A stunning renovation of a house in Balgowlah Height

A custom home builder in Chicago's western suburbs, Summit Signature Homes, ushers in a new era of residential construction. With an eye on superb design and value, industry-leading practices and superior customer service, Summit stands alone. Custom-built homes in Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Western Springs, and other western suburbs.

Design by Timber Trails Homes. Photo by Stoffer Photography Interiors.

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

We used Caesarstone quartz for the countertops and faux-marble tile from Crossville Tile's Virtue collection to create a space that was functional and maintenance-free as well as beautiful. On either side of the sink cabinet, the cabinets pullout to provide storage for hairdryers, curling irons as well as toiletries. This way, everything is close at hand without cluttering the countertops. Photography by Melodie Hayes

Photo by Hans Fonk

This spa-like main bathroom features a seductive and dramatic marble-looking feature wall. The dark wall is softened by contrasting wood-looking plank floors and mosaic pebble tiled floor in the shower. The seven-foot shower has multiple shower heads, including rainfall. There is also a tiled bench and wall niches for convenience. The infinity glass walls feature brass accents that match the luxurious chandelier and plumbing fixtures. This bathroom is a homeowner's dream, designed with a sizeable drop-in jacuzzi for self-care spa nights. A separate toilet room is located just behind the shower, with an adjacent closet for storage. In addition, the double black bathroom vanity with statement hardware ties in the dark feature wall. The frameless mirrors above the vanity reflect light around the room.

Hello there loves. The Prickly Pear AirBnB in Scottsdale, Arizona is a transformation of an outdated residential space into a vibrant, welcoming and quirky short term rental. As an Interior Designer, I envision how a house can be exponentially improved into a beautiful home and relish in the opportunity to support my clients take the steps to make those changes. It is a delicate balance of a family’s diverse style preferences, my personal artistic expression, the needs of the family who yearn to enjoy their home, and a symbiotic partnership built on mutual respect and trust. This is what I am truly passionate about and absolutely love doing. If the potential of working with me to create a healing & harmonious home is appealing to your family, reach out to me and I'd love to offer you a complimentary discovery call to determine whether we are an ideal fit. I'd also love to collaborate with professionals as a resource for your clientele. ?

An updated main, guest bathroom that is not only stylish but functional with built in storage.

Master bathroom with Makeup area