Andrea Patassy
Beach style l-shaped light wood floor kitchen photo in Miami with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, an island and paneled appliances

Photo - Jessica Glynn Photography
Open concept kitchen - large transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor open concept kitchen idea in New York with a farmhouse sink, open cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, black cabinets and wood countertops

Casey Dunn
Inspiration for a mediterranean medium tone wood floor dining room remodel in Austin with white walls

Trendy l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen photo in Boston with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, blue backsplash, ceramic backsplash, recessed-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

Beach style powder room photo in San Francisco

Large tuscan master beige tile and stone tile beige floor and double-sink bathroom photo in Orange County with medium tone wood cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, beige countertops and a freestanding vanity

Kit Noble Photography
Entryway - coastal entryway idea in Boston with white walls and a white front door

photo credit: Sebastian Bach
Bathroom - transitional 3/4 bathroom idea in New York with white 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. Eric Roth Photo

Transitional l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor kitchen photo in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped light wood floor and gray floor eat-in kitchen design in Chicago with an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, white countertops and shaker cabinets

Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Large transitional galley dark wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in DC Metro with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone countertops, paneled appliances and an island

©Jeff Herr Photography, Inc.
Example of a transitional master black floor, double-sink and shiplap wall bathroom design in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, a trough sink, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

Photography by Michael Biondo
Kitchen/dining room combo - transitional light wood floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in New York with orange walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

David Cannon Photography
Example of a transitional u-shaped beige floor eat-in kitchen design in Atlanta with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Mountain style open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room photo in Denver with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2013 Houzz
Inspiration for a transitional built-in desk home office remodel in Tampa

http://www.anthonymasterson.com
Example of a mid-sized ornate white tile and ceramic tile mosaic tile floor and multicolored floor claw-foot bathtub design in Nashville with a pedestal sink and green walls

Inspiration for a large transitional open concept kitchen remodel in New York with an undermount sink, beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, beige backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island