Example of a large 1960s concrete floor home office design in Sacramento with gray walls

Creating this open airy master retreat involved removing a space consuming corner W.C. and an awkwardly deep linen closet. Using tall glass panels to separate the shower and toilet gives privacy while maintaining the newly acquired spaciousness. The glass panels transition from frosted around the toilet to clear around the roomy barrier free shower. By reducing the original closet opening, we gained necessary wall space for a modern freestanding tub. Tall cabinets provide plenty of storage space for linens and toiletries. A pair of pull-out cabinets – one on each side of the sink – conceal convenient grooming stations. An extra wide sink can easily accommodate two and still leaves plenty of counterspace on either side. The large mirror is mounted to a shallow framework concealing recessed lighting and softly illuminating the wall behind. The faucets and hand-held shower feature a knurled detail lending a bit of biker industrial to the modern surroundings. Access to the walk-in-closet is through a clean open doorway, while a wide modern style barn door slides open on the master bedroom side. Photo credit: Fred Donham of Photographerlink

The shower was designed with a curbless entry, creating a clean, modern transition from the main bathroom floor into the bathing area. Large-format stone-look porcelain tile with a honed matte finish brings softness to the room, while the shower walls use a polished glaze to introduce subtle contrast and reflected light. Within the shower, the same stone color was repeated in a smaller-scale mosaic to provide additional grip underfoot without disrupting the cohesive palette. The bathroom originally featured a larger, taller window. It was reconfigured as a high transom to improve privacy and position the sill farther from the water-prone area, reducing the potential for moisture accumulation while still allowing natural light into the shower. A custom black stone bench provides both a comfortable place to sit and an additional ledge for bathing products. Its dramatic dark finish is repeated through the rainfall showerhead, handheld shower, tub filler, and other matte-black plumbing fixtures, creating a strong visual thread throughout the space.

For a Francophile client who needed an update in her Living Room, only balloon shades would do. This Living room design was a nominee Finalist design in the Soft Shades category at the 2024 Grace Awards, of the International Window Coverings Expo. The project itself was more than just the Balloon shades, including a layered window treatment design, new paint color, and even a new footstool for the room, as well as tweaking furniture placement. In this photo, the tailored balloon shade at the window is able to be lowered completely for privacy at night, if desired. The Hunter Douglas Silhouette in Originale fabric, is the original semi-sheer version of Silhouette, providing daytime privacy and from anyone coming up the sidewalk to the front door, which passes by this window. Silhouettes also reduce glare, softening the light, and filtering ultraviolet rays which damage fabrics and wood. The green paint color was selected to complement the fabric of the shades. The client's collection of Betty Boop figurines adds whimsey to this otherwise formal and elegant space. Design by Linda H. Bassert, Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC. Photography by Bob Narod, Photographer, LLC.

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

As a busy family of four with two boys and three cats, this client was ready for a kitchen remodel that made family life easier. With dated finishes, appliances, cabinetry, counters, and an oversized laundry room that could be better used as kitchen space, there were many aspects they wanted to change. They had five different flooring surfaces within the line of sight, kept bumping into each other in the congested hallway, wanted to move their cooktop to the perimeter of their island rather than in the middle, hated their refrigerator location, and didn’t like having an island with two heights. Good thing they came to Horizon Interior Design, where we developed solutions for every problem! We ran hardwood flooring throughout the main level to make it feel uniform and cohesive, opened up the hallway, and decreased the size of the laundry room to significantly extend their kitchen space and remove congestion in their hallway. We added more functional pull-out shelves to their pantry to replace the original rickety, narrow shelving and placed their refrigerator and cooktop on the perimeter wall, allowing for a large island with a solid surface and a decorative range hood. We reduced the size of their kitchen windows to allow for more upper cabinetry space and added a granite waterfall feature on the island for a wow factor while placing the counter stools in such a way that they didn't block up main walkways. Dark cabinetry tied in nicely with the knots in the pine ceiling, and white tile backsplash brightened up the space beautifully. Our new kitchen layout meant the family had a nicer view while walking down the stairs, rather than staring at the top of kitchen cabinets. Gugel Photography

