The year’s most remarkable Before & After renovations run the gamut of housing types and locales—from a tumbledown carriage house in Maryland to a crumbling Argentinian flat—however many of them share similar goals: to create more fluid living spaces and a better connection to the outdoors. Read on to see how the year’s top 10 modern remodels give new life to old houses.

10. In Buenos Aires, a Crumbling Home Gets a Major Refresh With a Rooftop Pool

9. A Single Door Connects This San Francisco Bungalow’s Past With Its Future

Before: A previous remodel had already reformed the rear of this existing bungalow in San Francisco. The owners needed more space for their family, including out-of-country relatives that stay for longer periods, but didn’t want to change the front exterior or lose any yard. A previous remodel (shown here) had already reshaped the rear of the home." layout="" credit="Courtesy of Edmonds + Lee Architects" photoUserId=""/>

8. A Tumbledown Carriage House Is Revived as a Vibrant Space for Entertaining

Before: Architect Colleen Healey created a colorful and spacious home from a dilapidated carriage house in Bethesda, Maryland. The architect preserved and reimagined the circular portal window. “If you already have those openings and you can work around them, it makes a lot of sense,” Healey says." layout="wide" credit="Courtesy of Colleen Healey" photoUserId=""/>

7. Chunky Terrazzo Sings in a Music Industry Couple’s Midcentury Home

6. Before & After: A Feral Terrace House Becomes a Magical Garden Home for $423K

5. Before & After: A Complete Overhaul Lifts a Jumbled Hilltop Home to Cloud Nine

Before: Fischer Architecture nearly started from scratch in this complete overhaul of a midcentury Oakland residence. They kept the general layout, but just about everything else changed, including the exterior facade, material palette, and glazing. A dark passageway (shown here) once connected the choppy rooms." layout="wide" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>Large openings like this one in the hallway bring in more natural light and views of the beautiful landscaping. “We try to find the straightest line between two points,” explains architect Andrew Fischer. “We always want to edit down, and be efficient with space.”" layout="wide" credit="Joe Fletcher" photoUserId=""/>

4. Before & After: A Toronto Couple Level Up Their Dingy Attic Into a Spa-Like Suite

Before: Nova Tayona Architects converted the third story of a 100-year-old Parkdale home into a soothing retreat with a dramatic, curving wardrobe that also acts as a room divider." layout="" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

3. Before & After: A Breakthrough Renovation Reveals a Parisian Apartment’s Good Bones

2. Before & After: A Rural Home on the California Coast Exudes Simplicity in Materials and Mindset

Before: Architect Talbot McLanahan transformed this California beach bungalow into a cozy family retreat that better connects with its surroundings." layout="" credit="Add credit" photoUserId=""/>

1. A Berkeley Cottage Grows to Embrace Its Boulder-Studded Site

The Most Shocking Before & After Renovations of 2021

10. A Brooklyn Brownstone’s Dreary Basement Becomes an Urban Oasis

9. A Rower Couple’s London Residence Amplifies Light and Space

8. A Storybook Cottage in L.A. Hits a Much-Needed Growth Spurt

7. An Abandoned Austin Bungalow Springs Back to Life With Five Lush Yards

6. A New Kitchen Celebrates the Curves of a Dome-Shaped Home in New York

5. Confetti-Like Brick and a Secret Passageway Bring Whimsy to a Melbourne Edwardian

4. A Yoga Teacher’s Growing Studio Spurs a Sensational Home Renovation

3. A Radiant Renovation Opens a Portland Midcentury to Its Forested Lot

Boyer removed walls in the main living spaces to connect them together, installed more glazing and skylights, including sliding glass doors that now open to the yard. The exposed rafters were carried into the exterior areas, including the covered patio." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Jeremy Bittermann" photoUserId="6133562520268292096"/>

2. An Airy Loft Opens Up a 1920 Bungalow in Atlanta

1. A Faux Mountain Inspired by Disneyland Caps This Riotous Renovation in London

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Before & After: Chunky Terrazzo Sings in a Music-Industry Couple’s Midcentury Home