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HomeLifeStyle

See Designs, Page 4

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

From designing a kitchen with aconcave glass tile backsplash tocreating a backyard with a fireplace and pool, some local home

remodelers were honored recently with theNational Association of the RemodelingIndustry’s (NARI) 2013 Regional Contrac-tor of the Year awards for design acumen.Winning projects ran the gamut from his-toric preservation projects to environmen-tally conscious conceptions.

A MCLEAN KITCHEN by BOWA took tophonors in the “Residential Kitchen Over$120,000” category. The homeowners werelooking to create a free-flowing, light-filledspace.

“Their kitchen was not as open as theywould have liked,” said Josh Baker, founderand co-chairman of BOWA. “They wantedto make it more integrated and useful forthe family.”

To accommodate a larger kitchen, thedesign team, which included BOWA’sGeorge Hodges-Fulton, built an additionand added a sitting room, screened porch

and additional windows to allow an abun-dance of natural light to stream into thespace. The new kitchen also included abutler’s pantry and a family dining area.

What is the key to turning one’s home intoan award-winning, showcase house? Baker,who founded BOWA with his college friendLarry Weinberg, says an open dialogue isessential to a successful remodeling project.“The key is finding a person or companythat you communicate very, very well withand whose process is in line with how youlike to do business,” he said. “This is a cus-tomer service business. It is not just a con-struction business. The entire process is im-portant, not just the end result.”

FAIRFAX-BASED FIRM RJK Construction,Inc. received top honors in the category of“Residential Addition $100,000 to$250,000” for a home in the Mantua areaof Fairfax County. Company president Rob-ert Kalmin says the homeowners’ goal wasto blend their interior and exterior spaces.“They wanted to make their exterior land-scaping a visual point because they enter-tain a lot,” he said. “The windows act asmurals to the exterior landscaping bring theoutdoors in and the indoors out.”

The owners requested an open floor planthat allowed guests to move freely betweenthe kitchen and the backyard. “They werevery specific about how they wanted peopleto meander from the outside to the inside,”Kalmin said. “We had to relocate the pow-der room so that people are able to use the

restroom without having to go anywhereelse.”

An abundance of windows allows natu-ral light to flow throughout the home. “Thekitchen has red oak flooring and other col-ors and finishes that compliment the natu-ral scenery outside,” said Kalmin.

HARRY BRASWELL of Harry Braswell,Inc. in Alexandria, was named Contractorof the Year in the “Entire House $500,001to $1,000,000” category for the renovationof a home that had not been updated sincethe 1950s. “The house was outdated, toosmall for the family’s needs,” he said.

The renovation included a kitchen out-fitted with cabinet-front appliances andporcelain sinks including an apron farm sinkand an island sink in a pale aqua. “Thatcolor is carried throughout the house,” saidproject manager Gretchen Brown.

A concave glass tile backsplash surroundsthe durable, brown-toned quartzite counter.“Quartzite doesn’t stain easily,” said Brown.“It is strong like granite, but is more expen-sive.”

The Braswell team also got a nod for en-ergy efficiency for this project, which wasnamed “NARI Green Project.” Brown notedthat the team installed energy efficiencylighting and energy star appliances.

“The homeowners had specific criteriaabout wanting to meet [Leadership in En-ergy and Environmental Design] certifica-

Local contractorsget top honors forremodeling projects.

The Region’s Best Home DesignsThis McLean kitchen by BOWA took top honors in the “Residential Kitchen Over $120,000” category. Thehomeowners wanted to create a free-flowing, light-filled space.

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Historic Garden Week 2013 willfeature approximately 200 private homes and gardens open on

32 separate tours throughout the state ofVirginia over eight consecutive days. It isthe largest ongoing volunteer effort in Vir-ginia and represents the coordinated effortsof 3,400 club members. One hundred per-cent of tour proceeds are used to enhanceVirginia’s landscape. For 80 years, thegrounds of the Commonwealth’s most cher-ished historic landmarks have been restoredor preserved with help from proceeds fromHistoric Garden Week including MountVernon, Monticello and the grounds of theExecutive Mansion in Richmond. In addi-tion to the amazing interiors and gardenson display, Garden Club of Virginia volun-teers will create more than 2,000 spectacu-lar floral arrangements to decorate therooms. Visit www.vagardenweek.org.

