HOME REMODELING
Best of Breed
Michael Nash Garners Top Prize For Whole House Remodeling | By John Byrd
A two-level front and rear elevation expansion to a 60 year-old rambler has won a “Contractor of the Year” award (COTY) for Michael Nash Design Build and Homes.
The design solution – in which the footprint of a small bungalow was enlarged to accommodate a second floor as large as the existing first floor – was introduced to the home of a south Arlington woman who has occupied it for more than 30 years.
The project was named the “best whole house remodel for under $250,000” by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s metro DC chapter. In accepting the honor, Michael Nash president and founder Sonny Nazemian credited his design and engineering team, which surmounted a wide range of complex architectural, space-planning and regulatory challenges.
“Homeowners today are actively searching for creative ways to satisfy lifestyle requirements by retrofitting their existing homes,” Nazemian says, “but when a house is more than 50 years old – the appropriate solution may not be obvious. The trick is knowing what can be deleted and what can be preserved. The goal is to enhance the whole property functionally, aesthetically – and as an investment.”
For the homeowner, a busy mental health professional who maintains a private professional practice in her home, the makeover resolves a long-running problem that seemed to have no easy answer.
“Homeowners today are actively searching for creative ways to satisfy lifestyle requirements by retrofitting their existing home.”
– Sonny Nazemian
“The trick [to retrofitting an existing home] is knowing what can be deleted and what can be preserved. The goal is to enhance the whole property functionally, aesthetically and as an investment”
– Sonny Nazemian
A stone-covered fireplace is now the family room’s primary focal point. The home’s entire exterior is clad in duo-tone hardi-plank and crowned with new architectural roofing and a pair of skylights.
A gabled front porch with brick patio and new front door dramatically elevate the makover’s curb appeal. The flagstone walkway and scrupulously-executed landscaping reinforce the cozy appeal of a smaller-scale home in a re-emerging neighborhood.
The kitchen enlargement and makeover is adorned with custom-designed cherry cabinetry, granite surfaces and a dining counter that seats four; the gas range with custom hood.
“She wanted changes that would facilitate access for her patients,” Nazemian discloses. “We added a side entrance specifically for this purpose.”
But the makeover also addresses a range of interior design considerations and presents dramatically revised front and rear elevations.
At more than 800 square feet, the rear addition now houses a gourmet kitchen, family room and a sunroom. A stone-clad gas fireplace is the family room’s primary focal point. The bright and spacious kitchen is adorned with custom-designed cherry cabinetry, granite surfaces and a dining counter that seats four.
Hardwood flooring reinforces visual unity throughout the 1,400 square foot first level. Wide archways with graceful period molding explore design themes from the original 1950’s interior.
To create a better traffic on the main level, the stairway was relocated.
The 1,400 square foot second floor houses the master suite which includes sleeping quarters, plus a 12’ x 15’ master bathroom equipped with massage tub, curved shower, large vanities and floors and walls clad in white and gray ceramic tile.
There’s a balconet (Juliet balcony) just outside a set of French doors.
A new hall bathroom is available for two other enlarged bedrooms.
“The trick [to retrofitting an existing home] is knowing what can be deleted and what can be preserved. The goal is to enhance the whole property functionally, aesthetically and as an investment”
– Sonny Nazemian
Wide archways with graceful period molding explore design themes from the home’s original 1950’s interior. The second floor houses the master suite which includes sleeping quarters and a Juliet balcony just outside a set of French doors.
The 12’ x 15’ master bathroom is equipped with massage tub, curved shower, large vanities and floors and walls clad in white and gray ceramic tile.
A new HVAC system has been installed to meet second level heating and cooling requirements. There’s even a second floor laundry room just outside of the master suite.
To introduce the first-level “open” plan, a bearing wall between the living room and the former master bedroom was eliminated. A steel I-beam on concealed vertical shafts now supports the second floor. Partition walls separating the dining room from both the living room and kitchen were, likewise, deleted – increasing natural light and visual continuum.
Patching, finger-jointing and finishing first-level hardwood floors reinforces the interior’s clean lines and visual unity.
The upstairs plan is, likewise, tailored to owner requirements. The master suite features spacious sleeping quarters, a large walk-in closet and an elegantly-designed spa bath. Textured shower walls, a whirlpool bath, a separate commode area and many amenities are among the details in this luxury accommodation.
The defining component, however, is the “re-imagined” front elevation which features a gabled entrance above a brick faced portico, a flagstone walk and a vine-draped trellis. The classic ambiance is a nostalgic nod to the neighborhood’s architectural antecedents.
“South Arlington is being beautifully transformed,” Nazemian says. “Clearly, the timing is really right for this kind of project.”
