Twining Road Renovation

Project Details

Project Description

After living in their house for over thirty years, this “empty nest” couple decided it was time to “freshen up” their 1980’s ranch style dwelling. The owners did not have preconceived ideas or specific programmatic goals, but instead were open minded and requested design solutions potentially varying in scope. The owners originally built this house, located in Potomac, Maryland, to accommodate their young family. The house underwent a series of renovations and additions over thirty years, adjusting to varying needs and changing family dynamics. Although these alterations served the family well, the numerous changes were not stylistically coherent or consistent in their architectural details. The generally dark existing house retained a compartmentalized kitchen and failed to take advantage of views toward the wooded parkland just beyond the property. This most recent renovation attempts to better organize the house, provide a more open floor plan, infuse the house with natural light and focus views toward the woodlands. The desire was to create a new scheme that was updated, comprehensive and unified while adding minimal square footage. The additional space allows a home office to be relocated from the basement. With high ceilings and an abundance of glass, this space is oriented to take advantage of the wooded views. The kitchen is reoriented, enlarged, and opens up to a dining space, living room and views of the landscape. The master bedroom and bathroom are repositioned to maximize orientation toward the views and reorganized to facilitate daily routines. Interior finishes, including Wenge flooring and rift-sawn oak millwork, are intended to unify and enrich the interior spaces. Detailing is minimal and crisp, allowing natural light and views to take center stage. With their strong emotional ties and an affinity for the house developed over thirty years, the redesign became a balancing act between retaining the original house while updating it for the next chapters in this family’s lives. The redesign allows the original ranch house, with its strong horizontal presence, to anchor a series of vertical volumes that enrich the house with light and optimal views to the landscape beyond.