Make the most with the home you have. Modern renovations are one of the most popular design stories on Dwell. Renovation presents challenges, and smart design delivers solutions. Modern design and architecture allow old construction to meet new ideas and materials. Hire an architect or interior designer whenever possible, because professional training helps mitigate issues and yield truly beautiful spaces.

A Transformative Attic Renovation in Montreal
Removing a sloping ceiling adds five feet of headroom to this brightened live-work space.
A Traditional Facade Hides a Light-Filled Renovation in Delaware
Modern additions and a restoration transform a 2,930-square-foot home.
A Former Fish Warehouse in Portugal Is Reimagined as a Brilliant Villa Filled With Light
Atelier Rua and Studio Stories transform an old building in Olhão, Portugal, into a minimalist guesthouse with arched doorways, a...
This Light-Filled Industrial Renovation Plays Host to Live Music
In Portland, Oregon, a renovated warehouse fuses engineering and artistry, much like its owners.
10 Bright and Airy Modern Attic Renovations
If you are looking to add square footage—without a move—an attic renovation can be a fantastic solution.
7 Brooklyn Row Houses Renovations
The dream of owning a Brooklyn brownstone is just one of many reasons why people make the move to the popular outer borough.
A Light-Filled Modern Farmhouse Is Built For $240K
Inspired by the rural Wisconsin countryside, a team designs an elegant modern farmhouse with a simple exterior and a bright, airy...
An Open, Light-Filled House in Mexico City
An inviting house in the Mexican capital draws the outside in.
A Clever Renovation Turns a Dark Dutch House Into a Light-Filled Family Home
In a 1932 home with a dramatic sloped roof, a contemporary concrete extension makes the garden a part of the living space.
An Unused Garage Is Transformed Into a Light-Filled Backyard Studio
An inspiring renovation gives new life to a San Francisco family's old, unused garage.
This Light-Filled Cabin in the Netherlands Is Completely Made by Hand
Zecc Architects and Roel van Norel show just what can happen when great minds work together.
A Forgotten Warehouse Is Reborn Into a Light-Filled London Home
Formerly a schoolhouse property, this rundown London warehouse breathes new life as a modern two-bedroom abode after a complex...
These Serene, Minimalist Apartments in Tokyo Are Filled With Light and Nature
Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design renovate two Tokyo apartments—and the result is a love letter to Scandinavian and...
Light Floods This Dazzling Renovated Victorian in Australia
Templeton Architecture integrates steel-framed apertures throughout an 1890 home in Victoria to stunning effect.
7 Bathroom Renovation Ideas to Rejuvenate Your Space
Gone are the days of bathrooms simply being utilitarian spaces.
This Light-Filled Bungalow Exudes Playful Tree House Vibes
An empty-nester discovers the perfect place for a compact new dwelling at the edge of her own property in Melbourne.
A Central Courtyard Fills an Australian Home With Light and Lush Greenery
The renovated family home in Queensland has a modest footprint—both in its physical build and its approach to sustainability.
A Brisbane Architect Designs a Light-Filled Addition For Her Brother
With the addition of a striking, two-story "living hub," architect Rebecca Caldwell of Maytree Studios adds the finishing touch...
Escape to a Light-Filled, Beach-Meets-Forest Retreat in Portugal
Sitting across from a deserted beach on a private plot surrounded by a pine forest is a large modernist vacation home that's...
A Clever Sunken Roof Fills a London Terrace House with Light
A London renovation resolves a family’s yearning for open air and greenery.
This Light-Filled Forest Home in the Netherlands Brings Nature Into Focus
On the site of a former clinic, Kevin Veenhuizen Architects creates a peaceful family residence where plants and wildlife abound.
5 Light-Filled Spaces That Use Glass Blocks Creatively
Glass blocks—the old-school square blocks of translucent glass found in many buildings constructed from the 1940s through the...
This Light-Filled, Metallic Home Embraces Its Wooded Site
A compact home’s rhythmic facade and daylight-drenched interiors create a connection to nature.
A Spacious, Light-Filled Abode Hits the Market at $2.2M in Latvia
Set amongst a mature pine forest, the modern home offers over 13,000 square feet of interior space, and includes a large,...
A Light-Filled Contemporary Home Lists for $5.8M in Palo Alto
One of 16 homes in the newly built Orchard Park development, the three-level home offers nearly 5,000 square feet of interior...
An Old Dutch Row House Is Reimagined as a Light-Filled Haven
Architecture and landscape studio LMNL gives a dilapidated 19th-century brick home bright interior finishes, a smart layout, and...
A Light-Filled Duplex in Boston With an Elevator and Parking Asks $3.2M
As stylish as the elegant Back Bay neighborhood around it, this spacious home is a must-see.
A Rippling Ceiling Angles for Light in a Melbourne Mullet Renovation
While keeping the home’s Victorian facade, FMD Architects builds a resonant rear addition that captures light and garden views.
A Sleek Renovation in London Ushers Light Into a Family Home
A streamlined and modernized design transforms this London terrace house into a refined, bright, and spacious home that supports...
An Architect’s Light-Filled Home Is Tailored to the Scale of a SoCal Neighborhood
A California architect designs a home for his growing family that seamlessly fits into the neighborhood—and boasts an outdoor...
A Series of Interlocking Gables Create a Light-Filled Family Home in Denmark
C.F. Møller Architects implements an abundance of brick in an homage to another of their projects, the elegant Aarhus University.
This May Be the Most Ecologically Ambitious Home Renovation on the Planet
On Bainbridge Island, off the Washington coast, Charlie Hellstern Interior Design and The Miller Hull Partnership create the...
An Old Brick House in Spain Becomes a Light-Filled Family Home
The renovation by miniArquitectura keeps the home’s charm intact, but creates opened-up spaces with a material palette to match.
A Soaring Atrium With a Perforated Roof Fills This Chinese Home With Dappled Light
Patterned light falls into the open heart of this alluring Jinhua City residence.
This Rick Joy–Designed Apartment in Mexico City Is Filled With Light and Greenery
Outdoor spaces, natural light, and greenery abound in this urban infill project.
Own a Light-Filled L.A. Midcentury Home With Treehouse Vibes For $1.2M
Perched high in the hills of Silver Lake, a beautifully maintained midcentury home with stellar views seeks a new owner.

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