Garage - large traditional detached three-car garage idea in New York

Lake Front Country Estate Entry Porch, designed by Tom Markalunas, built by Resort Custom Homes. Photography by Rachael Boling
Single front door - huge traditional single front door idea with a medium wood front door

Wrought Iron Double Door - D'Vine by Porte, Color Dark Bronze, Clear Glass
Example of a small classic concrete floor front door design in Austin with gray walls and a metal front door

Large victorian green two-story mixed siding gable roof idea in Chicago with a shingle roof

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

Mountain style green two-story wood exterior home photo in New York

Large trendy freestanding desk light wood floor and beige floor study room photo in San Francisco with no fireplace

Example of a small transitional backyard stone patio design in Nashville with no cover

www.romartz.com
Example of a large island style two-story stucco beige home design design in Miami

Example of a mountain style entryway design in Houston

Large traditional beige two-story stone gable roof idea in Charlotte

Example of a trendy living room design in San Francisco with white walls

Large transitional open concept dark wood floor family room photo in Dallas with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a tv stand

In the dining room, French out-swing patio doors are flanked by two casement windows. The matching grid patterns on both the windows and doors help maintain a cohesive look without appearing too busy. Together, the windows and doors immediately draw your eyes in with their dark, distinct look, but are complemented by the black accents and furnishings placed around the room.

Example of a beach style beige three-story wood gable roof design in Santa Barbara with a shingle roof

Victoria Spinnler
Example of a classic front door design in Atlanta with a black front door

Integrity Sliding French Doors from Marvin Windows and Doors feature Ultrex fiberglass on the outside and natural wood on the inside. Integrity doors are made with Ultrex®, a pultruded fiberglass Marvin patented that outperforms and outlasts vinyl, roll-form aluminum and other fiberglass composites. Ultrex and the Integrity proprietary pultrusion process delivers high-demand doors that endure all elements without showing age or wear. With a strong Ultrex Fiberglass exterior paired with a rich wood interior, Integrity Wood-Ultrex doors have both strength and beauty. Constructed with Ultrex from the inside out, Integrity All Ultrex doors offer outstanding strength and durability.

Photos by Gordon King
Front door - traditional front door idea in Ottawa