Before
A newly single homeowner tapped KUBE Architecture to update the Northwest DC row house he had just purchased into an open, modern bachelor pad. Richard Loosle-Ortega utilized a bold lighting plan to create a sophisticated space centered on the sleek, streamlined kitchen.
| Then | Now |
| Pendants above the island and a couple of recessed lights provided inadequate lighting in the dated kitchen area. | A dropped ceiling with horizontal fluorescent lights delineates the kitchen. Recessed halogens illuminate the rest of the room. |
| There was no under-cabinet or task lighting. | LED lights are installed under cabinets, while soffits have been deconstructed into planes that hide more LED lighting. |
| The design and style of the mundane, traditional home were not visually compelling. | The lights on the cabinet side of the room are all horizontal. On the opposite wall, they are all vertical for interest. |
| The lights were all uniform white, not dimmable and only operable by wall switches. | The dimmable lighting system is operable via iPhone. The colors of the lights can be changed. |
Renovation Architecture: Richard Loosle-Ortega, RA, KUBE Architecture, Washington, DC. Contractor: Lenny Ilkovich, Washington, DC. Photography: Greg Powers.