Prioritizing Your Home Remodeling Projects

By Bruce Wentworth, AIA

Homeowners are budget conscious when making home remodeling decisions. Wentworth can help you make these often difficult or confusing decisions at an in-home consultation, where priorities, design concepts, and construction issues can be clarified. Budget-minded simply means allocating financial resources in the best possible way. Excellent design solutions, coupled with quality craftsmanship and materials, are still a smart long-term home investment.

A well-located Washington area home remains a solid investment. After three decades in business, I can offer these tips to improve home value.

1. Kitchens: Kitchens more than 25 years old are functionally obsolete and aesthetically outdated. A well-designed kitchen enhances home value and improves family life.

2. Bathrooms: A well-designed master bath is an excellent investment, although cosmetically upgrading older baths will also improve home value.

3. Facades: If your home lacks curb appeal, exterior façade enhancements will add value. A new front door, windows, a front porch, or other architectural embellishments, all sensitive to your home’s architectural style, can be considered.

Thoughtful design analysis of your home makes appropriate, cost-effective remodeling decisions a reality. Call for a consultation today 240-395-0705 x 100.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture cont.d

To finish up this week long celebration, here is a short list of other haunted sites that almost didn't make it on the blog....

Have A Safe and Happy Halloween!

Blair House
The ghost of President Woodrow Wilson has occasionally been seen in the bedroom rocking chair.

Catholic University -Caldwell Hall
Mysterious lights and the ghost of a priest who fell to his death, following his discovery of one of the last books on performing exorcism is said to be seen in the attic window.

Ford's Theatre
John Wilkes Booth's footsteps have been heard running up the back staircase towards the presidential box.

Fort McNair - Building 21
John Wilkes Booth (even though already dead) and conspirators were hung in the attic of this building following Lincoln’s assassination. The carpenters who renovated this building reported hearing footsteps in the attic and feeling like someone was always following them. Mary Sarat who was convicted for her part, has been seen wandering the building officers trying to convince guests that she is innocent of the crime.

The Hay - Adams Hotel
This hotel was built in 1927 on the site where the mansion of Presidential Advisor Henry Adams had lived. The wife of the original mansion owner, Marian Hooper Adams, appears to haunt the hotel. At night, the scent of Mimosa is in the air on the eighth floor and the housekeeping closet on the 6th floor will NEVER stay locked after repeated lockings with the key by security. You will also notice that the chandelier of the hotel's lobby constantly sways.

Kendall Green – MSSD
MSSD is located in the back part of the campus of Gallaudet University on a hill facing Rhode Island Ave -- MSSD was founded in 1969 and Gallaudet was founded in 1857. The students at MSSD would feel hoof beats going through the campus, possibly the route taken during the Revolution War going towards Pennsylvania.

Marine Barracks at 8th & I
The lower parking garage is haunted by the spirit of a young child that was killed by a vehicle coming up the ramp. Every now and then marines have seen a red ball rolling down the ramp to the upper parking and heard a child's voice calling to them in the early hours of the morning.

Treasury Annex
A woman has been observed on the second floor of the Treasury annex. Workers have reported footsteps and voices after work hours. A late working worker, reported seeing the woman glide in front of her office. She went to report the incident to her supervisor, he was coming out of his office because he thought someone had peeked in his door; that was followed by the ruffle of a dress, similar to when a person is walking.