Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at www.connectionnewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC

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2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Photo courtesy of Kettler

Luxury apartment communities like the Gramercy at Metropolitan Parkin Arlington offer easy access to public transportation and close proxim-ity to restaurants and shops.

By Marilyn Campbell

The Gazette Packet

After a long, hard day at work, Jor-dan Coleman comes home to alarge apartment with modernamenities, including a 24-hour

concierge, ample living space, a state–of-the-art fitness center and a pool. The apart-ment features high-end appliances and fin-ishes as well as an open, flowing layout andlarge walk-in closets. Coleman – a lawyerand Capitol Hill staffer – shares the priceyrent with a friend. The complex is ownedby Avalon, which has properties in Arling-ton, Fairfax, Herndon, Falls Church, TysonsCorner and Vienna, Virginia, as well asBethesda, Maryland, and Washington.

The demand for high-end apartments inthe Washington, D.C., area is high, withrents soaring over the $7,000 mark. Thereare some who say the luxurious livingspaces and carefree lifestyles are worth theextra money.

“There are two kinds of people who wouldbe inclined to spend that kind of money in

Renters want resort-like amenities andaccess to transportation.

Luxury Apartments Popping UpHomeLifeStyle

the luxury rental market,” said DavidFreishtat, who teaches in the Masters in RealEstate Development program at the Univer-sity of Maryland and practices law inPotomac, Md. “First there are fairly success-ful, young people who buddy up and sharean apartment with two or three friends.They can afford to spend 35-40 percent oftake home pay in housing. They don’t spendmuch on food because they don’t have afamily to feed,” he said.

“Empty-nesters who’ve sold their homesand decided to downsize are also inclinedto rent high-end apartments. If they boughttheir house 20-30 years ago and sold it re-cently, they’re flush with cash,” saidFreishtat. “They might be looking to buy ahouse in Florida or Arizona where there’sno income tax, but for the year and a halfuntil they make that decision they’re goingto live in a nice apartment because they’vealways lived in a nice house so they’readaptable to those kinds of apartments.”

“The trade off in these buildings is thatthey are in great neighborhoods,” saidColeman. “They’re new construction and

the layout is like you’re living in the sub-urbs, but with the convenience of living inthe city. There are kitchens, bathrooms, liv-ing spaces are fluid and the closets are ri-diculously large.”

ONE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS isReston Town Center in Reston, Va., withrestaurants and shops and public transpor-

See Northern Virginia, Page 3

Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Photo courtesy of Renaissance Centro

Easy access to public transportation and close proximity to restaurants and shops attract residents to luxuryapartments communities like The Harrison at Reston Town Center in Reston.

HomeLifeStyle

cyber café, a fitness center, bike trails,barbeque and picnic areas and a spaciousclub house where people can hang out.

Proximity to transportation is anotherbonus, said Jeremy Feldman of Bent Tree.“You have the Fairfax Connector and we’renear the Metro.”

Luxury apartments that offer residentsaccess to public transportation are doingwell. Twenty percent of the units in TheHarrison have already been rented, evenbefore its grand opening.

All Over Northern VirginiaFrom Page 2

tation. A new, luxury apartment buildingwill has 360 apartments with easy accessto such a lifestyle.

The Harrison at Reston Town Center is nowopen, promising 28,000 square feet of luxury,resort-style living, and an easy trip to down-town Washington, D.C. for work or play.

At The Harrison, where rent runs fromjust under $2,000 to as high as $6,650 amonth, residents are offered such ameni-ties as a culinary demonstration kitchen; aprivate dining room for wine tastings; agaming area that offers pool, shuffleboard,chess, and card tables, a massage room, aspin studio and a 24-hour gym with state-of-the-art equipment. The pet-friendly prop-erty even caters to four-legged friends witha dog park and pet spa.

“People now want to simplify their lives,”said Karen A. Kossow, Vice President ofMarketing, Community Realty Company,Inc. which provides leasing and manage-ment services for The Harrison. “They wantan opportunity for a healthy and enrichedlifestyle. For example, with the fitness cen-ter and lounge area, there are opportuni-ties for socialization. You can keep youf pethere, and there’s even a place to walk yourdog or give it a shower. If you work fromhome there are offices with a printer andfax and conference rooms where you canhold a meeting. These things just make yourlife easier and simpler and give you moretime to enjoy life.”

