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Spring 2013Spring 2013

2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2013 Local Media Connection LLC ❖ www.ConnectionNewspapers.com


HomeLifeStyle

See Designs, Page 4

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

From designing a kitchen with aconcave glass tile backsplash tocreating a backyard with a fireplace and pool, some local home

remodelers were honored recently with theNational Association of the RemodelingIndustry’s (NARI) 2013 Regional Contrac-tor of the Year awards for design acumen.Winning projects ran the gamut from his-toric preservation projects to environmen-tally conscious conceptions.

A MCLEAN KITCHEN by BOWA took tophonors in the “Residential Kitchen Over$120,000” category. The homeowners werelooking to create a free-flowing, light-filledspace.

“Their kitchen was not as open as theywould have liked,” said Josh Baker, founderand co-chairman of BOWA. “They wantedto make it more integrated and useful forthe family.”

To accommodate a larger kitchen, thedesign team, which included BOWA’sGeorge Hodges-Fulton, built an additionand added a sitting room, screened porch

and additional windows to allow an abun-dance of natural light to stream into thespace. The new kitchen also included abutler’s pantry and a family dining area.

What is the key to turning one’s home intoan award-winning, showcase house? Baker,who founded BOWA with his college friendLarry Weinberg, says an open dialogue isessential to a successful remodeling project.“The key is finding a person or companythat you communicate very, very well withand whose process is in line with how youlike to do business,” he said. “This is a cus-tomer service business. It is not just a con-struction business. The entire process is im-portant, not just the end result.”

FAIRFAX-BASED FIRM RJK Construction,Inc. received top honors in the category of“Residential Addition $100,000 to$250,000” for a home in the Mantua areaof Fairfax County. Company president Rob-ert Kalmin says the homeowners’ goal wasto blend their interior and exterior spaces.“They wanted to make their exterior land-scaping a visual point because they enter-tain a lot,” he said. “The windows act asmurals to the exterior landscaping bring theoutdoors in and the indoors out.”

The owners requested an open floor planthat allowed guests to move freely betweenthe kitchen and the backyard. “They werevery specific about how they wanted peopleto meander from the outside to the inside,”Kalmin said. “We had to relocate the pow-der room so that people are able to use the

restroom without having to go anywhereelse.”

An abundance of windows allows natu-ral light to flow throughout the home. “Thekitchen has red oak flooring and other col-ors and finishes that compliment the natu-ral scenery outside,” said Kalmin.

HARRY BRASWELL of Harry Braswell,Inc. in Alexandria, was named Contractorof the Year in the “Entire House $500,001to $1,000,000” category for the renovationof a home that had not been updated sincethe 1950s. “The house was outdated, toosmall for the family’s needs,” he said.

The renovation included a kitchen out-fitted with cabinet-front appliances andporcelain sinks including an apron farm sinkand an island sink in a pale aqua. “Thatcolor is carried throughout the house,” saidproject manager Gretchen Brown.

A concave glass tile backsplash surroundsthe durable, brown-toned quartzite counter.“Quartzite doesn’t stain easily,” said Brown.“It is strong like granite, but is more expen-sive.”

The Braswell team also got a nod for en-ergy efficiency for this project, which wasnamed “NARI Green Project.” Brown notedthat the team installed energy efficiencylighting and energy star appliances.

“The homeowners had specific criteriaabout wanting to meet [Leadership in En-ergy and Environmental Design] certifica

Local contractorsget top honors forremodeling projects.

The Region’s Best Home DesignsThis McLean kitchen by BOWA took top honors in the “Residential Kitchen Over $120,000” category. Thehomeowners wanted to create a free-flowing, light-filled space.

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For full schedule through April 27.

Visit www.vagardenweek.org.

Historic Garden Week 2013 willfeature approximately 200 pri-vate homes and gardens open on

32 separate tours throughout the state ofVirginia over eight consecutive days. It isthe largest ongoing volunteer effort in Vir-ginia and represents the coordinated effortsof 3,400 club members. One hundred per-cent of tour proceeds are used to enhanceVirginia’s landscape.Visit www.vagardenweek.org.