SATURDAY APRIL 20, 2013Old Town AlexandriaSponsored by the Hunting Creek Garden Club and

the Garden Club of Alexandria10 a.m to 4 p.m.

All eight private properties on the historicOld Town Alexandria tour are within aneasy walk of each other, allowing visitorsto enjoy strolling the quaint streets linedwith charming townhouses and intimatewalled gardens. The full tour ticket includesfree admission to George Washington’sMount Vernon Estate (entrance is normally$15 per person), as well as six other no-table historic sites in Alexandria on the dayof the tour. ºRefreshments are offered from11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the historic Lloyd House

80th HistoricGarden Week,April 20-27

See Virginia Garden, Page 5

This home in the Vienna/Oaktonarea is featured on Virginia’s 80th

annual Historic Garden Week tourin Fairfax County.

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HomeLifeStyle

tion because they are dedicated to protect-ing the environment,” said Braswell.

CABIN JOHN, MD., BASED firm AnthonyWilder Design/Build, Inc. received kudos inthe “Residential Exterior, $100,000 andOver” category for a backyard space thatincludes a pool and fireplace. “The home-owner wanted four separate living spacesin the backyard,” said company spokes-woman Danielle Frye. “He wanted a diningroom, a living room with a heat source, aplace to sunbathe near his pool and a placeto play cricket on his lawn.”

Frye said the Wilder team, which includedarchitect George R. Bott and lead designerAnthony Wilder, developed a backyard planthat replaced overgrown grass with flag-stone and a badly worn fence with foliageto create a sense of privacy. “There is asundeck and spaces for a sofa and diningtable, but the fireplace is the focal point,”said Frye. “We used really tall bamboo toshield the view from the hotel across thestreet.”

A BETHESDA HOME ADDITION gar-nered a top prize in the “Residential Addi-tion Over $250,000” category for A.R.TDesign Build Inc. with team memberGrossmueller’s Design Consultants, Inc.

“The client wanted to expand their onestory house to have a separate area for [bed-rooms] and create a more functional firstfloor with more communal spaces, thekitchen, family room [and] dining room,”said Cindy G. McClure of Grossmueller’sDesign Consultants, Inc.

The design team added a new secondfloor to the home, which accommodates alaundry room, a master suite, two addi-tional bedrooms and a bathroom. A stairtower and cathedral foyer cre-

The Region’s Best Home DesignsFrom Page 3

This backyard oasis, designed by Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc., won a Contractor of the Year Award inthe “Residential Exterior, $100,000 and Over” category. The homeowner wanted a backyard space with aplace to sunbathe near the pool, a dining room, a living room with a heat source and a place to play cricket.

This kitchen, designed by Grossmueller’s Design Consult-ants, Inc. and A.R.T Design Build in Bethesda, Md., waspart of a remodeling project that earned a 2013 Contractorof the Year award. The homeowner’s goal was to create afree-flowing kitchen, dining and family room space.

Harry Brawell of Harry Braswell, Inc. in Alexandria,was named Contractor of the Year in the “EntireHouse $500,001 to $1,000,000” category for reno-vating a home that had not been updated since the1950s.

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“The key to asuccessful projectis finding a personor company thatyou communicatevery, very well withand whoseprocess is in linewith how you liketo do business.”— Josh Baker, founder and

co-chairman of BOWA

ate an open floor plan and connect the firstand second levels.

“Elements of the old house, like the wide

chimney on the front and the contempo-rary 1960 style were played upon and ac-centuated,” said McClure. “The result is a

functional home that meets the needs oftoday’s family, remained within budget andwas completed on time.”


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and garden. Adding further con-venience for tour visitors is the freeKing Street Trolley that travelsfrom the Metro station down ourmain commercial street to thePotomac River every 15 minutes.

