While Arlington is a fantastic place to live, there are many neighborhoods built in a time when…well let’s just say it wasn’t necessarily architecture’s finest moment.  Don’t overlook some of these hidden gems though — with a little creativity, and the right contractor, your dream home could be right in front of your eyes.  Take a look at this transformation on a North Arlington home similar to one pictured at left.

Hard to believe, isn’t it?  But look closely and you’ll see the remains of the original home. On the main level, the owners added a welcoming front porch, and swapped the window out for a bay window.  Then they “popped the top” and added a second floor, and extended the chimney up.   Then they painted the brick and trim for an entirely new look!

After - Bump Out View

Obviously adding a second floor provides a lot more square footage to the house, but the existing floorplans on a lot of these older homes don’t allow for the circular flow and open floorplan that most of today’s homeowners love…unless you also do a “bump out” like these owners did, which you can see clearly in this side view photo.

But be warned, Arlington has very strict lot coverage rules so if you’re intending to do a large scale renovation like this, do your homework before you sink too much money into the process.

Obviously a transformation like this one doesn’t come cheap or easy, but if you can pick up a house in a great location for the right price, you can throw in a creative eye, some patience, and a great contractor and have the home of your dreams!

For recommendations on great contractors, or to get started finding your own hidden gem in Arlington, contact me!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.