel closed-in. - The family needed significant refrigeration space (two refrigerators and a freezer) but wanted to avoid a cluttered look with visible stainless steel appliances. - Adding black cabinetry risked making the space feel too dark or heavy. - The original lighting plan was insufficient, particularly over the dining table where a decorative fixture proved too dim. - The family wanted shaker-style drawer fronts to match the home’s arts-and-crafts design but worried that too much shaker cabinetry might look overly busy. - Prioritizing a slab backsplash in the wish list priority planning. The Renewed Space Design Solutions: - A functional island: The peninsula was replaced with a large island that provides continuous countertop space for prepping and serving. The island also features seating for four people, creating a central hub for informal meals and activities. - Streamlined cooktop wall: The soffits were removed, and the upper cabinets on the cooktop wall were eliminated to create a more open, streamlined design. A custom oversized hood became the focal point of the wall, with the blower unit offset inside it to align with the cooktop while maintaining exterior visual symmetry. - Concealed refrigeration: Two column refrigerators and one freezer were integrated into the cabinetry, concealing them behind wood paneling that blends seamlessly with the overall design. - Warm black cabinetry: The black cabinetry was crafted from hickory with a visible grain, softening its appearance and adding warmth. The grain detail gives the cabinetry a rich, textured look that avoids feeling stark or overpowering. - Additional lighting: In the dining area, recessed can lights were added during an additional installation phase to supplement the gorgeous decorative fixture’s dim output. The new lighting plan creates a layered effect, combining functional task lighting with softer ambient lighting. - Simplified cabinetry details: Slab drawer fronts were used on the upper drawers, while five-piece shaker fronts (with slightly less prominent rail and stile pieces) were reserved for the middle and lower drawers. This approach simplified the overall look while maintaining the craftsman-inspired aesthetic. - Slab backsplash priority: The slab backsplash was prioritized by making thoughtful adjustments elsewhere, like opting not to extend cabinetry to the ceiling, which also helped visually prioritize the gorgeous slab backsplash. This decision also enhanced the kitchen’s furniture-like feel, aligning with the home’s craftsman character. - This kitchen perfectly balances practicality with timeless style. By addressing the family’s functional needs — ample seating, smart storage, and effective lighting — while incorporating thoughtful design elements like warm black cabinetry and a striking slab backsplash, Alicia created a space that works beautifully for a busy household. The result is a cohesive, inviting kitchen that honors the home’s craftsman roots and will serve the family well for years to come.

Photo by Ryann Ford
This is an example of a contemporary landscaping in Austin.

KuDa Photography
Urban living room photo in Portland

Custom 2 sided single bed with built in storage and trundle bed. Recessed and surface mounted Kreon lighting fixtures throughout. Photo by Lauren Coleman Furniture by Holly Hunt

The unique opportunity and challenge for the Joshua Tree project was to enable the architecture to prioritize views. Set in the valley between Mummy and Camelback mountains, two iconic landforms located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, this lot “has it all” regarding views. The challenge was answered with what we refer to as the desert pavilion. This highly penetrated piece of architecture carefully maintains a one-room deep composition. This allows each space to leverage the majestic mountain views. The material palette is executed in a panelized massing composition. The home, spawned from mid-century modern DNA, opens seamlessly to exterior living spaces providing for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. Project Details: Architecture: Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ // C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB // www.drewettworks.com Builder: Bedbrock Developers, Paradise Valley, AZ // http://www.bedbrock.com Interior Designer: Est Est, Scottsdale, AZ // http://www.estestinc.com Photographer: Michael Duerinckx, Phoenix, AZ // www.inckx.com

Butler's Pantry
Inspiration for a cottage eat-in kitchen remodel in Raleigh with an island, wood countertops, glass-front cabinets and gray cabinets

The unique opportunity and challenge for the Joshua Tree project was to enable the architecture to prioritize views. Set in the valley between Mummy and Camelback mountains, two iconic landforms located in Paradise Valley, Arizona, this lot “has it all” regarding views. The challenge was answered with what we refer to as the desert pavilion. This highly penetrated piece of architecture carefully maintains a one-room deep composition. This allows each space to leverage the majestic mountain views. The material palette is executed in a panelized massing composition. The home, spawned from mid-century modern DNA, opens seamlessly to exterior living spaces providing for the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. Project Details: Architecture: Drewett Works, Scottsdale, AZ // C.P. Drewett, AIA, NCARB // www.drewettworks.com Builder: Bedbrock Developers, Paradise Valley, AZ // http://www.bedbrock.com Interior Designer: Est Est, Scottsdale, AZ // http://www.estestinc.com Photographer: Michael Duerinckx, Phoenix, AZ // www.inckx.com

Example of a danish living room design in Atlanta

French country patio photo in Orange County

Cedar Cove Modern benefits from its integration into the landscape. The house is set back from Lake Webster to preserve an existing stand of broadleaf trees that filter the low western sun that sets over the lake. Its split-level design follows the gentle grade of the surrounding slope. The L-shape of the house forms a protected garden entryway in the area of the house facing away from the lake while a two-story stone wall marks the entry and continues through the width of the house, leading the eye to a rear terrace. This terrace has a spectacular view aided by the structure’s smart positioning in relationship to Lake Webster. The interior spaces are also organized to prioritize views of the lake. The living room looks out over the stone terrace at the rear of the house. The bisecting stone wall forms the fireplace in the living room and visually separates the two-story bedroom wing from the active spaces of the house. The screen porch, a staple of our modern house designs, flanks the terrace. Viewed from the lake, the house accentuates the contours of the land, while the clerestory window above the living room emits a soft glow through the canopy of preserved trees.

This gem of a house was built in the 1950s, when its neighborhood undoubtedly felt remote. The university footprint has expanded in the 70 years since, however, and today this home sits on prime real estate—easy biking and reasonable walking distance to campus. When it went up for sale in 2017, it was largely unaltered. Our clients purchased it to renovate and resell, and while we all knew we'd need to add square footage to make it profitable, we also wanted to respect the neighborhood and the house’s own history. Swedes have a word that means “just the right amount”: lagom. It is a guiding philosophy for us at SYH, and especially applied in this renovation. Part of the soul of this house was about living in just the right amount of space. Super sizing wasn’t a thing in 1950s America. So, the solution emerged: keep the original rectangle, but add an L off the back. With no owner to design with and for, SYH created a layout to appeal to the masses. All public spaces are the back of the home--the new addition that extends into the property’s expansive backyard. A den and four smallish bedrooms are atypically located in the front of the house, in the original 1500 square feet. Lagom is behind that choice: conserve space in the rooms where you spend most of your time with your eyes shut. Put money and square footage toward the spaces in which you mostly have your eyes open. In the studio, we started calling this project the Mullet Ranch—business up front, party in the back. The front has a sleek but quiet effect, mimicking its original low-profile architecture street-side. It’s very Hoosier of us to keep appearances modest, we think. But get around to the back, and surprise! lofted ceilings and walls of windows. Gorgeous.

Design: KBG Design / Build: Silva Custom Construction / Photography: Agnieszka Jakubowicz
Laundry room - transitional laundry room idea in San Francisco