Best Renovation & Addition - Polishing an Urban Gem

Vinyl cladding once hid the original beveled wood siding on this American foursquare. This style of house was built throughout the country between 1890 and the 1930s. Its boxy proportions yielded four main rooms on each level, a plan that was practical for construction on city lots, such as this narrow yet deep site in the Ashton Heights neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia.

Gaining Space

The owners of the 1910 wood frame house, Joanne and Kevin Sweeney, decided to renovate and expand it to meet the needs of their family of six. The generous depth of the lot enabled their architects, Gregory Wiedemann and Felix Gonzalez of Wiedemann Architects in Bethesda, Maryland, to design the spacious two-story addition that was built at the rear. It’s the accomplished manner in which the addition preserves the original appearance of the house from the street, while providing the needed living space, that elevates this home to winning status. The renovation highlights the character and integrity of the historic home. The addition substantially expands it and adds modern conveniences.