from house to home: an architect's perspective on remodeling

iFrom House to Home

An Architect s Perspect ive on Remodel ing

Bruce Wentworth, AIA with Esther Ferington

Copyright 2012 Bruce Wentworth

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any

form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior consent of

the author.

From House to HomeAn Architect s Perspect ive on Remodel ing

Bruce Wentworth, AIA with Esther Ferington

8555 Connecticut Ave. Suite 200 Chevy Chase MD 20815

Phone: 240.383.1227 Fax: 240.395.0707

www.wentworthstudio.com

3 F r o m H o u s e t o H o m e

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ADDITIONS & IMPROVEMENTS

a sympathetic addition with panache 7

adding space creatively on capitol hill 20

a tree grows in spring valley 29

a discreet upgrade for a classic bungalow 40

from split-foyer home to modern architecture 50

finding potential in an unfinished basement 56

BATHS & MASTER SUITES

a clients vision for three elegant small baths 64

the luxury (and challenge) of extra space 71

a master suite updates a 1960s home 79

a capitol hill bathroom, art deco style 89

KITCHENS

a modern kitchen on capitol hill 98

a trio of family-friendly spaces 109

room to grow 119

colorful spaces for a senior gardener 132

revitalizing a watergate kitchen 140 at home: a wentworth client reflects

on the transformation of her row house 148 a light and airy row-house kitchen 153

ADDITIONS & IMPROVEMENTS


A Sympathetic Additionwith Panache

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WHENEVER A PROJECT INVOLVES ADDING ON TO A HOUSE, I like to aim for a sympathetic additiona new space thats functional, fresh, and attractive, but also responds to the style of the original house. A thoughtful addition can often enhance a homes appearance, not just add more room. Sometimes this visual effect is subtle. But every once in a while, it can be spectacular.

Consider, for example, a striking breakfast room that I and my design-build studio added to a house in Bethesdas Carderock Springs neighborhood. Topped by a butterfly roof that tilts away from the house, the breakfast room extends like a small, gleaming peninsula into the wooded backyard. On all three sides, floor-to-ceiling glass provides sight lines to the tops of the trees, while filling the room with sunlight. As dramatic as it is, this addition fits right into my clients modern 1960s house, built in the Contemporary style. A more traditional design, which might be well suited to another house, would feel stodgy and unsympathetic here.

Carderock Springs is one of a handful of architect-designed 1960s neighborhoods in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs that have kept their original appearance, and are increasingly valued for that reason. The modern, one- and two-story houses are designed to fit smoothly into the landscape, with natural or neutral colors, clean, unornamented lines, and plenty of glass at the back to encourage visual connections to the outdoors. Embracing that aesthetic led my design team to this practical, and beautiful, result.

Left: One of the keynotes of the Contemporary designs in Carderock Springs is ample glass, allowing a visual connection with the landscape. Here, the new family room offers views through a new wall of glass at left, the light-filled breakfast room, and the original kitchen window.

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A List of Goals

In our first meeting with the owners, however, the breakfast room was almost an

afterthoughtone possible option within a bigger remodeling scheme. We had worked

with the same couple a year earlier, when they and their young son were living in a

different house in Carderock Springs. Unfortunately, the limitations of that site made that

project unrealistic. But my clients liked the neighborhood and their short commutes (he

was a dentist, she was a controller at a technology firm), so they simply moved to another

house nearby. The new house still required updating and expansion, but it could better

accommodate the changes. With their second child, a daughter, now on the way, they were

eager to set the remodeling process in motion. We met just as they went to settlement on

the house.

My clients new home essentially consisted of two wings: a two-story wing to the right of

the central stair hall and a one-story wing to the left. The one-story section, the focus of

our meeting, was simply not laid out for a young family of today. The rooms felt isolated

and boxed in, with little visibility or communication among them. From the stair hall, a

single door opened into the small dining room. Across the dining room, another door led

to the family room, which was otherwise literally walled off from the rest of the house with

a massive wall of unpainted brick. The family room shared another wall with the garage,

but had no direct access to it. Walking from one to the other required going outdoors.

The third room in the one-story wing, the kitchen, only connected to the dining room.

That meant that someone in the kitchen couldnt see, hear, or speak to children playing in

the family roomor anyone else there, either. Last remodeled in the 1980s, the kitchen

was also more than ready for a major redesign. Its tired materials included a sheet vinyl

floor, plastic laminate countertops, laminate cabinet doors with finger pulls, and bulky

track lighting.

As we began our conversation, I was happy to see that my female client had prepared a list

of the couples shared goals ahead of time. Its always great to work with clients who take

time to make lists and carefully review plans as we go along, helping to ensure that we

resolve any issues or miscommunications while the project is still on paper.

right: The butterfly roof breakfast room is a sympathetic addition with panache, employing the clean lines, glass walls, and lack of ornamentation of Contemporary style in a 21st-century room for kids and family dining. The banquettes open framing lets even more light in, and makes the space more attractive from the outside, too.

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First of all, as their list indicated, the couple wanted better access, visibility, and flow

among the dining room, kitchen, and family room. In addition, they wanted a new

kitchen with better quality materials, gas appliances instead of electric ones, and an island;

a mudroom to connect the family room and garage; aesthetic and functional updates to

the family room; and a breakfast area, which might either be an addition or simply an

area inside the house. Following the example of several neighbors with the same house

model, they also wanted to move the rear wall of the family room back by about 4 feet, by

converting a covered patio to indoor space.

Opening the Space

At our next meeting, my design team began presenting ideas and alternatives, all within

an open plan that removed the interior walls and captured the old patio space. Taking out

the brick wall that blocked off the family room would be a huge visual relief, but it meant

that a steel beam and posts were needed to take its place. In the final design, a bulkhead on

the ceiling enveloped the beam, suggesting a visual boundary between the family room and

adjoining spaces. A short wall at one end of the kitchen concealed one steel post; the other

two were hidden in columns that framed the dining room. The old family room ceilinga

dark, quirky clapboard surface with low-hanging lightsfelt low and confining; we

suggested replacing it with white or off-white drywall with recessed lights. The design team

also offered variations on a media center for the family room, as well as what eventually

became an attractive dry bar there. The mudroom entrance from the garage came together

quickly, with coat hooks, shelves, and other storage in a tiled space with doors to the

basement and backyard as well as the family room and garage.

As we talked through the transition to a more open plan, our clients were concerned about

the mismatch between the old family rooms custom oak floor, made of random-width

planks with contrasting wood pegs, and the new strip oak flooring in the rest of the space.

Instead of finessing the difference, I suggested making a feature of it, using bands of dark

walnut to mark the boundaries between the two flooring patterns. In the finished project,

these walnut borders turned out to be a great success, serving as a kind of ghost outline of

the old rooms. We changed the house, in other words, but left an interesting hint of where

the interior walls had been.

left: The butterfly roof is at the same angle as the original gable roof on the house, seen at right; only the orientation is reversed

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The kitchen, meanwhile, would be transformed. To begin with, we proposed opening the

wall to the dining room, which was previously reached by a narrow door and passthrough

window. A new row of base cabinets between the two spaces would shield the kitchen work

surfaces from view. With the old brick wall removed along another side of the kitchen,

a new kitchen island could now look out to the open family room, with space for stools

on the side across from the kitchen. A large countertop, work sink, and plenty of storage

would complete the island, which would be lighted by three pendants overhead. In general,

our clients favored streamlined, upscale materials throughout the kitchen, including teak

cabinets, stainless-steel appliances, and polished black granite counters.

My female client wanted to be sure, however, that this remained a family kitchen, warm

and inviting for all. In response, we developed its signature elementa playful, though

sophisticated, backsplash of mixed tiles in colors suggesting autumn leaves, and perhaps

evoking the trees outside. Before the tiles were installed, a member of my staff worked

onsite to plan the placement of the tiles in detail, creating a pleasing, seemingly random

arrangement from the mix.

