four stairs: addition and renovation to a historic virginia farmhouse, great falls, va.

barnes vanze architects, washington, d.c.

Presented with a diverse collection of buildings, Barnes Vanze Architects restored the architecturally significant structures and inserted a glassed-in room to unify the house. “We made it look like a porch,” says Stephen Vanze, AIA, LEED AP. “It's the only space with modern conveniences.” And the space, which comprises the kitchen and family room, is key. Modern appliances and a flagstone floor update the look, but other details, such as the Douglas fir beams made from trees on site, complement the original structures. A new structural insulated roof increases energy efficiency.

“They brought the house into a 20th-century lifestyle and maintained the richness,” said a judge.

principal in charge / project architect: Stephen Vanze, AIA, LEED AP, Barnes Vanze Architects
project manager: Stephen Schottler, Barnes Vanze Architects
general contractor: Paul Novak, Baltimore
project size: 3,321 square feet
site size: More than 40 acres
construction cost: Withheld
photography: Anice Hoachlander.

product specs
bathroom fittings and fixtures: Waterworks; cooktop, oven/range: Viking Range Corp.; garbage disposer: In-Sink-Erator; paints/stains/wall finishes: Benjamin Moore & Co.; refrigerator: Sub-Zero