35SU N DAY, NOV E M BER 1, 2009T H E E X A M I N ER
AT HOME
By Merlisa Lawrence Corbett
Special to The Examiner
K
aren Hill bought her
Chevy Chase home in
1993 and updated the
1960s-style kitchen but
left the master bathroom stuck in
the 1950s.
The bathroom was too small, Hill
said. "That was OK when only one
person was using it." That changed
in 2005, when Hill's longtime boy-
friend moved in. Hill decided it was
time to remodel.
She enlisted the services of
Bruce Wentworth, president of
Wentworth Inc., to design the new
space. The result: a luxurious first-
floor master suite with a wealth of
custom-built storage and spa-like
master bath retreat.
"I'm very pleased with how
everything turned out," Hill said.
Hill's primary goal was to expand
the bath and turn every available
extra inch into some form of stor-
age.
"She really wanted to maximize
the space," Wentworth said. Of the
220-square-foot addition, nearly
70 percent is devoted to storage,
custom-built and finished with
transitional-style cabinetry and
elegant wood trim. Dazzling glass
knops add sparkle to the rows of
doors and drawers.
A hallway, created from the
space where the original bath was
located, now has an alcove of built-
in drawers and shelves for linens.
Two closets were converted into
built-in armoires, with the bed
repositioned between them. Ver-
tical niches flanking the bed are
equipped with extendable trays
and function as nightstands.
"We made the master bedroom
more functional," Wentworth said.
"She has no need for any additional
furniture."
The original bath was stan-
dard for mid-20th century homes,
meaning it had one sink, and it was
positioned off the master bedroom.
"Back then you didn't have two peo-
ple getting ready for work at the
same time," Hill said.
"A dream come true" is how Hill
now describes her shower. She
decided to abandon the standard
master bathtub, opting instead for
her curbless shower. "I saw one like
it in Europe and just fell in love with
it," she added.
A narrow sheet of frosted, tem-
pered glass separates the shower
from the rest of the bath. Floor
joists under the shower were con-
figured to slope the floor down
toward the drain. An operational
skylight was installed above the
shower to allow cross ventilation.
A blue aqua-tiled bench stretches
from one wall to the other in the
shower. It was important for Hill
to be able to "age in place with this
house," Wentworth said.
The bath cabinets are the same
elegant cream dressers seen
throughout the master suite, with
drawer hardware in chrome to
match the more contemporary feel
in the bathroom.
Lagos Azul limestone tops a long,
two-sink vanity while large square
porcelain tile, set on a diagonal,
flows from the bath entrance seam-
lessly through the shower.
An additional window sits
between two mirrors, all framed
in white trim.
Windows, in fact, play a key role
in the design. The property slopes
from the front yard to the back
yard, where a beautiful patio and
landscaping are visible from the
master bedroom and bath. Three
tall casement windows, framed in
white trim, are positioned in the
middle of the wall in the shower to
capture the view.
"Because of the location of the
windows, we had no privacy issues,"
he said.
A small doorway was expanded
to create a dramatic entrance to
the master bedroom, just across
from the new alcove. Pocket doors
were used for the closets to allow
for better circulation from bath to
bedroom and closets. A French
door was installed to separate the
master suite from the main living
area.
Across from the bathroom is a
large U-shaped walk-in closet built
by Closets by Design. The closet
system features crown molding
and cabinetry that blends with the
rest of the suite.
"You can never have too much
storage," Hill said.
Windows, built-ins anchor a classy addition
On the Web
� Wentworth Inc.
Chevy Chase
wentworthstudio.com
240-395-0705
� Closets by Design
closetsbydesign.com
PHOTOS COURTESY RON BLUNT PHOTOGRAPHY
Name: Case Design/Remodeling, Inc. ; Width: 34p8.4; Depth: 6 in; Color: Black
plus three; File Name: 143606-0; Comment: Case Designs; Zone: DCDC

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