Architect and contractor Bruce Wentworth and the homeowners worked collectively to create this eco-friendly kitchen.
When Gene Bulmash, a transactional law attorney who works from his home, his wife, Emily Kaiser, a reporter for Reuters, and their two young sons moved from Chicago to the Spring Valley section of northwest Washington, DC, they purchased a brick Colonial revival home and approached Bruce Wentworth, of Wentworth, Inc. in Chevy Chase, Maryland, to build an addition.
On the first floor, Wentworth, a licensed architect and contractor, designed a green kitchen and family room, which was topped by a second-floor master bedroom, bath, and closet.
The eco-friendly design started outside in the backyard. “We purposely built the two-story structure without damaging the nearby tree roots. We used helical piers that minimize friction and protect the neighboring tree roots,” says Wentworth.
The selection of the circular island and oak flooring help to achieve the openness of this kitchen/family room space.
Continuing the green conversation inside, the homeowners incorporated their research on eco-friendly products for the kitchen. “We used PaperStone™ counters because I liked the green element and the durability. I found them online while searching some green building sites. Wentworth had never used it before, but they were happy to try it out. We love it now…it’s been incredibly durable and we haven’t had any problems with it,” says Kaiser.
Kaiser and Bulmash also went with bamboo cabinets, a recycled glass back-splash, and energy efficient appliances in the kitchen renovation.
“We wanted to be conscious of the environment, and we want to encourage our children to think about the world around us.”The family room is connected to the new kitchen, as the floor plan was designed to be open. The homeowners used oak floors throughout with a bamboo cabinet in the family room. “We considered using cork flooring but with two young boys, we didn’t feel like it could withstand the every day wear and tear as well as the hardwoods,” explains Kaiser.
Overall, the homeowners have been thrilled with the kitchen/family room renovation. “We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and family room area. It’s a really comfortable place and a great entertaining space as well,” says Kaiser.
Second floor renovations called for adding a master bathroom with design inspiration provided by a simple wooden tub. “My wife had fallen in love with a free-standing teak bathtub, which she showed to Bruce,” says Bulmash.
The planning process began with Bulmash and Kaiser sitting down with Wentworth and developing a written plan. “Gene and Emily had a number of pictures they had clipped from different magazines,” says Wentworth.“They wanted a two-sink vanity, a large free-standing shower stall and a free-standing bathtub, and Gene wanted a towel warmer.”
Wentworth’s design incorporates a vaulted ceiling that makes use of scissor trusses. As a result, the ceiling adds to the sense of space and height of the room. And because the couple has a large yard backing up to an unpaved alley that is now woodland, Wentworth took further advantage of the high ceilings and built in two large windows with no need for blinds. “On the other hand, we put in a small window over the tub that faces west,” he says. “The view there is not very good and there were privacy issues because of the proximity to a neighbor’s home, so that window was smaller and higher up, although it does allow the afternoon light in. I put in ‘awning’ windows that crank open from the top. That makes it possible to have the window open even when it is raining. Gene and Emily wanted to take advantage of natural light as much as possible.”
The porcelain ceramic floor tiled shower with neutral-toned striated tiles on the wall is the focal point of this bath renovation.
During the design process, Wentworth found a Clearwater tub that was similar to but much more affordable and practical than the teak option originally selected. Wentworth also found a beautiful, high-quality tub filler made of brass and plated in chrome.
While the couple initially wanted to paint the room white, they realized doing so would make it more difficult to keep everything clean. Wentworth convinced them to use a soothing tobacco brown color by Benjamin Moore. “On the vanity countertop, we also used a gray-brown Silestone product called ‘Leather,’ ” says Wentworth.
On the wall behind the vanity is an extra large mirror with a beveled frame. The lighting is provided by two sconces with shades in a neutral fabric. “There are plenty of drawers in the vanity for storage,” says Wentworth, adding that the vanity’s fixtures are sleek and modern and have a bronze patina that picks up on the countertop’s color.
Perhaps the most dramatic and striking aspect of the bath addition, however, is the shower. A focal point for the room, the shower’s “porcelain ceramic floor tile is the same as the rest of the bathroom, although for the sake of safety these tiles are smaller,” says Wentworth. Adding practicality to panache, Wentworth created a niche to hold soap and shampoo and clad the shower’s two walls with neutral-toned striated tiles.
To incorporate enough storage, there is a large walk-in closet that is placed side-by-side to the bathroom. “That makes it very easy to go back and forth from the closet to the bathroom,” says Wentworth. Finishing touches for the décor include a teak bathmat and large plant, which sits behind the tub.
When Bulmash and Kaiser first contacted Wentworth it was because they wanted a green kitchen and a modern, functional bathroom with a clean look. The end result is all of that and more—a unique and sophisticated, light-filled two-story space that balances practical concerns and the environment with artful design.
Mary Medland is a regular contributor to ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Wentworth, Inc.: wentworthstudio.com or 240-395-0705
