Home & Design

In the living room, bamboo doors conceal cabinetry designed by KUBE and fabricated by Mersoa Woodwork.

Metal Specialties fabricated the living room’s steel fireplace surround; the coffee table is by BoConcept.

Before

Mersoa Woodwork fabricated the white-lacquer cabinets; the blue backsplash is made of Acrylite. Abet Laminati bamboo veneer fronts the island, which is topped with black Silestone and a green Acrylite panel.

Living Color

A deft redo transforms a dated Northwest DC dwelling into a bold, modern abode
GRAND AWARD REMODEL

KUBE Architecture

While overhauling a semi-detached house in Northwest DC, KUBE partner Richard Loosle-Ortega preserved original elements that contrast with the bold, modern language of the remodeled spaces. “The existing thresholds, floors, stairs, transoms and radiators are reconfigured around a modern context,” he recounts. “Glass panes from jalousie windows were repurposed as stacked-light elements and new bamboo cabinets are attached to a frame beside the
original stair.”

Interior walls were eliminated, allowing for direct sightlines from the front to the back of the house. A rear addition accommodates an enlarged owners’ suite and deck, with increased square footage on the main floor. Color demarcates spaces: Thresholds and trim are black and white while floors and ceilings are neutral. Moments of bold color—in the kitchen, on the stair rail and in a hallway—add verve.

"Repurposing jalousie windows into a light feature adds texture to this fun, Mondrian-like renovation."
—Richard Arentz, jurist

 

Renovation Architecture: Richard Loosle-Ortega, RA, principal; Matthias Arauco-Shapiro, design associate, KUBE Architecture. Renovation Contractor: Cornerstone Remodeling.

 

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