On to the Breakfast RoomThere was still, however, a major decision to make: how to include an informal family

eating area, the breakfast room that the owners had envisioned all along. One of my

teams designs suggested setting aside part of the family room for the purposea practical,

relatively low-cost solution. Other alternatives envisioned an addition to the house. Ever

methodical, my clients used masking tape to mark out such a breakfast area and lived

with it for a few days. The verdict was then clear. A breakfast area didnt fit well inside the

house; it blocked the flow between the family room and the kitchen. An addition, they

decided, was worth pursuing.

As I mentioned earlier, we designed the breakfast room addition with walls of glass, in

keeping with the Contemporary style. The outward-oriented butterfly roof, a variation on

the modernist Shed style, maximized the height of the walls for better views of the woods

in the backyard. Within the room, my clients preferred a design with a custom, child-

friendly banquette, upholstered with stain- and water-resistant fabric. My interior designer

and staff carpenters also created the breakfast table, equipping it with a durable top and

with table legs tucked out of the way of toes, knees, and shins.

right, above: With an intervening wall removed, the family room communicates easily with the remodeled kitchen (left) and dining room (far right). The section of floor is in the space once occupied by an outdoor patio.

right, below: Theres plenty of room for bar stools and dangling feet to tuck under the outside edge of the new kitchen island, which combines a wealth of storage with a large preparation space, including a sink.

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A Family at Home

Unlike many owners who choose between remodeling or moving, this couple made a

bold decision to do bothmoving within their neighborhood and still pursuing such

a significant remodel. And they did so, as I mentioned earlier, during the wifes second

pregnancy. Just after our project came to an end, the baby arrived as welland in dramatic

fashion.

While visiting at home with a friend, the wife went into labor in the newly renovated

dining room. Her husband, the dentist, came home just in time to deliver their daughter,

with an emergency operator on the phone and an ambulance on the way. Decades ago, the

popular American poet Edgar Guest wrote, It takes a heap o livin in a house t make it

home, but some events speed up that process. As the birthplace of their second child, this

remodeled house very definitely became a home.

Today, the father says that their family spends 90 percent of its time in the newly linked

rooms, where the open space itself remains his favorite part of the project. Day to day,

the breakfast room is where the parents and children enjoy their meals. The two children

also do projects there, piling into the banquette with visiting friends to enjoy a game or a

snack. The dining room, still the point of access to the entire wing, is used for entertaining,

holidays, and special occasions. The open plan easily accommodates a second dining-room

table when needed, and draws guests into the other spaces.

An enthusiastic cook, he relishes the new kitchen, as well as its connections to the other

rooms. Working at the new, large island, he can hold a conversation with someone in

the family room, dining room, or breakfast rooma far cry, he says, from standing at a

counter in the old kitchen and staring at a wall. He is also delighted by his new, high-end

gas range.

For all its value as a cozy, family eating spot, the breakfast room remains the visual standout

of the project. The natural light bathes the space and creates a very joyful look, while the

outdoor scene changes with the seasons. The net effect, he says, is that you feel like youre

outdoors, when youre indoors. f

Left: High clerestory windows provide a line of sight to the tree canopy, usually cut off from sight by one-story windows. Below, a custom table fits nicely within the banquette, its centered legs well away from the corners to avoid tripping up diners.

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Old Floor Plan In the old plan, the kitchen connected only to the dining room and the outdoor patio; a long wall with a single door

blocked off the family room. An awkward connection to the garage required taking a few steps outside to go from

the house to the garage or vice versa.

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New Floor Plan

In the new plan, the remodeled kitchen flows into the dining room and family room. The breakfast room addition

contributes light, space, and seating and much of the old patio has been captured as interior space. At right, a

mudroom with a tiled floor provides storage and a connection to the garage.

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1 9 F r o m H o u s e t o H o m e F r o m H o u s e t o H o m e


Adding Space Creatively on Capitol Hill Interior design by Shari Daniels

FROM THE STREET, THE NINETEENTH-CENTURY TOWNHOUSES of Capitol Hill tend to be fairly uniform. Historical preservation requirements ensure that making major changes to the faade of a townhouse is difficult, if not impossible. In the back, though, its a different storyone often filled with architectural variety. Changes at the rear must also be approved, but the rules are less restrictive for this more private space. Additions, windows, doors, porches, and decks reflect the tastes of past and present owners and the needs of modern life. As one of my clients says cheerfully, when you visit the back of a Capitol Hill house, you never know what youre going to see.

The townhouse where she and her husband live and brought up their two sons is a case in point. Built in the late 1860s or early 1870s in the Italianate style, the house occupies an unusually wide, 25-foot lot. For most of its history, the house was 19 feet wide, joined to one neighboring townhouse by a party wall, but separated from the other by a 6-foot-wide side yard. This extra lot width enabled me to design a very different, yet complementary, rear addition, which offers great views of their spectacular backyard garden, designed by the wife, a talented gardener.

When I met with my clients to discuss ideas for the project, it came as a nice follow-up to some past remodeling endeavors. We first worked together years ago when I did architectural designs for two former carriage houses that they owned as rental properties. I later reconfigured much of the second floor of their townhouse to create a master suite with an Art Deco bathroom. Adding on to the first floor of the house would be their most ambitious remodeling project so far.

left: Glass windows paired with a glass door almost fill the two exterior walls of the new family room, allowing great views of the garden behind the house. Awning widows at top open to admit fresh air. Designed by the wife, a talented gardener, the clients large backyard garden offers a great view for the new addition at left; similar windows in the addition and the kitchen (at right) help tie the two together.

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A Long-Planned Project

The basic idea was to add space in two ways: capturing the side yard at the side of the

house, and using the open space within the townhouses classic, L-shaped dogleg, in which

the kitchen extends farther back than the rest of the house.

As with any good addition, however, this project wasnt only about gaining space. It was

also about functionality. Essentially, this came down to three primary goals. One goal

often heard in Capitol Hill residenceswas to admit more light and open up a very

dark, tired kitchen. Another was to provide first-floor closets and a full bathroom (not a

powder room), increasing the total number of bathrooms to two. The third was to add an

architecturally modern but informal family room overlooking the garden, with room for

casual meals and socializing.

In all of this, my clients wanted to respect the original style and period details of the house,

but complement them with something truly new and modern. They had also decided

to use their own interior designer, Shari Daniels, for the project, while relying on me as

the architect. For both of us, mixing the styles of different periods in a harmonious but

interesting way would become a hallmark of the project.

A Transitional Kitchen

As the only part of the old house included in the project, the kitchen played a vital

transitional role, forming a visual and physical bridge from old to new. My clients

considered its size perfectly adequate for their needs, especially since their sons were now

grown and out of the house. But the room was dated, dark, and poorly laid out, requiring a

complete remodel.

One obvious issue was the small, 2-foot-wide kitchen window. Replacing it with a

dramatically larger 5-foot-wide window, topped by a pair of awning windows, immediately

began to transform the space. The second step was removing most of the old exterior

wall between it and the new addition. This open-plan arrangement allowed room for an

islandstill located within the kitchen, but made usable by the increased space around it.

Within this setting, Shari Daniels specified a mix of old and new materialscherry for the

base cabinets and island, painted wall cabinets, honed granite countertops, a marmoleum

right: Marmoleum flooring (a resilient combination of natural materials) lightens the remodeled kitchen, where natural-wood and painted cabinets contrast with honed granite counters and stainless steel.

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floor, and stainless-steel appliances echoed by custom stainless-steel legs at one end of the

island. Glass pendants hung over the island. In a modern touch, the backsplash of mosaic

stone tiles wrapped around the jamb of the new window, avoiding traditional trim and

leading the eye outdoors to the garden.

Blending Italianate and Contemporary

The centerpiece of the project, of course, would be the new family room, also called the

garden room, which not only filled in the old dogleg layout but extended several feet

farther into the backyard. The view from this room would be unusually panoramic. At 25

by 100 feet, my clients garden was a large one for the city. But the angle of view was even

wider. The lack of a wall or fence on one side allowed a view of the neighbors garden, and

there was only a 4-foot wire fence on the other side.

