John Lum Architecture Paul Dyer Photography
Inspiration for a mid-century modern concrete floor family room remodel in San Francisco with a bar, a metal fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a ribbon fireplace

Photo by Christopher Carter
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master gray tile and marble tile porcelain tile and gray floor freestanding bathtub remodel in Denver with a hinged shower door, black walls, marble countertops and gray countertops

Jim Brady Architectural Photography
Example of a country galley dark wood floor dedicated laundry room design in San Diego with a farmhouse sink, multicolored walls, a stacked washer/dryer, white cabinets and recessed-panel cabinets

Ann Sacks Tile Beverly Hills. Arteriors Light Fixture & Mirror from Bassman Blaine. Meghan OBrien Photography
Powder room - 1950s mosaic tile powder room idea with a wall-mount sink and white walls

Natural stone tiles in the shower basin, on the bath floor and accented up on the walls and ceiling make this bathroom a true natural retreat. Also, features a wall mounted toilet, frame-less glass shower door, and rain shower head. A great bath to enjoy after a long day on the slopes. Tim Stone Photo

Kitchen Design by Marcus Otten. Interior Design by Jonna Mulqueen. Photography by Emily Minton-Redfield.
Example of a transitional kitchen design in Denver

Zach Desart
Beach style medium tone wood floor enclosed dining room photo in Jacksonville with white walls

Inspiration for a huge contemporary freestanding desk medium tone wood floor study room remodel in Houston with blue walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

An original turn-of-the-century Craftsman home had lost it original charm in the kitchen and bathroom, both renovated in the 1980s. The clients desired to restore the original look, while still giving the spaces an updated feel. Both rooms were gutted and new materials, fittings and appliances were installed, creating a strong reference to the history of the home, while still moving the house into the 21st century. Photos by Melissa McCafferty

This master bath was reconfigured by opening up the wall between the former tub/shower, and a dry vanity. A new transom window added in much-needed natural light. The floors have radiant heat, with carrara marble hexagon tile. The vanity is semi-custom white oak, with a carrara top. Polished nickel fixtures finish the clean look. Photo: Robert Radifera

Inspiration for a contemporary wooden straight staircase remodel in San Diego with wooden risers

Example of an eclectic concrete floor and gray floor living room design in Los Angeles with white walls

Inspiration for a transitional wooden u-shaped mixed material railing staircase remodel in Portland Maine with painted risers

Michael J. Lee Photography
Inspiration for a timeless entryway remodel in Boston with gray walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary wooden straight open staircase remodel in Melbourne

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

Rett Peek
Example of an eclectic wooden wood railing staircase design in Little Rock

Freestanding bathtub - contemporary master white tile concrete floor and gray floor freestanding bathtub idea in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls, an integrated sink and white countertops

Timeless Palm Springs glamour meets modern in Pulp Design Studios' bathroom design created for the DXV Design Panel 2016. The design is one of four created by an elite group of celebrated designers for DXV's national ad campaign. Faced with the challenge of creating a beautiful space from nothing but an empty stage, Beth and Carolina paired mid-century touches with bursts of colors and organic patterns. The result is glamorous with touches of quirky fun -- the definition of splendid living.