Kitchen, Family Room & Foyer Remodel in Washington, DC
Built in the 1920s, this tucked-away Bungalow in the Northwest Washington, DC neighborhood of American University Park had been remodeled by a previous owner in 2003 with a second floor addition for bedrooms and the first floor interior reconfigured with a sunken family room and adjacent rear kitchen. The current homeowners purchased the house knowing some remodeling work eventually would be needed and with the arrival of their first child, they quickly learned what those improvements would need to be. They had three priorities:
- Remodel the kitchen to be a larger chef’s kitchen with island seating to accommodate their young family
- Raise the sunken family room floor to make the spaces flow and be contiguous with the kitchen
- Reconfigure the front entry to serve as a dual function foyer and mudroom for a busy on-the-go lifestyle
Project Background
Kitchen
The husband, an instructor and environmental studies coordinator in primary and secondary education, wanted the new kitchen to include a large island with bar stools, more counter space, and two sinks (one at a window and the second at the island). The couple wanted an “awesome” kitchen that felt good and worked for both their family and social needs.
Family Room
The existing sunken family room with two steps down was not only impractical for their needs and an inefficient use of the space, but it was also dangerous for a young child. The steps wrapped around two sides of the family room, taking up valuable floor area, while a railing and column separated the family room from the kitchen, inhibiting circulation between the two rooms and impeding good furniture layout. They also found the old pre-fabricated gas fireplace unit was a fire hazard. To solve these problems, we raised the family room floor and installed a new, safer gas fireplace, flanked by built-in bookcases.
New Foyer/Mudroom
Our clients both spend a lot of time outdoors among nature. The wife is employed as an equestrian professional and dressage trainer, and she specifically requested that the new front entry be fitted-out with drawers, shelving, cubbies and a bench to accommodate riding boots, simple gear, such as stirrups, as well as the storage requirements of a family with a young child. They did not like the front door opening directly into their living room without a visual screen or privacy from the entry and wanted a more defined space.
Look out for the next blog post outlining the new design for the kitchen, family room, and foyer!