Tickets are $40 and available atthe Ramsey House Visitors Centerat the corner of King Street andNorth Fairfax Street on the day ofthe tour. For advance tickets con-tact Mrs. Donald [email protected] 703-684-3876. For more information,please contact Tour ChairmenMason Bavin [email protected], TwigMurray [email protected] orCatherine Bolton [email protected]

TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013Fairfax: Oakton/ViennaSponsored by The Garden Club of

Fairfax10 a.m. to 4 p.m

The Fairfax County communitiesof Oakton and Vienna haveemerged from small rural townsinto thriving family-orientedneighborhoods with homes andgardens reflecting a wide range of

For full schedule through

April 27. Visit

www.vagardenweek.org

architectural and personal style.Ticket price includes admission tothe Cosby Home, the Unger Homeand Garden, the Buster Home andGarden, the Kampa Home andGarden, the Rosenthal Home andGarden and Meadowlark Botani-cal Gardens.

Advance tickets are $20 throughApril 9. Contact Marty Whipple [email protected]. For moreinformation about the tour, con-tact Bonnie Rekemeyer [email protected].

ALL AROUND VIRGINIASaturday, April 20Ashland/Elmont – The Ashland Garden

ClubOld Town Alexandria – The Hunting

Creek Garden Club and The GardenClub of Alexandria

Smithfield – Elizabeth River andNansemond River Garden Clubs

Augusta County/Staunton – AugustaGarden Club

Orange County/Somerset – DolleyMadison Garden Club

Sunday, April 21Nelson County/Albemarle – The

Charlottesville, Albemarle andRivanna Garden Clubs

Chatham – Chatham Garden ClubMonday, April 22Nelson County/Albemarle – The

Charlottesville, Albemarle andRivanna Garden Clubs

Waterford – The Leesburg Garden Cluband the Fauquier-Loudoun GardenClub

Tuesday, April 23Oakton/Vienna – The Garden Club of

FairfaxFredericksburg – The Rappahannock

Valley Garden ClubLynchburg – Hillside and Lynchburg

Garden ClubsRichmond – Chatham Hills/Windsor-on-

the-James – The Boxwood, JamesRiver and Three Chopt Garden Clubsand

The Tuckahoe Garden Club ofWesthampton

Williamsburg - Kingsmill Resort and theColonial Area – The WilliamsburgGarden Club

Petersburg – The Petersburg GardenClub

Wednesday, April 24Harrisonburg – The Spotswood Garden

ClubMartinsville – The Garden Club Study

and the Martinsville Garden ClubHampton-Newport News – The

Huntington and the Hampton RoadsGarden Clubs

Northern Neck/Northumberland County– The Garden Club of the NorthernNeck

Richmond – Laburnum Park – co-sponsored by The Council of HistoricRichmond Foundation and

The Boxwood, James River and ThreeChopt Garden Clubs and TheTuckahoe Garden Club ofWesthampton

Virginia Beach – The Princess Anne andVirginia Beach Garden Clubs

Warrenton – The Warrenton GardenClub

HomeLifeStyle

6 ❖ Fairfax Connection ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2013 Fairfax Connection ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2013 ❖ 7Local Media Connection LLC ❖ www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com ❖ Local Media Connection LLC

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HomeLifeStyle

By John Byrd

If you compare the currenthome remodeling market to2007, it’s clear thathomeowners are less likely

to execute a top-to-bottommakeover in a single stroke thanthey were five years ago.

Home resales are rising again,but the belief that every dollarspent on a Northern Virginia homewill be quickly recovered has beensuspended — if only temporarily— as homeowners reassess.

For most local homeowners, ahouse is an asset of enormous per-sonal appeal: an expression ofidentity and aspiration, periodi-cally adapted to life’s changes.

While the scale of the averageproject may be smaller, it’s evidentthat many homeowners middle ageor older have come to see the homeas a long-term — even lifelong —work in progress, one that theytake up passionately, and at regu-lar intervals.

Veteran remodeler David Foster

calls these homeowners “incremen-tal” improvers, and has come to seethem them as the primary focus ofa home improvement enterprise hestarted 30 years ago.

