Posted by: Dean Brenneman
on Apr 20, 2009
Tagged in:
Washington, DC ,
Residential Builder ,
Residential Architect ,
Montgomery County ,
Master Builder ,
Maryland ,
Kenwood ,
Chevy Chase ,
Builder ,
Architectural Detail ,
Architect ,
Addition
Before World War II, even the simplest home boasted a bit of architectural detail and artfulness. But since then, the American home-building industry has been increasingly obsessed with the mantra of "faster and cheaper", compromising and minimizing architectural details almost to the point of caricature.
Thankfully, the tide is turning -- it seems that decades of stripped-down "Builder Colonial" homes, have left Washington homeowners starving for architectural detail. They've developed a keen appreciation for the wonderful homes of the early twentieth century, and they expect similar attention to detail from today's architects and builders. This addition to a home in the Kenwood neighborhood of Chevy Chase, Maryland shows the difference that detail can make.
Posted by: Dean Brenneman
on Jan 19, 2009
Tagged in:
Whole House Makeover ,
Virginia ,
Transformations of Older Homes ,
Transformation ,
Round Room ,
Room with a view ,
Remodeling Services ,
Prarie Style ,
Potomac ,
Not So Big House ,
New-Old House ,
Montgomery County ,
Mohican Hills ,
McLean ,
Master Builder ,
Maryland ,
In House Building ,
House on a Hill ,
Home Remodeling ,
Green Remodeling ,
Great Falls ,
Glen Echo Heights ,
District of Columbia ,
Construction Services ,
Bethesda ,
Arlington ,
Architect ,
Anti-Mansionization ,
Addition
Our client - a single female professional - purchased an old rambler on a hillside lot overlooking the Potomac River; but the house practically ignored the landscape. It made no attempt to take advantage of the extraordinary site - in fact this house could have been in a subdivision just about anywhere.
In expanding and re-considering the design of this home, we took the opportunity to create a cottage that reaches out into the landscape and enfolds the homeowner in nature. Ample windows and/or doors on at least two sides of each room provide panoramic views at every turn, while the mass of the house is broken-down into smaller components, ensuring that the house is "of" the hill rather than on it. It is a magical thing to float above the azaleas, among the trees.
Before & After:
