Great Room Remodel in Washington, DC: Pt 3
A Cleveland Park Townhouse Gets a Great Room Makeover
In the third and final part of this great room remodeling blog series, we continue to discuss what the project entailed (if you missed part one or part two, be sure to read it!).
A Blank Wall was the Fourth Wall
With the rich walled relatives of marble (fireplace), glass (window wall) and balcony (balconies wall), there was yet a poor fourth sister who required a bit of aesthetic support. Such was the case with the west wall—a 21 foot tall x 17 foot wide expanse of blank drywall. At first, the owners thought they could solve the problem with artwork or wall-hung sculptures. We were not so sure they had the appropriate budget for that, nor that it would be the best design solution.
Having spent time in a few glamorous hotel lobbies, the design team felt that a simple architectural treatment could create the necessary focal point. The furniture plan indicated a large sofa was best placed along this fourth wall, but a sofa against a 21 foot high wall does not provide a sense of intimacy. For this reason, it was necessary to create a sense of closure on a more intimate scale. The design gives the fourth wall a focal point with furniture and art. A simple niche, 8 inch deep, framed-in, stepped drywall offers a vignette of sofa and art. A slightly darker paint color anchors the niche. The top of the niche was set at 8 feet to align with the adjacent French doors. Simplicity gives the fourth wall its aesthetic punch.
Ceiling of Coffered Beams
The highly articulated space would not be complete with a plain drywall ceiling. We designed a simple pattern of wood box beams and painted the beams the color of the trim to finish the space. The beams form three large coffers that reinforce the pattern of three large windows, accentuate the view and center the room with a large black hoop of iron chandelier. Symmetrically placed within the coffers are recessed lighting.
Wet Bar is Remade
A tiny counter with a bar sink was the excuse for the wet bar alcove. The generous space measured 7 feet x 9 feet and was unobtrusively tucked at the side of the great room. Its purpose as a wet bar had not been fully realized and lacked functional or aesthetic purpose. With a new design, it provided a counter with bar stool seating for two and a new bar sink. A new set of base cabinets and a stone counter with a wine refrigerator and ice maker were installed across the rear wall of the alcove. Floating shelves on the wall provide a stepped rhythmic pattern. The new wet bar features a flat screen TV to provide entertainment to guests who are enjoying their favorite cocktail.
Wentworth completed this project in June 2012 and won a 2012 NARI Contractor of the Year award for the category Residential Interior Under $250,000. Visit our portfolio to see pictures of the great room remodel.