Devereux Beach House Our client presented Flavin Architects with a unique challenge. On a site that previously hosted two houses, our client asked us to design a modestly sized house and separate art studio. Both structures reduce the height and bulk of the original buildings. The modern concrete house we designed is situated on the brow of a steep cliff overlooking Marblehead harbor. The concrete visually anchors the house to stone outcroppings on the property, and the low profile ensures the structure doesn’t conflict with the surround of traditional, gabled homes. Three primary concrete walls run north to south in parallel, forming the structural walls of the home. The entry sequence is carefully considered. The front door is hidden from view from the street. An entry path leads to an intimate courtyard, from which the front door is first visible. Upon entering, the visitor gets the first glimpse of the sea, framed by a portal of cast-in-place concrete. The kitchen, living, and dining space have a soaring 10-foot ceiling creating an especially spacious sense of interiority. A cantilevered deck runs the length of the living room, with a solid railing providing privacy from beach below. Where the house grows from a single to a two-story structure, the concrete walls rise magisterially to the full height of the building. The exterior concrete walls are accented with zinc gutters and downspouts, and wooden Ipe slats which softly filter light through the windows.

As a busy family of four with two boys and three cats, this client was ready for a kitchen remodel that made family life easier. With dated finishes, appliances, cabinetry, counters, and an oversized laundry room that could be better used as kitchen space, there were many aspects they wanted to change. They had five different flooring surfaces within the line of sight, kept bumping into each other in the congested hallway, wanted to move their cooktop to the perimeter of their island rather than in the middle, hated their refrigerator location, and didn’t like having an island with two heights. Good thing they came to Horizon Interior Design, where we developed solutions for every problem! We ran hardwood flooring throughout the main level to make it feel uniform and cohesive, opened up the hallway, and decreased the size of the laundry room to significantly extend their kitchen space and remove congestion in their hallway. We added more functional pull-out shelves to their pantry to replace the original rickety, narrow shelving and placed their refrigerator and cooktop on the perimeter wall, allowing for a large island with a solid surface and a decorative range hood. We reduced the size of their kitchen windows to allow for more upper cabinetry space and added a granite waterfall feature on the island for a wow factor while placing the counter stools in such a way that they didn't block up main walkways. Dark cabinetry tied in nicely with the knots in the pine ceiling, and white tile backsplash brightened up the space beautifully. Our new kitchen layout meant the family had a nicer view while walking down the stairs, rather than staring at the top of kitchen cabinets. Gugel Photography

The interior of the home went from Colonial to Classic Lodge without changing the footprint of the home. Columns were removed, fur downs removed that defined space, fireplace relocated, kitchen layout and direction changed, breakfast room and sitting room flip flopped, study reduced in size, entry to master bedroom changed, master suite completely re-arranged and enlarged, custom hand railing designed to open up stairwell, hardwood added to stairs, solid knotty alder 8’ doors added, knotty alder crown moldings added, reclaimed beamed ceiling grid, tongue and groove ceiling in kitchen, knotty alder cabinetry, leather finish to granite, seeded glass insets, custom door to panty to showcase an antique stained glass window from childhood church, custom doors and handles made for study entry, shredded straw added to wall texture, custom glazing done to all walls, wood floor remnants created an antique quilt pattern for the back wall of the powder bath, custom wall treatment created by designer, and a mixture of new and antique furnishing were added, all to create a warm, yet lived in feeling for this special family. A new central stone wall reversed with an over scaled fireplace and reclaimed flooring from the East became the anchor for this level of the home. Removing all the “divisions” of space and using a unified surface made unused rooms, part of the daily living for this family. The desire to entertain large group in a unified space, yet still feel like you are in a cozy environment was the driving force for removing divisions of space. Photos by Randy Colwell

