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

The Master Bedroom was designed with a sliding door feature allowing light from the main spaces.
Example of an urban bamboo floor bedroom design in Chicago with white walls

Luxury living done with energy-efficiency in mind. From the Insulated Concrete Form walls to the solar panels, this home has energy-efficient features at every turn. Luxury abounds with hardwood floors from a tobacco barn, custom cabinets, to vaulted ceilings. The indoor basketball court and golf simulator give family and friends plenty of fun options to explore. This home has it all. Elise Trissel photograph

banquette, breakfast bar, breakfast nook, cabinet front refrigerator, ceiling lighting, eat in kitchen, exposed beams, great room, island lighting, kitchen island, kitchen rugs, neutral colors, open floor plan, open kitchen, panel refrigerator, range hood, recessed lighting, roman shades, rustic, stainless steel appliances, two tone cabinets, Window Treatments, wood ceiling, wood flooring,

Inspiration for a timeless medium tone wood floor foyer remodel in Philadelphia with beige walls and a glass front door

Example of a large mountain style open concept concrete floor and gray floor living room design with a two-sided fireplace, a metal fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and beige walls

Elegant freestanding desk dark wood floor and brown floor home office library photo in Orange County with white walls

Casey Dunn Photography
Home office - country freestanding desk dark wood floor home office idea in Houston

Matthew Millman
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John Gillooly/PEI
Basement - coastal look-out medium tone wood floor and orange floor basement idea in Boston with white walls and no fireplace

Kimberly Gavin Photography
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The dark paint on the high ceiling in this family room gives the space a more warm and inviting feel in an otherwise very open and large room. Photo by Emily Minton Redfield

This was a full gut an renovation. The existing kitchen had very dated cabinets and didn't function well for the clients. A previous desk area was turned into hidden cabinetry to house the microwave and larger appliances and to keep the countertops clutter free. The original pendants were about 4" wide and were inappropriate for the large island. They were replaced with larger, brighter and more sophisticated pendants. The use of panel ready appliances with large matte black hardware made gave this a clean and sophisticated look. Mosaic tile was installed from the countertop to the ceiling and wall sconces were installed over the kitchen window. A different tile was used in the bar area which has a beverage refrigerator and an ice machine and floating shelves. The cabinetry in this area also includes a pullout drawer for dog food.

Newport 653
Enclosed kitchen - large traditional u-shaped light wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen idea in Charleston with an undermount sink, white cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and beaded inset cabinets

Bedroom - mid-sized traditional master carpeted bedroom idea in Boston with yellow walls, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace

Photo: YE-H PHOTOGRAPHY Design: Gavin Smith http://www.dwell.com/finishing-touch/article/amazing-transformation-musty-attic-luminous-loft

Design by Sutro Architects Interior Design by Adeeni Design Group Photography by Christopher Stark
Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped concrete floor and gray floor eat-in kitchen remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, an island and paneled appliances

Family room - rustic open concept light wood floor family room idea with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv