Alise O'Brien Photography
Elegant beige tile marble floor freestanding bathtub photo in St Louis with gray walls, green cabinets, raised-panel cabinets and an undermount sink

Benson Interiors
Inspiration for a transitional master white tile and stone tile mosaic tile floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Boston with marble countertops

Mountain style master claw-foot bathtub photo in Nashville with a vessel sink, dark wood cabinets, yellow walls and flat-panel cabinets

Transitional home design photo in Birmingham

http://www.pickellbuilders.com. Photography by Linda Oyama Bryan. Custom Couture Master Closet with Glass Shoes Display Shelving, tufted leather bench seating and diagonal hardwood flooring.

Joshua T. Moore
Example of a cottage white two-story exterior home design

Example of a classic master white tile and marble tile marble floor freestanding bathtub design in New York with marble countertops and beige walls

Photo by Oivanki Photography Builder: Rabalais Homes Architect: The Front Door Architects
Transitional white tile freestanding bathtub photo in Nashville

Edmunds Studios
Inspiration for a rustic master gray tile and stone tile dark wood floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Milwaukee with recessed-panel cabinets, a one-piece toilet, beige walls, a trough sink and dark wood cabinets

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

Francis Dzikowski
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master light wood floor bedroom remodel in New York with white walls

Darren Setlow
Living room - traditional carpeted living room idea in Portland Maine with gray walls

Bright whites, greys, and a touch of blue adds a calming, modern feeling to the minimal antique pieces in this dining room. DiMar Photography
Minimalist dining room photo in New York

Lucas Allen
Living room - traditional living room idea in New York

Maple Valley Chair This small-scaled, slipper chair is at home with any look from classic to contemporary. Traditional button tufting and nail head trim meets modern top-grain leather on a casually elegant, curved frame.

Summerlin home remodel
Great room - mid-sized transitional dark wood floor great room idea in Las Vegas with gray walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Living room - large contemporary formal and open concept porcelain tile and gray floor living room idea in Dallas with a ribbon fireplace and beige walls

Roxanne Gutierrez
Bedroom - transitional master medium tone wood floor and orange floor bedroom idea in Austin with gray walls and a standard fireplace

Lucas Allen
Elegant living room photo in New York with white walls and a standard fireplace