A view from the dinning room through to the formal lounge
Traditional open concept living room in Sydney with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround and black floor.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional powder room in Sydney with raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a one-piece toilet, beige walls, marble floors, a drop-in sink, engineered quartz benchtops, black floor, white benchtops, a floating vanity and wallpaper.

Renovated bathroom recreates original charm. 1" hexagon floor tile and 3" x 6" subway tile by Daltile (color: Arctic White). Pedestal sink and recessed medicine cabinet by Restoration Hardware. Toilet by Toto. Existing wall sconces (and overhead surface-mounted fixture) re-used. Window trim salvaged from other area of the house to match existing. New Wood/Ultrex window by Marvin. Pale blue paint by Benjamin Moore.

Inspiration for a traditional laundry room in Columbus.

Outdoor living room designed by Sue Oda Landscape Architect. Photo: ilumus photography & marketing Model: The Mighty Mighty Mellow, Milo McPhee, Esq.

Ample storage for fresh items can be found in the Walnut and metal mesh pull out island baskets was chosen for efficiency. Created by Normandy Designer Kathryn O'Donovan, Photo credit: Normandy Remodeling

A Chattanooga primary bedroom gets an update that combines family pieces and modern design elements. Fireplace surround was reworked with Calacatta Violetta stone slabs for a luxe design element.

This is an example of a traditional home office in Dallas.

Inspiration for a traditional kitchen in Columbus with raised-panel cabinets and grey cabinets.

Time Honored Modern
Traditional mudroom in Minneapolis with grey floor.

An oversized master suite has room for a cozy sectional and balcony access to the outdoor deck. The white crown molding dresses the space up with a classy feel. The eye catching chandalier gives a grand exit to the private balcony. Photo by Spacecrafting

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

Photo of a mid-sized traditional two-storey grey house exterior in Chicago with concrete fiberboard siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

The owner of this kitchen is a chef and holds cooking classes often. The large granite island provides plenty of viewing area for her students while allowing her to move around the space freely. The lowered Carrera marble counter-top is perfect for prep work and is flanked by refrigerator and freezer drawers for the ultimate in convenience. A full-size refrigerator is hidden behind the pantry doors.

This is an example of a traditional kitchen in Baltimore.

This garden pathway links the front yard to the backyard area. Perennials and shrubs bloom throughout the season providing interest points that change from week to week. Creeping thyme and other flowering plants fill in the spaces between the irregular stone pathway.

Andrea Rugg Photography
Photo of a small traditional bathroom in Minneapolis with blue cabinets, a corner shower, a two-piece toilet, black and white tile, ceramic tile, blue walls, marble floors, an undermount sink, engineered quartz benchtops, grey floor, a hinged shower door, white benchtops and shaker cabinets.

Wall of windows over kitchen sink. Casement windows allow easy opening. Photo by David Berlekamp
Large traditional l-shaped kitchen in Cleveland with shaker cabinets, grey splashback, subway tile splashback, stainless steel appliances, medium hardwood floors, with island, brown floor, an undermount sink, white cabinets, quartz benchtops and white benchtop.

A closer look at the bathroom cabinetry, Carrera countertop, and rehabbed door with restored door hardware.
Small traditional 3/4 bathroom in San Francisco with white cabinets, an alcove shower, white tile, subway tile, white walls, ceramic floors, an undermount sink, quartzite benchtops, white floor, a hinged shower door and recessed-panel cabinets.