Northern Virginia / November 2025 EDITION
Opening a 1970s Fairfax Split-Level Kitchen Without Losing What Works
Opening a split-level kitchen without losing what works.
5 MIN READTHE REGIONAL COLLECTIONNOVEMBER 2025 — OCTOBER 2026 ARCHIVE EDITIONS
KITCHEN · BATH · WHOLE HOME
The homes we have.
The lives we make.
Local perspectives on making an older home work beautifully today.
36 stories
Northern Virginia / December 2025 EDITION
A Better Kitchen in an Arlington Rambler—Without an Addition
A better Arlington rambler kitchen starts with circulation, useful storage and a disciplined look at the footprint you already own.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / January 2026 EDITION
Making a Small Alexandria Hall Bathroom Work Harder
Make a small Alexandria hall bathroom more capable by coordinating the door, vanity, bathing area and the belongings that compete for space.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / February 2026 EDITION
What to Do With the Oversized Tub in a Loudoun Primary Bathroom
An oversized tub is a planning question, not an automatic demolition order: decide what your Loudoun primary bathroom actually needs.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / March 2026 EDITION
The Wall Between Kitchen and Family Room: Keep It, Open It or Remove It?
For a Fairfax colonial, the right kitchen–family room connection depends on structure, furniture, sound and the useful work the existing wall performs.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / April 2026 EDITION
Planning a Main-Level Remodel When You Have Nowhere to Put the Shoes
A main-level remodel should give shoes, bags and wet-weather gear an intentional home without turning the entry into a storage obstacle course.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / May 2026 EDITION
A Townhouse Kitchen That Works: Storage, Seating and Everyday Traffic
An Alexandria townhouse kitchen needs a coordinated plan for cooking, seating and the traffic that keeps moving through a narrow main floor.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / June 2026 EDITION
Updating Cherry Cabinets and Busy Granite: What Is Worth Keeping?
Before replacing cherry cabinetry and patterned granite, distinguish a dated combination from components that no longer function well.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / July 2026 EDITION
The Lower-Level Family Room: Light, Moisture and a Better Layout
A better Fairfax split-level family room begins with moisture investigation and daylight planning before new flooring, built-ins or furniture.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / August 2026 EDITION
Planning a Bathroom You Can Use Comfortably for Years to Come
Plan an Arlington bathroom around comfortable movement, reachable controls and adaptable support—not a checklist of products labeled accessible.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / September 2026 EDITION
Kitchen and Bath Together or Separately? Planning a Livable Remodel
Whether to remodel an Alexandria kitchen and bathroom together depends on shared work, household resilience and the difference between calendar efficiency and daily livability.
5 MIN READ
Northern Virginia / October 2026 EDITION
One Home, Too Many Finishes: A Whole-Home Update That Feels Connected
Create a connected Loudoun home by establishing a few durable finish relationships rather than making every room identical.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / November 2025 EDITION
Updating a DC Galley Kitchen Without Moving the Plumbing
A better DC condo galley can begin with the sink exactly where it is.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / December 2025 EDITION
A Narrow DC Kitchen: When a Peninsula Makes More Sense Than an Island
In a narrow townhouse kitchen, an attached counter can offer more usable space than a freestanding island.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / January 2026 EDITION
Your Condo Bathroom Remodel: Waterproofing, Shutoffs and Shared Pipes
A successful condo bathroom depends on details behind the tile and agreements beyond the unit.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / February 2026 EDITION
Before You Open a DC Interior Wall: Structure, Services and the Plan
The best opening is the one that improves daily life after structure, utilities and furniture have been considered together.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / March 2026 EDITION
Better Storage in a DC Condo Kitchen Without Crowding the Room
Useful storage comes from matching cabinets to belongings, not filling every available surface with cabinetry.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / April 2026 EDITION
A Windowless Bathroom That Does Not Feel Dark: Lighting and Ventilation
A windowless bathroom needs balanced illumination and a verified ventilation path, not just brighter bulbs.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / May 2026 EDITION
Renovating With Neighbors Nearby: Deliveries, Noise and Common Areas
Neighbor-sensitive remodeling begins with a logistics plan that is as specific as the construction drawings.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / June 2026 EDITION
Reworking the DC Main Level: Dining, Work and Living in One Plan
A townhouse main level works better when dining, work and living share a plan without competing for every surface.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / July 2026 EDITION
Before Demolition in a Pre-1978 DC Home: Lead-Safe Planning Questions
For pre-1978 homes, lead-safe planning belongs before exploratory demolition and contractor mobilization.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / August 2026 EDITION
Choosing Kitchen Finishes for a Small DC Space: Light Without Glare
For a small condo kitchen, brightness is a relationship between materials, fixtures and viewpoints—not a requirement for glossy white everything.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / September 2026 EDITION
A DC Basement Update Starts With Moisture and Egress, Not Paint
Before planning a basement's finishes, establish whether the space is dry enough and suitable for its intended use.
