Arlington Second-Story Addition Plans: Culpeper St.

FEATURED PROJECT · N. CULPEPER ST. · ARLINGTON, VA

A New Chapter on Culpeper St.

A 1950 Arlington home, a familiar footprint and a plan to add a second story, a garage and room to live outside.

00 · INTRODUCTION

Planning an Arlington Home Addition

What could a modest 1950 home become with more living space, an attached garage and a better connection to the yard?

On N. Culpeper St. in Arlington, The Great House is working through that question. The house has a simple, familiar shape: a compact main structure, a centered front door with windows on each side, and a small side wing.

The plan keeps that first-floor outline and builds on it. It adds a second story, a garage on the left side and a porch or rear deck.

Where this project stands: we are in the planning stage. The images in this story are concept renderings, not photos. The final layout, size and look will be set during design and engineering.

BUILT

1950

BEDROOMS

3

BATHROOMS

2

INTERIOR

938 sq ft

LOT

0.40 acres

NEIGHBORHOOD

High View Park

PARKING

Fenced driveway

HOA

None

These figures describe the house as it stands today. The size and room count of the finished home have not been set yet.

01 · STARTING OUT

Where the Story Begins

The house today: light siding, a low roofline and a small covered entrance.

The front door gives the design a natural center. The windows on each side set a rhythm that every concept keeps and makes more even.

Instead of starting from a new house shape, we started from what is already there. The goal is to understand how the existing structure can carry a larger home, and how the new rooms connect to the ones below.

Inside today: original finishes and wood paneling that the renovation will replace.

02 · THE DESIGN APPROACH

Keep the Character. Create Room to Grow.

The addition keeps the main house’s first-floor footprint and its existing layout wherever practical. The new space goes up and to the side, not out across the yard.

STAIRS

Connecting both floors

Where the stair lands shapes both levels. It has to reach the new second story without eating into the rooms downstairs.

GARAGE

A practical connection

The garage floor height and entry door must work with the driveway slope and lead easily into the house.

ROOF

One silhouette

The roof sets the outside proportions and the ceiling heights upstairs. It decides whether the addition reads as one house.

“The goal is an expansion that feels connected, from the original front door to the newest rooms.”

03 · THE PROPOSED TRANSFORMATION

Five Moves Toward a Bigger Home

01

Keep the front entrance

The centered door and its windows stay as the face of the house.

02

Add space upstairs

A second story for bedrooms, a bathroom or a flexible retreat above the existing footprint.

03

Add a two-car garage

Enclosed parking on the left side with a direct way into the house.

04

Extend living outdoors

A porch or rear deck for morning coffee and meals outside.

05

Unify the exterior

White siding, navy shutters and matching windows and trim tie old and new together.

Together, these moves outline the home’s potential. The next step is to test them against the structure, the site and the budget.

04 · EXPLORING THE OPTIONS

Three Ways to Reimagine the House

Early design studies compared three ways to combine a second story with a left-side garage.

Concept A: a full second story over the main house, with a lower single-story garage wing.

Concept B: a room above the garage adds usable space, but the garage side has to line up with the main house.

Concept C: a steeper roof with two front dormers. Sloped ceilings would limit headroom upstairs.

What every concept keeps

• A centered front entrance

• Matching windows beside the door

• White siding with dark accents

• A garage on the left

• The original first-floor outline

• Room for outdoor living

05 · THE SELECTED DIRECTION

A New Chapter, Rooted in the Original Home

Building on those shared ideas, the selected concept is a full second-story addition, a two-car garage on the left and living space above the garage.

The selected direction: white siding, navy shutters and the original front door as the focal point.

Next, we coordinate this exterior with the rooms inside, the existing structure and the grades on the lot. That turns a picture into a plan that can be built.

06 · LINKING OLD AND NEW

How the Addition Connects to the House

A good addition depends as much on hallways, stairs and doors as on the new rooms. People should move between old and new without noticing the seam.

Stairs and the main floor

• Keep the existing first-floor rooms and sightlines as intact as possible.

• Place the stair where it feels central but does not waste living space.

• Use the stairwell to bring daylight into the middle of the house.

Garage and entry

• Solve the change in height between the garage and the main level without awkward steps.

• Use the garage entry as a drop zone for shoes, bags and coats.

• Keep the garage visually secondary to the front of the house.

07 · FEASIBILITY AND VALUE

Testing the Plan Before We Build

Before the design is final, our team reviews each option for cost, structure and permits. The aim is the simplest plan that is easy to permit, efficient to build and good value for the investment.

Structure

Can the existing foundation and framing carry a second story, and what reinforcement is needed?

Main-floor space

Where does the stair go without giving up valuable first-floor living space?

Garage connection

How does a lower garage connect to the house in a dry, practical way?

Site and zoning

Do the new footprints fit the surveyed property lines, setbacks and lot coverage?

Roof and attic

Which roof shape gives the most usable headroom with balanced proportions?

Outdoor living

Where should a porch or deck go to connect the living areas to the yard?

The final design may blend the best parts of several concepts. It will be confirmed with a structural engineer, a site survey and Arlington County before construction. Read more in our home addition permit guide.

08 · PLANNING YOUR OWN PROJECT

Making Room for What Comes Next

Every addition starts with one question: what do you need your home to do better? More bedrooms, a better place to gather, or a garage?

As Culpeper shows, new space has to connect to what is already there. Your layout, lot, budget and local rules all shape what is possible.

Start with a list of what works, what feels tight and what you would change. Then compare your options in our guides to home additions that add value and adding on versus moving.

THE GREAT HOUSE · NORTHERN VIRGINIA

Ready to plan your home’s next chapter?

Tell us what you would like to change. We will help you explore an addition or renovation that fits your home, priorities and budget.