Whilst the main focus for this renovation was the kitchen and bathrooms, the clients used the opportunity to instil some better functionality and modern influences in some adjoining rooms. This bespoke entertainment unit was designed and built to house a new gas fireplace, with the tv wall mounted above. Once again, the stunning porcelain in the cladding of this fireplace, makes for a real focal point in the living room.

Relaxed and light filled family living and dining room with leafy bay-side views.
This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove and a metal fireplace surround.

Formal Living Dining with french oak parquetry and Marie Antoinette floor style reflected on the ceiling coffers, and a hand crafted travertine fire place mantel

Contemporary living room
Large transitional enclosed living room in Sydney with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, brown floor and wallpaper.

The two-story great room features custom modern fireplace and modern chandelier. Voluptuous windows let in the beautiful PNW light.
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, a stone fireplace surround and beige floor.

Mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Dallas with a library, green walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Caco Photography
Mid-sized beach style formal open concept living room in Brisbane with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

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

Photographer: Tom Crane
Design ideas for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Philadelphia with beige walls, no tv, carpet, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Design ideas for a mid-sized country formal open concept living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Residential Interior Decoration of a Bush surrounded Beach house by Camilla Molders Design Architecture by Millar Roberston Architects Photography by Derek Swalwell

This wood ceiling needed something to tone down the grain in the planks. We were able to create a wash that did exactly that. The floors (reclaimed red oak from a pre-Civil War barn) needed to have their different colors highlighted, not homogenized. Instead of staining the floor, we used a tung oil and beeswax finish that was hand buffed. Our clients wanted to have reclaimed wood beams in their ceiling, but could not use true old beams as they would not be sturdy enough to support the roof. We took their fresh- cut fir beams and used synthetic plasters, paints, and glazes to give them an authentic aged look. Taken by Alise O'Brien (aliseobrienphotography.com) Interior Designer: Emily Castle (emilycastle.com)

Large contemporary open concept living room in Phoenix with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and beige floor.

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Boston with brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Large contemporary enclosed living room in Toronto with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and recessed.

Transitional living room in Phoenix with light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

photo by Chad Mellon
Large country open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Warm white living room accented with natural jute rug and linen furniture. White brick fireplace with wood mantle compliments light tone wood floors.

Transitional living room in Minneapolis with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.