SATURDAY APRIL 20, 2013Old Town AlexandriaSponsored by the Hunting Creek Garden Club and

the Garden Club of Alexandria, 10 a.m to 4 p.m.All eight private properties on the historic Old

Town Alexandria tour are within an easy walk ofeach other, allowing visitors to enjoy strolling thequaint streets lined with charming townhouses andintimate walled gardens.

Tickets are $40 and available at the RamseyHouse Visitors Center at the corner of King Streetand North Fairfax Street on the day of the tour. Foradvance tickets contact Mrs. Donald [email protected] 703-684-3876. Formore information, please contact Tour ChairmenMason Bavin at [email protected], TwigMurray [email protected] or Catherine Boltonat [email protected]

TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013Fairfax: Oakton/ViennaSponsored by The Garden Club of Fairfax10 a.m. to 4 p.m

The Fairfax County communities of Oakton andVienna have emerged from small rural towns intothriving family-oriented neighborhoods withhomes and gardens reflecting a wide range of ar-chitectural and personal style. Ticket price includesadmission to the Cosby Home, the Unger Homeand Garden, the Buster Home and Garden, theKampa Home and Garden, the Rosenthal Homeand Garden and Meadowlark Botanical Gardens.

Advance tickets are $20 through April 9. ContactMarty Whipple at [email protected]. For moreinformation about the tour, contact BonnieRekemeyer at [email protected].

80th HistoricGarden Week,April 20-27

This home in the Vienna/Oaktonarea is featured on Virginia’sHistoric Garden Week.


HomeLifeStyle

tion because they are dedicated to pro-tecting the environment,” saidBraswell.

CABIN JOHN, MD., BASED firmAnthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.received kudos in the “ResidentialExterior, $100,000 and Over” categoryfor a backyard space that includes apool and fireplace. “The homeownerwanted four separate living spaces inthe backyard,” said company spokes-woman Danielle Frye. “He wanted adining room, a living room with a heatsource, a place to sunbathe near hispool and a place to play cricket on hislawn.”

Frye said the Wilder team, which in-cluded architect George R. Bott and

The Region’s Best Home DesignsFrom Page 3

This backyard oasis, designed by Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.,won a Contractor of the Year Award in the “Residential Exterior,$100,000 and Over” category. The homeowner wanted a backyardspace with a place to sunbathe near the pool, a dining room, a livingroom with a heat source and a place to play cricket.

This kitchen, designed byGrossmueller’s Design Consult-ants, Inc. and A.R.T Design Build inBethesda, Md., was part of a re-modeling project that earned a2013 Contractor of the Year award.The homeowner’s goal was tocreate a free-flowing kitchen,dining and family room space.

Harry Brawell of Harry Braswell,Inc. in Alexandria, was namedContractor of the Year in the “En-tire House $500,001 to$1,000,000” category for renovat-ing a home that had not beenupdated since the 1950s. Braswelland his team installed cabinet-front appliances and a concaveglass tile backsplash that sur-rounds the durable, brown-tonedquartzite counter. The kitchen alsofeatures porcelain sinks, includingan apron farm sink.

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“The key to a successful project is finding a personor company that you communicate very, very wellwith and whose process is in line with how you liketo do business.”

— Josh Baker, founder and co-chairman of BOWA

lead designer Anthony Wilder, developed abackyard plan that replaced overgrowngrass with flagstone and a badly worn fencewith foliage to create a sense of privacy.“There is a sundeck and spaces for a sofaand dining table, but the fireplace is thefocal point,” said Frye. “We used really tallbamboo to shield the view from the hotelacross the street.”

A BETHESDA HOME ADDITION gar-nered a top prize in the “Residential Addi-tion Over $250,000” category for A.R.T De-sign Build Inc. with team memberGrossmueller’s Design Consultants, Inc.

“The client wanted to expand their onestory house to have a separate area for [bed-rooms] and create a more functional firstfloor with more communal spaces, thekitchen, family room [and] dining room,”said Cindy G. McClure of Grossmueller’s

Design Consultants, Inc.The design team added a new second

floor to the home, which accommodates alaundry room, a master suite, two addi-tional bedrooms and a bathroom. A stair

tower and cathedral foyer create an openfloor plan and connect the first and secondlevels.