In response to this wide vista, I suggested wrapping a wall of windows around the back

corner of the new room. By providing a range of viewing angles, the wraparound windows

made the house feel more like a detached home than an urban rowhouse, where elements

are often strictly lined up on a front-to-back axis. As in the kitchen, awning windows

were placed above the large windows. Now that both sides of the townhouse would be

anchored to the adjoining walls, the awning windows in the family room and kitchen

would play an important part as the only source of fresh air at this end of the townhouse,

at least on the first floor.

Architecturally, the large expanse of glass suggested a Contemporary style for the addition,

which served as a nice contrast to the Italianate house. One reason the two styles worked

well together is that the rear walls of older townhouses tend to be almost featureless; many

elements that make a townhouse Italianate are only seen at the front. Using brick for the

new room also helped unify it with the house, which was stucco over brick, as did the use

of similar windows in both the new room and the kitchen.

Although the windows brought in a wealth of natural light, I added still more light with

a pair of skylights in the high ceiling. Shari Daniels complemented these with lighting

fixtures in diverse styles and locations: a modern wall sconce, floor lamps, and an antique

Venetian glass chandelier that worked well with the skylights.

Left: Vintage chandelier and modern wall sconce mix comfortably with paired skylights in the new family room, a Contemporary space with design elements that mix traditional elementsthe wood floor, for examplewith modern features like the wraparound glass.

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A Standout Bath

The final piece of the additionhall closets and a full bathmay sound purely utilitarian,

but it turned out to be very successful visually as well. Leading from the new family room

toward the front of the house, this corridor and bath are in an area once occupied by part of

the old side yard. As in the family room, I added a skylight over the bathroom that washed

the space with light. I admitted that light into the hall as well by adding a large glass

transom above the bathroom door. The skylight-and-transom solution proved so effective

that my clients now sometimes use the hall closets without bothering to turn on a light.

Positioned squarely at the end of the new corridor and filled with sunlight, this first-floor

bathroom, unusually, became a natural focal point. I made sure that, with the door open,

the view was of the sink and mirror, with the toilet discreetly out of sight. I also placed the

entrance to the shower enclosure out of direct view from the hall, making the bath look

more like a powder room at first glance.

Using elements that harked back to the kitchen, Shari Daniels specified glass pendants

and a variation on the same idea of wrapping tile around corners. A narrow, natural-wood

shelf at chair rail height and wood trim higher on the wall echoed the kitchens natural

wood elements and the new family rooms wood floor. As a signature element, she added

an unusual round mirror in a crenellated wood frame. The net effect of the materials, the

sunlight, and the discreet location and layout makes this bath both visually striking and far

more private for guests than a more conventional powder room.

An Unobtrusive Addition

Obtaining permission for the project, meanwhile, hinged in large part on what might seem

like a small matter: visually de-emphasizing the fact that an historic townhouse that had

been substantially narrower than its lot was being widened, at least at the rear, to fit the

space. My solution was to keep the original side yard beside the house in place for the first

several feet. This meant the actual faade of the housethe front walldid not change an

iota. Several feet back, at the side of the house, I added a low, one-story brick wall across

the old side yard. From that point on, my clients townhouse filled the full lot width, due

to the new construction. Once the addition was completed, my clients, with their knack

for gardening and landscape design, took the idea even further with appropriately placed

plantings and shrubs. The brick wall across the old side yard is now nearly hidden by a tree,

bringing the street view of the house even closer to its original appearance.

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Today, my clients enjoy added closet space, an upscale guest bathroom, and a modern

kitchenall in addition to a family room filled with sunlight that embraces an ever-

changing view of the large garden outdoors. Visitors circulate easily between the kitchen

and family room and, when the weather cooperates, onto the deck and a flagstone patio.

Looking back towards the house from the end of the garden, the Contemporary family

room lives comfortably with the historic townhouse, welcoming family and friends while

making a confident, but discreet, architectural statement. f

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Old Floor Plan The existing townhouse was 19 feet wide on a 25-foot lot with a side yard beside it; the classic dogleg design

provided doors from two different rooms to a backyard deck. The only rear-facing window was a tiny one in the

kitchen.

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New Floor Plan

The new room captures most of the old side yard (leaving a short section at the front for appearance) while filling

in and going beyond the void space created by the L-shaped dogleg. The exterior wall of the kitchen was largely

removed to open it to the family room.

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A Tree Grows in Spring Valley


I OFTEN JOKE THAT I REALLY HAVE TWO CLIENTS for my remodeling projects: the homeowners and the house. In other words, I aim for solutions that serve the owners' goals and also work well with the home's original style. When it came to one major addition, however, you could say that I had a third client: a magnificent, full-grown tulip poplar.

I first met with the new owners of the houseand the treejust before they closed on their purchase, a small residence on a large, level lot in the Northwest Washington neighborhood of Spring Valley. The wife, an economics reporter, and her husband, a lawyer, were moving from Chicago with their two sons, ages three and six. They loved the generous backyard, but wanted to make the house larger and more suitable for the family. Built in about 1950, it had just a few first-floor roomsa dining room, living room, galley kitchen, and half bathand a group of bedrooms and baths upstairs. At the rear, a small, box-style addition supplied a first-floor sunroom and a second-floor study, accessible only from the parents' bedroom.

Their plan was straightforward: strip off the old box addition and replace it with a much more substantial two-story addition that would include, on the first floor, an open-plan kitchen and family room intended as the center of daily life. The second floor of the addition would house a new master suite, including a master bedroom, master bath, and walk-in closet. In the existing house, a first-floor home office for the husband would replace the old, front-facing kitchen, and the clothes washer and dryerpreviously marooned in the basementwould move to a convenient location on the second floor.

Although the addition would almost double their living space, the couple wanted it to be unobtrusive, designed and built in sympathy with the home's Colonial Revival style. Using environmentally friendly materials was also a priority. And then, they mentioned the backyard tree.

Left: The big tulip poplar (complete with tree fort) is just visible through the windows of the new family room, where 9-foot-high ceilings accommodate oversize windows.

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Preserving a Giant

Homeowners often bring up trees and other landscape elements at the start of a project,

but I could tell that for my clients, this tulip poplar was really something special. The

existing tree fort was great for the boys, but that wasn't the main attraction. Instead, as the

wife said, she had fallen in love with the tree itself, a beautiful specimen that was at least a

hundred years oldmuch older than the neighborhood. It cast a wonderful shade across

the backyard, creating an effect almost like a nature preserve.

The roots for such a mature tree usually extend far beyond the visible, aboveground trunk

and branches. Unless we planned the job just right, digging a new foundation could cause

irreparable harm. As a first step, we decided to offset the addition to the northwest side of

the house; this kept it as far as possible from the tree, which was to the northeast. But that

alone wasn't enough.

As planning for the project moved forward, we worked with the couple's arborist and a

structural engineer to devise the second part of the solution: a special foundation with a

much lighter impact on the landscape. Instead of digging a deep trench along each new

wall and pouring concrete footings, our finished plan used helical footingssteel supports

that are literally screwed or augured into the ground at widely separated points along a

shallow, foot-deep trench. A horizontal steel beam placed in the trench is then anchored

to the footings, creating structural support for the addition with absolutely minimal

disruption. Getting the job done right, as in any highly engineered solution, relied upon

calculations by a structural engineer, followed by meticulous installation.

When the day came to break ground on the addition, we dug the shallow trenches with

the arborist standing by to cut and seal each root we encountered. At the end of the

process, the tree had a few shorter, but carefully sealed, roots, the addition had a sturdy

foundationand I had learned another specialized building technique, which I have used

again, when needed, on later projects.

The Heart of the Home

Keeping the tree safe and in good health was vital, but in the meantime, we had much

more to find out about the owners' tastes and preferences for the addition itself. One

essential requirement for the kitchen turned was a separate pantry, which we tucked beside

the house's existing chimney. Having a pantry also meant we could include fewer cabinets

in the kitchen, avoiding a floor-to-ceiling, monolithic look that the wife didn't care for.