photos by Pedro Marti For this project the client hired us to renovate the top unit of this two family brownstone located in the historic district of Bedstuy in Brooklyn, NY. The upper apartment of the house is a three story home of which the lower two floors were fully renovated. The Clients wanted to keep the historic charm and original detail of the home as well as the general historic layout. The main layout change was to move the kitchen from the top floor to what was previously a living room at the rear of the first floor, creating an open dining/kitchen area. The kitchen consists of a large island with a farmhouse sink and a wall of paneled white and gray cabinetry. The rear window in the kitchen was enlarged and two large French doors were installed which lead out to a new elevated ipe deck with a stair that leads down to the garden. A powder room on the parlor floor from a previous renovation was reduced in size to give extra square footage to the dining room, its main feature is a colorful butterfly wallpaper. On the second floor The existing bedrooms were maintained but the center of the floor was gutted to create an additional bathroom in a previous walk-in closet. This new bathroom is a large ensuite masterbath featuring a multicolored glass mosaic tile detail adjacent to a more classic subway tile. To make up for the lost closet space where the masterbath was installed we chose to install new French swinging doors with historic bubble glass beneath an arched entry to an alcove in the master bedroom thus creating a large walk-in closet while maintaining the light in the room.

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

photos by Pedro Marti For this project the client hired us to renovate the top unit of this two family brownstone located in the historic district of Bedstuy in Brooklyn, NY. The upper apartment of the house is a three story home of which the lower two floors were fully renovated. The Clients wanted to keep the historic charm and original detail of the home as well as the general historic layout. The main layout change was to move the kitchen from the top floor to what was previously a living room at the rear of the first floor, creating an open dining/kitchen area. The kitchen consists of a large island with a farmhouse sink and a wall of paneled white and gray cabinetry. The rear window in the kitchen was enlarged and two large French doors were installed which lead out to a new elevated ipe deck with a stair that leads down to the garden. A powder room on the parlor floor from a previous renovation was reduced in size to give extra square footage to the dining room, its main feature is a colorful butterfly wallpaper. On the second floor The existing bedrooms were maintained but the center of the floor was gutted to create an additional bathroom in a previous walk-in closet. This new bathroom is a large ensuite masterbath featuring a multicolored glass mosaic tile detail adjacent to a more classic subway tile. To make up for the lost closet space where the masterbath was installed we chose to install new French swinging doors with historic bubble glass beneath an arched entry to an alcove in the master bedroom thus creating a large walk-in closet while maintaining the light in the room.

photos by Pedro Marti For this project the client hired us to renovate the top unit of this two family brownstone located in the historic district of Bedstuy in Brooklyn, NY. The upper apartment of the house is a three story home of which the lower two floors were fully renovated. The Clients wanted to keep the historic charm and original detail of the home as well as the general historic layout. The main layout change was to move the kitchen from the top floor to what was previously a living room at the rear of the first floor, creating an open dining/kitchen area. The kitchen consists of a large island with a farmhouse sink and a wall of paneled white and gray cabinetry. The rear window in the kitchen was enlarged and two large French doors were installed which lead out to a new elevated ipe deck with a stair that leads down to the garden. A powder room on the parlor floor from a previous renovation was reduced in size to give extra square footage to the dining room, its main feature is a colorful butterfly wallpaper. On the second floor The existing bedrooms were maintained but the center of the floor was gutted to create an additional bathroom in a previous walk-in closet. This new bathroom is a large ensuite masterbath featuring a multicolored glass mosaic tile detail adjacent to a more classic subway tile. To make up for the lost closet space where the masterbath was installed we chose to install new French swinging doors with historic bubble glass beneath an arched entry to an alcove in the master bedroom thus creating a large walk-in closet while maintaining the light in the room.