“Elements of the old house, like the widechimney on the front and the contempo-rary 1960 style were played upon and ac-centuated,” said McClure. “The result is afunctional home that meets the needs oftoday’s family, remained within budget andwas completed on time.”

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By Joshua

Baker

BOWA

Remodelingoften affords anopportunity to re-purpose ex-

isting materials by donating to those lessfortunate. Ask your remodeler if there isa plan or policy for saving materials forre-use rather than sending it to a landfill. Every project is different. And somematerials are more easily removed andsaved than others. Here are a couple oforganizations that accepted used mate-rials.

A WIDER CIRCLEThis organization provides basic-need

items to families transitioning out ofshelters and those living without life’snecessities. If you wish to donate furni-ture and other home essentials that arein good condition (no rips or stains),you can drop off items at their Center forCommunity Service in Silver Spring,Md. You can also schedule a pickup inmost areas throughout greater Washing-ton, D.C. Visit www.awidercircle.org.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTOREReStore is a resale business that sells

new and used building materials andhome items to the general public. Alldonations are tax deductible and do-nated by individuals, local retailers,building contractors and suppliers. Do-nated items are then sold at 50-90percent off the retail price, with all pro-ceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity,an organization that provides safe andaffordable housing to low-income fami-lies. ReStore accepts appliances,furniture, cabinets, roofing and flooringmaterials, exercise equipment,countertops, electronics, lighting andplumbing fixtures, etc. For more, visitNorthern Virginia stores in Alexandriaand Chantilly - www.restorenova.org

GOODWILLFounded in 1902, Goodwill accepts

gently used clothing, furniture,housewares, working electronics, andother household items. These items arethen sold at their retail locations, withthe proceeds used to fund employment,job training, and placement services forthe disadvantaged and those with dis-abilities. To view their full list of goodsaccepted, and for the list of donationcenters and stores, visitwww.dcgoodwill.org.

BOWA HOME CLEANUP DAYSAs a thank you to the neighbors in the

communities in which we work, fromtime to time BOWA hosts Home CleanupDays. Home Cleanup Day is a great op-portunity to donate and recycle gentlyused household items, toys and cloth-ing, and dispose of any debris or otherunwanted clutter. A BOWA employeewill help folks unload their items and aGoodwill representative will be on handto accept donations and provide re-ceipts.

To find a BOWA Home Cleanup Dayin your area, please visit our http://info.bowa.com/communityblog/.

Josh Baker is founder of BOWA, learnmore at www.bowa.com.

Recycle,Reuse,Remodel

6 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2013 Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ HomeLifeStyle Spring 2013 ❖ 7Local Media Connection LLC ❖ www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com ❖ Local Media Connection LLC

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HomeLifeStyle

By John Byrd

If you compare the currenthome remodeling market to2007, it’s clear thathomeowners are less likely

to execute a top-to-bottommakeover in a single stroke thanthey were five years ago.

Home resales are rising again,but the belief that every dollarspent on a Northern Virginia homewill be quickly recovered has beensuspended — if only temporarily— as homeowners reassess.

For most local homeowners, ahouse is an asset of enormous per-sonal appeal: an expression ofidentity and aspiration, periodi-cally adapted to life’s changes.

While the scale of the averageproject may be smaller, it’s evidentthat many homeowners middle ageor older have come to see the homeas a long-term — even lifelong —work in progress, one that theytake up passionately, and at regu-lar intervals.

Veteran remodeler David Fostercalls these homeowners “incremen-tal” improvers, and has come to see

them them as the primary focus ofa home improvement enterprise hestarted 30 years ago.

As president of Foster Remodel-ing Solutions in Lorton, Fosterregularly coaches his team on theimportance of understanding whatthese homeowners need, what theyare expecting and how to articu-late their best options with clarity.

“Providing an experience thatthe homeowner will value un-equivocally is probably our mostimportant marketing activity,” Fos-ter said. “Our core belief is thatthere are many homeowners whowill make a notable home improve-ment every two to five years, so weplace a high priority on earningthat person’s trust. In this sense,there is nothing more importantthan outperforming expectation.”

