I mentioned last week that my kitchen is pretty small, leaving little wiggle room for the layout. So where to put the fridge? A few months ago, I bought a small refrigerator. It wasn’t the best resale-oriented decision, since most Americans tend to love “Ginormous Stainless-Steel Double-Door Big Enough to Hold Food for My Twelve Hungry Boys” refrigerators, but it was worth it for the extra foot-and-a-half of counterspace. The best place for the fridge, which measures a mere 26 inches square, was next to the back door. 

The original chimney, which was part of the coal-burning stove that dated to 1907, was the biggest obstacle in the room. It had been drywalled over, came out 13 inches from the wall, and was more than two feet wide—effectively creating a dead zone.

The 1929 Colonial—with only one full bath—was bursting at the seams.

In the May issue, Michael Tardif writes about the renovation of this Colonial in Chevy Chase. The owners originally bought the house as a starter home, but wanted to stay in the neighborhood after having children. The two-story addition by Landis Construction includes a front porch with wide stairs and a curving stone wall, master bedroom suite, and large family room.

Click here to read the full article and see a slideshow with more than a dozen pictures.

• Plans to develop two city-owned properties behind the Lincoln Theatre were announced yesterday. The city is accepting proposals from developers. [Washington City Paper and DCMud]

• Bloomingdale residents and ANC commissioners were part of the first meeting about the old sand filtration plant in Northwest DC between North Capital Street, Michigan Avenue, and First Street. Development suggestions include restaurants and a grocery store.  [Bloomingdale (for now)] 

• DC Metrocentric’s fun "Price Checker" feature asks readers to guess the price of a piece of property. This week, it’s a two-bedroom penthouse near Thomas Circle. [DC Metrocentric]

What’s the style of the house?  I guess you would call it a Cape Cod since it is technically one-and-a-half stories. We looked at hundreds of plans and combined what we liked.

Can you describe the floorplan? Our house has three bedrooms with an extremely open floorplan. The entire second floor is the master suite with 20-foot cathedral ceilings of heavy timber. The main floor consists of the open kitchen, pantry, dining area, powder room, and living area. We like to have parties and this open floorplan lends itself to entertaining—everyone can be in the same room, but also spread out. We also have a large wraparound deck. The basement has a large laundry room (which also holds an extra fridge and freezer), an exercise area, a full bath, two bedrooms, and a recreation room with a wet bar.

Where: 5200 Partridge Lane, NW
List price: $3,550,000
Time on the market: four weeks
Bedrooms: six
Bathrooms: six

I planned to tear out all the existing cabinets (which were not only ugly, but also improperly installed) and add an over-the-range microwave, dishwasher, and granite counters.  I did a back-of-the-envelope calculation and estimated that the work would cost around $6,000 to $7,000. 

A few things helped create such a reasonable budget. First, I already had a new fridge and stove. Second, the kitchen is small, only about ten feet long. And I decided to use IKEA cabinets, which would save a ton in material and labor costs. (Custom cabinetry can be ridiculous—I probably would have blown my entire budget twice over just in cabinets.)

During Georgetown’s French Market, more than 30 shops will take over Book Hill, the front lawn of the Georgetown public library. In addition to stocking up on cool antiques and accessories—at home stores like For Your Home, Cherry Antiques, Sixteen Fifty-Nine, and Darrell Dean—you also can pick out new items for your closet from boutiques including Sassanova, Sugar, and Urban Chic. Merchandise will be up to 70 percent off.
Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26, 11 AM to 6 PM. Book Hill, along Wisconsin Avenue, between P Street and Reservoir Road.

The Luxury Home and Design Expo showcases decorating and remodeling ideas from dozens of exhibitors—from kitchen designers to landscape architects to furniture stores. Design seminars and demonstrations from experts on everything from mosaic tiling to stenciling take place throughout the weekend.
Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, 10 AM to 6 PM. Sheraton Premiere, Tysons Corner, 8661 Leesburg Pike, Vienna.

Considering a kitchen renovation? The Kitchens of Annapolis Tour kicks off with a seminar about design trends and tips, then lets visitors wander through 16 kitchens in downtown Annapolis and Eastport. A shuttle takes participants from house to house.
Saturday, April 26, 2 to 7 PM. Seminar, lunch and tour, $85; seminar and lunch, $65; tour, $25. Call 410-267-8146 for more.

For more posts on home design and real estate, click here.