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Like many homeowners, the couple wanted a kitchen island, which could serve as a

family gathering spot, a place for kids to perch for snacks, and a casual social center at

parties. After reviewing some home magazines (a step I often recommend to clients),

they gravitated toward making it a round island, which my female client found inviting

and practical. Little boys run into corners, she commented matter-of-factly, and a round

island doesn't have corners. Although the island in the magazine was a circle, the couple

liked my suggestion of an oval, a shape that worked better in the space and didn't feel as

static as a circle might have. Overhead, a unique glass pendant drew attention to the spot,

complementing recessed ceiling lights and additional lights under the cabinets.

The clients also requested 9-foot ceilings for the kitchen and family room, a height that

accommodated larger windows. At the side of the family room, we planned a door to a

patio that linked to the backyard.

Connecting to the existing house was fairly easy on the first floor. I suggested adapting two

openingscutting down a window to create a door, and refitting the door that once led

to the old sunroom. Using openings in this way, when the locations are right, is usually a

smart, cost-effective idea.

Green Choices for a Modern Kitchen

In keeping with the owners' goals, fitting out the new space also meant considering some

green materials. From my point of view, there are many eco-friendly aspects to remodeling,

and materials are only one of them. On this project, for example, the green remodeling

aspects also included energy-efficient appliances and preserving the life and health of that

grand old tree. Above all, the decision to remodel an existing home is itself far greener than

the common alternative of tearing down an old house and building a new one in its place.

Remodeling not only preserves the look and feeling of an old house and its neighborhood,

but it also avoids wasting the material, energy, and labor that went into building the house

to begin with. Even when there isn't a special tree in the vicinity, remodeling also causes

far less disruption to the site, including soil compaction.

Of course, there's also a need to take a hard look at such products, which are often new to

the market. We and our clients agreed to keep our choices simple and budget-conscious

but still found several fun and very successful options.

Recycled glass tiles (from glass otherwise destined for a landfill) proved to be a beautiful

choice for the backsplash, which became, as it often does, the aesthetic highlight of the

kitchen. For this project, we specified a custom mix of 2-by-2-inch tile in three colors

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with a diagonal orientation. The wife says she especially likes the minor imperfections in

the tilesa little bit of chaos, she says, that reflects the spirit of a busy family. Bamboo,

a quick-growing renewable resource, was the veneer of choice for the island, the kitchen

cabinets, and the family room built-ins. For the floors, however, we chose more traditional

oak, which complemented the house's existing flooring and stands up well to active wear.

Our most exciting find was a countertop material fabricated from post-consumer waste

paper and a resin made from cashew nutshell liquid. Functioning much like honed granite,

this surprising substance came in large sheets (reducing the number of joints) and a variety

of thicknesses. Unlike other counter materials, it could be cut, sanded, and installed by our

staff carpenters, a substantial savings in lead time. We used it on every counter and for the

top of the island. The counters, which must be periodically rubbed with food-grade oil,

are bearing up well in the tough kitchen environment, says my female client, who reports,

"You cannot kill them." In just a few years, the family has unintentionally set down hot

pots and cut vegetables on the counters; the children have been found applying glitter glue

and drawing pictures on them. Yet despite these real-life torture tests, I'm told, the counters

remain unharmed.

A Rearranged Second Floor

The top floor of the addition would be a new large new master suite, taking the place of

a master bedroom and bath in the existing house. Changing the old master bedroom to a

guest bedroom gave us extra space within the old house to create a central hall to the new

suite and gave us room, as planned, for the washer and dryer. At the end of the hall, two

steps up to the new master suite accommodated the difference in floor level that resulted

from the 9-foot ceiling below.

Within the master suite, we created vaulted ceilings in the bathroom and bedroom, where

the large bed nestled into a fitted wall niche. The master bath features a freestanding,

rounded white tub, which the owners enjoyed selecting from a wealth of options. The

chosen tub is free flowing in shape, with no feet, no basevisually, it just floats into

position. By contrasting it with light tan walls, we made the most of it. We also mounted

the tub filler faucet and handles separately to keep the lines of the tub free and clear.

Like the tub, the other elements of the bathroom tend to be large, upscale, and very

simplean exercise in understated high quality that reflects my clients' chosen aesthetic.

The substantial two-sink vanity has small drawer and door pulls, a striking, dark brown

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above: Wood floors unify the new, open-plan kitchen and family room, both equipped with bamboo-veneer cabinets. The built-in shelves and cabinets at right have space for a television if needed, but are filled for now with books, art, candles, and toys.

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above: Thoughtful details in the understated vanity include a dark brown countertop that complements the bathroom walls, modest drawer and door pulls, and streamlined faucets and handles. Above it, two wall sconces and a framed mirror complete the classic design.


above left: Clear glass walls with no metal framing give this shower its distinctive style; large wall tiles with vertically oriented striations add a sense of height. The shelves in the inset niche provide handy storage without stooping.

above right: The owners were drawn to the simplicity of this freestanding tub, with no feet or visible base. The tub filler, seen here beside the white towel, is mounted separately to keep the tubs lines clean.


counter, and a large framed wall mirror with sconces but no side light strips. The shower

enclosure consists of clear glass with no metal frame, joining it visually with the bathroom

instead of compartmentalizing the space. A multi-shelf niche in a shower wall supplies

space for shampoo and necessities at a convenient height.

A Family at Home

Although the addition offers a wealth of updated elements, the owners rightly desired an

exterior that fit well with the original Colonial Revival design. The idea was not to repli-

cate, but to complement what was already there. Thus, for example, we selected modern,

substantially larger windows, but chose a style with the same proportions and number of

panes and double-hung sashes. The gable roof matches the angle of the old house's roof,

and a foot-high band of whitewashed brick marks the base of the new addition, matching

the exterior of the old house. For the siding, we chose to imitate another common Colonial

Revival exteriorclapboard. Instead of wood, we installed a paintable, cementious board

that looks like clapboard siding but will last much longer.

With work on the addition complete, the family has found much to enjoy in their new

home. The husband's office, where the kitchen used to be, has the advantage of southern

sunlight at the front of the house. But the entire family spends a lot of time in the two

rooms at the back, just as planned. Best of all, the tree still flourishes in the backyard,

unscathed by the construction project and with a few small improvements to the tree fort.

A tulip poplar that stood in the same place while Washington was converting from gas

lighting to electricity, now casts its shade on a 21st-century addition. f

Old Floor Plans

right, above: The old first floor included an open plan living room and dining room combination, an add-on sunroom, and, at the front of the house, a powder room, foyer, and galley kitchen. Stairs beside the front door lead up to second-floor bedrooms and down to the basement. The existing second floor had a study space accessible only from the master bedroom, which included a small, en suite master bath with a shower but only one small closet. The landing area provided access to a hall bathroom and two bedrooms for the boys, with no guest bedroom.

New Floor Plans

right, below Connecting the new master suite to the old second floor required adding a hall using space carved out of the old master suite (now a guest bedroom). In the new master suite, doors at each side of the bed allow access to the walk-in closet and master bath, which also share a connecting door of their own. A new wall at the foyer sets off the husbands home office at the front of the house. At the rear, a pantry tucks beside the existing chimney and serves a large, open plan kitchen linked to the family room.

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NEW KITCHEN


A Discreet Upgrade for a Classic BungalowSOMETIMES PART OF THE SUCCESS OF AN ADDITION PROJECT is that you can hardly tell it happened. Such was the case with a 1922 bungalow in Silver Spring, Maryland. Once the work was complete, a glance from the street showed a residence very much in the familiar bungalow spirit, with a big front porch, suitable materials and windows, and a front dormer for an upstairs bedroomall framed by the home's original shade trees. Without before-and-after photos, a casual observer might not notice any change at all.