As president of Foster Remodel-ing Solutions in Lorton, Fosterregularly coaches his team on theimportance of understanding whatthese homeowners need, what theyare expecting and how to articu-late their best options with clarity.

“Providing an experience thatthe homeowner will value un-equivocally is probably our mostimportant marketing activity,” Fos-ter said. “Our core belief is thatthere are many homeowners whowill make a notable home improve-ment every two to five years, so weplace a high priority on earningthat person’s trust. In this sense,there is nothing more importantthan outperforming expectation.”

WHILE THERE MAY BE manyreasons why a homeowner will re-model in stages, Foster observesthat the typical incremental im- See Piece by Piece, Page 11

tions that bear no resemblance tothe original.

The half-brick floor-to-ceilingbackwall was replaced by perfectlysymmetrical built-ins, crown mold-ing and an elevated hearth with amarble surround and Edwardian-style mantle.

“It’s an entirely different moodfrom the sun room,” Grems says,

“and perfectly satisfies another di-mension of our lifestyle.”

ON A SIMILAR NOTE, SandyNusbaum, of south Alexandria, at-tributes her periodic home upgradeinclinations to a gradual but deci-sive recognition that the four bed-

Demand for Incremental ImprovementsOver time, some owners makeover the entire house — one phase at a time.

The Pipers’ new pow-der room includes aMediterranean-stylefoot bath ringed inglass and mosaictiling.

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The plans for a kitchen remodel were complicated by the fact that the home’s rear eleva-tion backs into a woodland set-aside and a notably precipitous drop.

The existing half-brick floor-to-ceiling backwall was re-placed by perfectly symmetrical built-ins, crown moldingand an elevated hearth with a marble surround andEdwardian-style mantle.

after

before

prover has a pay-as-you-go orien-tation — often driven by evolvingfamily requirements.

Vienna resident Kelly Grems, forinstance, has executed four remod-eling projects with Foster startingwith a kitchen addition in 2003.

“We bought the house in 1995when I was pregnant,” Grems said.“My husband [Ed] and I had beenliving in a much smaller house inMaryland, but envisioned a tradi-tional home that would offer ourgrowing family lots of useful activ-ity areas.”

A kitchen with a sizable break-fast room was the first item on the“wish list,” an assignment compli-cated by the fact that home’s rearelevation backs into a woodlandset-aside and a notably precipitousdrop.

“The ground level decking wasalready in place,” Grems said. “ButDavid showed us a plan for an el-evated breakfast room extensionbuilt on pilings that wouldn’t re-quire a ground level foundation.Turns out, this solution created a

welcome canopy for the groundlevel patio. And it was also a moresensible, economical choice for usat the time.”

Grems says her first step washanding Foster a file of articles onkitchen interiors she had clippedfrom Southern Living; the FosterRemodeling design staff then tookover, helping the couple visualizedesign ideas with the aid of a CADcomputer program. The team alsoprovided an array of relevant fin-ish work choices, mostly pointingto readily available considerationson display in the company’s show-room.

“The selection and pricing pro-cess was transparent, and reallyanticipated what we needed,”Grems said. “When you’re as busyas we are, you appreciate this qual-ity of support.”

Apart from budget consider-ations, Grems said taking a pausebetween projects allowed thecouple to pay more attention tohow the family is actually using thehouse, and to develop ideas that

work for everyone.The recently completed family

room upgrade didn’t become an

immediate action plan, for in-stance, because the family designprocess was fomenting slowly —again starting with magazine ar-ticles and other sources.

“We’re particular; we let the lookcome to us piece by piece,” shesaid.