WHILE THERE MAY BE manyreasons why a homeowner will re-model in stages, Foster said thatthe typical incremental improverhas a pay-as-you-go orientation —often driven by evolving family re-quirements.

Vienna resident Kelly Grems, for instance, has executed four remod-eling projects with Foster start-ing with a kitchen addition in2003.

“We bought the house in 1995when I was pregnant,” Gremsexplains. “My husband [Ed] andI had been living in a muchsmaller house in Maryland, butenvisioned a traditional homethat would offer our growingfamily lots of useful activity ar-eas.”

A kitchen with a sizablebreakfast room was the firstitem on the “wish list,” an as-signment complicated by thefact that home’s rear elevationbacks into a woodland set-asideand a precipitous drop.

“The ground leveldecking was alreadyin place,” Grems said.“But David showedus a plan for an el-evated breakfastroom extension builton pilings thatwouldn’t require aground level founda-tion. Turns out, thissolution created awelcome canopy forthe ground level pa-tio. And it was also amore sensible, eco-

See Demand, Page 8

nomical choice for us at the time.”Grems said her first step was

handing Foster a file of articles onkitchen interiors she had clippedfrom Southern Living; the FosterRemodeling design staff then tookover, helping the couple visualizedesign ideas with the aid of a CADcomputer program. The team alsoprovided an array of relevant fin-ish work choices, mostly pointing

to readily available considerationson display in the company’s show-room.

“The selection and pricing pro-cess was transparent, and really an-ticipated what we needed,” Gremssaid. “When you’re as busy as weare, you appreciate this quality ofsupport.”

Apart from budget consider-ations, Grems said taking a pause

between projects allowed thecouple to pay more attention tohow the family is actually using thehouse, and to develop ideas thatwork for everyone.

The recently completed familyroom upgrade didn’t become animmediate action plan, for in-stance, because the family designprocess was fomenting slowly —again starting with magazine ar-

ticles and other sources.“We’re particular; we let the look

come to us piece by piece,” shesaid.

In the end, Foster RemodelingSolutions designers created inte-rior elevations that bear no resem-blance to the original.

The half-brick floor-to-ceilingbackwall was replaced by perfectlysymmetrical built-ins, crown mold-ing and an elevated hearth with amarble surround and Edwardian-style mantle.

“It’s an entirely different moodfrom the sun room,” Grems said,“and perfectly satisfies another di-mension of our lifestyle.”

Demand for Incremental ImprovementsOver time, some owners makeoverthe entire house —one phase at a time.

The Pipers’ new powder room in-cludes a Mediterranean-style foot bathringed in glass and mosaic tiling. Avessel basin with exposed copperpiping, marble floors and a cofferedceiling with concealed lights completethe portrait.

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The plans for a kitchen remodel were complicated by the fact that the home’s rear elevation backs into awoodland set-aside and a notably precipitous drop.

The existing half-brickfloor-to-ceilingbackwall was replacedby perfectly symmetri-cal built-ins, crownmolding and an el-evated hearth with amarble surround andEdwardian-stylemantle.

after


Home LifeStyle

By John Byrd

For The Connection

Challenging times demand cre-ative thinking — so you don’thave to look far to

find homeowners executing re-modeling projects with far-reach-ing objectives.

Take, for instance, the case ofMary and Harry Warren of MountVernon, both in their mid-70s.

Scrolling back a few years, theWarrens where weighing variousretirement options when theylearned that their daughter andthree grandchildren would bemoving back to Virginia from themidwest and might be amenableto participating in a three-genera-tion household.

“There was really a lot for us toconsider,” said Mary Warren.“Harry and I thought that if weexpanded the house to incorporatethe extended family, we couldeventually pass it on to the nextgeneration. We could also makesome changes that would help usto move around as we get older.”

All in the FamilyWith solid planning and skillful remodeling, seniorsconvert personal residence into a multi-generationalhousehold.

The multi-generational solution introduced by SunDesign Remodeling includes a one level seniors wingsupplemented by a sitting area that exits throughFrench doors to the newly formed courtyard. Hallwaysand doors in the new section are wheelchair friendly.

