Design Trends to Watch in 2016

What are the hot trends to look out for in 2016 in home design? Here are a few predictions from the remodeling and design site Houzz on some of the big trends to expect.
1. Two shades of kitchen cabinets. The upper cabinets may be a white or neutral but then more designers are trying out deeper colors or wood tones for the lower cabinets.  
2. Formal dining rooms are back. More home owners are opting to keep the dining room and not turn it into an office. The formal dining room is expected to get more attention this year.
3. Multi-purpose kitchen islands. The “workhorse” kitchen island is about more than just adding workspace in the kitchen, but also for adding more storage, prep sinks, and a way to add extra seating.   4. Mirrors that make a statement. Medicine cabinets are heading out and now wood-framed, modern, or vintage mirrors are adding more style to bathrooms.  
5. “Barely there” kitchens. Kitchens are fading into the backdrop as the open layouts infuse more seamlessly into the living room or other spaces in the home. Aiding that trend, more kitchens are featuring open shelves to add to that openness.
            6. Sunrooms are hot. Houzz identified this as one of the top dream spaces for home owners. Some home owners are finding ways to even transform tucked away corners in their home into a sunroom with a few chairs to relax near windows.
7. White kitchens dominate. White kitchen walls and cabinets and even countertops is a trend with staying power, Houzz predicts. To add some splash to the all-white kitchen, designers are adding touches of color through the tile floors or floor-to-ceiling bookcases.
8. Powder rooms get more bold. Wall coverings are getting punched up in powder room, that include everything from custom graphics to textured walls. Also, designers are mixing in ornate chandeliers or furniture-like pieces to add some more pizzazz to these spaces.  
9. Farmhouse style guides the entryway. Farmhouse style is catching on, particularly for the mudroom. Simplicity in the storage solutions and durable materials are taking charge.

Where can I find tasteful furnishings?

Random Harvest
Random Harvest
Random Harvest is on the middle stretch of Old Town at King Street at 810 near Flying Fish, between Columbus and Alfred Streets. Their phone number is 703.548.8820. On the other side of the street is Austin Grill. Random Harvest has an eclectic mix of antique, vintage, and newly manufactured furniture in stock.While Random Harvest may appear to be a individually owned and operated boutique, it is in fact part of a larger chain of stores originating from the Upper West Side of New York City with a 25 year history. Additionally, there is a Random Harvest location in Arlington.In Alexandria, the hours of operation are Monday thru Saturday: 11am to 6pm and Sunday: 12 Noon to 6pm.
  • Julie Nesbitt

    Julie Nesbitt
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  • Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services

    Fairfax County
    Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…

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What is the Italianate style of home?

Italianatean Italianate homeItalianate homes, which appeared in Midwest, East Coast, and San Francisco areas between 1850 and 1880, can be quite ornate despite their solid square shape. Features include symmetrical bay windows in front; small chimneys set in irregular locations; tall, narrow, windows; and towers, in some cases. The elaborate window designs reappear in the supports, columns, and door frames. Old Town Alexandria has a number of Italianate homes.
Rowhouse at 212 Alfred St S Alexandria VA 22314
Old Town is in Alexandria 22314
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  • Architectual Style Check List

    What shape is the house, overall? Rectangular and symmetrical: National, Colonial, Neoclassical, Greek Revival, Italianate Square and box-like: American Foursquare L-shaped: Folk and National styles Complicated and asymmetrical: Queen Anne and other Victorian styles, Chateauesque Rounded corners: Pueblo, Art Moderne Single story or 1½ story: Cape Cod, Ranch, Craftsman, Cottage styles Does the roof have…

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What is a Second Empire style home?

Popular in the Midwest and Northeast, this Victorian style was fashionable for public buildings during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, but its elaborate, costly detail fell out of favor in the late 1800s for economic reasons. Second empire homes feature windows, molded cornices, and decorative brackets under the eaves. One subtype sports a rectangular tower at the front and center of the structure. There are several examples of this style in Old Town Alexandria, all of which were perhaps built in the post-Civil War growth of government under President Grant. The condos at 900 N. Washington closely follow this design style.
  • Julie Nesbitt

    Julie Nesbitt
    Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.

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  • Enjoying Winkler Botanical Preserve

    We had a great time walking the trails. 