In the end, Foster Remodelingdesigners created interior eleva-


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January 2013 Top Sales

Photos by Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection

Address .................................... BR FB HB ..... Postal City ..... Sold Price .. Type ....... Lot AC .. PostalCode ........ Subdivision .......... Date Sold

1 11399 AMBER HILLS CT ........... 5 .. 4 .. 2 .......... FAIRFAX ...... $1,476,665 ... Detached ... 0.84 ........ 22033 .... ESTATES AT FAIR OAKS .... 01/31/13

2 10817 WINDERMERE LN .......... 4 .. 3 .. 1 ... FAIRFAX STATION $1,275,000 ... Detached .. 11.01 ....... 22039 THE ENGLISH HILLS ESTATE 01/31/13

3 11391 AMBER HILLS CT ........... 4 .. 4 .. 1 .......... FAIRFAX ...... $1,160,928 ... Detached ... 0.83 ........ 22033 .... ESTATES AT FAIR OAKS .... 01/31/13

4 3510 ROSE CREST LN ............... 5 .. 4 .. 1 .......... FAIRFAX ...... $1,087,500 ... Detached ... 0.83 ........ 22033 ....... OAK HILL ESTATES ....... 01/30/13

5 3871 LEWISTON PL .................. 3 .. 5 .. 0 .......... FAIRFAX ...... $1,025,000 ... Townhouse 0.09 ........ 22030 ............ FARRCROFT ........... 01/23/13

6 12606 CLIFTON HUNT LN ......... 5 .. 4 .. 1 ......... CLIFTON ........ $920,000 ... Detached ... 5.31 ........ 20124 ......... CLIFTON HUNT ......... 01/31/13

7 7438 SPRING SUMMIT RD ........ 4 .. 4 .. 1 ...... SPRINGFIELD ..... $800,000 ... Detached ... 0.44 ........ 22150 .........WESTHAMPTON ........ 01/31/13

8 8086 PAPER BIRCH DR ............. 5 .. 4 .. 1 .......... LORTON ......... $790,000 ... Detached ... 0.21 ........ 22079 .... LAUREL HILL LANDBAY ... 01/16/13

9 13509 LAMIUM LN ................... 4 .. 4 .. 1 ...... CENTREVILLE ..... $781,000 ... Detached ... 0.25 ........ 20120 ....... FAIRCREST SOUTH ...... 01/04/13

Copyright 2013 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Source: MRIS as of February 18, 2013.

Local REAL ESTATE

1 11399 AmberHills Court, Fairfax

— $1,476,665

3 11391 Amber Hills Court, Fairfax — $1,160,9285 3871 Lewiston Place, Fairfax — $1,025,000

6 12606 Clifton Hunt Lane,Clifton — $920,000

7 7438 Spring Summit Road,Springfield — $800,000

9 13509 Lamium Lane,Centreville — $781,000


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Rumor has it that the “world’s fanciest” rummag salewill feature some of the crystal light fixtures and otheritems recently replaced in the remodeling of the Ritz-Carlton Tysons.

Make your spring cleaning count this year. Donationsare needed for the World’s Fanciest Rummage Sale,benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washing-ton, Fairfax Region. Small items and clothing drop-offscan be brought to the front of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel,

Tysons Corner and left with the Bell Staff. Pleaseindicate that the items are for the Boys and Girls ClubsRummage Sale. Donation receipts will be available atdrop-off.

Have a really big item to donate? Contact HelenKruger 703-748-4068 to make pick-up arrangements.

The sale will feature upscale, new or like-new items,including designer clothing and shoes, furniture, andhome goods at ridiculously low prices.

In addition to bargains, the price of admission

includes a live DJ, delicious food and opportunities topurchase raffle tickets for prizes ranging from hotelstays, luxury dining experiences to spa packages, dinnerwith a celebrity, gift certificates, and more.

Sunday, April 7th, 12-4pmThe Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd,

McLean, VA 22102Admission: $5 per PersonMembers of the Military FREE with Military IDhttp://www.fairfaxbgcgw.org/index.php/rummage-

saleSuggested donations: Women’s Purses, Shoes,

Designer Apparel and Accessories, Jewelry,Outerwear,Men’s Ties, Bicycles and Cycling, SkiEquipment, Golf Equipment, Exercise Equipment, PoolTables, Table Tennin, Pinball, Darts, Foosball, Art,Pictures/Paintings, Small Appliances, Wines,Houseware, China/Serving Pieces, Decorative Accesso-ries, Rugs, Furniture, Antiques

World’s Fanciest Rummage Sale Coming April 7

HomeLifeStyle

By Joshua Baker

BOWA

Remodeling often affords an opportunity to re-purpose existing materials by donating to those lessfortunate. Ask your remodeler if

there is a plan or policy for saving materialsfor re-use rather than sending it to a land fill. Everyproject is different. And some materials are moreeasily removed and saved than others. Here are acouple of organizations that accepted used materi-als.