The homes in Heritage Hills in Chapel Hill, NC are representative of the popularity and explosive growth of American Home Ownership that occurred during the economic expansion that followed the end of WW II. They were designed and built to foster the benefits and sense of “community”, where families could come together and share theirs and their children’s lives. They are typically in very desirable locations within their larger communities, and remodeling them with modern amenities, increasing the performance and efficiency of them, and having them Green Certified (independent third-party verified) makes them extremely attractive to buyers, and helps to raise other property values within the neighborhood. Green Certified Remodeled Homes offer significant value and advantage in the marketplace over similar homes in their area, which is especially important as a new, younger era of home buyers enter the market. Current trends suggest that younger (as well as many “seasoned”) homeowners are interested in smaller, more efficient (and thus affordable) homes situated closer to shopping, their work, entertainment opportunities, and access to the economic and environmental benefits of mass transit. These older homes also offer an additional value that is continuing to gain visibility and appreciation in the market place. They were built from lumber from slower-growth trees (denser and harder wood), and as such offer superior structural support compared to the same home built using lumber from today’s faster-growing (softer and less-dense wood) trees. Robin and Kent had lived in their 2-story Gambrel Roof home in Heritage Hills since 1994. The house was structurally sound, due in large part to the old-growth (and denser) yellow pine that was used in its framing. They loved the quiet neighborhood, its sense of community and amenities, and their home. It suited their life-style and needs; and they had decided that they would remain in the home. It was showing its age, and was in need of general repairs and maintenance, and its energy, water, and indoor air quality performance was continuing to increase their ongoing cost of ownership. Robin loved the screen porch that looked out on their private and nicely landscaped back yard, but she wanted to be able to use it in the colder months of the year. She was unsatisfied with the kitchen and the mud room / laundry room, and the darkness of other living spaces. A previous water leak in the laundry room had resulted in a large patch of mold that had compromised flooring, wall board, and insulation and contributed to the homes reduced indoor air quality. The home lacked insulation in the crawl, and inadequate insulation in the attic. The single HVAC unit had been replaced a few years earlier with a more efficient unit, but with a single programmable thermostat control on the first floor and aging and un-insulated ducting, the second floor was often over-heated in the summer months. The original wood windows had begun to deteriorate and were drafty and inefficient, and the original wood-burning fireplace was an open conduit for escaping conditioned air as well as an inlet for wood-smoke smelling air being pulled into the home. The siding had been replaced a few years earlier with a cement-fiber product, but the exterior wood trim was compromised and beginning to look unsightly. Its original architecture had been altered over the years in ways that presented ongoing maintenance and durability issues, as well as disrupting the elegance of the original design. Kent has worked for over 30 years in the Environmental Sciences field, and is considered to be a national expert in understanding the sources of, and human exposure to pollutants in indoor environments. He had always been very conscious and cautious about the effects on indoor air quality that the construction, furnishings, and products used in home had on him and his family. Project Goals Increase the performance of their home by improving energy efficiency by at least 40% and lowering their natural gas and electric utility costs. Increase the performance of their home by reducing water usage by at least 40% and lowering the water utility costs. Increase the comfort of their home that was being compromised by an inadequate HVAC design, inadequate insulation, inefficient and compromised wood windows, and copious air intrusions and drafts. Improve the healthiness of the homes indoor air quality that was being compromised by an open wood-burning fireplace, and prior water intrusion that had allowed colonies of mold to thrive. Create a new Kitchen, Family Room, Home Office, Mudroom, and Laundry Room that featured some of the latest designs and trends and harmonized with the rest of the homes charm. Increase the usefulness and aesthetics of the screened porch by creating a warm and inviting semi-conditioned 3-Season Room that extended the times during the year that it was comfortable. Introduce day-lighting into areas of the home that were dark and uninviting. Brighten and harmonize all of the interior finishes. Protect and restore the exterior of the home with superior-performing products and finishes. Achieve Gold Level Green Home Certification in conformance with the ICC 700-2012 National Green Building Standards (NGBS).

Kittery Junction was originally constructed by the York Harbor & Beach Railroad Co. between 1886 and 1887. In the days when the locomotive was the preferred method of transportation for much of America’s population, this project site provided both passenger and freight service between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and York Beach, Maine. It was usually the case that a train station constructed during this period would have its own unique architecture, and this site was no exception. Now privately owned, this structure proudly stands overlooking Barrell’s Pond. To capture this view, the new owner approached our design team with a vision of a master bedroom Victorian conservatory facing the serene body of water. Respectful of the existing architectural details, Sunspace Design worked to bring this vision to reality using our solid conventional walls, custom Marvin windows, and a custom shop-built octagonal conservatory glass roof system. This combination enabled us to meet strong energy efficiency requirements while creating a classic Victorian conservatory that met the client’s hopes. The glass roof system was constructed in the shop, transported to site, and raised in place to reduce on site construction time. With windows and doors provided by a top window manufacturer, the 2’ x 6’ wall construction with gave us complete design control. With solid wood framing, fiberglass R-21 insulation in the walls, and sputter coated low-E sun control properties in the custom glass roof system, the construction is both structurally and thermally sound. The end result is a comfortable Victorian conservatory addition that can easily withstand the harsh elements of a Maine winter. We’ve been designing and building conservatories in New England since 1981. This project stands as a model of our commitment to quality. We utilize this construction process for all of our sunrooms, skylights, conservatories, and orangeries to ensure a final product that is unsurpassed in quality and performance.

