Private Residence, Laurie Demetrio Interiors, Photo by Dustin Halleck, Millwork by NuHaus
Example of a small transitional built-in desk dark wood floor and brown floor home office library design in Chicago with no fireplace and brown walls

Wiff Harmer
Example of a transitional u-shaped staircase design in Nashville

Example of a trendy carpeted bedroom design in Portland with white walls

Casey Dunn
Patio - large modern backyard stone drought-tolerant patio idea in Austin with a roof extension

BISTRO BOTANICA Vintage kitchen charm, with a tropical twist. DESIGN DESCRIPTION This space pairs the nostalgic charm of an Old World kitchen with a breath of tropical whimsy. Soft aqua Shaker cabinetry, detailed with crossbuck uppers and open shelving, wraps the room in calm, cheerful colour. A dramatic watercolour mural of lush leaves and golden cockatoos turns one wall into a garden, while a marble-topped bistro table and bentwood stools create an inviting spot for morning coffee. Black-and-white hexagon tile, a stainless farmhouse sink and dark matte countertops ground the palette. Swing-arm sconces, vintage-inspired glass ceiling lights and diamond-paned windows add a final layer of character. The result is joyful, timeless and full of personality.

Laundry room - transitional laundry room idea in Grand Rapids

Farmhouse powder room photo in Sacramento

This traditional powder room gets a dramatic punch with a petite crystal chandelier, Graham and Brown Vintage Flock wallpaper above the wainscoting, and a black ceiling. The ceiling is Benjamin Moore's Twilight Zone 2127-10 in a pearl finish. White trim is a custom mix. Photo by Joseph St. Pierre.

Entry to 5000 Grosvenor, displaying custom wood doors and exterior trim/millwork by Arch Mill.
Ornate front door photo in New York with a dark wood front door

Large transitional u-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Portland with an undermount sink, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and granite countertops

Inspiration for a huge contemporary galley kitchen remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, an island, an undermount sink and stainless steel appliances

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, an island and marble backsplash

Laundry Room with raised washer and dryer. The drawers eliminate the need to bend at the waist. The cabinets are made of maple and painted white with Benjamin Moore Satin Impervo. Feel free to ask any questions! Steve Obarowski

AV Architects + Builders Location: Great Falls, VA, USA Our modern farm style home design was exactly what our clients were looking for. They had the charm and the landscape they wanted, but needed a boost to help accommodate a family of four. Our design saw us tear down their existing garage and transform the space into an entertaining family friendly kitchen. This addition moved the entry of the home to the other side and switched the view of the kitchen on the side of the home with more natural light. As for the ceilings, we went ahead and changed the traditional 7’8” ceilings to a 9’4” ceiling. Our decision to approach this home with smart design resulted in removing the existing stick frame roof and replacing it with engineered trusses to have a higher and wider roof, which allowed for the open plan to be implemented without the use of supporting beams. And once the finished product was complete, our clients had a home that doubled in space and created many more opportunities for entertaining and relaxing in style. Stacy Zarin Photography

Large elegant backyard deck photo in Cleveland with a fire pit and no cover

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

Highland Custom Homes
Inspiration for a small transitional enclosed carpeted and multicolored floor family room remodel in Salt Lake City with beige walls, no fireplace and no tv

SoCal Stairs
Example of a minimalist wooden floating open staircase design in Los Angeles

Master Bathroom Vanity detail Photo: Michael J Lee
Example of a large transitional bathroom design in Boston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets and gray countertops