élan

Celebrating the arts | M aY 2016Celebrating the arts | M aY 2016

44 | May 2016 | élan magazine

what wonders an attic brought | bY troY blewett

interior design

Spa Treatment

A ithree-level split foyer home in the Mount Vernon suburbs included a large room on the top level that was perfect for the homeowners’

master bedroom; however, there was just one problem: the closest bathroom was six steps down on the mid- dle level and was shared by three additional bedrooms.

For these homeowners to better use the top level and to not be forced to use one of the smaller bed-rooms as their master, they needed to find space for a bathroom. realizing they needed to renovate, the homeowners turned to Michael nash design build & homes in Fairfax.

“Relaxation means different things to dif-ferent people, and the

ability to customize the experiences of a free-standing tub, as well

as soak up the benefits was a the top priority.”

–sonny nazemian

transForMing unused space“it became clear after our first meeting that they

needed to ‘find’ additional space for a master bath,” says sonny nazemian, president of Michael nash. “while the top level was ideal for the master bedroom, it lacked closet space and didn’t have enough extra room for a bath. a few steps up from the bedroom, however, was an attic that had a lot of potential,” nazemian says.

ultimately, the Michael nash design team felt this 15’ x 24’ unfinished space would be perfect for a new master bath while also providing added closet/storage space. so, the designers developed a plan to transform the space.

élan magazine | May 2016 | 45

“there were several structural challenges we had to solve,” nazemian says. “the floor joists were under-sized; we had to beef them up and do some sistering with new joists. we also had to move a large attic fan and flue pipes that were in the middle of the space.”

the design team also had to address the absence of a heat source and natural light in the existing attic. to solve these problems, they added a ductless heating and air conditioning unit to condition the new bath-room environment. then, they added a new window in an outside gable to bring in more daylight. Finally, the design required bringing the plumbing up four levels.

“once the structure was ready, the real fun started,” nazemian says. “the homeowners had spent a sig-nificant amount of time with our designers, selecting amenities, fixtures, materials and color palettes. as the renovation progressed, they were able to see the items they chose installed and to witness the creation of the master bathroom of their dreams.”

a spa-stYle bathrooMwalking up the few steps from the bedroom, the

homeowners now have a large walk-in closet that pro-vides significant wardrobe and storage space, as well as plenty of dressing room space. long plank floor tiles lead from the closet into the bathroom, where a spa experi-ence awaits with amenities that include a classic white

Opposite and above: A spa experience

awaits with amenities that include a clas-

sic white free-standing soaker tub and a

large, glass-enclosed walk-in shower, both

surrounded by white subway wall tiles.

At right: The short 4-step stairs that leads

from the bedroom to the new master

bathroom.

46 | May 2016 | élan magazine

élan magazine | september 2015 | 47élan magazine | May 2016 | 47

homeowners never imagined their attic could be trans-formed into such a relaxing, beautiful master bath-room.”

“bathroom remodels often make sense on several levels,” says nazemian. “not only are they a highly rated home improvement project in terms of return on investment, but they tend to be spaces the homeowner will enjoy for years to come.”

an award-winning designthis renovation has the distinction of winning

multiple contractor of the Year awards from the na-tional association of the remodeling industry (nari). the project received a 2015 nari capital cotY grand award winner, residential interior under $75,000, from the Metro dc nari chapter. against competition from contractors in the ten states making up nari’s southeast region–alabama, delaware, Florida, geor-gia, Maryland, north carolina, south carolina, ten-nessee, Virginia, west Virginia and the federal district of washington, dc–it took home the top prize in its category, winning the 2016 national nari cotY southeast regional award, residential interior un-der $75,000. cotY awards are presented each year by nari to members who have demonstrated outstanding work through their remodeling projects.

free-standing soaker tub and a large, glass-enclosed walk-in shower, both surrounded by white subway wall tiles.

“relaxation means different things to different peo-ple, and the ability to customize the experiences of a free-standing tub, as well as soak up the benefits was at the top priority,” nazemian says. “the floor-to-ceiling shower stall features multiple shower heads, including a rain shower,” he says. “it features a stunning river bed stone floor, a tile bench and built-in storage shelves.”

a custom double sink vanity with a make-up desk is topped by a lightly flecked, exotic stone countertop which affords plenty of space for both husband and wife to get ready in the morning.

because Michael nash has an experienced in-house interior design department, the company was able to enhance the renovation’s architectural changes with beautiful design. color coordination–in this case a white color, combined with tile, stone and wood–brought this bathroom to life.

“equipped with remodeling ideas and solutions, our interior design department assured that this bathroom was transformed into one of the most comforting parts of the home,” nazemian emphasizes. “the light color scheme and the added window really help brighten the space and give it an airy feeling,” nazemian says. “the

Above: The homeowners’ never imagined

their attic could be transformed into such a

relaxing, beautiful master bathroom.

Opposite, top left: The remodeling design

called for adding a new window in an

outside gable to bring in more daylight;

top right: the homeowners now have a

large walk-in closet that provides significant

wardrobe and storage space; and the custom

double sink vanity with a make-up desk that

is topped by a lightly flecked, exotic stone

countertop.