Also at Reston Town Center is The Met-ropolitan, owned by Kettler, a real estatedevelopment firm based in McLean, Va., andwhich manages apartmentsthroughout Northern Virginia.Residents at some of the firm’sproperties pay more than $7,000a month for features such as 17-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling win-dows, wood flooring and ceramictile bathrooms.

Kettler is also putting the fin-ishing touches on The Acadia, a411-unit, high-rise luxury apart-ment building in the Metropoli-tan Park section of Arlington, Va.,and plans to begin leasing unitsthis spring. In October, the firmwill begin construction on m.flatsCrystal City. It will beKettler’ssixth property in the Pentagon-Crystal City neighborhood in Ar-lington.

“Our m.flats apartments aremeeting a growing demand forliving spaces within walking dis-tance of work, shops and enter-tainment,” Robert C. Kettler,chairman and chief executive of-ficer of Kettler, said in a state-ment. “Many young people areforming families later in life. Asa result, they not only want to enjoy thevibrancy of city life, but live in an apart-ment that has many conveniences and

Photo courtesy of Kettler

Luxury apartment communities like Midtown Alexandria Station offer amenitiesthat help simplify life for busy professionals and empty nesters alike.

amenities.”At Bent Tree in Centreville, Va., managed

by Lincoln Property Company, high-end

units include cathedral ceilings, walk-inclosets, lighted tennis courts, racquetballcourts, a resort-style swimming pool, a

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4 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Photo by Donna Moulton

The self-drive garden tour inFairfax Station and Clifton inFairfax County features fourprivate homes with gardensand two stables in all.

Clifton andFairfax Station,Tuesday, April 21

Wooded hills, wildlife and elegantequestrian estates describe Clifton-FairfaxStation. The Clifton Historic District,registered as a Virginia Historic Landmark,was a Civil War railroad stop and is filledwith shops, memorable restaurants andrestored homes. Clara Barton, founder ofthe American Red Cross, tended to soldiersafter the Battle of Second Manassas at St.Mary’s Church and the historic FairfaxStation, now a Railroad Museum.

Advance Ticket Sales: $30www.vagardenweek.org.

HomeLifeStyle

Old Town Alexandria was in1946 the third city in thecountry to create a historicdistrict to preserve its down-

town. Today it has 4,000 buildings with ahistoric designation, according to the gar-den tour information.

The Virginia Historic Garden Tour onApril 18 is a walking tour in Old Town in-cluding five row houses with courtyard gar-dens in this preserved area, and refresh-ments at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

In addition to the private properties fea-tured, the tour ticket allows access to TheCarlyle House Historic Park, Lee- FendallHouse Museum and Garden, GeorgeMason’s Gunston Hall and GeorgeWashington’s Mount Vernon Estate andGardens. The tour is hosted by The GardenClub of Alexandria and Hunting Creek Gar-den Club.

The Virginia Historic Garden Tour is an8-day event that stretches across the Com-monwealth. Each spring visitors are wel-comed to over 250 of Virginia’s most beau-tiful gardens, homes and historic land-marks. This event provides the opportunityto see unforgettable gardens at the peak ofVirginia’s springtime color, as well as beau-tiful houses sparkling with more than 2,000flower arrangements created by GardenClub of Virginia members.

Tour proceeds fund the restoration andpreservation of Virginia’s historic gardens,and provide graduate level research fellow-ships for building comprehensive and on-going records of historic gardens and land-scapes in the Commonwealth, and supportthe mission of the Garden Club of Virginia.

For a complete list of tours, seewww.vagardenweek.org

All descriptions from Virginia HistoricGarden Week.

213 South Royal StreetThis Federal-style house was probably

built by Thomas Davy, a merchant, around1834. The house has a more modest his-tory than many of its regal neighbors onRoyal, Duke and Prince Streets, though itsrooms are rich with the history of the sailmakers, coopers, china merchants and othertradesmen listed in the city’s 1850 censusas residing on the block. By 1850, two sepa-rate families lived on the property: Davy,his wife Susan and their daughter Louisa;and James Lugenbille, a physician, his wifeMartha and their daughter Emma, as wellas Thomas Crook, an unmarried clerk. Wellinto the 20th century, the house was stillused as a multi-family residence and fellinto disrepair. Previous owners undertookmajor renovations in the 1990s and wereable to keep much of the original trim and

some of the original hardwood floors. Thegarden is shaded by a magnificent red oakthat was planted soon after the Civil Warand is one of the largest trees in the areatoday. Hydrangeas, camellias, rhododen-dron, crepe myrtles and wisteria decoratethe garden and provide a special place forsmall children to play. The current owners(the wife is an interior designer) have addedartistic and youthful touches to the interiorwhile still maintaining its history.