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Demand for IncrementalON A SIMILAR NOTE, south Al-exandria resident Sandy Nusbaumattributes her periodic home up-grade inclinations to a gradual butdecisive recognition that the fourbedroom colonial she has occupiedfor 28 years with husband Mike isthe last single family residence thecouple will ever own.

“We raised three children here,and when the last of them movedaway, we looked at other housesin the area and even a retirementvillage in North Carolina,”Nusbaum said.”That’s when I re-newed my appreciation for themany advantages of this house. Irecognized that everything wewanted was already here; we justneeded a few pointed improve-ments to take us into the foresee-able future.”

Initially that meant introducingan open, “kitchen-centric” plan inthe back half of the house, and cre-ating an outdoor component — inthe form of a 16-by-16-foot back

screen porch — that allows foreasy warm-weather circulation.

Replacing a wall betweenkitchen and dining room with athree-stool dining counter provedan effective starting point to delin-eating a more interactive entertain-ment space . The new surface isalso well-positioned as a servingstation for al fresco porch dining.

Although the needed structuralchanges were relatively minor, anew shelled-in niche for the refrig-erator allows for additional storage.Maple cabinets with a Barton doorstyle and honey-spice stain evoke aclean linear look within a softly litambiance. Likewise, the Silestonequartz surfaces in ebony pearl pro-vide a tonal and textural contrast.

With a better rationalizedkitchen in place, a few years onthe Nusbaums began planning afollow-on phase: an extension ofthe rear family room, an open-airgrilling deck and a layout that per-mits children, grandchildren andmany guests to circulate freelythrough a now wide-ranging en-

tertainment suite.Then, just last year, the largely

unused lower level was convertedinto a multi-purpose suite thatserves as both an exercise roomand guest accommodation.

“The built-ins include closets oneither side of a new Murphy bed— one exclusively for guest use, “Nusbaum said. “We also made thelaundry room more functional andadded a full bath with handi-capped access.”

Meanwhile, Nusbaum uses theremade lower level for her dailytreadmill workouts: “It’s a luxuryhaving so many useful things ex-actly where you want them.”

OF COURSE, CONSIDER-ATIONS to functional and aes-thetic improvements aside, thelong term remodeler also may ven-ture into non-essential, even quitepersonal, “tweaks” to the existingproperty from time to time.

After comprehensive upgradesto their kitchen and master bath,for instance, Alexandrians Steve

On the other hand: the more theWarrens scrutinized the existingproperty, the more they wonderedif their vision was even feasible.

FOR STARTERS, at 1,500 sq. ft.,the three-bedroom split-level thecouple had occupied since 1994was neatly centered on a small lotin a neighborhood with strictly ob-served set-back requirements.

To provide all three generationswith the necessary space and pri-vacy, the Warrens figured theywould have to increase usable liv-ing space by 40 percent or more.

A carefully planned additionalong the property’s western sideoffered promising possibilities. Buteven if you could find the neededlot space, the floorplan configura-tion that would satisfy everyone’sprivacy requirements remainedelusive.

It was at this juncture that theWarrens turned to Craig Durosko,founder and principal of Sun De-sign Remodeling.

“The program was certainlytricky,” Durosko said. “The War-rens wanted a functionally inde-pendent suite that would include

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that affords everyone with the suf-ficient convenience and livingspace. Both families share thenewly upgraded kitchen.

The makeover also allowed theWarrens to introduce a number ofUniversal Design features. Hall-way widths in the new wing havebeen expanded to 44”; doors are34” wide — compliant with Ameri-can Disabilities Act requirements.The rear entrance has, likewise,been designed to accommodate aramp, should a wheelchair be re-quired in the future.

“We’re just thinking ahead,”Mary Warren said.

More recently, Mindy Mitchell —Sun Design’s certified Aging-In-Place Specialist — followed Uni-versal Design principals in reno-vating the original circa 1960skitchen. Revisions included remov-ing unneeded walls, wideningdoors and hallways and introduc-ing roll-out cabinets with drawerpulls. There’s also task lighting,easily maneuvered faucets and amulti-level island suitable forstanding or sitting.

