Cottage Modern: Adding transformative charm and room to grow

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA and Robert Arnouts AIA, Builder: DW Dively Construction Services, Interior Designer: Making Room for Peace 

Getting Acquainted

Kirsten and Steve* came to us with a classic client dilemma. They found the perfect property in the City of Falls Church, Virginia that possessed the simple post-war charm homeowners love. Unfortunately it needed renovation and lacked the functionality needed for a growing family. With the two of them working from home, a nanny and two kids running around they needed additional space. Confined spaces and an earlier garage-turned-playroom conversion at the rear of the house were limiting movement through the house. They knew they probably needed a home addition but weren’t clear on exactly what changes to make. They knew the best place to start, for them, was with a residential architect.

This charming new home addition included great room, mud room, laundry, porch, new siding, window/trim and roofing replacement. The home now has that rich, historic cottage character it formerly lacked

This challenge was intriguing and required investigation. We began with conversations about what was and wasn’t working in their existing home. Christiane asked about everyday life. How do you cook, entertain, and relax? How do you find quiet time? Where and when is the natural light best? These questions led inevitably to the tougher questions. What do the spaces lack? What would Kirsten and Steve change if they had the power to change anything they wanted? Our team heard their answers and made notes. We then began sorting their priorities distinguishing between wants and needs.

A side door is often the primary entrance for a homeowner. This inviting new entry leads to a stylish, highly functional mud room. The mud room is complete with elegant built-in cabinetry for storage

Identifying Opportunities for a New Home Addition

As we had seen the home’s chief impediment was the difficulty in moving around in tight land locked spaces. The playroom was accessed through the dining room and small kitchen. It was remote and cut off. This prevented  observing the kids while cooking. With this in mind Christiane proposed removing the former addition altogether. In it’a place we would add a far more open and therefore functional one. This replacement home addition would include a modern kitchen and family great room all in one space. What’s more moving the kitchen out of the original house would leave space for new purposes – a larger dining room, new powder room, and a master bath. She proposed a new side entry/mud room and new laundry room in the new addition as well. In the main house we would use the newly increased roof height to add a much needed second-story bath. 

A cathedral ceiling great room, open island kitchen and adjacent screen-in-porch home addition provides the perfect space for both cozy family time and casual elegant entertaining

Design Development for New Addition and Renovations

After roughing out this improved layout the next challenge lay in artfully merge old and new.  To do this this we focused on thoughtfully scaling and locating the addition so that we could preserve of view of the original home’s best architectural features – brick cladding, the centered windows, and the attractive roof line. A series of material upgrades uniformly applied to old and new—new James Hardie cladding, new Anderson 400 Series windows, roofing, eaves, and more refined trim work—imbued interest, complexity and rounded out that wholistic unity we were seeking. This exterior refresh presented a wonderful opportunity to introduce a transitional cottage style balanced beautifully with transitional modern elements. 

Exposed beams, bone and slate colored wall/base cabinets and pendant lighting in the new addition pull it all together in the new kitchen. In the dining room, formerly kitchen, mixing modern bubble glass pendant and mid-century modern dining set with historic trim, windows and hutch offer a fresh take on the cottage aesthetic

Merging Existing and New Home Addition

Kirsten and Steve are smart and stylish individuals, each with a keen eye for modern design and furnishings. We capitalized on this, at the home’s interior balancing traditional with modern design elements. In the addition sits an open, classic kitchen complete with high end Bosch appliances, two-tone cabinets, black soapstone counters and matching, farmers sink. Together with exposed beams, vaulted ceilings, Velux skylights, intricate fireplace details and paneling this creates the perfect space for entertaining and everyday family life. Each as aspect of the design, when handled well, is quietly and tastefully contributing to the overall transitional aesthetic. Even with much attention spent focused on the larger spaces, it is the smaller, hardworking spaces like laundry and powder room that are Kirsten’s favorites. Great design, as we see over and over again, is often most appreciated in the small details that enrich everyday life. 

Custom laundry cabinets, built-in counter/sink, glossy monochromatic palette and mid-century modern light fixture elevate a practical space in the new addition to something far more. Nearby a vessel sink, wall mounted nickel finish faucet, solid surface vanity and scallop wall tile bring refinement to the new powder room

In the primary bath in the new addition a mid-century modern, double sink mahogany vanity, and nickel finish hardware work wonderfully with “Heath Ceramics” wall tile to create a simple but rich interior

Artful Interior Design Pulls It All Together

Last but far from least, in this whole house transformation, our skilled interior design partners at Making Room for Peace have selected just the right touches—furnishings, lighting, tile—to take the entire home to a new level of style and grace. Steve and Kirsten are so happy with the results and say this process has brought them from only liking to fully loving their newly customized and expanded home.