A WIDER CIRCLEThis organization provides basic-need items to

families transitioning out of shelters and those liv-ing without life’s necessities. A Wider Circle furnishesthe homes of more than 1,000 children and adultseach month. If you wish to donate furniture and otherhome essentials that are in good condition (no ripsor stains), you can drop off items at their Center forCommunity Service in Silver Spring, Md. You canalso schedule a pickup in most areas throughoutgreater Washington, D.C. Refer to their website for afull list of accepted items and their “wish list” of themost needed items at www.awidercircle.org. Someimpressive 2011 stats:

❖ 13,000: Number of homes furnished❖ 1,500,000: Pounds of furniture and home goods

recycled❖ 10,000: Number of volunteers who assisted

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY – RESTOREReStore is a resale business that sells new and used

building materials and home items to the generalpublic. All donations are tax deductible and donatedby individuals, local retailers, building contractorsand suppliers. Donated items are then sold at 50-90percent off the retail price, with all proceeds ben-efiting Habitat for Humanity, an organization thatprovides safe and affordable housing to low-incomefamilies. ReStore accepts appliances, furniture, cabi-nets, roofing and flooring materials, exercise equip-ment, countertops, electronics, lighting and plumb-ing fixtures, among many others. All materials anditems must be in good and working condition. Itemsmay be dropped off at ReStore locations during theirbusiness hours or for larger donations you may sched-ule a pickup. For store hours and locations and forthe complete list of acceptable items you can checkout the following websites:

Recycle, Reuse, Remodel❖ Northern Virginia: Stores in Alexandria

and Chantilly - www.restorenova.org❖ Montgomery County: Store location in

Gaithersburg - www.habitat-mc.org❖ Loudoun County: Store in Purcellville -

www.loudounhabitat.org/restore❖ Fauquier County: Store in Warrenton –

www.fauquierhabitat.org

GOODWILLFounded in 1902, Goodwill accepts gently used

clothing, furniture, housewares, working electron-ics, and other household items. These items are thensold at their retail locations, with the proceeds usedto fund employment, job training, and placementservices for the disadvantaged and those with dis-abilities. To view their full list of goods accepted,and for the list of donation centers and stores, visitwww.dcgoodwill.org. You may also schedule a pickup online for larger items or multiple items you don’thave the resources to transport.

SALVATION ARMYAlthough the Salvation Army is involved in many

community programs, proceeds from items donatedto their stores will benefit their Adult RehabilitationCenters, which help those who have lost the abilityto cope with their problems and are unable to pro-vide for themselves. Each rehabilitation center of-fers residential housing and work, along with indi-vidual and group therapy. This enables many to bereunited with their families and resume a normallife. Items commonly donated include appliances,clothing, furniture, and household goods. For moreinformation on their donation program, please visitwww.satruck.org.

BOWA HOME CLEANUP DAYSAs a thank you to the neighbors in the communi-

ties in which we work, from time to time BOWA hostsHome Cleanup Days. Home Cleanup Day is a greatopportunity to donate and recycle gently used house-hold items, toys and clothing, and dispose of anydebris or other unwanted clutter. A BOWA employeewill help folks unload their items and a Goodwillrepresentative will be on hand to accept donationsand provide receipts.

To find a BOWA Home Cleanup Day in your area,please visit our http://info.bowa.com/communityblog/.

Josh Baker is founder of BOWA, learn more atwww.bowa.com.

