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

ヒューストンにある中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型リビング (茶色い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、壁掛け型テレビ、茶色い床) の写真

Matt Clayton Photography
ロンドンにあるトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型リビング (黒い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、テレビなし、青いソファ) の写真

ポートランドにあるラグジュアリーな広いビーチスタイルのおしゃれな独立型リビング (青い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり) の写真

Modern Living Room with floor to ceiling grey slab fireplace face. Dark wood built in bookcase with led lighting nestled next to modern linear electric fireplace. Contemporary white sofas face each other with dark black accent furniture nearby, all sitting on a modern grey rug. Modern interior architecture with large picture windows, white walls and light wood wall panels that line the walls and ceiling entry.

ニューヨークにあるお手頃価格のトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ファミリールーム (白い壁、無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、埋込式メディアウォール、茶色い床) の写真

トロントにあるお手頃価格の広いトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型リビング (グレーの壁、無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、埋込式メディアウォール、茶色い床) の写真

Alex Maguire Photography
ロンドンにある小さなトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなリビング (青い壁、無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、壁掛け型テレビ、茶色い床) の写真

トロントにある広いコンテンポラリースタイルのおしゃれな独立型リビング (グレーの壁、淡色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、グレーと黒、テレビなし、折り上げ天井、白い天井) の写真

Fireplace. Cast Stone. Cast Stone Mantels. Fireplace Design. Fireplace Design Ideas. Fireplace Mantels. Firpelace Surrounds. Mantel Design. Omega. Omega Mantels. Omega Mantels Of Stone. Cast Stone Fireplace. Modern. Modern Fireplace. Contemporary. Contemporary Fireplace; Contemporary living room. Dark wood floor. Gas fireplace. Fireplace Screen. TV over fireplace. Fireplace makeover.

Cottage in Carmel by the Seat that was converted to an office space while retaining all the cottage's charm and history. www.macdonaldphoto.com
サンフランシスコにある小さな地中海スタイルのおしゃれな独立型ファミリールーム (ベージュの壁、カーペット敷き、コーナー設置型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり) の写真

ジャクソンビルにある広い地中海スタイルのおしゃれな独立型リビング (ミュージックルーム、白い壁、標準型暖炉、テレビなし、ライムストーンの床、石材の暖炉まわり、ベージュの床) の写真

J Savage Gibson Photography
アトランタにある高級な広いトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれな独立型ファミリールーム (白い壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、壁掛け型テレビ、石材の暖炉まわり、茶色い床) の写真

This room just needed a fresh coat of paint to update it. Located immediately to the left of the new bright entryway and within eyesight of the rich blue dining room. We selected a green from the oriental rug that also highlights the painting over the fireplace. Sara E. Eastman Photography

ボストンにあるラグジュアリーな中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなリビング (茶色い壁、標準型暖炉、テレビなし、濃色無垢フローリング、石材の暖炉まわり) の写真

Jeff Herr
アトランタにある小さなトランジショナルスタイルのおしゃれなリビング (グレーの壁、濃色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり) の写真

サンフランシスコにある中くらいなミッドセンチュリースタイルのおしゃれなリビング (白い壁、淡色無垢フローリング、標準型暖炉、石材の暖炉まわり、テレビなし、ベージュの床) の写真

Our Lounge Lake Rug features circles of many hues, some striped, some color-blocked, in a crisp grid on a neutral ground. This kind of rug easily ties together all the colors of a room, or adds pop in a neutral scheme. The circles are both loop and pile, against a loop ground, and there are hints of rayon in the wool circles, giving them a bit of a sheen and adding to the textural variation. Also shown: Camden Sofa, Charleston and Madison Chairs.

Living room with paneling on all walls, coffered ceiling, Oly pendant, built-in book cases, bay window, calacatta slab fireplace surround and hearth, 2-way fireplace with wall sconces shared between the family and living room. Photographer Frank Paul Perez Decoration Nancy Evars, Evars + Anderson Interior Design