There’s something special about updating a home for a family who are ready to remodel with a modern aesthetic that still pays homage to the origins of the house. This Reston single family home was built in the late 1970s, backs onto a golf course and is in a beautiful, family-friendly neighborhood. However, in keeping with the trends of the 70s, the footprint had lots of separate rooms and narrow doorways making it feel darker and smaller than it really was. Planning to stay in their home for the longer term, the family were ready to remodel to make it their own as well as improve the flow and functionality of the spaces.
We started in the small U-shaped Kitchen, where we removed a wall separating it from an informal den at one end, creating a more open flow. This allowed the family to reconfigure and use the originally awkward space as a new dining area, complete with new cabinetry to match the Kitchen for a cohesive feel.
We also removed a sliding door in the previous Breakfast Nook and replaced it with a window which created space to expand the size of the Kitchen. The previous U-shape was small and suspended ceiling cabinets blocked the Kitchen from the Breakfast Nook and Family Room. Removing all the upper cabinetry and adding a peninsula with bar stools not only provides additional seating for informal dining, it means the Kitchen now flows into the Family Room. The whole space is now bright and spacious and feels like it was always meant to be.
The original Living Room / Dining space already had a stone fireplace but it was overpowering the room. We converted it to gas, added a wood mantel and repurposed this space which is now a stunning, contemporary Living Room.Â
Other changes to the first floor included opening up the entrance to the Kitchen from the Foyer, which now allows natural light to flow in from the new Kitchen windows. The final touch was the Powder Room: now a modern, warm space with fabulous wallpaper paired with an antique mirror.
Photo credit Ashley Sullivan Marks | exposurely.com | @exposurely