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Home LifeStyle

By John Byrd

For The Connection

Challenging times demand cre-ative thinking — so you don’thave to look far to findhomeowners executing remod-

eling projects with far-reaching objectives.Take, for instance, the case of Mary and

Harry Warren of Mount Vernon, both intheir mid-70s.

Scrolling back a few years, the Warrenswhere weighing various retirement optionswhen they learned that their daughter andthree grandchildren would be moving backto Virginia from the midwest and might beamenable to participating in a three-gen-eration household.

“There was really a lot for us to consider,”said Mary Warren. “Harry and I thought thatif we expanded the house to incorporate theextended family, we could eventually passit on to the next generation. We could alsomake some changes that would help us tomove around as we get older.”

On the other hand: the more the Warrensscrutinized the existing property, the morethey wondered if their vision was even fea-sible.

FOR STARTERS, at 1,500 sq. ft., the three-bedroom split-level the couple had occupiedsince 1994 was neatly centered on a smalllot in a neighborhood with strictly observedset-back requirements.

To provide all three generations with thenecessary space and privacy, the Warrensfigured they would have to increase usableliving space by 40 percent or more.

A carefully planned addition along theproperty’s western side offered promisingpossibilities. But even if you could find theneeded lot space, the floorplan configura-tion that would satisfy everyone’s privacyrequirements remained elusive.

It was at this juncture that the Warrensturned to Craig Durosko, founder and prin-cipal of Sun Design Remodeling.

“The program was certainly tricky,”Durosko said. “The Warrens wanted a func-tionally independent suite that would in-clude a luxury bath, lots of custom built-

transitional zones suitable for easy every-day interaction.

TO ACCOMMODATE the elder Warrens,Durosko and team designed a 650 sq. ft.wing adjacent to a newly formed rear court-yard. The perfectly-integrated one-leveladdition features two large bedrooms, amaster bath and large reach-in closets. Aformer family room now serves as thecouple’s sitting room.

By extension, Meg and the grandchildreninherit sleeping quarters in the existing bed-room wing — a configuration of rooms thataffords everyone with the sufficient conve-nience and living space. Both families sharethe newly upgraded kitchen.

The makeover also allowed the Warrensto introduce a number of Universal Designfeatures. Hallway widths in the new winghave been expanded to 44”; doors are 34”wide — compliant with American Disabili-ties Act requirements. The rear entrancehas, likewise, been designed to accommo-date a ramp, should a wheelchair be re-quired in the future.

“We’re just thinking ahead,” Mary War-ren said.

More recently, Mindy Mitchell — SunDesign’s certified Aging-In-Place Specialist— followed Universal Design principals inrenovating the original circa 1960s kitchen.Revisions included removing unneededwalls, widening doors and hallways andintroducing roll-out cabinets with drawerpulls. There’s also task lighting, easily ma-neuvered faucets and a multi-level islandsuitable for standing or sitting.

“The new kitchen feels significantly ex-panded, yet it’s very efficiently designed —a great solution for a family like ours,” saidMary Warren. “The changes have made lifeeasier for everyone.”

All in the Family With solid planning and skillful remodeling,seniors convert personal residence into amulti-generational household.

The multi-generational solution introduced by Sun Design Remodelingincludes a one level seniors wing supplemented by a sitting area thatexits through French doors to the newly formed courtyard. Hallways anddoors in the new section are wheelchair friendly.

Initially, the Warrens were not sure if the existing three-bedroom splitlevel could be converted to a larger home accommodating their newplans.

ins and interior design improvements. Ourthought was: if we could satisfy this require-ment from the ground up, Meg and thegrandchildren could take over half of theexisting house as their own wing.”

“We particularly liked the considerationto everyone’s privacy needs,” Mary Warren

said. “Their plan allows for independencewhere you want it.”

Thus, stripped to its essentials, Durosko’ssolution called for converting the three-bed-room split-level into a five bedroom two-level structure that provides the Warrenswith private quarters, yet also incorporates

MoreSun Design Remodeling frequently sponsors

workshops on specific remodeling topics as wellas tours of recently remodeled homes. Headquar-tered in Burke, the firm recently opened asecond office in McLean. Call 703-425-5588 orvisit .www.SunDesignInc.com.

