2017 Washington Metro DC Chapter Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for Best Interior Renovation
This family had three notable home problems. First, they lacked enough space and proper flow for entertaining. Secondly, a two-story family room with an unused back stair case created an “echo effect” that made watching TV distorted and uncomfortable. Lastly, they lacked enough convenient storage. We completely repurposed and remodeled the first floor, creating larger entertainment spaces and closing in the two-story family room allowing for new usable space above. In addition, we repurposed part of one garage bay to allow for a generous mudroom, pantry, desk and storage.
Before 1st Floor Plan
After 1st Floor Plan
Before 2nd Floor Plan
After 2nd Floor Plan
Before: The kitchen was small and dated. The traditional floor plan separated the kitchen from the formal dining room and living room. This configuration made entertaining a large group challenging in that people were isolated into the smaller rooms.
After: the kitchen is much larger and open. We removed the wall to the formal dining room and turned that space into a beverage area complete with wine storage, glass storage and a large counter top for serving. The gracious island accommodates room for food prep as well as casual dining. And, since the homeowners didn’t host sit down dinners, they didn’t need their formal dining room. Rather, a larger casual dining table centered between the kitchen and remodeled family room, worked much better to meet their needs.
Before: The kitchen had a small pantry closet (door to left) and looked into the family room. The family room was very seldom used because the two-story ceiling made the acoustics in the room very distorted.
After: The two-story ceiling in the family room has been filled in. The new coffered ceiling is not only beautiful, but the lower ceiling height has made the acoustics much better. The family can now enjoy watching TV in this space. The unused back stair case and part of an existing garage bay were repurposed to create a large “family foyer”; complete with walk-in pantry, desk area and plenty of storage.
After: Andromeda White granite counter tops with custom designed and build white painted maple cabinets create the clean tailored look the client wanted. Casual yet elegant, the large globe pendants are both functional and beautiful.
After: A Thermador six burner cook-top is complimented by a Wolf Stainless Steel island vent hood. The island hood was selected so that the stove could be placed in front of the windows. Natural light and views into the screened porch were extremely important to the client.
After: A close up of the island vent hood in front of the windows. The windows allow a lot of light into the kitchen from the screened porch beyond. We purposefully positioned the cooking area so that there was a clear view to the screened porch fireplace. A white farm sink in the island creates a convenient food prep area.
Before: The formal living room and dining rooms were closed off to the informal kitchen and family room spaces. Therefore, these spaces did not get a lot of use.
After: The formal living room is now a more functional sitting room adjacent to the new beverage area (former dining room). The new beverage area is connected to the kitchen and has easy access to French doors leading to the large screened porch further extending the entertaining space. The former living room knee walls have been converted to proper walls with built-ins to create more functionality.
After: This close up of the beverage area shows how this self contained entertainment unit can entice guests away from the food prep area during social gatherings. There is plenty of floor space for guests to visit near the “bar”. The dishwasher located at the end of the kitchen island makes putting away glass ware after the party easy.
After: The after sitting area is so much more open feeling and made more light with the new recessed lighting. The new space is so much more inviting than the former… more formal… space.
Before: Photo of the two-story family room space and the back staircase that was wasted space.
As you can see, because no one ever used the back stair case, the landing became a storage space for toys.
After: Closing in the two–story family room allowed for an much more usable and intimate space. The back stair case is gone and replaced by a wall of interior windows that looks into the new family foyer space. A soft blue shade of paint helps to create that serene, cozy feeling.
After: A long view from the family room into the kitchen shows the expanse and integration of the space, yet it still feels welcoming. A unique feature of our design is that we installed operable windows on the new interior wall… meaning, this interior room has windows on all four sides of the room. These windows allow connection to the new mudroom area as well as allow light to pass from both rooms.
After: The new coffered ceiling in the family room adds interest and a level of craftsmanship that gives a sense of high-quality finishes.
Before: Because the homeowners were big box store shoppers, the storage in the pantry closet was inadequate. Due to the lack of a mudroom and proper storage, one of the garage bays was not usable for a vehicle.
After: Borrowing space from the former back stair case and an existing garage storage area*, the new family foyer provides ample space for a walk-in pantry and lots of storage. The wall to the right are the interior windows looking into the family room, allowing natural light into the family foyer. A new exterior door at the end of the hallway leads to the driveway and parking area making bringing in the groceries easier. *A detached 3-car garage is a future project.
After: The family foyer has plenty of room for the family’s things, easily accessible to the garage and exterior door; making it easy to grab coats and backpacks on the way out of the house.
After: Custom cabinetry allows for plenty of hidden storage. Flush mounted lights are a touch industrial, but add a bit of fun to the family foyer.
After: A small desk area in the family foyer is ideal for bill paying. It is out of the way of the entertainment space but still integrated enough to be connected to the family. An addition storage closet accommodates hockey equipment and their son’s tuba! We repurposed the former kitchen island granite for the desk top.
After: The space gained from closing in the two-story family room allowed us to create a new laundry room on the upper bedroom level and move the washer and dryer out of the original mudroom. Red quartz counter tops and black and white vinyl tile flooring create a fun look while adding functionality to the room.
After: In addition to the new laundry room, we also had space for a kids’ study area. Calcutta Manhattan quartz adds functionality to this space. The door next to the desk area leads to an additional storage room; also new found space as a result of closing in the two-story family room.
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.
