More and more,” Frank Lloyd Wright once declared, “it seems to me that light is the beautifier of the building.” The renowned architect’s words reflect an overarching ambition for a well-designed mid-century home: to utilize natural light and architecture together in creating open spaces connected with the outdoors. For lesser mid-century residences out there, the philosophy still applies—though some might need a little help realizing their true potential.

This was the case for a mundane, 1956 split-level in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Shay and Sasha Knaani, a private security entrepreneur and government employee respectively, purchased the dated, 3,000-square-foot dwelling with immediate plans to renovate. “I found the house very claustrophobic,” Sasha recalls. “The ceilings were low, and the layout was dark and closed off.” The home’s situation on a fairly busy street meant that maintaining privacy while also bringing in light might be a challenge.

The couple quickly discovered a simpatico collaborator in architect Colleen Healey, whose portfolio of modern projects matched their aesthetic. She embraced the home’s split-level architecture, focusing on daylighting and simple forms to update the nondescript dwelling per the Knaanis’ wishes. “The building just screamed clerestory windows to me. It was clear they were the strategy for giving Shay and Sasha the ceiling height and airiness they wanted,” she recounts. “The single-story main floor had so much potential. It allowed us to play with ceiling heights and light in the public rooms where they spend their time.”

Healey’s plan removed the existing low-pitched roof and installed a band of clerestory windows with a new, flat roof above—thereby raising the ceiling from eight to 15 feet in the living/dining area. Six skylights were strategically placed throughout the house. New front and rear windows create a connection to the outdoors, framing vignettes of the wooded yard.

In addition to light and openness, the Knaanis had other practical needs. They specified a large kitchen, a two-car garage, five bedrooms and five-and-half baths—enough for themselves, their two young kids and a third child on the way. To accommodate their wish list, Healey conceived two additions. A single-story add-on houses a spacious kitchen with a large island that separates it from the open-plan living/dining area. “The kitchen allowed us to forge a new pathway to the backyard from the main level,” Healey notes. “We put in a patio just outside where Shay can grill.”

The second, two-story addition at the other end of the house replaced an outmoded carport with a two-car garage; two ensuite bedrooms are tucked in above. “We set the garage at a lower grade to keep the height of the addition close to that of the surrounding homes,” observes Healey.

Originally, the main entrance was located on the side of the house, accessed from the carport. Healey shifted it to the front, where she was able to create “a real front entry,” she says. Now, visitors enjoy a direct sightline up the original split level staircase to a seating nook with a picture-window view of the wooded backyard. The nook, she points out, “feels like it’s part of the public portion of the house, but it actually belongs to the primary suite.” It can be closed off by a wide pocket door.

Existing upper-floor spaces—part of a rear addition that replaced a previously constructed one—were reconfigured. The reimagined primary suite now boasts a spa-like bathroom and spacious closet. The staircase down leads to a lower level complete with an ensuite bedroom, laundry and a family room that opens to a second patio. And another flight down, the basement was finished as a rec room/gym.

Healey also took on the challenge of elevating the home’s mid-century profile. The front entrance now heralds its provenance with surfaces that crop up inside and out—a common feature of the era. Black-stained brick walls, some original, continue outdoors, while slate-look porcelain grounds both the entry hall floor and front stoop. Subtle reveals on baseboards and trim are a modern touch.

A graphic palette of black, white and gray ensures the interiors feel streamlined and uncluttered. The kitchen features black and white cabinetry sourced last minute at IKEA (due to covid-related delays) and enhanced by custom detailing and Caesarstone countertops. Mid-century-style furniture and lighting were selected by Sasha and Healey.

The renovation added 1,000 square feet of airy living space to the Knaanis’ home—and they are thrilled with the results. “We were able to give them what they wanted,” notes Healey. “It feels like a new house now.”