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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 Converted Warehouse Loft in the San Francisco Bay Area Seeks $950K
The radiant space in Emeryville features 19-foot ceilings, exposed wood beams, and a gabled skylight.
5 Modern Dishwashers
Dishwashers don’t seem to hold the same cache as some of the more lust-worthy kitchen appliances (looking at you, gas ranges).
How to Add a Modern Twist to Any Kitchen Style
It doesn’t always take a full-scale renovation to make a classic kitchen feel more modern.
Modern Cottage Renovation in Michigan
A sagging ranch house is reborn as a spacious cabin with a soaring roof in Harbert, Michigan.
Renovating a Modern House in a Historic District
What constitutes good modern design in a historic district? Kansas City architecture firm Kem Studio proposes a solution that...
5 Vital Tips for Sticking to Your Renovation Budget
Keep things from getting out of hand with these insider tips.
Modern Lilong House Renovation in Shanghai
Seeking a stronger connection with his adopted city, Edoardo Allegranti revamps a lilong house in China’s bustling municipality.
5 Kitchen Renovations Done for Less Than $100K
Kitchen renovations can be daunting, but here’s some expert inspiration to get you going.
Top 5 Homes of the Week With Awe-Inspiring Renovations
Rearranged home layouts, refreshed kitchens, and updated dining rooms take these modern home renovations to the next level.
Top 5 Jaw-Dropping Home Renovations of the Week
The best renovations restore homes without sacrificing their original essence.
A Strategic Renovation Makes This ’90s Toronto Loft Ultra-Flexible
A thoughtful intervention by SOCA carves out an additional bedroom and bathroom while keeping the budget in check.
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...
A 1957 Midcentury in Seattle Receives a Striking Makeover
By removing walls, inserting new windows, and using a lighter color palette, Mowery Marsh Architects give this historic home a...
An 11-Year Renovation Helps a Couple Grow Simpatico With the Original Homeowner’s Quirky Vision
An inspired, if poorly constructed, Los Angeles home gets a proper retrofit that preserves its many idiosyncrasies.
In Berlin, an Auto Repair Shop Becomes a High-Performance Home for a Painter and Her Family
Playing into the building’s raw, industrial character, Studio Karhard converts a space to be fit for children—without losing its...
25 Memorable Midcentury Modern Kitchen Renovations
We love a good midcentury renovation all the more when stellar kitchen updates are involved.
A Major Restoration Updated This Midcentury Landmark in Belgium
A Belgian couple abide by strict preservation rules to breathe new life into an International Style villa by architect Lucien...
Before & After: A Country Home Blossoms in the Ruins of an Old Stone Barn
Type rehabs a rundown stone structure into an elegant dwelling—and then sets about rewilding its site in the English countryside.
This Renovated Garage is the Ultimate Modern Party Space
A vacation home’s renovated garage fuses art and architecture.
A Minimalist Bungalow in Miami Welcomes a Sleek New Addition
In South Miami, a thoughtful revamp and extension embraces the outdoors on an intimate scale.
Outside Paris, a 19th-Century House Conceals a Minimalist Tableau Rich With Color
In a nature preserve, two creative directors design a colorful country home.
Before & After: An L.A. Loft in a Former Nabisco Factory Gets a Japanese-Inspired Makeover
Amanda Gunawan of OWIU Design turns a cookie-cutter space into an Asian-inflected haven with an industrial edge.
To Update a Midcentury With a Striking Open-Truss Ceiling, They Tracked Down Its Original Architect
Designed in 1949 by Donald Edwin Pedersen—a lesser-known member of Southern California’s roster of midcentury architects, the now...
A Barcelona Apartment Gets a Softly Modern Renovation
A updated apartment reveals its Catalan roots.
An Antwerp Apartment Captures the Spirit of the Belle Époque
In Antwerp, Belgium, a historic flat is transformed into a bright and airy, dreamy oasis.
Fashion Designer Lezanne Viviers’s Johannesburg Digs Double as a Studio and Concept Store
The glass-fronted, 1960s gem acts as a display case for her eponymous label, vibrant artworks, and modernist furniture.
A Grand Victorian Glows Like a Lantern After a Luminous Retrofit
Timmins + Whyte carves out a sun-soaked haven in a heritage-listed Melbourne home.
A Midcentury Relic in Perth Gets a Gut Renovation—and the Results Are Stunning
With its modernist, ’60s flair preserved, the coastal family home now features flowing living spaces that combine bespoke...
Top 5 Homes of the Week With Cozy, Modern Fireplaces
Sparks are flying in these modern fireplace designs.
This Modern Farmhouse Outside Toronto Makes Its Own Rules
Designer Scott Posno’s sleek-meets-rustic interpretation allows this sprawling property to follow its own playbook.
A Victorian Home Takes Over the Ruins of an Old Parchment Factory in England
Will Gamble Architects revives a crumbling, 17th-century structure with a svelte addition of steel, brick, and glass.
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.
Before & After: A Faux Mountain Inspired by Disneyland Caps This Riotous Renovation in London
Architect Mat Barnes transforms his Edwardian home into a postmodern playground of pattern and color.
Before & After: Curving Glass Walls Give This Traditional Beijing Home an Otherworldly Appeal
A derelict courtyard residence gets revitalized with a sinuous, glass-walled pathway.
A 17th-Century Building in the Swiss Alps Is Reimagined as a Residence, Rental, and Wine Bar
Designer Jonathan Tuckey rescues a stone-and-timber structure from demolition and reconfigures it as a site for contemporary...
A Designer's Tips For Renovating a Midcentury Modern Interior
Interior designer Jessica Helgerson shares some pointers for tastefully updating a midcentury abode.

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