Peter Murdock
Example of a mid-sized trendy deck design in New York with decking and no cover

Kitchen - traditional medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Atlanta with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and an island

Inspiration for a mid-sized craftsman brown one-story wood gable roof remodel in San Francisco

Rikki Snyder
Example of a large farmhouse master white tile and ceramic tile mosaic tile floor and white floor freestanding bathtub design in New York with brown cabinets, granite countertops and flat-panel cabinets

John Evans
Inspiration for a huge timeless u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Columbus with beaded inset cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, granite countertops and stone tile backsplash

© Sargent Photography
Living room - coastal open concept marble floor and beige floor living room idea in Miami with white walls

Inspiration for a transitional 3/4 white tile black floor alcove shower remodel in Denver with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and gray countertops

Mark Lohman Photography
Elegant kitchen photo in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash and stone tile backsplash

Inspiration for a coastal guest light wood floor and beige floor bedroom remodel in Tampa with gray walls

Photo by Gordon Gregory, Interior design by Carter Kay Interiors.
Mid-sized mountain style open concept living room photo with beige walls and a bar

Gibeon Photography
Mountain style multicolored tile bathroom photo with a trough sink, recessed-panel cabinets and dark wood cabinets

building Lab is a design build firm specializing in Mid-Century-Modern architecture. Skylight floods the master bath with natural light. Porcelain wall tiles by Heath Ceramics. Photo by Scott Hargis.

Beth Singer
Example of a transitional l-shaped gray floor kitchen design in Detroit with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Sean Litchfield
Inspiration for a transitional master gray floor bedroom remodel in Boston with gray walls

The kitchen, breakfast room and family room are all open to one another. The kitchen has a large twelve foot island topped with Calacatta marble and features a roll-out kneading table, and room to seat the whole family. The sunlight breakfast room opens onto the patio which has a built-in barbeque, and both bar top seating and a built in bench for outdoor dining. The large family room features a cozy fireplace, TV media, and a large built-in bookcase. The adjoining craft room is separated by a set of pocket french doors; where the kids can be visible from the family room as they do their homework.

Example of a trendy gray tile and stone tile medium tone wood floor walk-in shower design in Manchester with a wall-mount sink and a wall-mount toilet

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

The clean, calm, restful interiors of this heart-of-the-city home are an antidote to urban living, and busy professional lives. As well, they’re an ode to enduring style that will accommodate the changing needs of the young family who lives here. Photos by June Suthigoseeya

We really opened up and reorganized this kitchen to give the clients a more modern update and increased functionality and storage. The backsplash is a main focal point and the color palette is very sleek while being warm and inviting. Cabinetry: Ultracraft Destiny, Avon door in Arctic White on the perimeter and Mineral Grey on the island and bar shelving Hardware: Hamilton-Bowes Ventoux Pull in satin brass Counters: Aurea Stone Divine, 3cm quartz Sinks: Blanco Silgranit in white, Precis super single bowl with Performa single in bar Faucets: California Faucets Poetto series in satin brass, pull down and pull-down prep faucet in bar, matching cold water dispenser, air switch, and air gap Pot filler: Newport Brass East Linear in satin brass Backsplash tile: Marble Systems Mod-Glam collection Blocks mosaic in glacier honed - snow white polished - brass accents behind range and hood, using 3x6 snow white as field tile in a brick lay Appliances: Wolf dual fuel 48" range w/ griddle, 30" microwave drawer, 24" coffee system w/ trim; Best Cologne series 48" hood; GE Monogram wine chiller; Hoshizaki stainless ice maker; Bosch benchmark series dishwasher