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The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights

  • June 13th 2016

by Will Smith

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 1

Welcome to Property Week, a week-long UrbanTurf series devoted to intriguing residential properties in the DC area and beyond. From a DC version of Wrigleyville to a Trinidad apartment building that will only offer five-bedroom apartments, this week is all about cool residences both near and far. Enjoy.

This article originally ran on UrbanTurf in October 2013 and shares the process of UrbanTurf publisher Will Smith renovating his one-bedroom co-op

Last week I wrote about the process of purchasing my one-bedroom in Lanier Heights. The place needed renovation, but I didn’t know a good and reliable contractor. As anyone who has worked with contractors will tell you, it can be hard to find great ones. I also wanted one who wouldn’t just “swing a hammer” but who had an eye for design and could help me with color, style, and all the other aesthetic considerations about which I was essentially clueless.

Enter Nick Alten and his firm BetterSpace. Nick came recommended by a trusted friend of UrbanTurf who also happens to be a successful developer with a passion for design.

True to their reputation, Nick and his crew were not only professional, reliable, and craftsmen, but Nick’s creativity and good taste were a constant resource as I selected everything from flooring to lighting to cabinet handles. If you need a contractor, I recommend Nick and the BetterSpace crew.

In a nutshell, my renovation was the following:

  • Take down the wall separating a cramped galley kitchen and the living room, and replace it with an island.
  • Fully update the kitchen: appliances, cabinets, everything.
  • Replace older built-ins with custom built-ins in the hallway.
  • Install new floors, lighting, walls, radiators, and cosmetic upgrades throughout.
  • Install an elfa system in the bedroom closet and reclaim awkward unused crawlspace to create a workspace nook.
  • No renovation to the bathroom.

Following are the before-and-after shots:

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 2
Before: Living room.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 3
Now: Reversing the direction of the shades added privacy and improved the view from asphalt to the green of Rock Creek Park.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 4
Before: Galley kitchen.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 5
Now: Totally open, updated kitchen.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 6
Before: Facing the kitchen from the living room.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 7
Now: Facing the kitchen. Notice the exposed steel beam at right, an architectural flourish recommended by Nick that I love.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 8
Before: Built-ins in the hallway.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 9
Now: Custom cherry built-ins with lighting.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 10
Before: Bedroom with wasted crawlspace hidden behind drywall.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 11
Now: Bedroom with a little workstation.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 12
Before: Bedroom closet.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 13
Now: I love elfa.

The Pursuit 2: Before & After Shots at Lanier Heights: Figure 14
My very blue new bedroom.

Photography by Jose Valcarcel, CityAperture.

See other articles related to: dclofts, renovation, the pursuit

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/the_pursuit_2_before_after_shots_at_lanier_heights/7705.

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