Before & After

Packed with personality, the retooled shed might just be the cutest little ADU in the state.

Architect Leah Solk reworks every bit of ad-hoc storage to tame clutter and streamline the space.

A jaguar mural, bold yellow butterfly wallpaper, and a spirited collection of artwork and furnishings by local makers complete the family home.

The home had little connection to the outdoors, so Simon Knight Architects turned the basement level’s disused yard into a bright, welcoming space.

Architect Jack Hotho and Innen Studio swap out sloping floors and exposed wires to create a bright and breezy living space.

Designer Lisa Carolla streamlines her space for post-beach bites, communal cooking, and everyday living in Encinitas.

Architect Robert Swatt sets out to preserve a classic John Carl Warnecke house while carrying it into the present.

In São Paulo, architect Alexandre Skaff restores fixtures and furniture while updating a midcentury apartment that once belonged to his husband’s grandmother.

A new addition makes it possible for kids to have their own space, while still being close to their parents.

Simon Knight Architects turns a historic building into a contemporary family home by sprucing up its exterior and rejiggering the ground floor.

Architect Colleen Healey creates a colorful and spacious home for a design-savvy family that likes to host.

The bottom floor of this townhouse renovation now connects to the outdoors via a new ADU office.

A thoughtful renovation by Andrea McLean Studio gives new life to a dilapidated house in White Rock, British Columbia.

“You feel like you’re walking through a time machine,” says architect Robert Edmonds.

Gast Architects revamps a classic California home that hadn’t been updated since it was originally built in 1956.

Taryn Mickus had a vision to transform a 1910 home in her neighborhood with new finishes, custom touches, and an open plan, and her husband, architect Ben Mickus, executed.

BRCJ Designs upgrades a 280-square-foot guest studio in the Hollywood Hills with white oak cabinetry, terrazzo counters, and full-sized amenities.

Colossus Mfg. revives the living areas and backyard of a Sacramento residence with contrasting colors and materials.

Hub of the House Studio remixes a Burbank dwelling’s dated kitchen and bathrooms with color, texture, and pitch-perfect storage.

SHED Architecture + Design preserves the character of a 1959 dwelling in Washington while streamlining the plan, enlarging the kitchen, and building out a kids’...

Michelle Boudreau Design revamps an unremarkable home using striking tile, a slatted-wood motif, and niche designer decor.

David Marlatt of DNM Architecture field tests materials and designs as he remodels his 1906 home in Sausalito.

In the trendy neighborhood of Dublin 8, Studio And upgrades a 1920s pebble dash house for a creative couple on a tight budget.

Modus Development elevates a Highland Park dwelling with daylighting, archways, and a rooftop deck.

Sogno Design Group reimagines a small 1930s home on an unusually large lot to make room for three generations of a family.

Some things were beyond salvaging, but a renovation by interior designer Diona Polito worked to honor the history of the house.

Interior design firm Falken Reynolds finesses a new floor plan, opens the interiors, and applies a fresh material palette for a family fed up with the past.

Celebrity design duo the Novogratz give a 1930s residence a new lease on life with an expanded layout, warm, minimalist interiors, and a better connection to the outdoors.

Frederick Tang Architecture restores an 1896 home’s historic details, but takes things a step further with exuberant accents, wallpaper, and decor.

A medley of white oak and walnut and a reorganized floor plan elevate this Upper West Side renovation by Ammor Architecture.