When a couple with two young boys felt growing pains in their 1955 Somerset rancher, they called Four Brothers Design + Build, who offered a clever solution: Build up instead of out. Now, a 1,400 square-foot, second-story addition holds a secluded primary suite and art studio. The first floor saw changes, too. The existing kids’ bedrooms became ensuites, and a powder room and mudroom were added.

Reconfiguring the layout allowed for a larger, modernized kitchen and an open-plan living and dining area. Large-format windows connect those spaces to the woodland setting and flood them with natural light—a must for the homeowner’s extensive plant collection. “Bringing the feel of the woods and the outside world into the house was important, so we picked materials that felt more natural,” relays architect Sondra Zabroske.  “The owner was leaning into a Japandi aesthetic.”

EXPERT TAKEAWAYS

Advice from architect Sondra Zabroske

• Adding a second story makes sense, especially in urban areas where square footage is at a premium.
• A “pop-up” is more structurally involved, so make sure you go with an architect or a design-build firm that’s done it before.
• Sometimes the best solution is a compromise: He wanted a separate dining room and she wanted an open plan. That’s how we landed on the glass doors.

Renovation Architecture & Contracting: Sondra Zabroske, AIA, Four Brothers Design + Build, Washington, DC.