This quiet, appropriate scene, however, is the result of some intense, careful planning and activity. In the course of the project, my design-build studio demolished and removed the house's roof, a high rear deck, and the entire upper floor (a converted attic)with the sole exception of a bathroom, which was reused in the remodeled house. Once the deck, the roof, and the upper story were gone, we constructed a brand-new, full-height second floor, a new roof with front and back dormers, and a far more usable screen porch at the rear. Inside the house, the change on the second floor is like night and day. Family members can comfortably stand and move around freely in more spacious bedrooms, equipped with convenient, custom built-ins and added closets. But from the front, with the work now in place, the house doesn't look much different. And that is exactly what the owners desired.

left: Framed by trees, the finished project still looks and feels like a bungalow. While the new second floor would not be found on an original bungalow, which would be a one-story design, it fits the house sympathetically with suitable materials and a front dormer for the bedroom.

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The Joy of the Bungalow

As an architect who often remodels historic as well as more recent homes, I am well aware

of the special world of bungalows and bungalow enthusiasts. Often built during or before

the 1920s, American bungalows are loved by many owners for their distinctive style,

which includes a full-width front porch, low-sloping roof, and large, overhanging eaves. A

bungalow (the name came originally from British India) is typically a one-story home with

an attic, which has often been converted to living space. The limited room means that

bungalow interiors have plenty of built-ins, another feature of this architectural style.

The owners of this house were not bungalow enthusiasts when they first bought it; they

were simply looking for a home in the vicinity for themselves and their infant son and

liked the look of the place. But once they moved in, they got interested in the style and

appreciated how well it fit the neighborhood, which included a mix of bungalows and

Colonial Revivals from the 1920s and 30s.

Several years later, with their son now in elementary school, life in the bungalow was

fairly cramped. The family's bedrooms in the converted attic were particularly snug, with

inadequate space, low, 6' 10" ceilings, and springy floors (attic floors aren't framed as

sturdily as those intended for living space). Both parents were 6 feet tall, making the low

ceilings particularly irksome. As with many projects, it was a repair problemin this case,

a major required roof repairthat ultimately triggered the process of remodeling. Rather

than rebuilding the existing roof and locking in those unsatisfactory attic rooms, the

couple decided to combine the new roof with a greatly improved second floor, all while

preserving the look of the original house. After reading an article of mine in American

Bungalow magazine that described another bungalow project, they asked me to meet them

at the house to explore the possibilities.

Technically, of course, turning the attic into a proper second floor would not be quite

in keeping with the traditional one-storyor, with the attic, one-and-a-half-story

bungalow style. The couple's goal was to bring their living space up to a more comfortable

standard while keeping the look and feel of the original bungalow. As long as their house

still looked right for the neighborhood, a second floor with normal-height ceilings, added

closets, and more elbow room would be much appreciated.

right: Among the many details included in the project are a heightened brick chimney, all new gutters and downspouts, and a new front door better suited to the style of the house. New Prairie-style windows match those already on the first floor.

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F r o m H o u s e t o H o m e 4 2F r o m H o u s e t o H o m e


Defining the Project

As they began to think more about remodeling, the owners concluded that building a new

porch to replace the old back deck was almost equally important. I was not surprised to

hear it. Especially in a small house, outdoor family areas like decks and porches are essential

to get right, since they serve as auxiliary living space in warm weather. We designed a classic

screen porch with a beadboard ceiling, Casablanca fan, and traditional wood framing and

rear screen door. The roof, screens, and breezes aided by the fan made this outdoor space

far more useful to the family than the former deck.

The main part of the project would start, of course, by removing the old roof and second-

floor rooms. As we discussed with the clients, an often-overlooked advantage of that process

is the fact that it exposes the framing above the first floor, which becomes completely

accessible. The family was eager to add central air conditioning to their bungalow, which

currently had none, and to run hot-water heating lines to the new rooms from their

recently upgraded boiler. Because we could easily get into the space over the first floor, we

would be able to run ductwork and hot-water lines just as in new constructiona more

satisfactory solution than retrofitting lines in an intact house, through closed-in ceilings,

floors, walls, and even, in some cases, closets. Although the current project did not include

a master bathroom, my clients wanted to keep that option open. We ran plumbing lines to

that space as well, although it would remain a large closet for now.

Unlike many bungalows, this one had the advantage of a good, solid staircase to the

converted attic level, allowing us to reuse the stairs, rather than replace them. In the designs

we presented to the clients, we suggested a wide, floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookcase at

the top of the stairs. This idea, which proved very successful, came together out of our

awareness of bungalow style, with its emphasis on built-ins, and the observation that the

family had more books than shelves. As my studio develops designs, I always try to include

such smaller, personal details or options for homeowners to consider, in addition to the big

changes we know the remodeling project will achieve. This painted bookcase proved to be a

great exampleand has become one of the wife's favorite parts of the finished project.

left: This classic American bungalow warmed its owners hearts, but was too small for the family. Changing the converted attic bedrooms to modern living space with adequate headroom meant building a replacement second floor and heightening the brick chimney.

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Tackling the Second Floor

The design alternatives for the new second floor were, as always, based on detailed

assessments and measurements of the old building. To raise the ceiling from about 6' 10"

to 8 feet, we proposed adding knee walls directly above the existing first-floor walls and

slightly increasing the pitch of the roof. At the rear, the knee walls along the sides of the

house also captured added space for the two rear bedrooms, which together had been

considerably narrower than the first floor, but would now have the same total width. At

the front of the house, a new master bedroom dormer would be wider and taller than

the original, but with proportions that were carefully studied to protect the look of the

bungalow.

Within the new space that all of this provided, we expanded the floor space of all three

bedrooms as well as the ceiling height and added several closets. Closets and shelves were,

in true bungalow style, built into the sloping roof to fully use the space.

The plans emphasized the historic bungalow style, recommending modern, larger bedroom

windows in a Prairie style, beadboard soffits, and new siding for the second floor that

emulated a board-and-batten look, yet would go well with the first-floor aluminum siding,

which remained for the time being. Fortunately, a mix of two siding styles is a common

element of bungalow style.

A 21st-Century Bungalow

Today, the finished house still looks like a bungalow and fits well into its 1920s and 30s

era neighborhood. But what at a glance may not seem like a big difference, is a new

world inside. New heating and cooling for the second floor, proper closets and a built-in

bookcase, 8-foot ceilings, and three bedrooms with more-than-adequate dimensions, make

real differences in daily life.

right, above: Before the project, the upstairs bedrooms were inset significantly from the sides of the first floor, making them much narrower than necessary. The old deck was too exposed to insects and direct sun.

right, below: A happy replacement for the overly hot rear deck, the new screen porch also evokes the bungalow era of the 1920s. A beadboard ceiling, Casablanca fan, and traditional wood door and framing add an outdoor family space that suits the house.

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At the rear of the house, the screen porch, as we had hoped, has become "a family place,"

in the wife's words, "like another room in the house." The screens, of course, keep out

mosquitoes and the shade makes it ideal for family meals during spring and fall. An

advocate for ceiling fans, which she used to sell, the wife finds that the fan on the porch

have been a big help for greater energy efficiency. Upstairs, the new, 8-foot ceilings can also

safely accommodate ceiling fans that would have been too low before.

As for the enlarged master bedroom, she says, "We love it!" Previously, there was literally

a foot of floor space between her bed and the wall; now there is a normal, roomy amount.

The new closets have added a huge amount of storage compared to what was available

before, and the bigger windows, more sunlight. A tightly wedged former attic space has

become a brightly lit, appropriately sized room where it's a pleasure to spend time. f

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Old Floor Plan

Originally, the front bedroom was a small room with a modest dormer and one undersized closet; the back bedrooms had sidewalls inset from the wider first floor. Although a floor plan doesnt show it, the ceilings were awkwardly lowand the underframed floors were bouncy.

New Floor Plan

The new plan expands the total width of the rear bedrooms to match the width of the first floor, adds closets, and widens the space for the master bedroom as well as adding a much larger dormer. Higher ceilings increase the usable space for each room.