212 Prince Street, Garden Only.Behind 212 Prince Street, the house on

the left side of the “Double Dwelling” at212-214 Prince Street, is a lovely garden.The current owners, who have lived at 212for 12 years, completed an extensive reno-vation of the rear garden in 2008, adding agoldfish pond, a heated swimming poolwith a whirlpool on the side, and enlargingthe “pool house” in the back corner of thelot. Originally built as one of the first rentalproperties in Alexandria, the house wastransferred to the daughter of the originalbuilder, William Hartshorne, in 1794. Shewas married to Mordecai Miller, a prosper-ous Quaker merchant, who leased the prop-erty to a commercial bakery in 1811. Whenrenovating the pool house at the back ofthe lot, the current owners uncovered abrick-lined cistern under the house, whichappears to have been used as the oven forthe bakery. The curved edge of the cisternis visible outside the pool house.

214 Prince StreetThe lot was first purchased by William

Hartshorne in 1774 upon his arrival in Al-exandria from Philadelphia. After the Revo-lutionary War, Hartshorne abandoned hisidea to build a personal residence there andinstead built an investment property formerchants and renters in 1786. The home(along with 212 Prince Street) is collectivelyreferred to as the “Double Dwelling House”

and was a single property until 1916. Origi-nally Hartshorne designed the dwellings formerchants and others who used the firstfloor as shops or offices and lived with theirfamilies above. Original hardwood floorsremain throughout the house. Sometimebefore 1885, the first-floor central stairswere relocated to the back of the existinghouse beyond the current dining room.There were additional fireplaces added inthe 1940s or 1950s. The current ownershave remodeled the kitchen and bathrooms,added the backyard lap pool and finishedthe attic space. In addition, they created anintimate courtyard feeling with copperplanters atop the walls and urns on theupper deck for year-round seasonalplantings. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Sopko

519 South Lee StreetBuilt around 1800 as a two-story frame

house by Alexander Veitch, the home wassold to George Noble Lyles in 1803. Theoriginal house had one bedroom and wasconfined to the footprint of the existing liv-ing room, kitchen and dining room areas.The heavy brass lockset on the living roomcloset is from the original entry door. A rearaddition was added by 1921. Additionsmade in 1942 include the living room fire-place, a kitchen and a screened porch. Thecurrent owners completed extensive reno-vations in 2006. The screened porch wasenclosed to become a dining room. Its Pal-ladian arched windows echo the arches ofthe former porch. A family room was addedto the side and the back garden was con-verted into a walled courtyard. A focal pointof the patio is the unique wall plaque de-picting John Tradescant (1608-1662), gar-dener to King Charles II, who was famousfor bringing numerous plant species to En-gland, including many from America. Thehome enjoys a beautiful vista of the LeeStreet Park and Potomac River.

508 South Fairfax StreetThis restored carriage house has an in-

teresting history. Its nucleus was built in1801-07 as a horse stable. By 1852 it hadevolved into a handsome brick carriagehouse of “fair dimension.” Remodeled in1874, the building was owned by a wealthybanker and his wife, a direct descendant ofThomas Jefferson, and was further con-verted to living quarters in 1848. At thefront gates a delightful scene unfolds, fromornamental hornbeams along the left wallto a front pergola draped with clematis.Walk along the front path and into the en-trance hall. The dining room is the centerof the house and the glass doors bring thelush side garden inside. The living roomwith its cozy fireplace looks out at the per-gola. Beyond the kitchen is the original car-riage house with a yellow-hued den and li-brary beyond. Follow brick walkwaysthrough gardens filled with spirea, autumnfern, hellebores, peonies and heuchera. Afemale goddess sculpture from Bali createsa focal point in the midst of ferns. There isa bronze Peter Beard sculpture on oak plinthsurrounded by perennial geraniums.

