Elegant patio photo in Los Angeles

Example of a classic patio design in Los Angeles

Scott Amundson Photography
Example of a mid-sized classic built-in desk multicolored floor craft room design in Minneapolis with gray walls

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

Lauren Rubenstein Photography
Example of a large classic brick floor, red floor and white one-story wood gable roof design in Atlanta with white walls, a dark wood front door and a metal roof

Doug Petersen Photography
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized traditional galley light wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Boise with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, a peninsula, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances

Photo: Hoi Ning Wong © 2014 Houzz
Kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped dark wood floor kitchen idea in San Francisco with a drop-in sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, gray walls, an island and marble backsplash

Trendy concrete floor and gray floor front door photo in Los Angeles with gray walls and a medium wood front door

Example of a trendy bathroom design in Louisville

Design/Build custom home in Hummelstown, PA. This transitional style home features a timeless design with on-trend finishes and features. An outdoor living retreat features a pool, landscape lighting, playground, outdoor seating, and more.

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

Walk-in closet - small transitional gender-neutral slate floor and multicolored floor walk-in closet idea with flat-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Great spacious bathroom with lot of amenities. Photographer: Jon Upson
Large elegant master beige tile and porcelain tile drop-in bathtub photo in San Diego with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige walls and a two-piece toilet

After pics - Wood Used - Richmond Rail & Balusters
Inspiration for a mid-sized front porch remodel in Richmond

GAF Timberline HD architectural roof in Charcoal color.
Elegant yellow exterior home photo in New York

Legacy Custom Homes, Inc Toblesky-Green Architects Kelly Nutt Designs
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional built-in desk dark wood floor and brown floor study room remodel in Orange County with no fireplace and gray walls

Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in Columbus with recessed-panel cabinets and brown cabinets

Replacement windows throughout the house

Nehemiah Exteriors
Inspiration for a timeless exterior home remodel in Atlanta