Matthew Niemann Photography
Laundry room - transitional galley brick floor and brown floor laundry room idea with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and beige countertops

Living room - large coastal open concept living room idea in Boston with beige walls

Chelsey Rose Studios
Example of a mid-sized trendy master white tile and marble tile white floor bathroom design in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, gray walls, a vessel sink, marble countertops, white countertops and black cabinets

Trendy backyard deck photo in San Francisco with decking and no cover

Winner of Best Kitchen 2012 http://www.petersalernoinc.com/ Photographer: Peter Rymwid http://peterrymwid.com/ Peter Salerno Inc. (Kitchen) 511 Goffle Road, Wyckoff NJ 07481 Tel: 201.251.6608 Interior Designer: Theresa Scelfo Designs LLC Morristown, NJ (201) 803-5375 Builder: George Strother Eaglesite Management gstrother@eaglesite.com Tel 973.625.9500 http://eaglesite.com/contact.php

Rebecca Zajac
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master white tile and subway tile ceramic tile freestanding bathtub remodel in Las Vegas with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls and a hinged shower door

Joe Ercoli Photography
Large 1950s white one-story mixed siding exterior home photo in San Francisco

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

Building Design, Plans, and Interior Finishes by: Fluidesign Studio I Builder: Structural Dimensions Inc. I Photographer: Seth Benn Photography
Mid-sized elegant open concept medium tone wood floor living room photo in Minneapolis with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a media wall

Photo: Carolyn Reyes © 2015 Houzz
Guesthouse - shabby-chic style detached guesthouse idea in Los Angeles

Houzz Kitchen of the Week April 8, 2016. Kitchen renovation for Victorian home north of Boston. Designed by north shore kitchen showroom Heartwood Kitchens. The white kitchen custom cabinetry is from Mouser Cabinetry. Butler's pantry cabinetry in QCCI quarter sawn oak cabinetry. The kitchen includes many furniture like features including a wood mantle hood, open shelving, beadboard and inset cabinetry. Other details include: soapstone counter tops, Jenn-Air appliances, Elkay faucet, antique transfer ware tiles from EBay, pendant lights from Rejuvenation, quarter sawn oak floors, hardware from House of Antique Hardware and the homeowners antique runner. General Contracting: DM Construction. Photo credit: Eric Roth Photography.

Richard Leo Johnson
Inspiration for a cottage single-wall painted wood floor and blue floor breakfast nook remodel in Atlanta with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets and paneled appliances

Stacy Zurin Goldberg
Small eclectic porcelain tile and black and white tile mosaic tile floor claw-foot bathtub photo in DC Metro with a wall-mount sink and gray walls

Example of a 1960s master medium tone wood floor bedroom design in San Francisco with white walls

Example of a classic dark wood floor great room design in Minneapolis with gray walls

Meghan Beierle
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional dark wood floor dining room remodel in Los Angeles with white walls

Designer: Paul McClean Project Type: New Single Family Residence Location: Los Angeles, CA Approximate Size: 15,500 sf Completion Date: 2012 Photographer: Jim Bartsch

Photography by Trent Bell
Huge trendy backyard patio photo in Las Vegas with a roof extension

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized scandinavian u-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Perth with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula