Six months after buying an outmoded split-level in Fairfax, Virginia, its owners were ready for an overhaul. They envisioned better flow and function, and updated style—particularly in the drab kitchen. “The wife loves the mid-century aesthetic,” recounts Ann Gottlieb, who was hired for the job. “Since the house was built in the ’50s, she wanted to embrace that look.”

Gottlieb created openness by replacing a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and dining room with a wood-clad steel support beam. Windows in both spaces were enlarged and the kitchen was reconfigured around a spacious island. A coat of white paint brightened the existing beamed, exposed-wood ceiling in the kitchen; a layer of drywall between the beams conceals wires for lighting.

EXPERT INSIGHTS
Notes from Ann Gottlieb

• Don’t go cheap on cabinets; you’ll need them to be sturdy and long-lasting. Use a
  good, quality brand with a lifetime warranty.
• Invest in a recessed-lighting plan; you’ll want to make sure you have the right quantity in the right locations for functionality.
• There are vendors now who will permanently seal marble, so don’t let worries about maintenance and staining stop you if marble is
  what you love.

Interior & Kitchen Design: Ann Gottlieb, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C, Ann Gottlieb Design, Fairfax, Virginia. Contractor: Luxor Improvements, Fort Washington, Maryland.