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

Out of seven children, twin daughters Bellamy and Tallulah hold their own as the only girls in the bunch. When recent renovations included installing the elevator, all rooms needed to be slightly reconfigured. "Our girls are getting older so we were happy to bring in something new and redecorate", says Cortney. Now into their teens, the girls have redone their bedroom to reflect their growing sense of style and independence. Above Tallulah's bed hangs a childhood portrait of her by Linda Mason. The upholstered bed frames are a recent purchase that add a decidedly feminine air to the space, while a brightly painted chair and striped draperies maintain a youthful punch. Even with two designer parents, the girls are free to weigh in on what goes into their room. "It is definitely a collaboration", Cortney explains. "[Our daughter] Bellamy really enjoys designing and has a natural talent for it. All of our kids bring their own artistic sense into their spaces, after all, we want their spaces to reflect them, too." Bed frames: Pondicherry Bed in Celery Jaipur, Serena and Lily Photo: Adrienne DeRosa Photography © 2014 Houzz Design: Cortney and Robert Novogratz

When this suburban family decided to renovate their kitchen, they knew that they wanted a little more space. Advance Design worked together with the homeowner to design a kitchen that would work for a large family who loved to gather regularly and always ended up in the kitchen! So the project began with extending out an exterior wall to accommodate a larger island and more moving-around space between the island and the perimeter cabinetry. Style was important to the cook, who began collecting accessories and photos of the look she loved for months prior to the project design. She was drawn to the brightness of whites and grays, and the design accentuated this color palette brilliantly with the incorporation of a warm shade of brown woods that originated from a dining room table that was a family favorite. Classic gray and white cabinetry from Dura Supreme hits the mark creating a perfect balance between bright and subdued. Hints of gray appear in the bead board detail peeking just behind glass doors, and in the application of the handsome floating wood shelves between cabinets. White subway tile is made extra interesting with the application of dark gray grout lines causing it to be a subtle but noticeable detail worthy of attention. Suede quartz Silestone graces the countertops with a soft matte hint of color that contrasts nicely with the presence of white painted cabinetry finished smartly with the brightness of a milky white farm sink. Old melds nicely with new, as antique bronze accents are sprinkled throughout hardware and fixtures, and work together unassumingly with the sleekness of stainless steel appliances. The grace and timelessness of this sparkling new kitchen maintains the charm and character of a space that has seen generations past. And now this family will enjoy this new space for many more generations to come in the future with the help of the team at Advance Design Studio. Photographer: Joe Nowak Dura Supreme Cabinetry

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A fully built in bunk room creates space where it's usually a hassle. each set of beds has a set of drawers, and the king bed has 4 fully extendable drawers making it perfect for blanket and linen storage.The Restoration Hardware lighting does a fantastic job of lighting up the bunks and master bed.Photos by:Ryan Williams Photography

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The very high ceilings of this living room create a focal point as you enter the long foyer. The fabric on the curtains, a semi transparent linen, permits the natural light to seep through the entire space. A Floridian environment was created by using soft aqua blues throughout. The furniture is Christopher Guy modern sofas and the glass tables adding an airy feel. The silver and crystal leaf motif chandeliers finish the composition. Our Aim was to bring the outside landscape of beautiful tropical greens and orchids indoors. Photography by: Claudia Uribe

This remodel is a stunning 100-year-old Wayzata home! The home’s history was embraced while giving the home a refreshing new look. Every aspect of this renovation was thoughtfully considered to turn the home into a "DREAM HOME" for generations to enjoy. With Mingle designed cabinetry throughout several rooms of the home, there is plenty of storage and style. A turn-of-the-century transitional farmhouse home is sure to please the eyes of many and be the perfect fit for this family for years to come. Spacecrafting

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Example of a trendy exterior home design in San Francisco

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