A small brick cape on a corner lot in the desirable and diverse urban village of Westover in Arlington County, Virginia was the perfect choice for this young couple, but now 14 years later a family of 5 find themselves sharing 3 bedrooms and 1 bath. Although the two front yard set back requirements put limits on the size of the addition, the remodeling project was able to combine the two story addition (with 500 square feet on each level) with a new open floor plan that gave a “big house” feel while preserving the original character of this Arlington home.
The design took advantage of the corner lot by creating two “front” elevations. The new elevated side porch creates a welcoming entry that visually connects the addition to the original house. This entry leads to a new mud room, family room and relocated kitchen. The kitchen was moved to the center of the house and is the focal point of the renovation. Adding a step down into the new addition created higher 9’-0” ceilings in the family room and breakfast room.
The open feeling of the first floor was further enhanced when the enclosed small front entry foyer was expanded by removing the original dining room wall and coat closet. The dining room and living room have traded places to reflect the lifestyle of the Owners.
Upstairs, each girl now can claim her own “personalized” bedroom space with the added bonus of a secret hide-a-way tucked in behind the chimney. The Owners suite now occupies the upper portion of the addition with separate walk-in closets and a spacious master bath.
With the conversion of the old kitchen space to a guest bedroom and bath, the “big house” now has five bedrooms and three and ½ baths.