From Split-Foyer House to Modern ArchitectureFOR TWO OF MY CLIENTS WITH A LONG-STANDING INTEREST IN modern architecture, replacing an outdated single-car carport with an oversize two-car garage became an occasion to refresh and improve their homes appearance, too. Their 1960s split-foyer home in Silver Spring, Maryland, was located on a generous two-acre suburban lot that could easily handle a more substantial home, large garage included. As I learned when I met with them, they also wanted to use this moment to add a large, more front entry porch and a faade with handsome touches, giving their home more presence with a more assertive architectural style.

My design-build team was delighted to meet the challenge. The new garage meets the demands of an active,

multi-car family and provides additional storage, while adding architectural interest to the home. The new entry

porch, with an intriguing cube-like form open on multiple sides, provides the home with an impressive entrance,

a gathering spot for family and friends, and a look that is unlike anything in the neighborhood, yet a successful

complement to the homes underlying style.

In designing the addition, we took into consideration the scale and mass of the home, starting with the homes two-

block existing structure, with a two-story bedroom wing on the right and a one-story wing with living spaces on the

left. This became the basis for a three-block design in which the new garage is the third block or component. The

added garage also created a stepped roof rhythm, allowing for a low-pitched gable roof that unified the new with the

old.

As we planned the project, the original brick house served as both a contrast and a complement to the additions

striking new statement. The homes existing brick was utilized as a unifying material, and matching brick was added

to the front of the garage. The homes existing stone, which was from a local, and now defunct, quarry, inspired the

replication of similar stone for the foundation-base, and a horizontal wall now stretches the length of the house,

concealing three unattractive basement windows. The new porchs use of stucco became a strong, effective contrast

with the plain brick house and the rugged stone base.

In addition to its fresh take on commonly used building materials, the entry porch includes a large skylight and an

exposed, minimalist painted pipe column at one corner, helping to anchor the light, open stucco cube. Glass and

steel porch railings express a lean, modern architectural sense that exactly met the homeowners intentions. With the

garage, entry porch, and faade complete, the formerly dated house exterior has been transformed to a sophisticated

and modern work of architecture and art, adding value and functionality to make it fresh and new. f

left: Rugged stone, slate, stucco, and brick materials create a striking new entrance to the house. A skylight and bench add to the welcoming shelter of the new entry porch, designed as an open, modernist cube.


BEFORE: This typical 1960s split-foyer house included an inadequate, single-vehicle carport and serviceable but dated materials like the porch and stair railing. Plain brick walls, conventional windows, and other details add to the homes older, unremarkable appearance.

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AFTER: What a difference an addition project can make! The new two-car garage adds functionality and creates a more substantial appearance, while a dramatic new open-sided entry porch makes a bold but welcoming statement. Additional changes to the faade help to transform a typical 1960s suburban house into a striking, visually engaging home.

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Old Floor Plan

The original house, a typical 1960s split-foyer home, was divided between a low one-story block at left and a two-story section at right; the small carport was a visual afterthought open to the elements. The front-door stairs, pointed toward the street, did not relate to the driveway where visitors would actually arrive; they were also narrow and short, providing no comfortable opportunity to linger with arriving or departing guests.

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New Floor Plan

A substantial, oversize two-car garage immediately lends substance and presence to the mass of the house. Open on multiple sides, the new entry porch still presents the front door to public view from the street, but provides access to guests through a thoughtfully planned flagstone patio, broad, low stairway, and the substantialand strikingporch, complete with skylight.

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Finding Potential in an Unfinished BasementAN UNFINISHED BASEMENT CAN OFTEN FEEL LIKE A DARK AND DAMP CAVE, even if the basement is merely used for storage or laundry. But sometimes, with a smart remodel and unique design aesthetic, a basement can become a chic and airy loft-like space. This was the case for a recent 1920s townhouse basement remodeling project in the historic Woodley Park neighborhood of Northwest Washington DC. A family of four, with two young children, wanted to turn their dark and gloomy basement into a multi-functional space with defined areas for play, TV, and work. The homeowners specifically desired an office space with a built-in desk, a laundry closest for their stack washer/dryer, ample storage units, and an enclosure to conceal the mechanical equipment.

Despite its location below ground, the new basement feels like a modern, airy space that maintains the charm from

the historic townhouse above. This light, open feeling was made possible in large part because of a clever design for

the typically low ceiling. The removal of the old ceiling allowed for the exposure of the floor joists, cross bracing,

and diagonal subfloor above. What some may see as the innards of a home became the basements most exciting

design feature: the exposed ceiling was painted white, thus enhancing the sense of space and creating a seamless

integration from the walls to the ceilings. Redundant wiring and piping were removed or relocated to minimize the

visual congestion. A new bulkhead, running from the front of the basement to the back, now holds a majority of the

ductwork and piping.

What was once a dark basement with a sloping floor, is now a modern, functional, and charming space with a

leveled floor (thanks to a liquid floor leveler poured over the uneven 1920s floor slab). The basement is perfect for a

busy family on-the-go, a family who now doesnt mind spending all of their time in the basement. f

left: An open, white painted ceiling becomes an attractive focal point in this basement loft, a family room designed to maximize a sense of openness and light.

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ABOVE: This unfinished basement room offered storage space, and not much else, when the project began.

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ABOVE: The basement is almost unrecognizable in its new role as the center of family life. Internal walls are gone and fresh new stairs invite family members into a carefully planned space that includes a media center, open ceiling, and plenty of light.

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Old Floor Plan

The old, unfinished basement was broken up into laundry and storage spaces rather than room for family life.

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New Floor Plan

The newly reconfigured basement works for living/TV viewing, the childrens playroom, laundry, and a home office.

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BATHS & MASTER SUITES


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left: A well-appointed shower, pedestal sink, and modern toilet make the hall bathroomused as a master bathcontemporary, elegant, and more spacious. Thoughtfully chosen tile textures, sizes, and colors provide a variety of finish surfaces, accented by a Turkish rug.

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A Clients Vision for Three Elegant Small Baths OVER THE YEARS, IVE FOUND THAT EVERY CLIENT BRINGS HIS OR HER own preferences to any remodeling project. Even a homeowner who claims to have no opinion usually turns out to have very clear ideas, once I ask the right questions. With knowledge of a clients tastes, my design-build studio can then work within a budget to produce a more pleasant, comfortable, custom resultthe type of hand-tailored project that makes a house more truly a home.

In the Washington area, with its museums and active art scene, I sometimes work with clients who have a special background in art or design. One great example was the owner of a modern-style brick townhouse, built in about 1967 during urban renewal in the Southwest Waterfront area. A senior federal official, she was also an avid textile enthusiast, with a sophisticated eye for color; since the time I worked with her, she has become a trustee of the Textile Museum. When we met at the house, she showed me her sewing room, draped with amazing fabrics that glistened in the sun. This clients aesthetic sense made it a joy to work with her on the project at hand: transforming three dated, small bathrooms into upscale, elegant, and modern spaces.


right: The long, sculptural lines of the tub, distinctive 12 by 24 inch wall tiles, and two dark tile bands above the tub all help to expand and lengthen the apparent dimensions of the guest bathroom.

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Small, badly worn bathrooms, although a common problem for homeowners, might not

seem like a great creative opportunity. My client disagreed. In her previous homes, she had

often handled renovations by hiring contractors directly. For these bathrooms, however, she

had decided that an architects eye was essential, for the very reason that the rooms were so

small.

Her insight was that in a modest-size space, both the opportunities and risks of any design

choice were magnified. There was, quite literally, no room for error. A light switch that

was off by an inch, or a slightly too-large or too-small pattern in some surface finish, could

easily ruin the whole effect. She had looked for an architect-led studio, she said, because

visually and functionally, everything had to be just right.

A Triple Challenge

The bathrooms were certainly modest in size. As a rule, a small American bathroom is 5 by

8 feet. The first floor bathroom in this house was a claustrophobic 4 by 7 feet. The other

two bathrooms, both on the third floor, were not much larger: 6 by 7 feet and 6 6 by 6

8. There was also no realistic way to expand them, given the size and layout of the house.

Despite their small scale, all three bathrooms were also full baths; the first floor bathroom

had a shower and both third floor bathrooms included tub and shower combinations.