Photos by Bryan Burris Photography


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room colonial she has occupied for28 years with husband Mike is thelast single family residence thecouple will ever own.

“We raised three children here,and when the last of them movedaway, we looked at other housesin the area and even a retirementvillage in North Carolina,”Nusbaum said. “That’s when I re-newed my appreciation for themany advantages of this house. Irecognized that everything wewanted was already here; we justneeded a few pointed improve-ments to take us into the foresee-able future.”

Initially that meant introducingan open, “kitchen-centric” plan inthe back half of the house, and cre-ating an outdoor component — inthe form of a 16-by-16-foot backscreen porch — that allows foreasy warm-weather circulation.

Replacing a wall betweenkitchen and dining room with athree-stool dining counter provedan effective starting point to de-lineating a more interactive enter-tainment space. The new surfaceis also well-positioned as a serv-ing station for al fresco porch din-ing.

Although the needed structuralchanges were relatively minor, anew shelled-in niche for the refrig-erator allows for additional stor-age. Maple cabinets with a Bartondoor style and honey-spice stainevoke a clean linear look within asoftly lit ambiance. Likewise, theSilestone quartz surfaces in ebonypearl provide a tonal and texturalcontrast.

With a better rationalizedkitchen in place, a few years laterthe Nusbaums began planning afollow-on phase: an extension ofthe rear family room, an open-airgrilling deck and a layout that per-mits children, grandchildren andmany guests to circulate freelythrough a now wide-ranging en-tertainment suite.

Then, just last year, the largelyunused lower level was convertedinto a multi-purpose suite thatserves as both an exercise roomand guest accommodation.

“The built-ins include closets oneither side of a new Murphy bed—one exclusively for guest use,”Nusbaum said. “We also made thelaundry room more functional andadded a full bath with handi-capped access.”

Meanwhile, Nusbaum uses there-made lower level for her daily

From Page 7

HomeLifeStyle

Renovating Everything,Piece by Piece

treadmill workouts: “It’s a luxuryhaving so many useful things ex-actly where you want them.”

OF COURSE, CONSIDER-ATIONS to functional and aes-thetic improvements aside, thelong term remodeler also may ven-ture into non-essential, even quitepersonal, “tweaks” to the existingproperty from time to time.

After comprehensive upgradesto their kitchen and master bath,for instance, Alexandrians Steveand Diane Piper decided that theireclectically re-designed powderroom should include a Mediterra-nean-style foot bath ringed in glassand mosaic tiling.

The artfully-executed first floorfacility — planned with an assistfrom Foster Remodeling Solutions’designer Sarah Wolf — includes avessel basin with exposed copperpiping, marble floors and a cof-fered ceiling with concealed lights.

The Pipers — who often travelinternationally — say the foot bathis a pleasant convenience in thesummer when they are oftenwearing sandals.

“I wouldn’t say a footbath addsanything to re-sale value,” DianePiper said, “but we do plan to bein this house for at least another10 years.”

And speaking of personal vi-sion: after re-doing the front el-evation — and before remodelingthe kitchen — the Baldinos ofSpringfield had Foster design ascreen porch with a floor-to-ceil-ing stone hearth. The porch isclosed on three sides and featuresa 15-foot cathedral ceiling with anoverhead rotating fan. The projectincluded an extensive flagstonepatio, a privacy fence, a retainingwall and landscaping.

“We wanted space that brings usinto the outdoors, and the fire-place keeps the porch surprisinglycomfortable in cooler weather,”said Nancy Baldino. “It’s a greatplace to watch the game.”

The Baldinos, who have lived intheir circa-1970s split-level for 24years, say that their four remod-eling projects have always been fo-cused and budgetable.

“We love the neighborhood, sothe improvements are just a natu-ral result of efforts to make thehouse feel even more like home.”

Staff at Foster Remodeling Solu-tions periodically offer workshopson home improvement topics at theLorton showroom. Call 703-550-1371 or visitwww.FosterRemodeling.com.

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