Homeowner’s kitchen with reduced glare while maintaining the natural light Photo Courtesy of Eastman
Example of a classic light wood floor kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and an island

Modern Mid-Century home with floor to ceiling windows Maintains the view with natural light with reduced glare Photo Courtesy of Eastman
Inspiration for a large contemporary living room remodel in Los Angeles

Photo by Grey Crawford
Example of a small beach style galley dark wood floor kitchen design in Orange County with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, black backsplash, white walls and no island

Example of a classic built-in desk craft room design in Salt Lake City with no fireplace

Hallway - huge transitional dark wood floor and brown floor hallway idea in Orlando with beige walls

Danish formal light wood floor living room photo in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

Photo: Lisa Petrole
Example of a huge trendy formal porcelain tile and gray floor living room design in San Francisco with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, no tv and a metal fireplace

Example of a huge trendy master carpeted and gray floor bedroom design in Chicago with white walls

Design ideas for a contemporary privacy backyard concrete paver landscaping in Orange County with no cover.

Huge beach style master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

The Cicero is a modern styled home for today’s contemporary lifestyle. It features sweeping facades with deep overhangs, tall windows, and grand outdoor patio. The contemporary lifestyle is reinforced through a visually connected array of communal spaces. The kitchen features a symmetrical plan with large island and is connected to the dining room through a wide opening flanked by custom cabinetry. Adjacent to the kitchen, the living and sitting rooms are connected to one another by a see-through fireplace. The communal nature of this plan is reinforced downstairs with a lavish wet-bar and roomy living space, perfect for entertaining guests. Lastly, with vaulted ceilings and grand vistas, the master suite serves as a cozy retreat from today’s busy lifestyle. Photographer: Brad Gillette

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

Example of a large country master white tile and marble tile marble floor and white floor freestanding bathtub design in Chicago with white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

Playroom - transitional gender-neutral carpeted and beige floor playroom idea in Boston with white walls

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Photography: Landmark Photography
Mid-sized minimalist concrete floor kitchen photo in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, limestone countertops, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and dark wood cabinets

Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in San Diego

Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room design in DC Metro with gray walls

We completely renovated a simple low-lying house for a university family by opening the back side with large windows and a wrap-around patio. The kitchen counter extends to the exterior, enhancing the sense of openness to the outside. Large overhanging soffits and horizontal cedar siding keep the house from overpowering the view and help it settle into the landscape. An expansive maple floor and white ceiling reinforce the horizontal sense of space. Phil Bond Photography

Architectural advisement, Interior Design, Custom Furniture Design & Art Curation by Chango & Co. Photography by Sarah Elliott See the feature in Domino Magazine