Cathedral Heights, DC - Kitchen Addition

Brief Explanation of the Scope of Work

The owners of this brick colonial in Washington, DC's Observatory Circle neighborhood wanted more space and better space, but loved their neighborhood and didn't want to move. To get the additional space for their needs, we designed a two story addition at the rear of their house.

The addition provided space on the first floor for a large kitchen with a separate dining area and space for a master suite on the second floor. The existing kitchen and breakfast nook were transformed into a family room.

Unusual Constraints/Challenges and Creative Solutions

The back yard which had a driveway running through it to an unused garage was generally inhospitable, more of a transition zone than an actual destination. The rear facing gable addition breaks up the monolithic shape of the home's linear and awkward rear elevation. After the addition was designed, we worked on integrating the rear yard into the living space. A wood fence creates privacy and a small deck and flagstone patio provide the setting for weekend and evening relaxing and informal entertaining.

Building the addition wasn't without challenges. The biggest structural challenge on this project was creating a large opening into the new dining room, while supporting the significant brick and roof load above. To accomplish this, we pocketed a large steel I-beam into the first floor exterior wall.

The new first floor space creates a commodious flow of living space without ever exceeding a human sense of scale and proportion. Wide plank oak sets a warm tone for the room while carefully designed windows and French doors to a deck area let in plenty of natural light and plenty of ceiling lights illuminate the space when the sun dips.

Though the first floor of the addition is essentially one large room, made possible by clever engineering, there are distinct stations serving various functions including the food preparation area of the kitchen, the breakfast bar and the dining area.

On the first floor, the existing garage was integrated into the living space of the home to provide for a pantry, laundry, utility room and closet space. This provided us with the opportunity to frame out the masonry walls and insulate this structure which was otherwise not insulated, both on the first and second floor

An existing second floor bedroom over the garage was long and narrow which had the effect of making it feel more like a hallway than a bedroom. By reworking this room we provided spaces with better scale. The front half of this room was partitioned off and finished as a study while the back half provided access to the new master bedroom addition along with space for two large closets.

The new master suite is luxurious and comfortable, but not too large to create dead zones of space or areas which are out of proportion. The bathroom has a custom double vanity, a separate W.C. area, a large walk in shower with a beautiful selection of stone tiles and a separate tub area. The finishes textures and colors are all coordinated to create a private and serene space for the homeowners to begin and end each day.

Overall Results

The homeowners and their children are very happy with their new spaces. From the back yard to the master suite and the comfortable kitchen and dining area, there is plenty of room and warmth for this family to feel at home.

	Before and After - "The back yard which had a driveway running through it to an unused garage was generally inhospitable, more of a transition zone than an actual destination."
	Below - View of the breakfast area near the access to the rear patio