“The new kitchen feels signifi-cantly expanded, yet it’s very effi-ciently designed — a great solu-tion for a family like ours,” saidMary Warren. “The changes havemade life easier for everyone.”

MoreSun Design Remodeling frequently sponsors workshops on specific remodel-

ing topics as well as tours of recently remodeled homes. Headquartered inBurke, the firm recently opened a second office in McLean. Call 703-425-5588or visit .www.SunDesignInc.com.

a luxury bath, lots of custom built-ins and interior design improve-ments. Our thought was: if wecould satisfy this requirement fromthe ground up, Meg and the grand-children could take over half of theexisting house as their own wing.”

“We particularly liked the con-sideration to everyone’s privacyneeds,” Mary Warren said. “Theirplan allows for independencewhere you want it.”

Thus, stripped to its essentials,Durosko’s solution called for con-verting the three-bedroom split-level into a five bedroom two-levelstructure that provides the War-rens with private quarters, yet alsoincorporates transitional zonessuitable for easy everyday interac-tion.

TO ACCOMMODATE the elderWarrens, Durosko and team de-signed a 650 sq. ft. wing adjacentto a newly formed rear courtyard.The perfectly-integrated one-leveladdition features two large bed-rooms, a master bath and largereach-in closets. A former familyroom now serves as the couple’ssitting room.

By extension, Meg and thegrandchildren inherit sleepingquarters in the existing bedroomwing — a configuration of rooms

Improvementsand Diane Piper decided that theireclectically re-designed powderroom should include a Mediterra-nean-style foot bath ringed in glassand mosaic tiling.

The artfully-executed first floorfacility — planned with an assistfrom Foster designer Sarah Wolf— includes a vessel basin with ex-posed copper piping, marble floorsand a coffered ceiling with con-cealed lights.

The Pipers — who often travelinternationally — say the foot bathis a pleasant convenience in thesummer when they are often wear-ing sandals.

“I wouldn’t say a footbath addsanything to re-sale value,” DianePiper said, “But we do plan to bein this house for at least anotherten years.”

AND SPEAKING OF PER-SONAL vision: after re-doing thefront elevation — and before re-modeling the kitchen — theBaldinos of Springfield had Fosterdesign a screen porch with a floor-

to-ceiling stone hearth. The porchis closed on three sides and fea-tures a 15-foot cathedral ceilingwith an overhead rotating fan. Theproject included an extensive flag-stone patio, a privacy fence, a re-taining wall and landscaping.

“We wanted space that brings usinto the outdoors, and the fire-place keeps the porch surprisinglycomfortable in cooler weather,”said Nancy Baldino. “It’s a greatplace to watch the game.”

The Baldinos, who have lived intheir circa 1970s split-level for 24years, say that their four remod-eling projects have always been fo-cused and budgetable.

“We love the neighborhood, sothe improvements are just a natu-ral result of efforts to make thehouse feel even more like home.”

Staff at Foster RemodelingSolutions periodically offerworkshops on home improvementtopics at the Lorton showroom.Call 703-550-1371 or visitwww.FosterRemodeling.com.


© Google Map data

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January, 2013Top Sales inGreat Falls,McLean, Reston,Oak Hill, Oaktonand Vienna

Photos by Craig Sterbutzel/The Connection

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

1 1036 AZIZA CT ...................... 5 .. 5 .. 3 ... GREAT FALLS .. $5,115,693 .... Detached .... 0.84 ...... 22066 ...... PUTNAM FARM ESTATES ..... 01/04/13

2 710 BULLS NECK RD .............. 6 .. 6 .. 1 ...... MCLEAN ..... $5,000,000 .... Detached .... 5.00 ...... 22102 ....... BULLS NECK HUNDRED ...... 01/16/13

3 8305 FOX HAVEN DR .............. 5 .. 6 .. 2 ...... MCLEAN ..... $3,125,000 .... Detached .... 0.83 ...... 22102 ........ FOXHALL OF MCLEAN ....... 01/04/13

