2022 PRO Remodeler of the Year Finalist Award Winner
The homeowners purchased this home to be a comfortable place for day- to- day living for this family of four, but also able to accommodate entertaining 6-12 people at a time. The before main level was a traditional layout; with formal spaces, eat-in kitchen, and small family room. However, while entertaining, all guests huddled around the kitchen area leaving the formal spaces completely unused.
The objectives of this renovation were to:
- Open the main level of the home and make the entire space usable to accommodate their lifestyle…
- More appropriate space and storage comfortable and efficient for day-to-day living
- Better space to accommodate entertaining guests
- Use materials that were low maintenance and long-lasting
- Create a modern industrial theme aesthetically
- Improve the lighting in the space; both natural and man-made
- Make the powder room more private and soundproof
BEFORE: First Floor Renovation
AFTER: First Floor Renovation. Opening up the entire main level of this home helped the client better utilize the space.
BEFORE: View from the front door. Formal spaces were not used. The formal living room space was immediately to the left of the front door foyer with the formal dining space beyond. A wall separates the formal spaces from the kitchen and family room. This resulted in guests squeezing into the informal spaces in the rear of
the home.
AFTER: View from the front door. Removing the wall opens up the space. The wall has been removed to allow better utilization of the entire space. Builder grade hardwood floors were replaced with 6-inch-wide white oak plank floors stained with 3 parts Spiced Brown and 1 part Classic Gray satin finish. New flooring throughout the space helps to create a unified flow in the space.
Dining space has room to expand. The new dining space can transition from six guests to twelve with the addition of table leafs; the new floorplan allows for the extension of the table easily. A chandelier, in the color Antique Silver, with complementary wall sconces – all on dimmer switches, help create the perfect level of lighting for each occasion.
BEFORE: Small closed off family room. The small family room was a fine size for this family of four. But when hosting guests, everyone tried to squeeze into this small space. Aesthetically, the fireplace looked dated and the niche above the fireplace was built to accommodate a 1980’s deep TV.
AFTER: Open more modern space is more functional and attractive. A window was eliminated to create a feature wall clad in 18” X 36” porcelain tile with no grout lines for a clean look. Reclaimed wood mantel and niche insert add rustic relief to the fireplace wall, complementing the adjacent custom barn beam dining table and industrial styled breakfast room table. Lighting finish and design is thematically the same throughout, with open metal patterns. No glass panels in light fixtures met a homeowner objective to be more maintenance friendly… no glass to keep clean.
BEFORE: Kitchen was lacking. The pantry was narrow and deep; restricting storage volume and access. Trash cans had no place to hide. Appliances and cabinetry were dated. The island barely accommodated room for cooking.
AFTER: Kitchen is more functional and attractive. A new, wider pantry was built to accommodate more storage capacity. Pull out shelves allow for easier access to all pantry items. Undercounter lighting, recessed lighting and pendant lights (all on dimmers) give the homeowner plenty of lighting options depending on the task. Appliances and cabinetry are all updated to compliment the overall feel of the open space.
AFTER: Larger overhang on island more functional. Expanding the island on two sides create not only more food prep and serving space, but the ability to have seating for dinner or just visiting with the cook. Space for extra seating near the living room/TV viewing area was an important requirement.
BEFORE: Area around door to the garage lacked functionality. The garage was the main egress for this family. The only small coat closet was at the front door.
AFTER: New closet, drawer and beverage area add loads of useful space. The new coat closet puts coats and jackets near the frequently used garage egress. A deep drawer under the coat closet is perfect for gloves and hats. The beverage area enhances the kitchen area for day-to-day refrigeration and guest beverages. Cabinets store all the “bar” necessities; bottles, glasses, pitcher and more.
BEFORE: Eat-in kitchen collected clutter. Not only did the eating area become the dumping spot from the garage, but its design impeded the access to the yard. The former three paneled door system was out of alignment and the design didn’t accentuate the new, more modern theme of the space. Circulation was impeded since only one narrow panel was operable.
AFTER: Stealing interior space from the garage allows for more living space. Stealing 12” from the interior garage space allows the new beverage area and coat closet to recess into the garage. This extra 12” of conditioned living space provides better circulation, more storage, and better access to the yard. A new 8 foot sliding glass door creates a more modern, spacious feel to the room and allows for significantly more natural light.
AFTER: The details matter. The new coat closet and drawer make egress through the garage more efficient. Beverage refrigeration drawers, wine refrigeration, cabinetry and drawer storage make entertaining easier. Open weave metal (no glass) chandelier meshes with the industrial table and wood and metal saddle stools. The tile backsplash (SomerTile Kite Century Grey 4″ x 11.75″ Porcelain Wall Subway Tile) adds a pop of pattern in an otherwise neutral pallet and compliments the angles in the light fixture.
DURING CONSTRUCTION: Framing of the beverage area wall, bumping into garage and relocating sewer stack.
AFTER: The renewed space improves day-to-day living as well as making entertaining easier. Materials used are attractive and low maintenance. Circulation is improved. Multiple light fixtures, recessed light and natural light improve the ability to manipulate lighting to meet the need of the occasion.
BEFORE: The powder room and front coat closet were inadequate. Powder room egress was located immediately inside the front door and opened to the living room… lacking privacy, insufficient “sound suppression” when entertaining. Coat closet was very small.
AFTER: Moving the door to the powder room to the stair landing creates greater privacy and soundproofing. New attractive cabinetry provides lots of usable storage space.
BEFORE: Coat closet
AFTER: Powder room. Because the original powder room had a 10-foot ceiling, we were able to reconfigure the space, raise the floor and place the door off the stair landing, creating more privacy and soundproofing. 11 x 16 Dark Grey Blend Hex Weave porcelain floor tile compliments the overall color theme of the space. Custom cabinet front with “flip-up” opening fits in the small space below the lav. Unique, 10” wide mini-sink works well and saves space.
AFTER: Storage cabinetry has plenty of space for storing everything from coats to boots to backpacks. Cabinetry matches the kitchen area in style and color. Seeded glass accent lighting adds the perfect touch aesthetically; but also adds mood lighting while entertaining.
AFTER: Creative Solutions. The pattern in the seeded glass mimics the pattern in the dining room sconces by design. Fixed center panels in this custom millwork allow space for the bathroom lav in the powder room.
DURING DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: These photos show how we solved a difficult obstacle. The client hated how the powder room opened to the living and dining area. It lacked privacy from a visual and sound perspective. Relocating the powder room to another location on the main floor would have been extremely expensive causing many existing features to have to be relocated to accommodate it. This photo demonstrates insulation in the stud walls between the powder room and dining room to meet the client’s desire for as much sound proofing between these spaces as possible.
SOLUTION: Recognizing that the original powder room had 10-foot ceilings, we could raise the floor of the room and relocate plumbing lines to reconfigure the powder room and its entry point.
Our clients are very pleased with the outcome of this project. All their goals were met, and the rejuvenated space works extremely well for them in day-to-day living as well as for the times they entertain.
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.
