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

Large outdoor kitchen overlooking the lake. Grill is built-in as well as the cook top and fridge.
他の地域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裏庭のテラス (アウトドアキッチン、タイル敷き、張り出し屋根) の写真

Dale Lang NW Architectural Photography
シアトルにあるお手頃価格の小さなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな洗濯室 (シェーカースタイル扉のキャビネット、淡色木目調キャビネット、コルクフローリング、上下配置の洗濯機・乾燥機、ll型、クオーツストーンカウンター、茶色い床、ベージュの壁、白いキッチンカウンター) の写真

Shower your bathroom in our lush green Seedling subway tile for the ultimate escape. DESIGN Interior Blooms Design Co. PHOTOS Emily Kennedy Photography Tile Shown: 2" & 6" Hexagon in Calcite; 3x6 & Cori Molding in Seedling

Andrea Rugg Photography
ミネアポリスにあるお手頃価格の小さなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな浴室 (青いキャビネット、コーナー設置型シャワー、分離型トイレ、モノトーンのタイル、セラミックタイル、青い壁、大理石の床、アンダーカウンター洗面器、クオーツストーンの洗面台、グレーの床、開き戸のシャワー、白い洗面カウンター、シェーカースタイル扉のキャビネット) の写真

オレンジカウンティにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな直階段 (フローリングの蹴込み板、木材の手すり) の写真

Jane Beiles
ワシントンD.C.にあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなマッドルーム (ベージュの壁、白いドア、ベージュの床、淡色無垢フローリング) の写真

Trex Decking & Concrete Pavers
ロサンゼルスにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな裏庭のテラス (日よけなし、コンクリート敷き ) の写真

Fall and Summer container gardens designed for a longtime client.
シアトルにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな前庭のテラス (コンテナガーデン、コンクリート板舗装 、日よけなし) の写真

オースティンにあるお手頃価格の中くらいな、春のトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな裏庭 (擁壁、日向) の写真

this dog wash is a great place to clean up your pets and give them the spa treatment they deserve. There is even an area to relax for your pet under the counter in the padded cabinet.

Stacy Bass Second floor hideaway for children's books and toys. Game area. Study area. Seating area. Red color calls attention to custom built-in bookshelves and storage space. Reading nook beneath sunny window invites readers of all ages.

built in door storage in pantry
サンフランシスコにあるお手頃価格の小さなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなパントリー (中間色木目調キャビネット、竹フローリング) の写真

Luxurious modern take on a traditional white Italian villa. An entry with a silver domed ceiling, painted moldings in patterns on the walls and mosaic marble flooring create a luxe foyer. Into the formal living room, cool polished Crema Marfil marble tiles contrast with honed carved limestone fireplaces throughout the home, including the outdoor loggia. Ceilings are coffered with white painted crown moldings and beams, or planked, and the dining room has a mirrored ceiling. Bathrooms are white marble tiles and counters, with dark rich wood stains or white painted. The hallway leading into the master bedroom is designed with barrel vaulted ceilings and arched paneled wood stained doors. The master bath and vestibule floor is covered with a carpet of patterned mosaic marbles, and the interior doors to the large walk in master closets are made with leaded glass to let in the light. The master bedroom has dark walnut planked flooring, and a white painted fireplace surround with a white marble hearth. The kitchen features white marbles and white ceramic tile backsplash, white painted cabinetry and a dark stained island with carved molding legs. Next to the kitchen, the bar in the family room has terra cotta colored marble on the backsplash and counter over dark walnut cabinets. Wrought iron staircase leading to the more modern media/family room upstairs. Project Location: North Ranch, Westlake, California. Remodel designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu, Westlake and Calabasas, across the tri-county areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills- north through Solvang and more. Eclectic Living Room with Asian antiques from the owners' own travels. Deep purple, copper and white chenille fabrics and a handknotted wool rug. Modern art painting by Maraya, Home built by Timothy J. Droney

Raised paver patio with lighted pillars and stairs. Henry Rogacki Landscaping
ニューヨークにあるお手頃価格の小さなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれな裏庭のテラス (コンクリート敷き 、日よけなし) の写真

ロサンゼルスにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなキッチン (エプロンフロントシンク、レイズドパネル扉のキャビネット、白いキャビネット、シルバーの調理設備、青いキッチンパネル、クオーツストーンカウンター、ガラスタイルのキッチンパネル、無垢フローリング、青いキッチンカウンター) の写真

Photo Credit: Mark Ehlen
ミネアポリスにあるお手頃価格の中くらいなトラディショナルスタイルのおしゃれなダイニングキッチン (ベージュの壁、濃色無垢フローリング、暖炉なし) の写真

This cabinet column could be used also be used as a small pantry. It features pocket doors to store a coffee station and small microwave, mugs and coffee accessories. This cabinetry features a Shaker style door with "eagle rock" stain on maple; the countertop is honed, absolute black granite. The "ash gray" cabinet pulls are from Top Knobs. The backsplash is a white 2 x 8.5 inch field tile by Market Collection.

An Arts & Crafts Bungalow is one of my favorite styles of homes. We have quite a few of them in our Stockton Mid-Town area. And when C&L called us to help them remodel their 1923 American Bungalow, I was beyond thrilled. As per usual, when we get a new inquiry, we quickly Google the project location while we are talking to you on the phone. My excitement escalated when I saw the Google Earth Image of the sweet Sage Green bungalow in Mid-Town Stockton. "Yes, we would be interested in working with you," I said trying to keep my cool. But what made it even better was meeting C&L and touring their home, because they are the nicest young couple, eager to make their home period perfect. Unfortunately, it had been slightly molested by some bad house-flippers, and we needed to bring the bathroom back to it "roots." We knew we had to banish the hideous brown tile and cheap vanity quickly. But C&L complained about the condensation problems and the constant fight with mold. This immediately told me that improper remodeling had occurred and we needed to remedy that right away. The Before: Frustrations with a Botched Remodel The bathroom needed to be brought back to period appropriate design with all the functionality of a modern bathroom. We thought of things like marble countertop, white mosaic floor tiles, white subway tile, board and batten molding, and of course a fabulous wallpaper. This small (and only) bathroom on a tight budget required a little bit of design sleuthing to figure out how we could get the proper look and feel. Our goal was to determine where to splurge and where to economize and how to complete the remodel as quickly as possible because C&L would have to move out while construction was going on. The Process: Hard Work to Remedy Design and Function During our initial design study, (which included 2 hours in the owners’ home), we noticed framed images of William Morris Arts and Crafts textile patterns and knew this would be our design inspiration. We presented C&L with three options and they quickly selected the Pimpernel Design Concept. We had originally selected the Black and Olive colors with a black vanity, mirror, and black and white floor tile. C&L liked it but weren’t quite sure about the black, We went back to the drawing board and decided the William & Co Pimpernel Wallpaper in Bayleaf and Manilla color with a softer gray painted vanity and mirror and white floor tile was more to their liking. After the Design Concept was approved, we went to work securing the building permit, procuring all the elements, and scheduling our trusted tradesmen to perform the work. We did uncover some shoddy work by the flippers such as live electrical wires hidden behind the wall, plumbing venting cut-off and buried in the walls (hence the constant dampness), the tub barely balancing on two fence boards across the floor joist, and no insulation on the exterior wall. All of the previous blunders were fixed and the bathroom put back to its previous glory. We could feel the house thanking us for making it pretty again. The After Reveal: Cohesive Design Decisions We selected a simple white subway tile for the tub/shower. This is always classic and in keeping with the style of the house. We selected a pre-fab vanity and mirror, but they look rich with the quartz countertop. There is much more storage in this small vanity than you would think. The Transformation: A Period Perfect Refresh We began the remodel just as the pandemic reared and stay-in-place orders went into effect. As C&L were already moved out and living with relatives, we got the go-ahead from city officials to get the work done (after all, how can you shelter in place without a bathroom?). All our tradesmen were scheduled to work so that only one crew was on the job site at a time. We stayed on the original schedule with only a one week delay. The end result is the sweetest little bathroom I've ever seen (and I can't wait to start work on C&L's kitchen next). Thank you for joining me in this project transformation. I hope this inspired you to think about being creative with your design projects, determining what works best in keeping with the architecture of your space, and carefully assessing how you can have the best life in your home.