© Kerry Sharkey-Miller - Architectural Photographer
Elegant kitchen photo in New York with a farmhouse sink and white cabinets

Southwest backyard concrete patio photo in Phoenix with a roof extension

LittleBig
Bedroom - coastal guest light wood floor and beige floor bedroom idea in New York with white walls and no fireplace

Example of an eclectic home office design in Houston

phillip harris
Mountain style dining room 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

TCS Closets Master closet in Pure White with traditional drawers and tempered glass doors, smooth glass hardware, mirrored panels, integrated lighting and customizable island.

Paul Burk Photography
Example of a small trendy brown one-story wood house exterior design in DC Metro with a shed roof and a metal roof

Succulents, grasses and low-water shrubs with vivid foliage give this coastal garden a rich, textured look with minimal maintenance. Exterior colors and furniture selection by Julie McMahon. Photos by Daniel Bosler

This home was a complete gut, so it got a major face-lift in each room. In the powder and hall baths, we decided to try to make a huge impact in these smaller spaces, and so guests get a sense of "wow" when they need to wash up! Powder Bath: The freestanding sink basin is from Stone Forest, Harbor Basin with Carrara Marble and the console base is Palmer Industries Jamestown in satin brass with a glass shelf. The faucet is from Newport Brass and is their wall mount Jacobean in satin brass. With the small space, we installed the Toto Eco Supreme One-Piece round bowl, which was a huge floor space saver. Accessories are from the Newport Brass Aylesbury collection. Hall Bath: The vanity and floating shelves are from WW Woods Shiloh Cabinetry, Poplar wood with their Cadet stain which is a gorgeous blue-hued gray. Plumbing products - the faucet and shower fixtures - are from the Brizo Rook collection in chrome, with accessories to match. The commode is a Toto Drake II 2-piece. Toto was also used for the sink, which sits in a Caesarstone Pure White quartz countertop.

Photo by Michele Lee Willson
Laundry closet - small contemporary single-wall dark wood floor laundry closet idea in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray walls and a stacked washer/dryer

Example of a small trendy gray tile and porcelain tile limestone floor corner shower design in Phoenix

Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in San Diego

Erin Lau
Design ideas for a traditional landscaping in Seattle.

View of New Family Entertainment Barn from the driveway. The scale of the barn is purposefully reduced to fit into the vernacular of other buildings on the site.

Pocket door to reduce space use. Re-fitting the bathroom with wall tile, floor tile, and custom shower.

We gave this rather dated farmhouse some dramatic upgrades that brought together the feminine with the masculine, combining rustic wood with softer elements. In terms of style her tastes leaned toward traditional and elegant and his toward the rustic and outdoorsy. The result was the perfect fit for this family of 4 plus 2 dogs and their very special farmhouse in Ipswich, MA. Character details create a visual statement, showcasing the melding of both rustic and traditional elements without too much formality. The new master suite is one of the most potent examples of the blending of styles. The bath, with white carrara honed marble countertops and backsplash, beaded wainscoting, matching pale green vanities with make-up table offset by the black center cabinet expand function of the space exquisitely while the salvaged rustic beams create an eye-catching contrast that picks up on the earthy tones of the wood. The luxurious walk-in shower drenched in white carrara floor and wall tile replaced the obsolete Jacuzzi tub. Wardrobe care and organization is a joy in the massive walk-in closet complete with custom gliding library ladder to access the additional storage above. The space serves double duty as a peaceful laundry room complete with roll-out ironing center. The cozy reading nook now graces the bay-window-with-a-view and storage abounds with a surplus of built-ins including bookcases and in-home entertainment center. You can’t help but feel pampered the moment you step into this ensuite. The pantry, with its painted barn door, slate floor, custom shelving and black walnut countertop provide much needed storage designed to fit the family’s needs precisely, including a pull out bin for dog food. During this phase of the project, the powder room was relocated and treated to a reclaimed wood vanity with reclaimed white oak countertop along with custom vessel soapstone sink and wide board paneling. Design elements effectively married rustic and traditional styles and the home now has the character to match the country setting and the improved layout and storage the family so desperately needed. And did you see the barn? Photo credit: Eric Roth

Inspiration for a contemporary wooden u-shaped open staircase remodel in New York