Clean lines and the gracefully curving roof combine with the use of Seneca sandstone for the foundation and cedar clad walls to nestle this Darnestown Md pool house into the landscape.  The Seneca sandstone was reclaimed from demolished buildings.

Few things will go further towards taming the chaos of family living than a well organized mud room or mud zone.

Here individual cubbies are provided for each member of the family with separate compartments for boots, shoes, and sports equipment.  Nearby is a place to sort mail as well as a niche for the answering machine with cabinets above and below for phone books, take out menus and stationary supplies.

The mud room is an entry portal into the kitchen after dealing with day to day activities which cause clutter.

Sometimes there is not enough space for a separate mud room.  As soon as we enter this kitchen we create at one end of the room a mud zone by building in tall cabinets which serve as closets and lockers for sports gear and coats.  In addition there is a window seat with drawers below for boots, gloves and scarves.

A simple change in cabinet finish can differentiate the mud zone from the balance of the kitchen.

Brenneman & Pagenstecher
10605 Concord Street, Suite 1
Kensington, MD 20895-2503
301-933-9305
www.brenpag.com

Earth Tones Bring Outside In

In this Bethesda MD home remodel the use of natural wood and rough hewn stone creates a wonderful feeling of warmth.  It also strengthens the connection with the landscape.  The wood doesn’t create a contrast to interfere when looking out. The result brings the outside in.

The key to attracting people to the basement is to create a space that tells a story and is unique to the rest of the house.
In this Darnestown MD remodel we wanted the feeling of a rustic lodge.  To achieve this we wrapped the the beams and columns with rough pine and detailed it to make it look like massive columns complete with steel connecting straps.  In the bathroom the walls are covered with horizontal planks.  Both the fireplace and the bar make use of natural stone.  Every design element is used to reinforce the story of a rustic lodge making it feel like a vacation cabin.

Rethinking the stair railings for this contemporary Bethesda Home we decided to use a blend of wooden elements for the mahogany newels and top rails with stainless steel ¾ inch rods and a steel cable at the top.  The cable creates tension while pulling it all together while the rods create compression which keeps it from collapsing or falling apart.  In turn we celebrate the structural characteristics of each of these materials.  Modern architecture is all about expressing the nature of each material while enjoying the cleanliness of line and the rigor of the details.

So often garage doors dominate the front façade of houses.  In this Bethesda, MD remodeling project we pushed themback behind an arcade deemphasizing the massiveness of the garage doors. At the same time we are creating an interesting architectural element while providing a covered path to the house.

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301-933-9305
www.brenpag.com

This Bethesda home was a typical brick rambler on a magnificent lot.  The house did not take advantage of the spectacular hillside views.  Our transformation to a Prairie style cottage allowed us to add an ample front porch and a round room to the front of the house getting over the hillside and into the trees.  The view can now be enjoyed from many different angles and areas.  This was influenced by the early work of Frank Lloyd Wright.

This Potomac, MD residence is another version of a home reaching over a hillside and floating into the trees to enjoy a 360 degree connection with nature from inside the room.  Notice the traditional windows on the right ease the transition between contemporary and traditional aspects of this house. 

Have you ever said “Where can I put those wires they look terrible”?  We came up with an unusual solution to this problem.  During the remodel we created a floating wooden slab with hidden doors to conceal all the Home Theater and stereo components as well as the unsightly wires for this home in Potomac, Md.  The slab is held up by cantilever steel brackets out of the wall.  This gives the room an architectural focus while solving the problem.
We love the challenge of architecturally driven projects.  Accordingly, we have developed our staff and systems around the specific needs of this type of work. The sophistication of this process pays off for our highly detailed designs; in fact it is key to our ability to consistently deliver works of beauty and grace.

Brenneman & Pagenstecher
301-933-9305
www.brenpag.com

This home in Bethesda, MD had been remodeled several different times with different designs.  Our goal was to unify and give cohesion to the house without making major changes.  In this room we started with simply changing the pattern of the window divisions.  We then moved the door to the center and replaced it with French doors.  Overhead ceiling lights were added to brighten the room and we retrimmed the fireplace with a custom designed mantel and stone hearth. 

We believe in a team approach; and working enthusiastically, hand in hand with our clients is very important to us.  Nothing is more satisfying than standing back with our clients, reviewing a completed project and saying, "look at what we've created together".  

Brenneman & Pagenstecher
301-933-9305
www.brenpag.com

As an Architect who remodels older homes, I constantly adjust my design approach; to serve the differing circumstances created by the wide range of styles found in the Washington DC area.  Here are two very different architectural solutions for dining room storage and display, in two very different homes -- both in Bethesda, MD:

The first home received a formal, classically-inspired treatment, with storage cabinets and display shelves recessed into the wall.  Notice that the third bay of the built-in is actually the door to the kitchen!  The door panels are recessed into the vertical dividers of the cabinetry, creating a "paneled portal" effect.  Additional storage and serving surface are provided by a lovely breakfront.

The second home is a mid-century rambler, in which we replaced a single window with a group of 4 windows and a pair of skylights, framed by built-ins.  This is how we resolved the conflicting need for more light with the need to furnish along that same wall.  Notice the floating shelf separating the upper and lower windows; it provides serving and display surfaces, but it also allows us to treat the windows in entirely different ways.  The upper windows are trimmed-out and subdivided into 4 panes, reinforcing the traditional notion of what a window should be, while the lower windows seem to disappear in to the adjacent woodwork and serve as a place to display sculpture.  The lighted display cases in the surrounding built-ins serve to anchor  the entire composition.  
Every home and every client are different.  So my simple formula for pleasing architectural designs is this:  Unique Homes + Unique Clients = Unique Solutions.
 
Brenneman & Pagenstecher
301-933-9305

Testimonial from Joyce

Testimonial from a customer:Carol