217 Gibbon StreetThis historic residence, built in 1790, is

purported to be the home of Robert Fultonwhile he secured a patent for his steamboat.The brick, detached house still has the origi-nal dentil moldings on the exterior. Otherhistoric features include the wide-woodfloors, interior moldings, window glass, andthe original mechanical doorbell, restoredby the current owners. Earlier owners addedthe built-in cabinetry in the living room,which includes antique art and furnitureinherited from the owner’s English family,mixed with more contemporary furnishings.The French doors at the back of the diningroom were installed in 1902. The doors aresaid to be from the White House, reclaimedafter a renovation under President

Theodore Roosevelt. A British potting tableconverted to a dining table and contempo-rary compacted-paper art create a brightand inviting dining experience. The reno-vated kitchen has slate flooring and exposedbrick walls. The dining room and kitchenboth open onto a brick-walled garden withclimbing hydrangea, established crepemyrtles and dogwoods, and plantings ofhellebores, azaleas, ferns and daffodils. Thegarden’s rear gate exits on to an originalcobblestone alley.

Alexandria Celebrates Virginia Garden Week213 South Royal Street 217 Gibbon Street 519 South Lee Street 508 South Fairfax Street

DetailsVirginia Historic Garden Week celebration

comes to the Alexandria area April 18, 10 a.m.-4p.m. $45 per person, $25 for single-site tickets.Tickets may be purchased on tour day at any ofthe homes and at the Alexandria Visitors Center.Advance Tickets are $40 at the AlexandriaVisitors Center, 221 King St. orwww.vagardenweek.org. In conjunction with thegarden tour:

❖ Annual Garden Day Herb and PlantSale at The Carlyle House, 121 North FairfaxStreet. Culinary and decorative herbs and plantsfrom Mount Vernon and Layng and Companyavailable for purchase. Representatives from the

Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, theVirginia Native Plant Society, among others willbe on site to offer guidance. Wares by localartisans and crafters, performances by areamusicians and living historians, and 18th-century games and activities for childrenthroughout the day. Proceeds benefit CarlyleHouse’s collections and Garden Guild.

❖ Marketplace at the Athenaeum, 201Prince Street. Featuring hand-picked purveyorsselling beautiful and unique items. 10 a.m. to 4p.m.

❖ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 228 SouthPitt Street. Light refreshments served from 11a.m. to 3 p.m.

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6 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

HomeLifeStyle

By John Byrd

It’s been a good year for Sun DesignRemodeling.

In January, the full-service design/build remodeler won four “Contrac-

tor of the Year” awards from the Washing-ton, D.C. chapter of the National Associa-tion of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).Then, in February, an already locally-hon-ored gourmet kitchen was named categorybest (“kitchen above $150k”) in the 10-statesoutheastern region.

Winning projects include: a rear elevationpoolside recreation solution; a FrenchCountry gourmet kitchen (the southeasternregional winner); an open kitchen plan ina traditional interior style; and a lower-levelbuild-out to designed for use by three gen-erations.

French Country Kitchen Is Localand Regional COTY winner: Resi-dential Kitchen Over $120,000

For Dr. Rick Layfield and his wife KellyLayfield, the search for their dream kitchenstarted shortly after they purchased their3,700-square-foot, four-bedroom home inClifton eight years ago.

“The kitchen suite was a primary sellingpoint,” Kelly Layfield said of the 400-square-foot room.

But she found the rear of the house darkand dated. Sightlines to the children’s back-yard play areas were not well-aligned. Andthere was a visually obstructive bulkheadover the primary food preparation zone.

Also, the pentagon-shaped food prepara-tion island and dining counter wasn’t wellsuited for in-kitchen dining. And the cor-ner breakfast area was cramped — makingit hard to access a door to the back porchwhich used to be a pathway to the family’soutdoor grill.

Fortunately, Kelly Layfields’s first meet-ing with designer John Benson was produc-tive from the start. He proposed a rectan-gular food preparation island with a gran-ite surface, parallel with the two corners ofthe cook’s work zones.

Benson also helped Layfield explore thelighter, more textured hues she had beenseeking: marble subway tile wall covering;surfaces in Granite Bianco Antico; whitecabinets with glass facings; and an ovenbacksplash in a white quatrefoil tiling. Thecoffers, likewise, are delineated in a whiteand grey duotone.

“This is just the balance I was looking for,”Layfield said. “It feels like home.”

Open Floorplan Defines Casual ButElegant KitchenResidential Kitchen; $80k to$120k; COTY Honorable Mention

Steve and Melynda Britt’s four-bedroomcolonial in Vienna offered considerablecharms when the couple purchased it 10years ago.

