Home & Design

BEFORE

BEFORE

Vintage Vibe

Marks-Woods refreshes a 1940s home with charm and an open plan

The owners of a colonial-style residence in Alexandria enlisted Marks-Woods Construction Services to create a two-level addition while updating the existing spaces. “They’re a family of four and both husband and wife are architects,” recounts Marks-Woods owner Greg Marks, who enlisted in-house architect Lucy Adams, AIA, to collaborate with the homeowners on the design. Goals included bright and airy interiors; an open-concept kitchen and family room for entertaining; a study; loads of storage; and a larger kitchen. The reconfigured second floor would add a new primary suite to three existing bedrooms.

The 1,350-square-foot rear addition replaced a small one that had contained the family room. The new space accommodates the kitchen/family room, while existing spaces were repurposed to hold sitting and dining rooms, a study and an airy foyer. Upstairs, the addition houses the primary suite.

Elegant materials and finishes elevate the interiors and, per the owners’ request, reflect the home’s vintage provenance. The expanded kitchen is gracious, combining white custom cabinets by Braemar Cabinetry with book-matched Taj Mahal quartzite countertops and backsplash; facing the kitchen, a clean-lined marble fireplace anchors the family room. The study is distinguished by extensive wainscoting, while crown molding and casing details have been added throughout.

GRAND AWARD: Historic Renovation/Restoration $250,000 and over. Renovation Architecture & Contracting and Interior Design: Greg Marks, owner; Danielle Steele, lead designer, Marks-Woods Construction Services, Alexandria, Virginia. Kitchen Design & Cabinet Supply: Braemar Cabinetry, Alexandria,Virginia.  

You may also like:

Blue Mood
A Bethesda abode brims with light, openness—and the owners’ favorite hue
Tasting Room
A cramped and uninviting basement becomes a wine cellar extraordinaire
Call To Order
Home-organizing projects illustrate stylish storage solutions
HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

The company also publishes an annual H&D Sourcebook of ideas and resources for homeowners and professionals alike. H&D Chesapeake Views is published bi-annually and showcases fine home design and luxury living in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

Stay Connected with HOME & DESIGN Newsletter

Copyright © 2025 Home & Design. All rights reserved. | Back to top
magnifier