In the primary bedroom a dark, monochromatic scheme, upholstered platform bed, organic cotton bed linens and brass finishes provide a serene interior

Updates throughout including new flooring, doors, trim, paneling, color schemes and classic cottage lighting unify existing portions of the home with the new addition

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy. 

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Grounded Modern: Refreshing mcm renovation brings new life to a classic

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA, Builder: Custom Home Remodeling

Getting Acquainted

This 875 square foot whole house renovation remodel began as a sensitive rehabilitation for a new homeowner. The original one-story, two bedroom home possessed much of it’s original mid-century DNA but required an overhaul for hard working spaces like kitchen and bath.

Part of what had drawn the client to this home was the classically modern connection of interior space to the garden and surrounding landscape. The question was how to add a porch that would extend the interior living space rather than add obstruction between inside and out. What resulted is an outdoor space that not only extends the existing structure but reaches up and embraces the afternoon sunlight with a new butterfly truss roof.

Side view showing new screened-in-porch adjacent to Living Room

Developing the Design

Alterations made over the years to enclose a carport and provide laundry and family room resulted in odd spaces that served neither use well. As an added bonus, the client’s wish to refresh and customize the home to her needs brought an opportunity to correct these issues while making the much needed upgrades.

Interior view showing new entry, screen wall and open kitchen

Interior view showing new entry, screen wall and open kitchen

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Refined Modern: Liberating space through refined design

Architect: Christiane deJong AIA

Getting Acquainted

For more than twenty years, Bonnie and her husband Jake* had been living in a very unique 1960s modern home located in Mantua, a beautiful community in Fairfax County. With their children grown, they finally had the resources to begin their dream kitchen renovation project in their Fairfax, Virginia home. They knew this would be a process that would require both structural alterations and heavy renovation. They needed a  Fairfax architect.

As a talented cook, Bonnie had always considered her small kitchen the creative center of her home. Because her kitchen was a cramped interior space without windows, it required a much-needed refresh. What she needed was an architects thoughtful, period inspired design talent that she could foster in a collaborative working relationship. She had ideas honed in the years spent cooking in her kitchen. She wanted those realized in this renovation and, with this in mind, she reached out to Christiane.

Identifying Next Level Kitchen Renovation Opportunities

While touring Bonnie’s home, the first thing we noticed was the light. Beautiful morning sunlight flooded the sitting and breakfast rooms adjacent to the existing kitchen. Unfortunately, the only natural light entering the kitchen itself came through a subdued pass-through window. The 60s-style cabinets were dark, the counter was beige laminate, and the floor was beige vinyl with a single central rectangular fluorescent fixture serving as the light source. It was a perfect time capsule ready for us to open, assess and reinvigorate. 

An open kitchen must be designed to be seen from a distance. The design must accommodate functionality while creating minimal lines and surfaces

We asked Bonnie to complete our “Kitchen Inventory + Preferences” questionnaire and then interviewed her about how she used the space: how did she store everything she needed in this small space? Did she prefer to cook alone or while socializing? What types of countertop appliances did she keep here? What were her goals for this kitchen remodel? Her answers provided us with everything we needed to begin considering her future dream kitchen.

Developing the Design Together

We started with a shared “ideabook” and asked Bonnie to begin saving images of materials, along with images of kitchens and kitchen features she admired. This gave our team a sense of her specific wants and needs and a glimpse of the aesthetics she preferred. We added images and tested ideas we thought would compliment Bonnie’s strong sensibility and retro-inspired style.

Fewer walls make planning for adequate storage more challenging. Every wall, under counter space and alcove become an opportunity for more cabinet space

In developing the new kitchen layout, Christiane focused on creating a wide-open space. Bonnie agreed that it was time for the walls to come down. An open kitchen is a very different kind of design challenge than creating a galley style kitchen. To do this we would need a clever way to manage storage that relied less on wall cabinets. We noticed, in looking closely, that the three doors opened into this small space. This meant that much of the existing footprint was dedicated to circulation. We realized there was an opportunity with a more open kitchen to sacrifice two of the doors without hampering movement. This modification gave us more wall space as a location for full-height storage and base cabinets.