There was a nicely finished library andliving room, a formal dining room and asizable family room in the back half of thehouse with a 13-foot cathedral ceiling fram-ing a lovely view of mature landscaping.

For Melynda Britt, the larger goal was akitchen footprint that offered an efficientwork space — integrated with the surround-ing great room.

“Since the emphasis was on a more intel-ligent use of limited square footage,” SunDesign’s Durosko said, “we thought custom-built-ins would help create better coordi-

nated work zones.”Critiquing the kitchen now, Britt is

amazed at how much more effectively thesolution works on several fronts: The foodpreparation island protects the cook’s worktriangle, and is positioned for easy serviceto the family room; the beverage station,an effective space divider, is accessible fromboth the breakfast area and family room;the coffee bar is situated between doorsleading to the dining room and the break-fast room, out of the chef ’s way; thekitchen’s mosaic tile flooring has been re-placed by a refinished hardwood flooring.

“We can now comfortably entertain 20-25 guests,” Britt said. “Better yet, the spaceis really warm and comfortable.”

Finished Lower Level Offers Multi-Gen Family SolutionCOTY Honorable Mention

Eric Park and his wife Tina, both physi-cians, were already quite busy 10 years agowhen they purchased a 3,400-square-foottwo-level neo-colonial in Falls Church.

“Our plan all along was to create a fam-ily home,” Tina Park said. “We saw the lowerlevel eventually playing a part in our dailylives, but were only using it for storage. Itwasn’t until my mother began regularlyhelping us with the girls that we began look-ing at the house more closely.”

At first Park’s mother, Kay, would stay inthe guest room, but gradually everyonestarted looking at ways to increase avail-able privacy.

It’s at this point that Sun Design Remod-eling enters the story.

“A basement conversion is challenging,”said Sun Design’s Liz Lee-Sint, who guidedthe Park project from concept to comple-tion, “especially when it’s going to bemainstreamed with the rest of the house.”

For Kay, the top priority was a suite withall the features of independent living, in-cluding a private entrance, a comfortablemaster suite and a fully functional kitchen-ette with dining for four.

On a separate note, the Parks envisioneda 195-square-foot family fitness center anda children’s play zone with custom built-ins.

Describing the finished décor as “modernAsian contemporary,” Tina Park stressedsimple lines, soft tones and open visuals.

“It’s really the nicest place in the housenow,” Park said. “And it satisfies so manydifferent needs that it’s become our maingathering place.”

House and grounds reconciliationjudged this year’s bestExterior Solution/COTY Grandaward winner

As Monte Zaben tells it, the rear eleva-tion to his 8,300-square-foot colonial inFredericksburg was so sun-exposed it wasuncomfortable sitting by the pool he hadjust installed the year before.

After researching several options, how-ever, he stumbled on Sun Design’s portfo-lio of indoor-outdoor solutions, and set upa meeting.

Combining an extended radius that stepsdown to the pool with vaulted entrance way,the structure’s architecture is welcoming.

Tapered craftsman-style piers support aseam metal roof. Inside, three distinct ac-tivity zones flow together: an open-airlounge; a cozy poolside vista with a pair ofwicker chairs; and an outdoor kitchenequipped with a traditional grill, a powerburner and refrigerators. A second levelgrilling deck is now, likewise, under roof.

Happy with the outcome, Zaben said heenjoys the outdoor kitchen so much he wasout grilling one of his specialties this pastJanuary. “We make regular use of the out-door space on just about every seasonableday,” he adds. “It’s very much a part of ourlives now.”

John Byrd has been writing about home improve-ment for 30 years. He can be reached atbyrdmatx@gmail.com.

Four Sun Designremodeling projectsnamed Washington-area “Contractor ofthe Year” winners.

Home Improvements Earn Awards

Photo by Bryan Burris

With its private entrance, fully operative kitchenette and dining table forfour, the new lower level allows Tina’s mother, Kay, to host bridge par-ties for friends independent of any other household activities.

Photo by Mitro Hood

BEST RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN: Sun Design’s winning kitchen solutiontakes full advantage of a 13' cathedral ceiling with a two-level windowwall. Owner Melynda Britt says the space is much better organized, yetmore accessible — perfect for entertaining.

Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

diately — was how to develop a site planthat would satisfy the county, but also giveus a sustainable result that allows the aes-thetic effects we were seeking.”

Part of the assignment would also entaila plan for preserving mature trees on theproperty’s eastern side.

THE GARAGE, which would houseDobson’s collectible motorized vehicles,needed a footprint of some 400 square feet,the contractor determined; the sunroom,one level up, would be plenty spacious atslightly over 200 square feet. Hence, Foster’s“stacked” pyramidal design not only satis-fies family “use” requirements, but also al-lows the “growing room” needed for anentire grove of mature trees bordering theproperty’s perimeter.

The plan was, of course, partly predicatedon lowering the lot’s existing grade somefive feet, enough to carve out a foundationfor the garage and create driveway access.

The foundation also figures prominentlyin an innovative engineering solution thatgives the couple the amount of glass theyhad been seeking in the sunroom.

To meet the county’s wind-bracing re-quirements, Foster and team designed anarrow-gauge, all-steel framework for thesunroom’s many large glass panels whichis anchored all the way down to the con-crete foundation itself.

Though not visible to the naked eye, theinfrastructrure allowed designers to extendwindows to within a few feet of the floorand mere inches from the corner of theroom.

“Our dogs can even look out the win-dows,” Joan Davanzo said. “The designgives us a really a stunning view in all di-rections.”

But, surely, a nearly all-glass room mustbe quite cold in the winter?

“All the windows are Low-E Argon-filleddouble pane — state of the art thermal re-sistance,” Foster said.

To reinforce the comforting insularity,however, the contractor applied thermally-resistant spray foam behind the wall sur-

Al Dobson and his new spacious garage to house his sport car, motor-cycles and ’60s rock memorabilia.

HomeLifeStyle

By John Byrd

On the face of it, adding a two-level structure to a 30-year-old brick house is not especially difficult. Essentially,

Vienna homeowners Al Dobson and his wifeJoan Davanzo each have a pet project — aspacious first level garage to house sportcars, motorcycles and ’60s rock for him; alovely sunroom comprised of floor-to-ceil-ing window walls for her.

Knock out the existing screen porch;slightly expand the footprint for the garage;sun room goes on top embracing the reardeck and pool; and, Bingo, it’s done.

Yet as anyone who has lived in the FairfaxCounty for a while knows, no project iswithout complications, and add to this theproblems of an unlevel grade, set-back re-strictions, strict rules on structures with lotsof glass and the owner’s desire to preserveall the surrounding trees, and suddenlythere are the makings of an intricate engi-neering challenge — the sort of brain-bustermost contractors wouldn’t attempt to un-ravel.

That’s how it all started with this decep-tively understated Vienna addition: severalcontractors told Dobson and Davanzo theycouldn’t have the amount of glass in thesunroom they were looking for; county rulesregarding glass and where it can be posi-tioned are rigorously enforced; and then,too, the glass must to be “braced” to resistwinds that otherwise might cause it to im-plode — a requirement which inevitablyreduces sightlines.

“County rules on glass in new construc-tion have been in place for over a decade,”said David Foster, president of Foster Re-modeling Solutions, the contractor thecouple hired to execute the project. “Be-cause of some tricky complications, a lot ofcontractors stay out of the sunroom arena— so it’s become somewhat specialized.”

What several contractors plainly told JoanDavanzo, nevertheless, was that her dreamproject — as she envisionsed it — simplycouldn’t be built.

“We were told the windows couldn’t beas low to the floor, nor as close to the cor-ner as we wanted,” Davanzo said. “Since Ihad particularly liked the openness of theold screen porch the sunroom was to re-place, this was discouraging.”

By contrast, Davanzo said, Foster beganaddressing the project’s technical hurdlesfrom the first meeting.

“His experience was palpable,” said AlDobson, 70, who has had several previousencounters with remodelers. “The first con-sideration — which he pointed out imme-

faces — and drilled holes in the steel col-umns to accommodate an added infusion.

“It’s all about creating a tight structure,”Foster said. “That’s what keeps outside tem-peratures out.”

On the other hand, the sunroom featureDavanzo most appreciates this time of yearis how fluidly it opens to spring’s balmybreezes. All the windows are casement-stylewhich can be independently adjusted to letin cross breezes. Overhead, two skylightsopen electronically — and individually. Theskylights are also equipped with electricblinds and rain sensors.

