Traditional beige two-story stucco exterior home idea in Houston

Trendy medium tone wood floor dining room photo in Miami with white walls

Transitional dark wood floor, brown floor, shiplap ceiling and wallpaper breakfast nook photo in Grand Rapids with blue walls

Example of a classic brick exterior home design in Houston

Jim Westphalen
Kitchen - coastal medium tone wood floor kitchen idea in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, window backsplash, an island and white countertops

Inspiration for a mid-sized timeless white two-story wood exterior home remodel in Nashville with a shingle roof

Aimee Mazzenga Photography Design: Mitzi Maynard and Clare Kennedy
Bedroom - coastal master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom idea in Nashville with white walls

This Lincoln Park renovation transformed a conventionally built Chicago two-flat into a custom single-family residence with a modern, open floor plan. The white masonry exterior paired with new black windows brings a contemporary edge to this city home.

Picture KC
Large transitional white two-story brick house exterior idea in Kansas City with a shingle roof and a hip roof

Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized traditional galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in San Francisco with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, terra-cotta backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula and beige backsplash

Hiep Nguyen
Mid-sized elegant guest bedroom photo in Hawaii with green walls

Example of a classic beige two-story stucco exterior home design in Houston

Inspiration for a timeless medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Houston with gray walls

Example of a beach style dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Minneapolis with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Example of a mid-sized country open concept dark wood floor family room design in Other with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

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

Mid-sized southwestern beige one-story stucco exterior home idea in Phoenix with a tile roof

Picture KC
Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped light wood floor kitchen remodel in Kansas City with shaker cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops

Example of a mid-sized transitional beige two-story stucco house exterior design in Orange County with a hip roof and a shingle roof