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  • REDUCED: 7202 Churchill Rd, McLean

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  • Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services

    Fairfax County
    Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…

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About Contemporary styled homes

You know them by their odd-sized and often tall windows, their lack of ornamentation, and their unusual mixtures of wall materials--stone, brick, and wood, for instance.
Single-family house at 3435 Roberts Ln, Arlington, VA 22207
Single-family house at Bellevue Forest is in Arlington 22207
Architects designed Contemporary-style homes (in the Modern family) between 1950 and 1970, and created two versions: the flat-roof and gabled types. The latter is often characterized by exposed beams. Both breeds tend to be one-story tall and were designed to incorporate the surrounding landscape into their overall look. In Northern Virginia, one of my favorite contemporary neighborhoods is Hollin Hills, located just off Fort Hunt Road in Alexandria's Mount Vernon District. The homes here feature contemporary lines and floor to ceiling windows in an "urban forest".  That is to say Hollin Halls feels like deep woods despite being just a mile or so from the City of Alexandria.
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    Looking at Listings At Regency? Ponder This Condo. Should you make an offer buy 1800 Old Meadow Rd #405? Sometimes, the answer to a question is more questions. Are you seeking a 3-bedroom Traditional-style condo in 22102 in Fairfax County? Can you afford $660,000? Is it actually worth $675,000 or $625,000? Do you need 2…

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  • Architectual Style Check List

    What shape is the house, overall? Rectangular and symmetrical: National, Colonial, Neoclassical, Greek Revival, Italianate Square and box-like: American Foursquare L-shaped: Folk and National styles Complicated and asymmetrical: Queen Anne and other Victorian styles, Chateauesque Rounded corners: Pueblo, Art Moderne Single story or 1½ story: Cape Cod, Ranch, Craftsman, Cottage styles Does the roof have…

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  • Choosing A 5-bedroom Bungalow-style Bungalow For Sale In Northern Virginia

    If you're comparing in Northern Virginia you may want to seriously consider a bungalow-style detached home.

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    Have you pondered the possibilities of a bungalow in Northern Virginia?

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Do you need a brand new kitchen?

Montebello kitchen
original kitchen at Montebello
One of the biggest questions every condo buyer and home buyer has to ask is, "How much work am I willing to take on?" Some folks want a turnkey residence. Some folks want a residence that has brand new modern appliances and cabinets. Some people want appliances and cabinets that have never been used. Some people don't mind an older kitchen. Some people like the feel of a kitchen that was put in long ago. Others like an older kitchen because they like the idea of ripping out the old and putting in the new. It can be very gratify---not to mention financially rewarding---to completely remake a residence.  As a homeowner, or condo owner, you are the ultimate authority. It is your domain to decide what will stay and what must go.  This can be a lot of fun.
kitchen
Brand new kitchen at the Eclipse
But, remodeling can be a lot of work.  Living through the dust and the inconvenience can be a hassle. If you don't know where to turn to, it can also be very expensive.  But no matter how you personally resolve the issue, it's important to consider before you actually start shopping.

Shed — a modern architectural style

ShedA subset of the Modern style, including (insert links) Shed homes were particular favorites of architects in the 1960s and 1970s. They feature multiple roofs sloping in different directions, which creates multigeometric shapes; wood shingle, board, or brick exterior cladding; recessed and downplayed front doorways; and small windows. There's virtually no symmetry to the style.
  • Julie Nesbitt

    Julie Nesbitt
    Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.

    Read More

  • Enjoying Winkler Botanical Preserve

    We had a great time walking the trails. 

    Read More

  • Don’t take chances with real estate.

  • REDUCED: 7202 Churchill Rd, McLean

    Open House, Sunday, 1-4 BIG PRICE DROP! 7202 CHURCHILL ROADMcLean, VA 221016 Bedrooms5.5 Bathrooms6,752 SF $1,695,000

    Read More

  • Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services

    Fairfax County
    Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…

    Read More

About the humble bungalow

bungalow
Bungalow drawing
These narrow, rectangular one and one-half story houses originated in California during the 1880s as a reaction to the elaborate decoration of Victorian homes. The style then moved eastward to the Midwest in the early 20th century, where it remained popular until the Great Depression. Bungalows have low-pitched gabled or hipped roofs and small covered porches at the entry. The style became so popular that you could order a bungalow kit from Sears and Roebuck catalog. The name "bungalow" had its origins in India, where it indicated a small, thatched home. There are several neighborhoods in Northern Virginia were bungalows are not uncommon.  Burgundy Village is near the Huntington Metro and many homes there were originally bungalows. There are quite a few bungalows in Del Ray in Alexandria Virginia.

Properties in 22301

 
typical bungalow
typical bungalow

What is a “Cape Cod”?

drawing of a Cape Cod style home
Some of the first houses built in the United States were Cape Cods. The original colonial Cape Cod homes were shingle-sided, one-story cottages with no dormers. During the mid-20th century, the small, uncomplicated Cape Cod shape became popular in suburban developments. A 20th-century Cape Cod is square or rectangular with one or one-and-a-half stories and steeply pitched, gabled roofs. It may have dormers and shutters. The siding is usually clapboard or brick.
Here's a Cape Cod made of stone.
There are many neighborhoods filled with Cape Cods in Northern Virginia. Often these homes were built just after WW2 for soldiers returning from the war, but many were built as late as 1960 and some continue to be built today.  If you'd like to see a neighborhood of mature Cape Cods, many with additions, you might want to explore Bucknell Manor.   For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.