These upstairs bathrooms were entered, respectively, from the hall and from the front bed-

room. Since my client preferred the sunlight and quiet of the rear bedroom, she used the

hall bathroom as her master bath. The front bedroom and its en suite bathroom served as

her guest room.

She asked initially about the option of combining the third floor bathrooms, which shared

a common wall, into one larger bath that could, on occasion, be shared with a houseguest.

Our design team looked seriously at this idea and developed a compartmentalized plan,

but in the end, it proved unrealistic. Ensuring the privacy of hostess and guest would have

chopped up the space too much, losing the advantage of a larger bathroom. Combining

the bathrooms would also have incurred the expense of moving the plumbing lines, for


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left: See-through invisible shower doors and a richly textured mosaic wall of glass and ceramic tiles increase the apparent size of the tiny first floor bathroom. My design-build studios lead carpenter built the small, stylish vanity, inspired by a Philippe Starck model that was no longer available.

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very little gain. Instead, we went back to the idea of keeping each bathroom in place, while

transforming each into a space that felt bigger and less confined.

Upscale Design in Small Spaces

As in any small room, the scale of the materials and fixtures was a vital consideration. The

existing bathrooms, for example, used small, 1-inch floor and wall tiles, which were com-

mon when the house was built in the 1960s. Our design approach called for large tiles for

the floors and most of the walls, opening up the rooms visually and make them appear

larger. (Within the showers, however, we used small floor tiles to help avoid slipping.)

Also typical of the 1960s, the bathrooms used vanities for storage. But the vanities were

just too bulky for such small rooms, adding to the sense of cramped space. In the third

floor bathrooms, our design used pedestal sinks instead. The floor around a pedestal feels

far more open, and a good pedestal sink has a sculptural quality that can become a visual

focal point.

To create needed storage, we used the fact that the upstairs bathrooms were against the

townhouses party wall, the wall adjoining the next unit. The greater depth of that wall

allowed us to inset 6-inch-deep medicine cabinets that protruded by only the usual small

amount into the room. Elegantly narrow, vertical, and very deep, the mirrored cabinets

worked well over each of the pedestal sinks, leading the eye to a sconce on the wall above.

A sleeker, more open, and more modern look was starting to come together.

Since the tiny first floor bathroom wasnt on the party wall, we decided to use a wall mirror

there, supplying any storage needs with a very small but upscale vanity. We were delighted

at first to discover an elegant Philippe Starck design, only to find it had been discontin-

ued. Fortunately, my lead carpenter was able to create a small-scale, tapered custom vanity

inspired by the Starck model.


69A Vision for Each Room

Next came some additional choices to set each bathroom apart. Like many clients, this

homeowner felt no need for more than one bathtub in the house; she gladly gave up the

tub in her hall bathroom for a shower. This decision allowed us to design a shower with a

clear, invisible enclosure, creating a more open feeling for the room. We also suggested

tiling the wall behind the sink and toilet from floor to ceiling. Not only did this make a

nice backdrop for the fixtures, but it gave more importance to this wall, which one sees

every day while using the sink.

Given her interest in color, texture, and pattern, my client was particularly pleased by the

diverse tiles we suggested for this hall bathroom. The large wall tile we recommended is an

unusual, 20-inch-square ceramic tile with directional markings that make it resemble wood

or cork. She has since found that guests invariably touch it when she gives them a tour.

Within the shower, two nicely bumpy inset bands of clear glass tile offer a visual and tactile

contrast to the ceramic tile. On the floor outside the shower, a light, 18-inch-square Italian

tile is a neutral setting for a rug chosen by the client.

In the adjacent guest bathroom, we proposed replacing the old, 1960s bathtub with a con-

temporary soaking tub with a striking sculpted exterior. At 12 by 24 inches, the suggested

horizontal wall tiles for the guest bath were the largest in any of the bathrooms. Imported

from Italy, they have a directional quality, with lightly colored, contrasting markings. As

we all noticed when we and the client examined the samples, the markings were almost

like threads in a fabric, once again echoing her interests and tastes. On the long wall above

the tub, we continued the strong horizontal theme with decorative bands of rectangular,

rugged glass tile in a deep amber hue. On the floor, 12-inch tiles in a complementary color

could suitably showcase a selected rug.

In the first floor bathroom, the old shower had a frosted glass enclosure that visually cut off

even more of the limited space in the room. The new shower, like the one upstairs, incor-

porated a clear glass enclosure, letting the eye travel easily to the far wall of the shower.

There we planned a visual treata floor-to-ceiling mosaic wall of 1-inch tiles in contrast-

ing glass and stone, the only large wall surface in all three bathrooms where small tiles were

used. Other walls in the bathroom would be adorned with 12-inch tiles. On the floor,

almost white 16-inch tiles echoed the very light colors of the entire space. The finished ef-

fect, says our satisfied client today, is quite simply a really exquisite little bath.


70Final Steps

Although the walls and plumbing locations in each bathroom would stay put for this proj-

ect, a close look at the spaces showed that all three bathrooms had to be gutted, reframed,

and rebuilt. This is often, though not always, necessary in older homes, partly due to issues

with the original construction and partly because of settling over time. With the design

and plans in place and the few supplier difficulties resolved, we started the process of tear-

ing out and rebuilding while our client left for a spring vacation in Turkey.

At this point, a key element was still to come from the owner herself: the collectible rugs

envisioned for each room. The first of these fell into place on her travels when she found

a yastik, a traditional regional rug variety, in a Turkish junk shop. Although the yastik was

filthy and hard to see clearly, she suspected it would be perfect for the hall bathroom, the

one she used as her master bath. On her return, as she expected, it took her several days

to wash her purchase thoroughly. But as soon as she set the cleaned yastik on the new tile

floor, it was obviously just right, immediately becoming the hall bathrooms new focal

point.

For the bathroom off the guest bedroom, by contrast, she selected a rug with an unknown

provenance but great family significance. The rug, which had been her mothers, used to lie

in front of the fireplace in her parents home. This unexpected choice also felt right in its

space, she said, describing this placement as a homecoming of sorts. As of this writing, her

chosen rug, if any, for the first-floor bathroom remains an open question.

When I compare all three new bathrooms with the cramped, dingy rooms they replaced,

the contrast could not be more extreme, even though no space was added or reconfigured.

Working with a client with a strong aesthetic sense and a vision of small-scale elegance

helped to make this project special. But these three small bathrooms also illustrate a

broader point. All three offer abundant proof that small spaces, thoughtfully considered

and created, can sparkle with originality, high functionality, and panache. f


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The Luxury (and Challenge) of Extra SpaceIT DOESNT OFTEN HAPPEN THAT A CLIENTS BATHROOM HAS TOO MUCH space, but such was the case with a cavernous master bath in a brick, five-story Northwest Washington house built in 1986. At 14 by 16 feet, this bathroom was the size of a modest living room. Yet its inefficient arrangement and outdated materials made the bathroom feel clumsy, awkward, and empty, rather than luxurious and roomy.

The 9 6 ceiling and large stretches of open floor overwhelmed the existing cabinets and fixtures, leaving them visually adrift in the over-size space. As if that werent enough, the bathroom was also a relic of the 1980s, with gold-plated fixtures, mirrored walls, pink-veined marble, and a massive platform tub, which stood like an altar at the far end of the room.

The ownersa partner in a venture capital firm and his wife, who was staying home with their two daughtershad never liked the bathroom from the time they bought the house. But with young children to raise, they had other priorities for the first few years. That changed unexpectedly during a family vacation, when a small pipe burst under the sink while they were away. The bathroom was on the fourth floor, so the results were far-reaching. I and the staff of my design-build studio first met the family as we repaired, restored, and replaced water-damaged walls, ceilings, and hardwood floors on the levels below.