5 MIN READ
Washington, DC / October 2026 EDITION
A Phased Whole-Home Remodel in DC: Which Room Should Come First?
The right first room depends on repair needs, construction dependencies and the household's ability to live through each phase.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / November 2025 EDITION
A Better Kitchen in a Bethesda Rambler: Start With the Existing Footprint
A better Bethesda rambler kitchen starts by testing the space you already have, not assuming you need more.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / December 2025 EDITION
Connecting a Rockville Split-Level Kitchen to the Rest of the Main Floor
Connect a Rockville split-level kitchen through better sightlines, landing areas and circulation—not openness alone.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / January 2026 EDITION
A Small Silver Spring Bathroom: Where Can Better Storage Come From?
Find useful storage in a small Silver Spring bathroom without sacrificing movement, cleaning access or everyday comfort.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / February 2026 EDITION
Replacing the Platform Tub: Rethinking a Potomac Primary Bathroom
Removing a platform tub can improve a Potomac primary bathroom, but the recovered space needs a clear purpose.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / March 2026 EDITION
Opening an Older Chevy Chase Kitchen Without Erasing Its Character
An older Chevy Chase kitchen can feel more connected without losing the proportions and details that give the house its identity.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / April 2026 EDITION
A Gaithersburg Kitchen Update: Keep the Cabinets or Start Again?
Judge existing Gaithersburg kitchen cabinets by condition, layout and adaptability before choosing refinishing, refacing or replacement.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / May 2026 EDITION
Kitchen, Bath and Flooring: Planning One Coordinated Bethesda Remodel
Coordinate a Bethesda kitchen, bathroom and flooring remodel around shared decisions, construction dependencies and a realistic living plan.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / June 2026 EDITION
Basement Bathroom Planning: Moisture, Drains and a Usable Layout
A successful Silver Spring basement bathroom begins with water conditions and drainage feasibility before fixtures or finishes.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / July 2026 EDITION
A More Comfortable Bathroom: Shower Entry, Support and Clear Space
Plan a more comfortable Rockville bathroom around real movement, reliable support and the complete shower-entry assembly.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / August 2026 EDITION
Updating a Large Kitchen Without Making the Island Too Large
Give a large Potomac kitchen an island sized for its jobs, not for the maximum footprint the room can hold.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / September 2026 EDITION
What Changes When Your Remodel Moves a Wall or a Fixture?
Moving a wall or fixture changes the work behind the finishes, making investigation and coordinated drawings more important.
5 MIN READ
Montgomery County / October 2026 EDITION
From Room-by-Room Updates to a Whole-Home Plan That Holds Together
A whole-home plan helps Gaithersburg homeowners make individual updates that remain compatible as the work unfolds.
5 MIN READArchive editions: November 2025–October 2026. Articles first published November 1, 2026. Images are illustrative and AI-generated, not documented Sarokey projects.