As we crest into the conclusion of this surreal year, many families are confronted with the prospect of further time at home. Work, family, business, and pleasure are now pivoting around the family home in a manner that a year ago simply would have been unimaginable.

It’s a reality that we are all adapting to and we are finding the family home has taken on an even further central role in many lives. This has inevitably led many families to make significant changes to their homes in regards to layout, design, safety measures, sustainability, and comfort.

I am a father of 2 young children (who don’t necessarily understand the nuances of what’s happening with COVID-19), a husband, a CEO, and professional in Boston. Like all of us I am navigating the Rubik’s Cube of duties that has become the sometimes surreal pattern of life today. 

We work with our clients to help each inject a higher level of aesthetics, calm, and sustainability into their lives to lift their spirits. We do this through designing and remodeling homes ideal for their lifestyle and which can safely accommodate the growth and needs of their families in these times.

A key aspect of this can be a beautiful sustainable Master Bath design — often in conjunction with a whole-home or partial-home remodel. An aesthetic, creative, and sustainable Master Bath can be a much needed personal investment in self — and can offer an oasis of stress relief and personal shelter from the rhythm of work, family, and life. A sustainable Master Bath can offer refuge and sanctity in today’s world — a resting place to recuperate from daily travails and a platform for self care that is much needed. 

We are passionate about creating such spaces sustainably. 

Eco awareness and sustainability are massive and vital topics in these times. Our Earth has borne the brunt of mankind’s technological leaps over the past century without a corresponding increase in individual and corporate awareness and responsibility towards the environment.

We use an array of sustainable design and build methods to accomplish this for our clients — some of which are these:

1. Whole Home Design and Remodel to Passive House standards. This is the gold standard internationally in regards to minimal energy consumption and a markedly reduced carbon footprint in a home or residence. We are seeing an increasing reach towards this standard in the luxury market.

2. The use of elegant reclaimed wood and natural materials in our custom kitchen, home, and Master Bath designs.

3. Local sourcing of materials to minimize the carbon footprint of transportation needs.

Here are several beautiful examples of sustainable Master Bath design and remodels we have done in Boston.

MASTER BATHROOM REMODEL IN CHESTNUT HILL

Full Project: www.nedesignbuild.com/portfolio/master-bathroom-chestnut-hill/

These clients wished for a serene space in their Chestnut Hill home where they could begin and end their hectic days. Tapping into the outdoor showers of The Cape where they also own a home — we decided to bring some teak into the wet area accompanied by a skylight to catch the morning light for an “outdoor feel” inside of the suburbs. 

The shower deck is supported by a product that is marketed for roof deck systems. It allows the deck to be removed to clean beneath it periodically, and to eventually be replaced after the marine-grade varnish that protects the teak begins to wear. The tile is large format porcelain faux Calacatta Gold. The extremely long vanity and the linen closet were custom built for this space, while the wall and trim color were chosen to match the white of the furniture — so the tile and the teak would be the only color remaining in the room. The Toto Soiree widespread lav faucet was chosen to accentuate the length of the vanity; the clean lines of the Hansgrohe Axor Starck controls on the knee wall were selected to play off the grain of the teak. The mirror wraps the corner and overshoots the extended vanity, so the teak is visible throughout the room.

Best endorsement ever: “We love the bathrooms. We gather there as a family. Never expected that.”

SUSTAINABLE ELEGANCE: MASTER BATH SUITE

Full Project: www.nedesignbuild.com/portfolio/watertown-master-suite/

This dark and eclectic master bath combines reclaimed wood, large format tile, and mixed round tile with an asymmetrical tub to create a hideaway where you can immerse yourself. Combined rainfall and hand shower with recessed shower niches provide many showering options, while the wet area is open to the large tub with additional hand shower and waterfall spout. A stunning eclectic light fixture provides an air of the world traveler to the space.

HOME SPA: A MASTER BATH FOR THE WORKING PROFESSIONAL

Full Project: www.nedesignbuild.com/portfolio/master-bathroom-natick/

This modern master bathroom incorporates tiles imprinted with a rock pattern, creating a spa-like environment against the crisp and clean lines of the modern vanity. A large walk-in shower incorporates multiple spray jets and features for an exceptional and luxurious shower. Neutral colors keep you calm as you shower away your stress in this oasis!

In this two story addition and whole home remodel, NEDC transformed a dark and cramped single family home into a large, functional home full of light. The kitchen, dining room, master bedroom, and one other room were fully remodeled and reconfigured to allow for a master suite addition — including a new exterior deck, entry, stair, basement, and living room.

Home Design & Remodeling Trends in Boston

All clients are looking for the best investment of their time and funds when looking to design and remodel a home. Many don’t really know where to start — as this is a major decision that is not done routinely. We understand this — the first thing we do with our clients is help to educate them on the process.

Sustainable Design-Build is currently the approach to home creation that has garnered the attention and support of top real estate agents, designers, and builders throughout Boston. Sustainable Design-Build is highly recommended to clients due to its ability to minimize cost, reduce change orders, and deliver a higher-quality project on a faster timeline — while reducing environmental impact and the carbon footprint.

Design-Bid-Build is the process which has been introduced over the past 150 years or so whereby you hire an architect to draft plans and design your project — to then have it bid out to contractors seeking to perform the project. This approach has many liabilities for the client due in no small part to the fragmented spheres of responsibilities which exist. There is no single person or entity fully accountable to the client for the entire project’s success. Thus you can have impractical and expensive design work, impractical planning, numerous change orders, shoddy craftsmanship — with projects off timeline and over budget. In the end the client can be left damaged and upset. You may have experienced this in the past.

 Sustainable Design-Build is highly recommended if you want to save on time and money, reduce stress, and eliminate a fragmented sense of project responsibility in the people working for you — while caring for the environment. Sustainable Design-Build is a planning and execution model which stresses single-source accountability with the creative design, planning, and remodel executed start to finish by one firm.

The word “Architect” in fact comes from Greek Arkhi – Master and Tekton – Builder. Architect = Master Builder and throughout history has traditionally been so up until the mid 19th-century. As a creative firm we embrace the Architect’s original meaning and role, executing every step of the design, planning and construction within our own team.

Design-Build is turned to by professionals, families, and individuals as the cutting edge of efficiency, aesthetics, practicality and accountability when it comes to designing and remodeling a home. This approach packages architectural design and interior design services with highly-skilled and artisan-level building and remodeling services. This natural synthesis makes for a simple, efficient and accountable creative process followed by a streamlined and responsible execution process — reducing cost, time of execution, and client stress throughout. In the Design-Build modality, the client is dealing solely with one fully accountable firm. 

New England Design and Construction does Sustainable Architectural Design-Build with a focus on high-end and luxury homes. Here are further examples of beautiful Design-Build remodels we have done throughout the Greater Boston Area:

www.nedesignbuild.com/portfolio

This is our process: 

www.nedesignbuild.com/architectural-design-process/www.nedesignbuild.com/portfolio

We’d love to hear from you and are happy to assist in lending sustainable beauty to your home, family, and life.

Love,

Dave