photos by Pedro Marti For this project the client hired us to renovate the top unit of this two family brownstone located in the historic district of Bedstuy in Brooklyn, NY. The upper apartment of the house is a three story home of which the lower two floors were fully renovated. The Clients wanted to keep the historic charm and original detail of the home as well as the general historic layout. The main layout change was to move the kitchen from the top floor to what was previously a living room at the rear of the first floor, creating an open dining/kitchen area. The kitchen consists of a large island with a farmhouse sink and a wall of paneled white and gray cabinetry. The rear window in the kitchen was enlarged and two large French doors were installed which lead out to a new elevated ipe deck with a stair that leads down to the garden. A powder room on the parlor floor from a previous renovation was reduced in size to give extra square footage to the dining room, its main feature is a colorful butterfly wallpaper. On the second floor The existing bedrooms were maintained but the center of the floor was gutted to create an additional bathroom in a previous walk-in closet. This new bathroom is a large ensuite masterbath featuring a multicolored glass mosaic tile detail adjacent to a more classic subway tile. To make up for the lost closet space where the masterbath was installed we chose to install new French swinging doors with historic bubble glass beneath an arched entry to an alcove in the master bedroom thus creating a large walk-in closet while maintaining the light in the room.

The interior of the home went from Colonial to Classic Lodge without changing the footprint of the home. Columns were removed, fur downs removed that defined space, fireplace relocated, kitchen layout and direction changed, breakfast room and sitting room flip flopped, study reduced in size, entry to master bedroom changed, master suite completely re-arranged and enlarged, custom hand railing designed to open up stairwell, hardwood added to stairs, solid knotty alder 8’ doors added, knotty alder crown moldings added, reclaimed beamed ceiling grid, tongue and groove ceiling in kitchen, knotty alder cabinetry, leather finish to granite, seeded glass insets, custom door to panty to showcase an antique stained glass window from childhood church, custom doors and handles made for study entry, shredded straw added to wall texture, custom glazing done to all walls, wood floor remnants created an antique quilt pattern for the back wall of the powder bath, custom wall treatment created by designer, and a mixture of new and antique furnishing were added, all to create a warm, yet lived in feeling for this special family. A new central stone wall reversed with an over scaled fireplace and reclaimed flooring from the East became the anchor for this level of the home. Removing all the “divisions” of space and using a unified surface made unused rooms, part of the daily living for this family. The desire to entertain large group in a unified space, yet still feel like you are in a cozy environment was the driving force for removing divisions of space. Photos by Randy Colwell

photos by Pedro Marti For this project the client hired us to renovate the top unit of this two family brownstone located in the historic district of Bedstuy in Brooklyn, NY. The upper apartment of the house is a three story home of which the lower two floors were fully renovated. The Clients wanted to keep the historic charm and original detail of the home as well as the general historic layout. The main layout change was to move the kitchen from the top floor to what was previously a living room at the rear of the first floor, creating an open dining/kitchen area. The kitchen consists of a large island with a farmhouse sink and a wall of paneled white and gray cabinetry. The rear window in the kitchen was enlarged and two large French doors were installed which lead out to a new elevated ipe deck with a stair that leads down to the garden. A powder room on the parlor floor from a previous renovation was reduced in size to give extra square footage to the dining room, its main feature is a colorful butterfly wallpaper. On the second floor The existing bedrooms were maintained but the center of the floor was gutted to create an additional bathroom in a previous walk-in closet. This new bathroom is a large ensuite masterbath featuring a multicolored glass mosaic tile detail adjacent to a more classic subway tile. To make up for the lost closet space where the masterbath was installed we chose to install new French swinging doors with historic bubble glass beneath an arched entry to an alcove in the master bedroom thus creating a large walk-in closet while maintaining the light in the room.