2024 PRO Remodeler of the Year Grand Award Winner – Residential Interior
Our clients bought this 1973 modern-style home on a wooded one-acre lot near Washington, DC. Years of deferred maintenance only compounded the issues with a series of hodge-podge, nonsensical, poor-quality additions and alterations the previous owners had done. The lot was beautiful, location great, but the house… it had real potential for the family that had the vision to turn this piece of coal into a diamond. While the house was a labyrinth of odd spaces; we kept the design simple and practical, achieving a truly beautiful renovated home.
CLIENT NEEDS / WANTS:
- More open living spaces (less choppy little rooms everywhere)
- More privacy in the bedrooms
- Three ensuite bedrooms on the second level
- One private in-law suite on the lower level
- Changing all the inconsistent styles added to the house over time to be consistently mid-century modern
- Correct all the poor design and workmanship of previous renovations
- Bring the 1973 house into the new millennium
MAIN / LOWER LEVEL: The flow through the house was choppy and disconnected. While no square footage was added to this home, reorganizing and repurposing the spaces led to better efficiency and function.
- The before laundry and two bedrooms became an in-law suite for frequently visiting grandparents.
- Redesigning the staircases and foyer made the space more open, but also safer and more aesthetically pleasing.
- A complete kitchen renovation made the space more functional and modern in design.
- Walls removed between dining room and other spaces created better flow and access to natural light.
- Stairwell to basement mechanical room was re-proportioned to accommodate a large walk-in pantry and proper powder room.
BEFORE… looking toward “traditional” styled front door. The original home was a custom mid-century modern split level with original features such as the block wall and bench in the foyer.
AFTER… looking toward front door, cleaner more modern lines, front door, and finishes on the bench.
AFTER… looking from front door toward living spaces. We encouraged the client to honor the home’s original design and embrace the details with modern applications, removing the “traditional” features installed by prior owners.
BEFORE… living room
AFTER… living room new hardwood flooring in a lighter stain. Stairs were rebuilt/resized and covered with specialized concrete finish for a modern look.
BEFORE… wall separating living and dining room.
AFTER… wall between living room and dining room removed with new floating shelves tying the space together.
BEFORE… dining room was separated from kitchen space by proximity but also visually with different flooring delineating the rooms.
AFTER… dining room transitions easily to the kitchen by removing the wall structure and opening the space. Consistent hardwood flooring also makes the space more connected.
BEFORE… multiple physical and visual dividers separated the kitchen from the dining room, including the odd “waffle” light system in the kitchen area.
AFTER… Changing out the window to a large three panel slider lets in a lot more natural light.
BEFORE… the wall between the rooms, the “waffle” lights and the wall of niches was visually disturbing.
AFTER… open clean lines and color tones bring a sense of calm. Cabinets rather than niches provide excellent storage.
BEFORE… multiple ceiling lines, colors and floor materials made the living spaces feel choppy and disconnected.
AFTER… a modern makeover to the space adds not only visual interest but practical storage and prep areas in the kitchen as well.
BEFORE… the home had been embellished with several different design aesthetics.
AFTER… Our goal was to open the spaces, create connection throughout the public living areas, enhance the access to natural light, create calming yet stunning finishes, and modernize this split-level home.
BEFORE
DURING… We expanded the kitchen area within the existing interior footprint by removing the undersized “dropped beam” and replacing it with a proper sized “flush beam”.
AFTER… demonstrates that our design created a significantly better use of the interior space with beautiful modern finishes. The kitchen cabinets were selected as a nod to the home’s mid-century modern bones.
BEFORE… previous owner’s kitchen addition/renovation included a dark, traditional-style kitchen.
AFTER… we created a modern space open to more natural light with the addition of another skylight and a wall of windows.
KITCHEN DETAILS… Seamless details and a focus on organizational accessories in the kitchen were a priority for the clients. Keeping with our design theme of “no wasted space”, we sought opportunities for storage and increased functionality throughout the kitchen.
Renovated Staircase made a huge impact…
BEFORE… one had to step down from the foyer only to step up to the stairs leading to the next level.
AFTER… Redesigning the stairs not only helped connect three levels of the home more cohesively, but the redesign also improved safety. By extending the foyer floor to become a landing for the upper stairs, the space is more attractive and functionally safer.
BEFORE… A dark and dingy rear stairwell off the kitchen leading to a mechanical room and an exterior door.
AFTER… that stairwell was opened-up and re-proportioned to incorporate a larger, walk-in pantry and a powder room.
AFTER… New Walk-in Pantry behind the second door down this renewed hallway.
BEFORE… powder room had an odd extra sink outside.
AFTER… The new powder room positioned off the new re-purposed stairwell/hallway is beautiful. Tucked into the new hallway behind the kitchen, the location also provides privacy for guests. A pocket door allows the interior of the powder room to feel more spacious.
BEFORE… Music Room had arches and marble stairs not befitting a modern home.
BEFORE
AFTER… Music Room has been renovated, including the stairs, to communicate a modern motif. The space makes a beautiful transition to the new in-law suite.
BEFORE… Space is now the new In-Law Suite.
BEFORE
AFTER… Space repurposed to create private In-Law Suite.
AFTER… the extension of the home’s color scheme brings serenity into this in-law oasis. Bedroom has plenty of natural light.
AFTER… Private sitting room with fireplace and new exterior door provides independent living quarters during long visits.
