Featured Project

This reprinted article features one of our projects and is just a sample of the kind of work you can expect from Old Virginia Builders.

NORTHWEST REAL ESTATE
A Look at the Market in Northwest Washington
January 4, 2006

photo of Reno Road project

Tudor home gets brand-new inside and an extra floor

This Tudor home in North Cleveland Park was featured in this column in September 2004. It was described as having "two sunrooms and an attic with lots of potential" and was listed for $749,000. Since then, this home at 4339 Reno Road has had an extensive renovation – yearlong, with spectacular results. A recent visit revealed a dramatic transformation.

Along with adding a third level, expanding the kitchen and refinishing the lower level, the renovation included several subtle changes – coming from the aesthetic eye of an architect – that really made this house special. Examples include a reworking of the floor plans of all four levels of the home, including the removal of rickety bookshelves and old radiator covers and the addition of central heating and air.

The renovation also added a second foyer with a coat closet and dedicated entry to the lower level that doesn't require passing through the kitchen. And moving the master bedroom to the new, bright, third level allowed expansion of the closet and storage space of the three bedrooms and two full bathrooms on the second level.

Other improvements include new Andersen windows, refinished and new hardwood floors and a large rear deck.

The architect was Francisco Ruiz, and the contractor, Christopher Lane of Old Virginia Builders.

The brick and stucco home faces west and sits between Yuma Street and Windom Place. Approaching the home, a short concrete walkway leads to the retiled slate entryway.

Inside, the living room has a fireplace with a new mantel graced by columns that reach the crown molding of the ceiling. The fireplace is flanked by two windows.

Nine door-sized, west-facing panel windows on the front wall replaced French doors that once led to a screened-in porch. An open doorway to the east leads to the dining room, which has a double south-facing window. Farther to the east through another open doorway is the renovated family room, which has three door-sized panel windows. One panel opens to a rear deck.

The kitchen is still accessible from the main hall or the dining room, but its former ‘70s décor is almost unrecognizable, replaced by fresh antique-white wood cabinetry, earth-toned granite countertops and tiled backsplash. All the appliances are new stainless-steel KitchenAid, including a six-burner gas range. A combination breakfast bar/island separates the kitchen from the family room.

The second-level former master suite has three large windows, two large closets and an updated bathroom with a glass-enclosed shower. A back bedroom has six windows and two deep closets. A middle bedroom has two south-facing windows and an extra-large closet.

One of the most spectacular changes was the removal of the very steep staircase up to the attic. French doors now lead to a former small front bedroom, which has been transformed into a sitting room or office, with two windows. A new, gently rising hardwood staircase on the west wall goes up to the expansive, light-filled master suite. The bedroom has an east-facing picture window. To the west is the master bathroom with beige marble floors, a Jacuzzi beneath a skylight, and a double, granite-topped vanity above cabinetry similar to that in the kitchen.

The lower level consists mainly of one large media room with surround sound. There are two ground-level windows and a short hall that leads to a full bathroom and a separate laundry area with new front-loading machines. A door leads to the rear parking area.

The property includes a two-car garage and a new concrete driveway with parking for two cars.