4 845 CANAL DR ...................... 5 .. 5 .. 2 ...... MCLEAN ..... $1,900,000 .... Detached .... 1.18 ...... 22102 ... OLD GEORGETOWN ESTATES .. 01/25/13

5 9720 ARNON CHAPEL RD ....... 6 .. 6 .. 3 ... GREAT FALLS .. $1,800,000 .... Detached .... 2.46 ...... 22066 ............ HARMON FARM ........... 01/15/13

6 11301 LANDY LN ................... 5 .. 5 .. 1 ... GREAT FALLS .. $1,734,604 .... Detached .... 1.47 ...... 22066 ........... CHANEL ESTATES .......... 01/04/13

7 400 BERRY ST SE ................... 5 .. 4 .. 1 ....... VIENNA ..... $1,402,735 .... Detached .... 0.51 ...... 22180 ......... MURMURING PINES ........ 01/29/13

8 11580 GREENWICH POINT RD 4 .. 2 .. 1 ...... RESTON ..... $1,000,000 .... Detached .... 0.31 ...... 20194 .................. RESTON ................. 01/02/13

9 12705 AUTUMN CREST DR ..... 5 .. 4 .. 1 ...... OAK HILL ...... $965,000.... Detached .... 0.30 ...... 20171 .......... FRANKLINS TRUST ......... 01/04/13

Copyright 2013 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Source: MRIS as of February 18, 2013.

Local REAL ESTATELocal REAL ESTATE1 1036 Aziza Court, Great Falls — $5,115,693

3 8305 Fox Haven Drive,McLean — $3,125,000

5 9720 ArnonChapel Road,Great Falls —$1,800,000

7 400 Berry Street SE,Vienna — $1,402,735

8 11580 Greenwich Point Road,Reston — $1,000,000

9 12705 Autumn Crest Drive,Oak Hill — $965,000


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Home LifeStyle

By Marilyn Campbell

The Connection

From floral arrangements that burst withpastel blooms to candles that fill one’s homewith scents reminiscent of warm weather,local style experts offer suggestions for ac-

cents that welcome spring.Turn simple twigs and greenery into a harbinger

of Easter. “Welcome guests into your home with aspring wreath on the front door decorated with

greenery, flowers or eggs,” said Ann O’Shields of TheNest Egg in Fairfax. “Scents of spring are a sure wayto alleviate the end of winter.”

Laura Smith of The Dandelion Patch in Vienna,Reston and Georgetown recommends filling air withcrisp, fresh aromas. “There are candles with reallynice spring scents, like jasmine or gardenia and lem-ongrass. Citrus scents are also very big in spring andsummer.”

Smith suggests setting one’s table with servewareimprinted with spring produce like lettuces that her-ald the new season. “You can use cutting boards withartichoke prints or platters with asparagus prints.They are entertaining and fun accessories,” Smithsaid.

Festive baskets filled with paper grass, woodeneggs, bunnies and flowers make ideal home accents.“Using seasonal blooms are a great way to welcomespring,” said O’Shields.

A floral arrangement displayed in baskets coveredwith spring flower petals make a chic centerpiecefor one’s dining table. “When it comes to floral ar-rangements, people are often driven by what theirhome décor is,” said Potomac, Md., based floral de-signer Evelyn Kinville. “The most popular flowers forEaster are hydrangeas in white or soft green, daffo-dils, tulips in yellow, hyacinths in pink or blue,Esperance roses, which are large pink and cream two-toned in color, and White or pink hybrid lilies.”

O’Shields said, “Pick one flower style and repeat itin various places throughout the room for the mostimpact.”

Decorating for EasterEasy ideas to welcomespring into your ahome.

Local design experts suggest usingserveware imprinted with produce likelettuces that herald the new season.

“Welcome guests into yourhome with a spring wreath onthe front door decorated withgreenery, flowers or eggs.”

— Ann O’Shields

Photos by Marilyn Campbell/The Connection

Hydrangeas in white or soft green, daffo-dils, tulips in yellow, hyacinths in pink orblue, Esperance roses and white or pinkhybrid lilies are popular for Easter.

Welcome guests into one’s home withwreaths made of twigs, greenery, springflowers and wooden eggs in colors likebright green and lavender.

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