Next in our series of possible bathroom design options we look at adding a couple of feet to the back of the room and creating a shed dormer.  We want to manage costs so the expansion will be minimal but still develop the necessary space.  The sketch on the right is the same starting point we have for our other design options.  Now let’s see what happens with a few extra square feet positioned in the right place.

We will incorporate a tub, full shower, two vanities and a toilet compartment in this expansion.  The tub is generously sized with ample room on the deck for towel storage and decorations.  The shower has a large seat and potential for multiple heads and there is room for a private area for the water closet. Having his and her vanities makes sense for many couples.  The complement of quality cabinets on either side of the room, such as the WoodMode cabinets we feature, not only allows symmetry in the space but creates a focal point to the tub and window above.  The added window could be the most valuable component.  Large amounts of natural light flowing in the bathroom through a round or elliptical transom makes the room feel more connected to the outside.  The ambient light in a room often negates the need for illuminated lights.  Finally, look at the closets.  They have more than doubled – something every family could use!

So now you have three functional options to the standard bathroom in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.  Each one has different priorities but none come at significant expense because they are designed and constructed in a logical and practical manner.  With these designs you can bring your home from the 1940’s quickly into optimum design standards for your lifestyle today.

Feel free to contact me by e-mail at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website, www.NatelliHomes.com

Homes and designs constructed in the 50’s and 60’s often don’t work very well for our current needs.  In particular, bathrooms were seemingly tertiary spaces, whereas they are vital and one of the primary priorities for homeowners today.  People expect more in a bathroom now, especially when it comes to the master bathroom.  The challenge comes when the client does not want to expand the room due to structural issues, the effects on other rooms or simply budget limitations.

We have done a 4 part study of design options for a typical bathroom built in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  The existing bathroom is shown in a sketch on the right.  You can see a long dressing vanity, a compacted bathroom area and two modest closets.   As you can see, there is a lot of wasted space in the hallway and open area in front of the dressing vanity.

For the 1st option, below, we kept the bathroom to the same general limitations of the existing space.  We did not allow the design to expand into other rooms, except a small portion of an adjacent attic. In this version, we maintained a tub and a separate shower.  Clients often debate whether to incorporate a tub or not; some people use the tub, many do not – every client is different so we will show you alternatives without tubs in subsequent posts. We have one long vanity with two bowls, a compartment for the toilet and even a linen closet dedicated to the Master bath.  The closets have been expanded into the attic space.  The entrance incorporates a vestibule to delineate the privacy desired for the Master Suite.

This example shows the potential of working within the structure of the existing home.  The bathroom is vastly improved with a large shower, good counter space and expanded closets.  Next we will show you what we can do if we eliminate the tub.  After that, in Options 3 & 4, we will show you what happens when we add a window.  Stay tuned!

We appreciate your comments and questions.  Please e-mail me directly at Bob@NatelliHomes.com or visit our website at www.NatelliHomes.com.

Kitchens can be a lot of fun if you let your imagination go beyond traditional thinking.  Families spend the majority of their time in a kitchen so why not put the emphasis in that room?  We obviously eat our meals in the kitchen; but in addition, kids do their homework on the kitchen counter-top, parties invariably end up in kitchens, computers are in most kitchens, families watch TV in the kitchen not to mention the cooking and food preparation that goes on in a kitchen.

Kitchens are one of the most important rooms in our home.  They need to be significant, functional, comfortable and engaging. 

A properly executed kitchen renovation needs to convert a basic kitchen into a multi-functional, useful and family oriented living space.  In this example we converted an ordinary kitchen into an eye opening, light filled space with a breakfast room, large open counter-tops, an expansive island, two dishwashers, accommodations for computers and TVs and comfortable sitting areas.  It is hard to believe that these photos are the before and after of the same kitchen, but they really are, which is a testament to the power of imagination and good design.

Note the high ceilings in the open gable window of the breakfast room.  The room fills with the warm morning sun and makes for a inviting space for families and guests.  The back yard and patio are now extensions of the kitchen and breakfast room.  There is even a fireplace in the adjacent room that can be enjoyed from the kitchen and breakfast room.

When designing a kitchen or any space for that matter, “think outside the box”.  Creative design, quality construction and understanding the needs of a client should be paramount in your selection of a kitchen contractor.  Don’t be limited by the walls in front of you, look to a professional designer like Natelli Homes to guide you to to the right design and premier construction services.

We enjoy hearing from our readers.  Feel free to contact me, bob@natellihomes.com or visit our website, www.natellihomes.com

Everyone seems to be spending lots of time at home working on their business, so more and more of our clients are looking for ways to accomplish this need.  In this case we converted a large hallway adjacent to an open 2nd floor foyer into a work area.  Working with WoodMode cabinets we created a very effective work area.

There is a pull out desk-top for additional work surface area, file storage, customized spaces for the hard drive, keyboard and computer display.  The pull out desk-top slides imperceptibly back into the cabinets when not in use.

The desk top is set lower to a table top height while the adjacent cabinets are slightly higher for more storage. Clever features and details make this space functional and attractive.  Note the large windows adjacent to the desk that bring ample natural light to the work areas.

Good architectural design blends an addition to a home seamlessly as if the improvement had been there all along.  In this example, Natelli Homes designed and constructed a screened porch on the rear of an existing home and blended it perfectly with the composition of the architecture.  Compare the before and after photos – one almost has to look twice to see that we added an entire room.

This comfortable addition includes a stained fir ceiling with dramatic beams and brackets, which we will describe in a post in the near future.  A floor-to-ceiling field stone fireplace anchors the plush seating and eating area.   This home owner enjoys the space, which overlooks a pool and patio, almost year-round.

Good architectural design for renovations is quite a skill.  We enjoy hearing our clients tell their friends that it looks and feels as if our new work was a part of the original architecture.

I appreciate hearing from readers about our posts.  Please contact me at Bob@NatelliHomes or visit our website at www.NatelliHomes.com

A few years back we did a renovation to an existing home that amazes me every time I see the before and after photos.  Obviously this was an incredible transformation – we even considered tearing the house down and building a new home.

After debating with the architect and client we decided to proceed with the renovation as it would be far more cost effective and quicker.  You can see the old house peeking through in the middle of the ”after” photo.  ”5 over 4 with a door” never goes out of style, it just looks better with the improvements on the sides.   I’ll provide details of this project in future posts, but for now these photos speak more words than I could express.

As always, feel free to contact me bob@natellihomes.com or visit our website www.natellihomes.com

There are many fine contractors in the world, but what separates a good builder from a great builder is service; and service starts with communication.  When a building agreement is signed with a client, we ensure that the client knows what he or she is getting.  We even provide a detailed list of exclusions, almost as a reminder of items they might have considered so there are no mis-understandings.  Natelli Homes goes to great strides to ensure the client has written specifications, an understanding of the variables (allowances) in the contract and clear knowledge of the materials we will use and the length of time the project will take.

It is important that the client knows what his / her decisions will be, the timing for those decisions and the budget for any remaining variables.  Natelli assists the client to make complete decisions at the beginning of a project so we can execute sub-contracts earlier, build the project quicker and coordinate the myriad number of items with more accuracy.  No matter how large or small a project may be, if a client can focus on the details and decisions early, the project’s success based on building quality, coordination between the trades, minimizing errors and speed of construction will grow exponentially.