Whole-House Remodeling
Craftsman Spirit
Sound but uninspired houses, if they had desires, might all wish for the kind of graceful metamorphosis experienced by this modest 1951 rambler. Called by one judge "a beautiful evolution," the remodel reused most of the original frame in transforming the brick two-bedroom into a hybrid farmhouse/Craftsman bungalow with a second story and twice the square footage.
Architect Charles Moore's design pulled the front of the house forward 3 feet and added a 6-foot-deep front porch bordered by tapered columns. The front elevation also features a dormer that adds another Craftsman-style element and provides a naturally lit alcove for the new master bedroom.
Extending the house forward allowed Moore to move the living room to the other side of the house and add a foyer and an inglenook in its place. He also partially enclosed the kitchen with a half-wall that matches the traditional three-quarter-height paneling found throughout the bright, well-proportioned interior.
Category: Whole-house remodeling, $150,000 to $300,000
Location: Arlington, Va.
Contractor: Gabriel Nassar Jr., GN Contracting, Arlington
Designer: Charles Moore, AIA, Moore Architects, Alexandria, Va.