With the rest of the house back in good condition, the couple decided against simply restoring the bathroom where the flood began. Instead, they asked me to develop and then execute a new design for the space, aiming for a more functional, attractive bathroom that better reflected their own tastes.


before: Plants and exercise gear surround the rarely used platform tub in the old bathroom; at right, counters and a single-sink vanity fill a corner of the bathroom, which had mirrored walls. There was no shower.


73Setting a New Direction

The process began, as always, with a conversation about the clients goals and preferences.

Given that the current bathroom did not have any shower, a modern, walk-in shower was

at the top of their list. The wife, who would be the main user of the new bathroom, was

also frustrated by the small, single-sink vanity in the existing bathroom. For the new room,

she envisioned a substantial vanity with two sinks, more counter space, and far more stor-

age. With two sinks, she could soak a hand-washed item, for example, while running water

in the other sink. Both clients were looking for a comfortable but high-end bathroom in

a transitional style, not too traditional and not too modernjust the reverse of the dated,

pink-and-gold-accented fixtures and materials in the existing space.

Stepping back from these and other important specifics, the couples overall goal for the

project was simple. The old bathroom just didnt work. They wanted a new design that

was cohesive, organized, pulled together, and functional, making good use of the available

spacea bathroom, in other words, that made sense.

Ironically, the biggest challenge in meeting that goal was also the rooms nicest feature: a

wall with a large sliding glass door and big windows, which opened onto a balcony with

a spectacular view of the city, including the Washington Monument. The rooms current

arrangement embraced this wonderful view, although it lacked appropriate privacy for a

bathroom and admitted too much hot sun. Somehow the new plan would also have to

accommodate the superb vista, which was sacred. Yet there was no good way to properly

place all of the bathroom functions in one large room adjacent to a wall of glass.

A Two-Room Solution

After measuring and further assessing the old bathroom, my design team proposed a new,

zoned layout divided into private and public spacesin effect, an inner and outer room. A

toilet and a new, tiled shower would occupy the private zone, an inner sanctum shielded by

a new wall with a wide pocket door.

The larger public zone, where one entered the bathroom, would include the full 16-foot-

wide wall of glass and retain a generous width of about 10 feet. Key elements of this public

space included a modern, freestanding bath placed parallel to the outer wall, and a substan-

tial, two-sink vanity suited to the scale of the room. Along the glass wall, 7-foot tall sliding

louvered panels would provide privacy and sun control. By covering the entire wall, the

louvers created a sleek, clean look that replaced the old separate blinds.


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The team offered several design alternatives and ideas, including an 8-inch band of clere-

story glass to admit natural light to the shower. For the clients, however, the extra sunlight

didnt justify adding this interior window. Natural light would enter the private zone,

instead, through the large pocket door, which we made of frosted glass.

The new, two-room approach surprised and pleased both homeowners. As our female cli-

ent later said of the finished result, shes thrilled with it. Because of the improved design,

the public zone doesnt feel any smaller to her than the original bathroom.

Filling Out the Details

With strong support for the two-room idea, we developed the specifics to make it work. In

the public zone, we used architectural details to pull in the high ceiling, which previously

felt distant and almost isolated. Crown molding at the ceiling, a traditional way to connect

a ceiling with a room, was paired with equally substantial molding around the pocket door

opening. At 8 feet tall and 42 inches wide, the unusually large pocket door also helped to

keep the ceiling in scale. The line of the upper door molding was continued by a substan-

tial architrave, an overmantle feature that framed the mirrors and sconces above the new

vanity. In such a large room, this treatment helped to ground the vanity and give it a visual

sense of place.

On the wall facing the entrance to the bathroom, paneling and two-toned paint created a

strong visual focal point in lieu of a featureless surface. Having divided the old bathroom

into rectangular zones, we used a diagonal layout of large, 18-by-18-inch porcelain floor

tiles to break up the rectilinear feeling and pull the space together.

Our clients enjoyed choosing one of the many available freestanding, contemporary tubs

we recommended, which held just as much water as the old platform tub. To preserve the

clean, sculptural lines of their chosen tub, we mounted the faucet on a separate, marble-

topped mahogany frame. Above the tub, we re-used a lantern-like fixture that an interior

decorator had found for them for this bathroom some years earlier. As the decorator must

have intended, this intriguing, nicely scaled piece helped lower the ceiling visually and cre-

ated another point of interest and contrast.

following pages: Adjustable louvers control light and privacy along a wall of glass with a stunning view. Within the public zone of the new bathroom, a freestanding tub, large custom vanity, and wide frosted-glass pocket door create an elegant, comfortable space in appropriate scale.


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On the inside wall, across the public zone from the balcony, the custom vanity became,

in effect, a large piece of furniture well suited to the scale of the room. Six drawers and

six cabinet doors defined a wealth of storage space, while the vanitys curved faucets and

elegantly simple drawer and door pulls were in visual sympathy with the faucet at the tub.

The gray manmade stone countertop formed a fitting contrast to the relatively light palette

of the rest of the room. Wall-mounted mirrors, paired sconces, and glass shelves filled out

the wide wall space defined by the substantial architrave.

Step Inside

Inside the frosted glass pocket door was the private zone that held the toilet and shower.

Like many clients, the owners requested a built-in bench within the shower. In daily life, a

bench can be enormously useful as a place to keep shampoo bottles or as a support to shave

a leg. As my female client noted, its a great aid to washing a childs hair. She and her hus-

band also talked about the value of a bench in case of a sports injury, or for future owners

who might have a frail or elderly family member.

Within the shower, large wall tiles honored the couples preferences for relatively neutral,

quiet decor, while horizontal glass mosaic bandsmore intense, but in the same color

rangeadded visual interest. A clear glass, frameless shower enclosure avoided visually

separating the shower space from the rest of the private zone. In a satisfying touch, the

curb at the shower entrance and the shower bench were topped with matching limestone.

The net result feels elegant but also cozy, a shower with extra privacy thats clean, tasteful,

much more functional than the disliked platform bath, and entirely user-friendly.

Aesthetically and functionally, this cheerful new bathroom with its dual zones has met and

exceeded the goals that my clients discussed as we looked over the old, too-large 1980s

bathroom. When asked what she likes most about the new space, my female client men-

tions the louvers on the glass wall, the wonderful view (needless to say!), the pretty, sculp-

tural tub, and the paneled wall that catches ones eye on entering the bathroom. Most of

all, though, she loves the roomy, well-appointed shower, a welcome private space within

the newly functional master bath. f

right: Bands of mosaic tile add interest to this ample shower that includes a built-in bench, custom showerheads, and frameless, clear glass enclosure.


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A Master Suite Updates a 1960s HomeI GET A KICK OUT OF BEING AN ARCHITECT WHO SPECIALIZES in remodeling because I like helping people improve their daily lives. For example, one of my clients liked her 1960 Neocolonial house in Chevy Chase, Maryland, except for two bothersome flaws. The first was the unappealing faade, which was discouraging to come home to and didnt match her homes attractive interior.

The other problem, to which she woke up every morning, was a first-floor master bedroom with limited storage and a small attached bathroom. This arrangement, although common in the 1960s, no longer made much sense. For lack of closet space, my client had to rotate many of her clothes in and out of seasonal storage elsewhere in the house; her partner simply kept his clothes in the basement. The rooms were also arranged so that the bathroom could only be reached through the bedroom, making it hard for one person to shower and get ready for the day without disturbing the other. The bathroom, which measured 5 by 7 feet, was fitted with a sink, a toilet, a shower, and not much else.

My client, a corporate vice president, put our goal simply: make my house look and feel upscale. She originally hired me and my design-build studio to make the front of her house more substantial and inviting. Our faade design pleased her so much, however, that she decided to put off construction. Instead, she asked us to design a modern master suite to replace the existing bedroom-with-bath. My studio could then build the master suite and the new faade at the same time, resolving both of her issues with the house at once.

right: A new curbless walk-in shower features garden views.

from house to home: an architect's perspective on remodeling

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