The room’s interior design scheme, whichDavanzo developed in conjunction withFoster, reflects a number of favored ownerlifestyle preferences. The golden duotoneteakwood floor — comprised of a framedrectangular perimeter traversed with diago-nal slats — is a pattern the couple cameupon in their travels in Italy. The tongue-and-groove ceiling and warm sea-foamgreen wall color, likewise, were chosen to

highlight a verdant visual continuum thatrecalls childhood adventures in the coun-try.

The new sunroom is accessible throughan adjacent family room separated by threeFrench doors which Davanzo mostly leavesopen.

“This is where I spend most of my timewhen I’m at home,” she said.

For Al Dobson, the favored hang-out nowis his “man cave” garage which houses aCorvette, his Italian motorcycle and a soundsystem that plays choice sounds of the ’50sand ’60s.

A racing enthusiast who participates intime trials at Summit Point, Dobson wanteda room that speaks to his passion for motorsports. Underfoot, PVC tiles in an iconiccheckerboard pattern set the tone for a pri-vate retreat decorated with ’60s movie post-ers and other period memorabilia.

“It’s a really peaceful spot to just relax,”Dobson said. “That’s what this process wasalways for, so I’m glad we pursued it.”

Addition pulls together stylesand overcomes challenges.

His and Hers:Special Spaces

Photo Contributed

The sun porch solution emphasizes views. Windows are insulated andwind-resistant.

DetailsFoster

RemodelingSolutionsperiodicallyoffers work-shops on homeremodelingtopics. Call703-550-1371or visitwww.fosterremodeling.com.

8 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2015 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Address .............................. BR FB HB ... Postal City .. Sold Price .... Type ....... Lot AC . PostalCode ....... Subdivision ......... Date Sold

1 601 FAIRFAX ST N #405 ........ 3 .. 2 . 1 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $2,700,000 .... Mid-Rise 5-8 Floors ....... 22314 ........... THE ORONOCO .......... 01/16/15

2 229 PITT ST S ....................... 5 .. 3 . 1 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $2,250,000 .... Attach/Row Hse0.10 ..... 22314 .............. OLD TOWN ............. 01/07/15

3 601 FAIRFAX ST N #409 ........ 2 .. 2 . 1 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $1,750,000 .... Mid-Rise 5-8 Floors ....... 22314 ........... THE ORONOCO .......... 01/29/15

4 323 COLUMBUS ST N ............ 4 .. 3 . 2 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $1,693,700 .... Townhouse .. 0.04 ........ 22314 .............. OLD TOWN ............. 01/30/15

5 503 IVY CIR .......................... 4 .. 2 . 3 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $1,465,000 .... Detached ..... 0.24 ........ 22302 ................ IVY HILL ............... 01/30/15

6 709 PRINCE ST ..................... 5 .. 3 . 2 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $1,340,000 .... Townhouse .. 0.05 ........ 22314 .............. OLD TOWN ............. 01/12/15

7 951 JANNEYS LN .................. 5 .. 4 . 1 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $1,150,000 .... Detached ..... 0.33 ........ 22302 ............. WALLESTON ............ 01/09/15

8 357 CAMERON STATION BLVD .. 4 .. 4 . 1 ..... ALEXANDRIA .. $1,105,000 .... Detached ..... 0.10 ........ 22304 ........ CAMERON STATION ....... 01/15/15

9 805 WOLFE ST ..................... 3 .. 2 . 2 ..... ALEXANDRIA .... $995,000 .... Townhouse .. 0.02 ........ 22314 .......... BURGES SQUARE ......... 01/15/15

10 2016 MAIN LINE BLVD ........... 4 .. 3 . 1 ..... ALEXANDRIA .... $970,665 .... Townhouse .. 0.10 ........ 22301 .......... POTOMAC YARD ......... 01/16/15

Copyright 2015 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Source: MRIS as of February 16, 2015.

Alexandria REAL ESTATEJanuary, 2015 Top SalesIn January 2015, 126 Alexandria homes sold

between $2,700,000-$127,000.

Photo by Veronica Bruno

Photos by Hal Vernon/The Gazette

1 601 Fairfax Street North #405 — $2,700,0003 601 Fairfax Street North #409 — $2,250,000

2 229 PittStreet South —$2,250,000

4 323ColumbusStreet North— $1,693,700

6 709 Prince Street — $1,340,000

9 805 Wolfe Street — $995,000