2024 PRO Metro DC Remodeler of the Year Grand Award Winner – Best Kitchen
Our clients have a 1930s stone home that they love for its solid construction and charm. However, a former owner added an odd, bi-level addition to the back of the house that added space but not much functionality and left the existing kitchen very small. The addition also created challenges to the circulation to and from the kitchen and casual dining/breakfast area.
Our clients were also concerned with the structural integrity of the upper-level of the rear addition where the breakfast room was located.
The homeowners wanted a large, open, eat-in kitchen with better access to the family room so that they could spend more time together as a family during meal preparation and dining.
The solution we implemented was rebuilding the structure of the existing upper-level floor of the addition and moving the kitchen to that space… turning the former kitchen into a large, walk-in pantry.
Understanding what our clients loved and didn’t love about their home is an important part of this kitchen renovation story. They loved this 1930 stone home for its structural integrity and charm.
BUT an odd, bi-level rear addition added by a previous owner added space but left the existing small kitchen and created a circulation issue inside between the kitchen and casual dining/breakfast area.
The BEFORE floor plan illustrates the bi-level addition on the rear of the home that housed the breakfast area. However, the flooring of the upper level of the addition was unsafe, the kitchen was very small, and you had to walk through two doorways to get from the kitchen to the breakfast area.
AFTER… rebuilding the bi-level addition upper floor and moving the kitchen to that space allowed us to create a larger, more functional kitchen. Moving the powder room and laundry out of the addition, allowed us to create an adjacent eat-in breakfast area. The former kitchen is now a large, walk-in/thru pantry.
BEFORE… The former kitchen and all its daily living mess was on full display from the front door…
…and from the formal dining room.
BEFORE… The former kitchen was small.
BEFORE… Egress to the breakfast room in the addition was through a former exterior window or two doorways.
Access to and from the kitchen from the breakfast room
BEFORE… the breakfast area was on the upper-level of the existing rear bi-level addition. Access to the kitchen was cumbersome, you had to walk through two doorways or pass things through the interior window. The homeowners loved the original stone façade wall in the addition and wanted to keep it as part of the new kitchen design. Sadly, the addition also had structural issues that needed to be corrected.
AFTER… The new kitchen has been moved to the addition and is in the space of the former breakfast room. We needed to completely rebuild the floor system in this space to make the kitchen safe.
AFTER… the eat-in kitchen is beautiful, functional and meets all our clients’ needs.
The former kitchen is now a walk-in/thru pantry connecting the formal dining room to the kitchen. The pantry can be hidden from the formal dining by closing a pocket door.
The former kitchen interior window was converted to the new doorway.
The former kitchen is now the walk-in/thru pantry with loads of storage and an extra refrigerator. Shelving was custom designed to accommodate the clients’ food stuffs, large trays, and other kitchen items not easily stored.
Shelving was built on the site by our carpenters and painted to match the trim color.
AFTER… the view from the front door shows a proper formal dining room to house their antique dining set.
The pocket door leads to the new kitchen pantry (old kitchen).
The new eat-in breakfast area replaces the space formerly occupied by the laundry…
…and powder room area.
Opening this area to two existing windows allowed for more natural light in the space.
The laundry equipment was relocated to a storage closet upstairs near the bedrooms.
The powder room was relocated to an area off the main hallway that used to be part of the former kitchen space.
Looking from the far kitchen corner, the breakfast area is adjacent to the new peninsula seating area, extending the casual dining space… especially when entertaining.
The new kitchen has better access to the existing lower-level family room; improving circulation and functionality.
The new kitchen also has access to the screened porch through a new glass door that lets in more natural light.
The new kitchen has the perfect “work triangle” for increased functionality; with great access to the refrigerator, sink and stove… with plenty of prep area in between.
BEAUTIFULLY FUNCTIONAL: 24-inch microwave drawer is accessible to both adults and children • 36-inch double basin sink with front apron is both practical and attractive • Appliance garage provides a home for the most often used kitchen hand appliances • Shelving for their beloved cookbooks • Quartz countertops in Soapstone Mist are stain and scratch resistant • 4-inch Lightolier recessed lights provide excellent task and general lighting
GE Café 48-inch side-by-side refrigerator provides plenty of capacity
Monogram 36″ Dual-Fuel Professional Range with 6 Natural Gas Burners and Zephyr island vent hood
FUNCTIONALITY: The sink is flanked by the dishwasher and pull-out trash receptacle for ease of food prep and clean up • Strive 36” double basin undermount 16-gauge stainless steel is as attractive as it is functional • InSinkErator top mount air switch clearly denotes how to turn on the garbage disposal • Artesso pull-down faucet provides all in one convenience for water stream and spray • Artesso bar faucet with Aquifer water filtration system provides easy access to filtered water
Crystal Encore base cabinets in designer white • Keyline series wall and tall cabinets stained to compliment new hardwood flooring and stone wall colors
Four panel refrigerator side panels add interest to this freestanding feature • Crown moulding throughout provides a nice transition from the cabinetry to the ceiling • Wall color is Ben Moore OC-53, with subtle blue undertones, this pale, gray provides a fresh slate and compliments the brushed nickel cabinet pulls and darker grey countertops
Peninsula seating area: Plenty of space for four barstools • Custom panels to match designer white cabinet give the undercounter space more definition and interest • Keeping with our design motto “no wasted space”… rather than leave the space to the right of the stools an empty cavern, we tucked in a drawer and cabinet because you can NEVER have too much storage space.
Widening the doorway between the breakfast area and the main hallway by 50% made the transition more gracious. The stonework needed to be altered to make this happen, but our stone masons did a great job. Likewise, the new hardwood flooring in the new kitchen and breakfast area was stained to match the existing hardwoods in the house.
Stonemasons did an excellent job salvaging stone to be reused in the renovation of this doorway.
The evolution of rebuilding the flooring to support the new kitchen…
BEFORE… view from lower-level family to the upper-level of the addition.
In addition to structural issues with the existing addition, we discovered termite damage.
New concrete piers were required to support the new floor system properly.
The former laundry room and powder room were gutted and moved to make space for the breakfast area.
Our carpenters utilized a laser level to ensure the new kitchen floor would be level.
The new kitchen footprint was gutted for new plumbing, electrical and HVAC.
New staircase from lower-level to upper-level new kitchen.
The finished product is safe and attractive.
AFTER… The bulk heads and drywall encased new openings were necessary to house mechanical systems but also to accommodate new structural supports added to the rebuilt, upper-level flooring in the existing addition. We not only corrected the deficits from the original builder but also accommodated the new kitchen in this space.
Our clients wanted a large, open, eat-in kitchen with better access to the family room so that they could spend more time together as a family during meal preparation and dining. They were also concerned about the integrity of construction of the former addition.
Rebuilding the upper-level of the addition allowed to give our clients a fantastic new eat-in kitchen that is beautiful, functional, connected to the family room and overall… exceeding our clients’ needs and expectations.
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.