Visualizing the Changes

In the first design meeting, we proposed three different layouts, and together, she and Bonnie discussed the pros and cons associated with each. Christiane presented live 3D models that allowed Bonnie to spin around and see what each of the designs would look like in her home. Once Bonnie had selected the preferred schematic layout, we spent time developing the exact cabinet combination that would meet her specific storage needs. Christiane encouraged her to mentally move into the space to be sure that all items had been considered. Then as the process continued, the architect presented “look” boards and tile samples that she and Bonnie spent luxurious hours discussing. The material palette and lighting selected at this stage would play a critical role in the final character of the space. 

Often a more efficient floor plan can be found by looking carefully at existing circulation paths

The design that resulted is a modern, light-filled, high-functioning kitchen that is an integral part of the breakfast area and adjacent sitting room. In using warm wood tones, matte chalk white cabinets, and a rich emerald green 60s retro ceramic backsplash, we assembled a combination of colors and materials that perfectly complement the earthy palette of the existing fireplace and slate hearth. The new design integrates almost invisibly into the existing style and first floor of the home. Bonnie, who is living her culinary dream, is thoroughly pleased with the job well done.

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy. 

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Aloft Modern: Expanding from the inside out

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA and Robert Arnouts AIA, Builder: T.W. Herren

Getting Started

That expression “the cobbler’s children have no shoes” applies across disciplines. Christiane, like so many professionals, had invested her expertise in client work while inadvertently neglecting her own home expansion. She and her husband, Mark, spent years dreaming about what their own Falls Church, Virginia mid-century modern home expansion could look like. When the time finally came, they were ready to go beyond the smaller renovations that occupied the previous years. Their family had expanded in that time, now including two children, and what they really needed was more space. 

A front home expansion must carefully integrate with the existing facade. The solution lies in compatibly scaling and massing the new volume

Defining Opportunities for a Home Expansion

Like many deJong Studio clients, Mark and Christiane live in Holmes Run Acres, a wonderful northern Virginia, a mid-century modern community in Falls Church, Virginia designed by well-known architects Satterlee and Lethbridge. Over the years, Christiane had sketched out numerous options for a home expansion. Each iterative sketch was informed by a growing appreciation of the home’s original design. What they needed was enough space to keep the current home modestly competitive in today’s real estate market. This was a familiar challenge—one she’d been through with client after client. Christiane sought to add space and functionality while preserving and complementing the home’s original design.  

A well designed addition enhances existing space while simultaneously offering expansion

Christiane and Mark wanted their two-story, three-bedroom home expanded to include a small fourth bedroom, a dining room, and a small master bath. While physically possible, this is a significant amount of space to add to an existing starter home. Looking at the setback criteria, it was apparent that a rear or side addition would not be permissible due to the local zoning criteria. This meant a front addition was the only option. This would require a thoughtful design and Christiane spent copious hours exploring ways to minimize the bulk of the new space.

Developing the Design

With a front addition, the challenge lie in developing a design that would not eclipse the original house. The answer became clear. Keep the volume tight to the original house and minimize bulk by creating a composition of smaller volumes. Christiane saw the deep front yard as an additional opportunity. As she progressed through the design process she continually considered multiple distanced vantage points from the street.

A partially open kitchen offers more controlled views. An eat-in counter, Spanish baltic plywood cabinets, bamboo end panels and orange Caesarstone countertops offer a retro modern palette

Christiane and Mark are passionate aficionados of mid-century modern design. At the same time, they knew they wanted the design of the addition to stand out in its own right. They found certain components of the original design to be lacking. They wanted a covered entry, an entry foyer, and a way to greet arriving guests from the upper-level living room. Christiane was confident these could be integrated using compatible modern staples not part of the original design. Elements like a cantilevered volume, a small roof deck and new aluminum windows would stand apart and yet continue to honor the mid-century modern lexicon. 

Even small baths can provide big luxury when well designed. Frameless glass splash guards and curbless shower provide an elegant simplicity

Living the Dream

After months of construction, much of it self-built, Christiane and Mark were rewarded with a highly efficient 400 square-foot addition. The addition proved to be a game-changer for the deJong family. It offered much needed room for growth and also shifted the perceived center of the house forward toward the street in the expansion. The living room, once fine for family but too small for entertaining, now took on the character of a wide-open loft space. The high-sloped dining room space and adjacent balcony remediated the former sense of confinement and separation between inside and out. The small master bath supplied privacy for the primary bedroom. The cantilever over the front door and foyer vastly improved the home’s entry and a visitor’s first impression. At last, the completion of construction represented the culmination of years of thoughtful effort. The family could not have been happier with the roomy results of their Falls Church, Virginia home expansion. 

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Quintessential Modern: Celebrating and enriching history for custom living

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA, Builder: Elite Contractors Services

Getting Acquainted

Outside of a new build, few homes offer a design that perfectly accommodates a new homeowner’s every need. With planning, however, home buyers can find a property that lends itself to a whole house renovation or addition. This pre-remodeling mindset is crucial for anyone who wants to purchase and modify or preserve a historic home with a whole house renovation. This is especially true in a highly competitive real estate market like the one in Falls Church, Virginia. 

For this five-bedroom whole house renovation project, homeowners Jules and Peter* presented us with just this type of challenge. Their house-hunting search brought them to many beautiful mid-century modern homes but none were exactly right. With their timetable growing tight, Jules made a smart move and approached deJong Studio mid-hunt.

This charming Holmes Run Acres house includes signature elements of the mid-century modern style – low pitch gable roof, carport, floor to ceiling glass, and colorful flush panel front door

Knowing they would be selecting an imperfect home the couple knew that advance thought was needed. Identifying budget and space criteria would guide them to the home that would yield exactly what they needed. Once the home was purchased, they would be able to act quickly, develop a design and launch into renovation. 

Trading enclosing walls for full height cherry cabinets between dining and kitchen, the new space appears limitless in this whole house renovation

The Design Work Begins

Off to an early start, Christiane and Jules began discussing their space needs immediately. In no time at all the couple found a wonderful mid-century modern house located Holmes Run Acres. The home possessed a full glass front facade and a lovely warm-wood interior. In the large living room floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto a private side yard with mature landscaping. A previously completed addition gave them a sunroom above and two kids’ bedrooms below. As predicted, however, many of the hardworking spaces were badly in need of renovation. The 1980s closed-off kitchen, the water-damaged bathrooms, and more required replacement. As with many of the Holmes Run Acres homes, the upper level lacked the three bedrooms that would allow Jules and Peter to sleep on the same level with their kids. 

Flooded with natural light during the day and bathed in the glow of a Nelson apple bubble pendant at night this is the perfect space for gatherings of family and friends

To create three bedrooms on the same floor Jules and Peter needed a primary suite on the lower level. The lower level must also accommodate a new kids’ bath, a new laundry room, and a more centralized family room. The solution involved an entirely altered lower level, including relocated walls and wet spaces. What began as a limited renovation project soon grew into a whole house renovation. In response, Christiane and team stepped up the pace to deliver both design and construction within a six-month time frame.

The new open kitchen is designed to be seen. Cherry cabinets with fluted sliding glass doors echo classic mid-century design in this whole house renovation

Researching and Developing the Design

The design process, although compressed, included luxurious hours identifying precisely the right configuration and finishes. Christiane conducted extensive period research for built-ins, and the final design included replacing the kitchen/dining wall with a full-height cherry cabinet room divider, a handsome mid-century inspired sliding door and custom Kerf cabinets for baths and laundry. To round out the built-ins, we proposed an extensive array of period tile options, plumbing fixtures and fittings, light fixtures, wall and floor coverings, and paint colors. For each, our 3D modeling became an invaluable tool. With it we were able to to provide a full design preview thereby eliminating any guesswork for the clients. 

What resulted from this whole house renovation for Jules and Peter is a beautiful custom Falls Church, Virginia home rich in mid-century modern character. With construction completed it is now all but impossible to delineate between old and new. In an environment of simple elegance merged seamlessly with new home functionality this family has now found the perfect forever home. 

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy. 

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Coastal Modern: Crafting a sense of place

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA and Robert Arnouts AIA 

Getting Acquainted

This inspired project began when our clients Dan and Susan* came to us seeking a design for the perfect waterfront custom home in the northern neck area of Tidewater, Virginia. They own a choice piece of rezoned farmland on the Rappahannock River in Richmond County and they wanted to build on it. For years they parked their camper next to the old barn and spent happy days watching their son grow up. They longed then for the time when building a home here would be possible and before long it was. Dan had an idea on how to get started. His father had been an architect and he grew up intuitively understanding how thoughtful design could help him achieve the kind of life he desired. He and Susan just needed a skilled Northern Virginia architect to assist them.

The two had a clear idea of what they wanted. They had been shopping for just the right style and floor plan for years, and they approached deJong Studio with this information in hand. They sought a design for a two-bedroom, two-bath custom home in a traditional Tidewater style. It would also include a wraparound porch and a mudroom entry for muddy boots after a full day working in the garden.

Handsomely clad in a combination of cedar shakes and James Hardie lap siding, this custom new home provides ample windows and waterside view to the double height kitchen space

Siting and Setting the Scope

With the views set and the land already cleared siting the house was a simple task. The home would rest atop a gentle slope at the end of a long graceful drive. In working with Dan and Susan, we loved their no-frills, sensible approach to design and construction. After years of camping on the site, they saw a home with a roof over their heads as a luxury in and of itself. This made them highly amenable to Christiane’s suggestion to create a home with a small carbon footprint and we soon shared a common goal of a sustainable design.

Although situated at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, the view from the property was blocked by a grouping of trees at the river’s edge. For sight-line purposes, Christiane positioned the house at the highest point of land and proposed creating a clearing that would allow for a better view of the water. She designed the wraparound so visitors and residents could take in this remarkable view of the horizon. 

A wraparound porch is a tidewater classic feature for this custom new home

Developing the Design

We love the Tidewater style the clients desired and we combined it with some transitional modern elements. At the exterior we employed a standing seam metal roof, clapboard siding, and double-hung farmhouse-style windows. We included a fieldstone fireplace and an outdoor shower. For added sustainability we speced a gray water recycling system, solar panels, an on-demand hot water heater, and heat pumps. Wherever possible, we sourced long-lasting, local, renewable building materials. At the interior Christiane added a large modern kitchen with a pantry, a separate bedroom wing, a mud and powder room. 

A watery view features prominently at the front entry of this custom new home

A Happy Retirement

Dan and Susan were delighted with the outcome of the design process, as was our team. Although building will not begin for a couple of years, the completed drawings have allowed the couple to start planning. Establishing the design allows them to shop for the right builder at a pace that is just right for them. We’re excited for them to build when they are ready. We half expect they ask us to add bedrooms for the grandchildren when they do.

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy. 

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Quiet Modern: Timely space for a growing family

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA, Builder: T.W. Herren 

Dave and Molly* fell in love with their modest Holmes Run Acres one-story mid-century modern home located in Falls Church, Virginia. With two bedrooms and an office space behind a large sliding door, the house was just right for the two of them. When their daughter was born, however, their perspective changed. They needed more space, a home extension, to accommodate the equipment and toys that come with raising a child. The question was: “How?” The layout of their home was quite open, but the space seemed to defy any use for alternate purposes. To tackle this challenge they reached out to deJong Studio, a specialist in mid-century modern design preservation and alterations, for a fresh perspective on their home enhancements options. They knew that investing in the right architect now would pay dividends later should they ever decide to sell their home.

What Molly wanted was a large playroom where her daughter could play and remain in view while Molly cooked. The former homeowners had loved to entertain, and the space adjacent to the kitchen contained a large dining room. Molly knew that if they could find a new place for the dining table, this room would make the perfect playroom. Dave agreed that he could part with his office space if removing it would be sufficient for the new dining area. Unfortunately, this area was near the kitchen but not near the entry to the kitchen. Christiane began the process of designing the optimal alterations that would correct this.

In looking at opportunities for the kitchen, Christiane pointed out that the home lacked a proper entry foyer. The front door, located on the side of the house, opened into what was essentially an extension of the kitchen. Repurposing the dining room at the front of the house provided an opportunity to correct this by adding a new entry off this space. Christiane proposed this to Molly and Dave, and they loved the idea. The new entry would transform the look of the front of the house and correct the odd entry condition. With a minimal addition of an 8’x10’ foyer, the clients could give themselves the playroom they sought, a new dining room with access from a second kitchen door, and a main entry that would transform the look of the front of their house. We were off and running and drawing up the alterations when we received a game-changing call from Dave. They were expecting and needed to add a third bedroom. As often happens family growth means scope growth.

View of new dining area where former bedroom had been located

The sudden need for a larger addition changed the budget, and the introduction of a soon-to-arrive baby changed the timeline. deJong Studio gladly accepted these challenges, and we began the search for the contractor immediately in order to complete construction before the due date. This also meant, due to an existing non-compliant setback encroachment, that we were off to the Fairfax County Zoning Department, where Christiane skillfully guided Dave through the complex retroactive approval process required to apply for a building permit. 

View of hall at entrance to new bedroom

To solve the need for an extra bedroom, our team chose to extend the home’s post and beam construction, elongate the existing hallway and provide a new bedroom/nursery addition at the end of the existing house. This would locate the two kids’ bedrooms next to one another and across from the master bedroom—a perfect setup for those middle-of-the-night feedings. With a contractor engaged, Molly, Dave, and their daughter moved out of the home during construction to avoid the chaos and the mess. Then when construction finished, just as Molly was coming home from the hospital, the family spent their first night at home together with the newest addition to the family in the newly completed deJong Studio designed home extension.  

View of new bedroom

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy. 

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Fluid Modern: Infusing light

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA, Builder: Custom Home Remodeling (kitchen) and Parz Designs (stairs)

Getting Acquainted

Sometimes a project is about nuts-and-bolts architecture. Other times, it’s about something more intangible. Our client Kay is an art collector, the daughter of an artist, and an avid curator of her own life. She owns a wonderful mid-century modern Holmes Run Acres home filled with art pieces made by the many talented people in her life. Her approach to improving her home is one of celebrating milestones and crafting an idiosyncratic story. She is a delight to work with and naturally wants a home that is a work of art unto itself. She sought personalized home renovations and she knew she needed a Falls Church, Virginia architect with a speciality in mid-century modern design and renovations.

Kay is one of our favorite repeat clients and we have tackled more than a few projects together. In the first project, we focused on renovating what was once a very uninspiring kitchen. It Iacked natural light and was small and dark. It had a dead-end cook zone that was cut off by large cabinets that jutted out into the space. Kay realized that in order to cultivate a love of cooking she would first need to love her kitchen. She enlisted deJong Studio to assist with this challenge.

A window alteration at the far wall provides an artful view for this eat-in kitchen and home renovation

Setting and Satisfying the Design Objectives

Our first goal was optimizing the triangular work zone to create at a new standard of efficiency. Christiane began by minimizing any elements that projected into space. She wanted a sleeker space with a better flow. She achieved this by ganging together the bulkier elements – refrigerator, wall ovens, microwave, etc. Adding to this we began looking for ways to lighten the space. This was accomplished by lightened the formerly dark ceiling and selecting innovate and custom lighting. Specing cherry base cabinets served to anchor the room. We chose white upper cabinets that would float lightly above a matching solid surface waterfall edge counter. We then improved the connection between the interior and exterior by reconfiguring windows and sliding door.

Horizontal style wall cabinets, apple green glass tiles, KitchenAide appliances, touchless Grohe faucet and silgranite sink combine to create a clean modern design

Once completed, as is often the case, the finished results were much greater than the sum of the parts. The kitchen is a vibrant yet restrained contemporary space that celebrates modern design now. Kay is delighted. Will this space inspire her to cook more? Right now, she is saying yes.

Extending Design

Our second project with Kay involved replacing an existing stair that connects the two levels of her home. The original stair was constructed of crude rough framing materials. It had a high return landing that sat above eye height when viewed from the front entry. Kay was searching for the home renovations that would give her a more accessible, more finessed stair that would better connect the upper and lower levels of her home. 

Flowing white oak treads cascade towards a gorgeous honed basalt floor while a fluid oak handrail rest delicately on custom steel brackets in this home renovation

This was a fun challenge. Christiane saw an opportunity to maximize the natural light in the existing stairwell. She began by eliminating the mid-level landing and creating a two-story concrete sculptural element that would serve as both a guard rail and visual connector between up and down. The elimination of the landing allowed for a better flow of motion and light to the lower level and ultimately strengthened the connection between the front entry area and the upper level.

Custom steel handrail brackets solidly anchor the handrail and offer a distinguished accenting detail

Christiane developed a set of cascading oak treads in an original geometric design. She incorporated a ribbon oak handrail and concrete panel guard rails—each fabricated from a common material but assembled in a singularly innovative style. Working closely with a fabricator, she designed custom steel handrail supports that anchor the stairs and offer a distinguished accenting detail. Taken together these two home renovations have resulted in stunning upgrades for this artful mid-century modern Falls Church, Virginia home.

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Connected Modern: Flexibly expanding for today and tomorrow

Architects: Christiane deJong AIA and Megan Mueller AIAS

Getting Acquainted

In many instances, a client’s desire for a home expansion corresponds with a significant life change. This was the case with our client Kerin, who suddenly found herself in need of a home expansion to provide in-law suite that could accommodate her aging mother in her Fairfax County, Virginia  home. Kerin thought it might be possible to re-appropriate the carport area at the front of her mid-century modern home for this purpose but she would needed help from an architect specializing in mid-century modern additions. She got lucky, found deJong Studio in Falls Church, Virginia right away and contacted us immediately to assist her with the project.

At the time, Kerin wasn’t thinking about the long-term use of this space. Christiane and the team brought up questions about what the transformation would do for the resale value of the house in the competitive Fairfax County real estate market. We asked, thinking outside the box, if she could imagine using the space in other ways in the future. These were difficult questions, but they got Kerin thinking more broadly about how a flexible design might be a good long-term approach.

The carport is a hallmark of mid-century modern residential design. Coupled with a new home expansion the carport serves well to integrate the new volume

Defining Opportunities for Expansion

With this in mind, we began our efforts to create a home expansion that would provide a distinct suite, complete with a separate entrance. Christiane focused on developing a space that would flexibly function as both an in-law suite now and a master bedroom or family room in the future. We sized the main room for use as either a bedroom or family room and added an accessible bath that could be entered from the hallway connecting the suite to the main house. We included plenty of storage space and designed plumbed walls that could serve as a kitchenette now, a family room bar, or, with plumbing removed, a future bedroom walk-in-closet.

A corner window enlivens a new addition and offers a welcoming path to new main entry

While thinking in terms of multi-use functionality, the most challenging part of the design came in maintaining the privacy required for bedroom space at the front elevation of the house. Kerin pointed out that her current main entry, located at the side of the house, was all but invisible from the street. This made finding the front door difficult, and she often had strangers knocking on her second entry door in the carport.

Developing the Design

Christiane knew it would not be difficult to add the design elements that would better define the entry sequence. This path would sit adjacent to the new bedroom space, however, making privacy in the new bedroom a challenge. As a solution to this, we added a narrow full-height corner window. This allowed us to limit the glass area in the facade to a small area where window dressings could easily provide a privacy screen. At the same time this corner window works well to mark the path to the front door. It creates an inviting facade while still limiting views to the interior. 

Remote front doors require a well marked path leading from the front of house. A lengthy path brings a processional experience to entering the home

In a move to solidly integrate the new addition, Christiane also incorporated a new shed-roofed carport. The carport offers a reference to the home’s original design anchoring the addition with an iconic mid-century modern design element. In angling the carport away from the main house, we successfully separated the parking area from adjacent windows. This angle allows the existing bedrooms to receive natural light. We also created a second entrance from the new carport through a new mud/laundry room. This mud/laundry room also serves as a smart way to pull the in-law suite away from the main house. As a finishing touch, Christiane refreshed the existing front entry with a new brightly lit overhang. At last we had arrived at the perfect solution for Kerins’ home expansion. She was amazed that we could serve so many purposes with just one design.

Selling the Design

The final design fluently extends the language of the home’s modernist aesthetic and scale. As a result we were able to roughly double the livable area in the home without a noticeable bulk. Ultimately Kerin’s plans changed for her mother and she did not proceed with construction. She did, however, sell the home expansion design along with her home making it a very attractive package in the highly competitive Falls Church, Virginia real estate market.

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Recaptured Modern: Repurposing and reinventing space

Architect: Christiane deJong AIA, Builder: T.W. Herren

Getting Acquainted

Cara, Will*, and their two kids are a vibrant, young, creative, DIY family living in Falls Church, Virginia. When they found their “diamond in the rough” mid-century modern Holmes Run Acres home in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington DC they fell in love. They knew it would be a process to make it shine, and they committed to the elbow grease required. After a few years of tackling smaller projects, they needed help for the larger projects from an architect that specializes in mid-century modern home alterations and renovations. The challenge for them was addressing the carport-turned-florida-room-turned-front-entry. It was dark and foreboding, filled with bikes and playthings, and didn’t serve as a proper entry. They wondered what home alterations they needed to help this space better suit their needs and they began looking for the best architect for their project.

Street view of the home showing new dining room addition at right in former porch area and new entry where dining had been. Included are new steps and landing, new front door, new windows and new refurbished cedar cladding or siding

Identifying Needed Home Alterations

Cara and Will began their architect search by asking friends and neighbors for architect recommendations. Then one day they went to a Holmes Run Acres “Open Homes” party where they saw the work of deJong Studio up close and heard glowing reviews from friends. This made their choice for the best architect clear and they approached deJong Studio shortly afterwards. After initial introductions we began discussing the ideas they had in mind defining needs and distinguishing wants. It was clear, in talking, that the practical needs for storage would be a top priority. Only once the bikes and boots had a home would we be able to look at creating a proper foyer. In doing so we also saw, within the ample florida room footprint, an opportunity to capture new interior space in the form of an addition for the family. Thus began the conversation about a new dining room. 

Occupying the space of the former florida room, the new light filled dining room and entry way add generous, fluid space to the front of the house

Creating flow between this sunken, exterior florida space and the rest of the house became essential to converting it into a usable interior. Adding exterior walls and raising the floor to the main house elevation immediately made the space available for other uses. A clever switch, Christiane next suggested that if the existing dining room were relocated to the new space it would be possible, with minor existing home alterations, to add a new entry more towards the middle of the house. Moving the entry over and setting the new dining room back would create the distinctive front door with overhang that was missing and the couple loved this idea. This singular move added the inviting, modern entry that is a critical part of the mid-century modern lexicon found in so much of our work.

Exposed structure and floor to ceiling windows make for a very open, inviting entry and dining room

Developing the Design

Christiane enhanced this arrangement by turning the front door perpendicular to the street. This turn would allow us to create a foyer that offers that critical “pause” upon arrival. With the left over space in the former florida room area we were then able to include a second entry/mud room for those boots in the new home alterations.

When discussing material qualities for the new home alterations and addition Cara and Will expressed a deep fondness for their home’s original floor-to-ceiling windows. They provided a wonderful connection to the natural environment at the rear of the house while lending the living room a generous, expansive sense. Responding to this, Christiane brought full-height windows to the front of the house as well. This glazing added a new front-to-back transparency to the home – one that offered views to the deep woods beyond the house at the rear. Completing this work in the true spirit of DIY, Will painstakingly stripped and restored the original cedar cladding, added a new driveway with charging station and invested in a native species landscape.

As is often the case with deJong Studio clients, one improvement would quickly lead to another. In no time at all Cara and Will decided it was time to create a kitchen that better complimented the expansiveness and flow of the new entry and dining room. They chose the downtime associated with the Covid pandemic to focus on this change and approached Christiane to begin a study of the possibilities. What they needed was a design for their kitchen that would take the existing tight and closed off space and create a light filled connection to the living room space.

Setting to work Christiane began to explore the challenge of create a kitchen that would provide the openness her client sought while carefully ordering the chaos associated with a highly functional kitchen space. To do this she set a deep coffee bar with shelving at the end of the island counter in a drywall enclosure (at left in image below) that also provided an adjacent coat closet opening to the foyer. Combining wall oven with microwave allowed for the clean drop-in of a cooktop into a continuous countertop that would create an image of flow at the horizontal work surface and much needed storage below.

Contrary to popular belief an open kitchen requires much more careful planning to present a well composed image to adjacent spaces

After planning an efficient triangular work zone and maximizing storage we next turned our attention to aesthetics. With the kitchen open to the living room it was critical that the space provide an inviting, lively expression befitting of the living core of the house. As the busy home to meal and school lunch prep, cookie baking and weekend social cocktails the space had to be both hardworking and sharply styled. Knowing just the look we wanted deJong Studio turned to a California based custom cabinet maker known for their exposed baltic plywood edges and colorful use of laminates. Working with sliding cabinet doors, popular in the mid-century period, and bold color choices gave us the unique opportunity to curate a vivid collage in 3D.

Working with bold color laminates and exposed plywood edges gave us the unique opportunity to curate a bespoke collage of color in 3D. At the entry foyer a clever blackboard and drawers conceal both keys and a charging station.

With both projects successfully completed this Falls Church, Virginia home has evolved to provide an active and artful reflection of its inhabitants. Will and Cara and their children enjoy days at home lingering in the kitchen, enjoying beautifully prepared meals and spending time together where it matters most. Now an inviting, social oasis beautifully embedded in nature and the neighborhood, this mid-century gem has survived to celebrate decades more of life in a thriving community.

*Names have been changed to protect our clients privacy. 

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