This small colonial home located in the heart of Bethesda, Maryland, only ten minutes from Washington, desparately needed more space. But despite the cramped living arrangements of 900 square feet with two tiny bedrooms, the owners were reluctant to move away. They were in love with the old, tree shaded neighborhood and convenience of shopping as well as the terrific restaurants - all only walking distance away.

The owners wanted to update and add to the interior, but stressed the importance of building an addition that blended with the original home. In the original floor plan, the two small bedrooms were separated by one wall and shared the same bathroom, which did not allow the parents of daughter any privacy. Most inconvenient of all was that there was only one bathroom in the house, and it was located on the second floor.

On the second floor, the addition of the master bedroom included cathedral ceilings, a luxurious bathroom, and French doors leading to a charming wrought iron balcony overlooking the garden below. The owners wanted their daughter to have this room which offered the comforts and privacy of a separated apartment, all under the same roof.

To solve the problem of the hill in front of the house, it was necessary to form a path through the hill in order to gain passage to the rear of the house. This allowed materials to be delivered and placed on site without blocking the street or the front door.