AFTER… the new bathroom with walk-in shower is safe for visitors of any age.
Moving on to the Upper Level…
BEFORE… The Primary Suite was multiple rooms, multiple bathrooms, and a walk-in closet off a hallway and stairs leading to the uppermost part of the house… a loft. This configuration did not meet our clients’ needs.
AFTER… The Primary Suite repurposes the entire space making the bedroom, WIC, and primary bath with tub room a cohesive unit. Creating a proper hallway allows access to the loft level without having to walk through the primary suite space.
BEFORE… the primary bedroom was disproportionately narrow and long.
AFTER… Adjusting the space to capture the former walk-in closet and relocating the fireplace to a central location provided a greater sense of balance in the room. Skylights and larger windows were added to capture the morning sun.
BEFORE… the primary bedroom had an unobstructed view into the shower through an intrusive large interior window. A dropped cove ceiling was not in keeping with the modern lines of the home.
AFTER… We eliminated the shower window to create more privacy in the bathroom. We were able to rework the framing of the ceiling to achieve a vaulted ceiling to maintain the characteristics found elsewhere in the home.
BEFORE… the primary bathroom was cramped and poorly configured.
AFTER… by combining connected rooms and reconfiguring the footprint, we were able to enlarge the bathroom and provide a more tranquil, functional space with better circulation.
BEFORE… primary sink area did not have adequate counter space.
AFTER… sink area has more counter and storage space.
BEFORE… a narrow shower…
…and sauna were side by side.
AFTER… a large walk-in shower is an inviting space with plenty of natural light.
BEFORE… the Tub Room had a sunken tub covered with a hard to access wooden panel. The sunken feature was also a safety issue.
AFTER… the renovated Tub Room has a large soaker tub with access to natural and accent lighting. The new tub access is much safer.
BEFORE… multiple primary suite closets were poorly organized.
AFTER… light-filled, spacious closets with good organization better met the clients’ needs.
BEFORE… the upstairs didn’t have a proper hallway.
A two-story atrium was a unique feature, but the built-in stone artwork was odd and poorly done.
AFTER… the new hallway serves as a transitional space between the primary suite, the loft and the two other bedrooms on the upper level. This new hallway extends the views and brings more natural light into the home.
Removing the built-in artwork from the atrium allowed the space to simple exist as an organic space allowing natural light into the home.
AFTER… Reorganizing the space allowed for a new laundry room to be added to the upper level.
Rebuilding the three-level staircase made a significant impact in the split-level home…
BEFORE… the steps to the loft were inside the primary suite walk-in closet area.
DURING… multi-level framing was necessary to open staircase leading to all levels of the home.
AFTER… the new staircase is beautiful and opens the space from the main level to the loft level with an attractive cable rail system capped with hardwood matching the flooring. This modification extends the views within the home and to the outside. It also allows more natural light throughout the home.
BEFORE… the loft area was inside and above a primary suite closet space.
The loft itself didn’t seem to have any real purpose.
AFTER… the new staircase makes access to the loft much more pleasant.
The addition of a bathroom and loads of storage in the loft space extends its potential uses.
BEFORE… the son’s bedroom suite
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER… Complete reconfiguration of the bathroom and closet space make the space more functional.
BEFORE… ensuite bathroom
AFTER… renovated features like a large, lighted mirror in the bathroom.
BEFORE… Guest Room
AFTER… While no significant repurposing of space took place in this room, renewed color scheme make the space more welcoming.
CONCLUSION – CLIENT’S NEEDS MET:
- Open living spaces, improve lines of sight through out the home for visual connections as well as natural light, design solutions included but not limited to:
- Remove separation wall between the living and dining room
- Created new rear kitchen window wall and three symmetrical skylights
- Created new three panel rear door opening from dining room outside
- Created open staircase between all levels of the home
- Create privacy for family and guest including:
- Main level powder room tucked in new rear hallway
- Primary bathroom –removed interior window into shower and created private water closet
- Separate suite with sitting room with proper exterior entrance for in-laws
- Create consistent mid-century modern design throughout the house; remove inconsistent styles:
- Renovated traditional kitchen making it a modern space
- Removed arches, coved ceilings, doors and other traditional elements and replace them with modern features and fixtures
- Resolved poor quality and improved safety:
- Previous kitchen addition floor and roof framing undersized and required replacement with proper size framing members
- Added upper-level laundry
- Created a larger more generous, walk-in shower, replaced the “sunken tub”
- Brought the home into the new millennium:
- New modern kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances
- All new HVAC energy efficient systems
- Spray foam insulation added to entire home
Award Winning Remodelers in Northern Virginia – Bowers Design Build has specialized in providing the best overall experience in the remodeling industry since 1990. Bowers Design Build specializes in Northern Virginia Remodeling and Northern Virginia Custom Homes. Our numerous industry remodeling awards have been great, but the true measure of our success has been high marks in overall customer satisfaction
Service areas: McLean, Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Oakton, Great Falls, Alexandria, Fairfax County and Middleburg.
Specializing in: Northern Virginia New Custom Homes, Northern Virginia Whole House Renovations, Northern Virginia Kitchen Renovations, Northern Virginia Master Bathroom Renovations, Northern Virginia Interior Renovations, Northern Virginia Basement Renovations, Renovations for Aging-in-Place and Northern Virginia Outdoor Living Spaces.
