Photo: Lucy Call © 2014 Houzz Design: Imbue Design
Inspiration for a contemporary concrete floor living room remodel in Salt Lake City with a metal fireplace

Example of a large tuscan concrete floor sunroom design in Miami with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a standard ceiling

Living room - large contemporary open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room idea in Orange County with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Large mountain style open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room photo in Denver with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Living room - transitional open concept light wood floor living room idea in Miami with a bar, gray walls and a tile fireplace

Avi Ben David
Inspiration for a contemporary entryway remodel in Los Angeles

Elegant, high-tech home theater features contremporary furnishings, an entertainment center and smart home automation from Control4 to enhance the ambiance and add the ultimate in convenience. Broadcast the music of your choice using a whole-home audio solution, powered by Control4. The recessed smart lighting and access lighting is designed to create the perfect personalized ambiance. Other automation options may include smart appliances, programmable thermostat control for comfort and energy management, home security system integration, shade automation, and full A/V control. And everything can be controlled from virtually anywhere - using your Control4 app with a smart phone or tablet device or a convenient touch screen.

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

Audrey Hall Photography
Example of a large mountain style master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom design in Other with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

The gray-blue matte glass tile mosaic and soft brown linear-striped porcelain tile of the master bathroom's spacious shower are illuminated by a skylight. The curbless shower includes a linear floor drain. The simple, clean geometric forms of the shower fittings include body spray jets and a handheld shower wand. © Jeffrey Totaro

©Morgan Howarth Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor family room remodel in DC Metro with a stone fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, white walls and a ribbon fireplace

Example of a mid-sized minimalist enclosed medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room design in Little Rock with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a trendy living room design in Los Angeles with a concrete fireplace

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

Rob Karosis
Example of a classic bathroom design in New York

Rick Lee Photo
Inspiration for a rustic living room remodel in Charleston with a stone fireplace

Craig Westerman
Example of a large classic backyard mixed material railing deck design in Baltimore

Emily Followill
Living room - coastal formal living room idea in Atlanta with a standard fireplace and white walls

James Kruger, LandMark Photography Interior Design: Martha O'Hara Interiors Architect: Sharratt Design & Company
Inspiration for a large french country open concept and formal dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Minneapolis with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace