PROJECT NOTEBOOK

Year built: 1958 Location: Chevy Chase, Maryland Original architect: Unknown Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 ½

Year of renovation: 2020 Length of renovation: 13 months

SAVE

Because the goal of the renovation was to maintain the home’s original “vibe,” everyone was happy to determine that some of the home’s existing features were salvageable. “We kept all the e isting oor and roof structure,” Charles points out. “They were in great shape, so it made sense to keep them.” This allowed for room in the budget to purchase new ooring for the two home additions.

SPLURGE

The home’s curb appeal needed improvement, so the homeowners saved their big- ticket items for the exterior. “The front door is a custom pivot door with a hinge in the middle. It gives the front of the home a focal point,” Charles says. “The exterior siding was also one of the bigger splurges. The product was so beautiful that both the client and I fell in love with it. We made decisions in other parts of the home that saved money so we could keep it in the project.”

ADD- ONS

For the most part, the original footprint of the home was retained, but two additions were built in order to accommodate the homeowners’ modern layout preferences. Charles points out, “They added 850 square feet to the home.” The living room wasn’t large enough, so they expanded it and connected it to the rear deck, thereby improving the interior/ exterior relationship and allowing room for a new fi replace and custom, built in shelves. The other addition expanded the front entry, which fi lled in the gap at the front of the home and gave the entryway the “wow factor” it needed.

THE HOMEOWNERS CHOSE TO KEEP A LOT OF THE ORIGINAL EXTERIOR BRICK, BUT THEY DID NEED TO UPDATE THE LANDSCAPING. THE FRONT ENTRY ADDITION FILLED IN THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO WINGS OF THE HOME, AND THEY CLOSED OFF THE CARPORT TO CREATE AN INTERIOR OFFICE. THE BACK OF THE HOME WAS OPEN, BUT SOME OF THE MATERIALS HAD SEEN BETTER DAYS. THEY REPLACED THE DECK WITH IPÉ HARDWOOD, MOVED THE STAIRS FOR EFFICIENCY AND BUILT A SCREENED- IN PORCH ON THE GROUND LEVEL.

( ABOVE) ONE OF THE PREVIOUS OWNERS RENOVATED THE KITCHEN IN THE 1980S, SO IT DIDN’T HAVE THE MID- CENTURY FLAIR THE HOMEOWNERS WERE HOPING FOR, AND IT WAS A BIT SMALLER THAN THEY WANTED. THEY TORE DOWN ONE OF THE WALLS TO MAKE THE SPACE BIGGER AND REPLACED THE CABINETS WITH CUSTOM BLUE AND RED OAK CABINETRY. ( LEFT) BECAUSE THE HOMEOWNERS WEREN’T FOND OF THE ORIGINAL FEATURES, THEY STRIPPED DOWN THE OUTDATED PRIMARY BATH COMPLETELY AND STARTED FROM SCRATCH. “THEY HATED THE GLASS BLOCKS IN PARTICULAR,” SAYS CHARLES.