Stacked stone, reclaimed ceiling beams, oak floors with custom stain, custom cabinets BM super white with oak niches, windows have auto Hunter Douglas shades furnishing from ID - White Crypton fabric on sofa and green velvet chairs. Antique Turkish rug and super white walls. Image by @Spacecrafting

Love how this kitchen renovation creates an open feel for our clients to their dining room and office and a better transition to back yard!

alyssa kirsten

Photography by Patrick Brickman

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

Ruth Willmott

Photos by Julie Soefer

The spacious great room in this home, completed in 2017, is open to the kitchen and features a linear fireplace on a floating honed limestone hearth, supported by hidden steel brackets, extending the full width between the two floor to ceiling windows. The custom oak shelving forms a display case with individual lights for each section allowing the homeowners to showcase favorite art objects. The ceiling features a step and hidden LED cove lighting to provide a visual separation for this area from the adjacent kitchen and informal dining areas. The rug and furniture were selected by the homeowners for everyday comfort as this is the main TV watching and hangout room in the home. A casual dining area provides seating for 6 or more and can also function as a game table. In the background is the 3 seasons room accessed by a floor-to-ceiling sliding door that opens 2/3 to provide easy flow for entertaining.

Our clients wanted to update the bathroom on the main floor to reflect the style of the rest of their home. The clean white lines, gold fixtures and floating vanity give this space a very elegant and modern look.

2018 Artisan Home Tour Photo: LandMark Photography Builder: City Homes, LLC

This home is a modern farmhouse on the outside with an open-concept floor plan and nautical/midcentury influence on the inside! From top to bottom, this home was completely customized for the family of four with five bedrooms and 3-1/2 bathrooms spread over three levels of 3,998 sq. ft. This home is functional and utilizes the space wisely without feeling cramped. Some of the details that should be highlighted in this home include the 5” quartersawn oak floors, detailed millwork including ceiling beams, abundant natural lighting, and a cohesive color palate. Space Plans, Building Design, Interior & Exterior Finishes by Anchor Builders Andrea Rugg Photography

Pebble Beach Powder Room. Photographer: John Merkl