Joseph Alfano

Complete interior renovation of a 1980s split level house in the Virginia suburbs. Main level includes reading room, dining, kitchen, living and master bedroom suite. New front elevation at entry, new rear deck and complete re-cladding of the house. Interior: The prototypical layout of the split level home tends to separate the entrance, and any other associated space, from the rest of the living spaces one half level up. In this home the lower level "living" room off the entry was physically isolated from the dining, kitchen and family rooms above, and was only connected visually by a railing at dining room level. The owner desired a stronger integration of the lower and upper levels, in addition to an open flow between the major spaces on the upper level where they spend most of their time. ExteriorThe exterior entry of the house was a fragmented composition of disparate elements. The rear of the home was blocked off from views due to small windows, and had a difficult to use multi leveled deck. The owners requested an updated treatment of the entry, a more uniform exterior cladding, and an integration between the interior and exterior spaces. SOLUTIONS The overriding strategy was to create a spatial sequence allowing a seamless flow from the front of the house through the living spaces and to the exterior, in addition to unifying the upper and lower spaces. This was accomplished by creating a "reading room" at the entry level that responds to the front garden with a series of interior contours that are both steps as well as seating zones, while the orthogonal layout of the main level and deck reflects the pragmatic daily activities of cooking, eating and relaxing. The stairs between levels were moved so that the visitor could enter the new reading room, experiencing it as a place, before moving up to the main level. The upper level dining room floor was "pushed" out into the reading room space, thus creating a balcony over and into the space below. At the entry, the second floor landing was opened up to create a double height space, with enlarged windows. The rear wall of the house was opened up with continuous glass windows and doors to maximize the views and light. A new simplified single level deck replaced the old one.

Homeowner wanted more natural light in the kitchen. Eliminate the tight opening between the kitchen and family room. Create an elegant, clean, modern look with marble counter tops. Add more drawers and tall storage. Build the refrigerator into the wall cabinetry. Single window was replaced with a triple unit, allowing natural light to flow through kitchen. Under-cabinet LED lights installed for energy efficiency. Dove White cabinets coupled with Calcutta Gold marble and Crackle White subway tile brought all the elegance the homeowner wanted to achieve.

Sloane Square No.92 External Wall Cabinet. Archway House No.106 External Base Cabinets. Leadenhall No.118 Larder Exterior. Kitchen by Smallbone of Devizes. Smallbone’s Beaconsfield showroom.

Marble mosaic floor with a border to frame the space. White subway tile wall with finishing cap piece to complete the look.

Kennedy Point from Fabrica - This is a new wool carpet in a textured looped style. Each of the eight available colors has a beautiful and soft tonal variation.

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

This one-room sunroom addition is connected to both an existing wood deck, as well as the dining room inside. As part of the project, the homeowners replaced the deck flooring material with composite decking, which gave us the opportunity to run that material into the addition as well, giving the room a seamless indoor / outdoor transition. We also designed the space to be surrounded with windows on three sides, as well as glass doors and skylights, flooding the interior with natural light and giving the homeowners the visual connection to the outside which they so desired. The addition, 12'-0" wide x 21'-6" long, has enabled the family to enjoy the outdoors both in the early spring, as well as into the fall, and has become a wonderful gathering space for the family and their guests.

Mosaic cement tiles on the floor; reference: 10105 and 50511. Check it out: http://www.cement-tiles.com/encaustic-cement-tiles-patterns/antique.php#

Holger Obenaus

Derek Makekau

Sam Oberter

Nathan Schroder