McLean spa bath wins COTY for remodeler Michael Nash | Articles

Read article : McLean spa bath wins COTY for remodeler Michael Nash | Articles

A spacious master bath renovation in a circa-1990s center hall Colonial has won a “Contractor of the Year” (COTY) award for Michael Nash Design Build and Homes. The recently-completed McLean makeover was named the Washington-area's best residential bathroom in the $25,000-$50,000 category by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry metro DC chapter.

The winning solution successfully converts a 210-square-foot production-house master bathroom into an open, free-flowing spa bath with many cutting-edge amenities. The remodel features a walk-in shower and freestanding pedestal tub artfully situated on river rock flooring. Two custom-designed hanging vanities and several original built-ins provide functional accommodations smoothly integrated into a “transitional style” interior that balances textured surfaces, glass walls and a subtle interplay of colors and tones.

Acknowledging the honor, Michael Nash president and founder Sonny Nazemian, credited his design and production team:

“This is an award about outperforming the limits of a budget,” Nazemian noted. “We collaborate closely with our clients to achieve cost benefits-- exploring creative solutions that will maximize the investment. A COTY always tells me we're doing our job well.”

For homeowners Sunder and Premila Raman who have occupied the four-bedroom Colonial for 22 years, however, the award is also an acknowledgment of many hours researching an ever-evolving catalog of contemporary design styles.

“We didn't add any square footage, yet the bathroom looks and feels substantially larger than its predecessor,” Raman recalls.

“In the previous plan, there was a platform tub in the bay window that absorbed about half of the available floor space, yet the shower was too small. Once we starting looking at alternatives, we were ready for a more luxuriant space.”

Thus motivated, Raman and her daughter spent hours poring over selected web sites and magazine-- even talking with neighbors who had recently remodeled.

It was on a friend's recommendation that Premila Raman wandered into the Michael Nash showroom on Lee Highway, and began browsing and talking with staff designers.

“The showroom is a great resource,” Raman observes. “There are hundreds of displays and samples; I could wander around on my own gathering ideas and taking notes. There was no sales pressure, but when I asked for ideas, I received immediate assistance and very relevant suggestions.”

On this point, Nazemian notes that there are more “decision points” in a bathroom than any other part of the house.

“We've really concentrated on developing an exceptionally experienced interior design staff skilled at helping homeowners discover their personal style,” he adds. “It's our combination of more purchase options and a seasoned talent that gets each new project off to an inspired start.”

For the Ramans, the larger question was: how successfully can a dated, production-house floor plan be transformed into a free-flowing postmodern design while staying strictly within the bathroom's existing footprint?

“We wanted to replace the old shower with a much larger walk-in design that wouldn't require a built-in curb to keep the water in,” the homeowner remembers. “We just weren't sure if this was even possible.”

Nazemian adds:

“To meet the new shower requirements, we removed the platform tub and introduced a subfloor that raised the floor about an inch. The shower is now lower than before, and the sub floor bevels slightly toward a linear drain, so there's no need for a built-in lip around the shower.”

“Of course, this kind of change requires angles that are absolutely precise. Water is always the judge of whether a shower design works well.”

Tucked behind two 7-foot glass walls, the new 3.5-by-7, open shower sits on smooth river rock flooring that connects it visually to a freestanding pedestal tub. There's a small bench at one end, the hand-held shower nozzle within easy reach. Overhead, the stainless steel “waterfall” shower head features a range of body sprays with varied pressures.

The shower's inside wall is finished in soft Brennero Pearl porcelain accented by a glass tile inseam; cubbies designed to hold personal items are within easy reach.

For a still more leisurely bathing experience, the acrylic tub tucked into a three-window bay presents a restful view of the tree tops. Applause window shades can be easily adjusted to screen back light.

For personal use and privacy, the design team replaced the former double sink with a pair of floating vanities, each on a different wall.

Constructed of espresso-colored maple and featuring mission style cabinet facings and white quartz surfaces, the vanities present a clean, linear elegance in a room that is now refreshingly simplified and spacious.

Better yet, the end result fulfills the vision:

“Everything we were promised was delivered,” Premila says. “That's a good feeling.”

For information call (703)641-9800 or MichaelNashKitchens.com

John Byrd has been writing about home improvement for 30 years. He can be reached at (703) 715-8006, www.HomeFrontsNews.com or byrdmatx@gmail.com

What goes into a spa bath that wins a National 'Contractor of the Year' award? | Articles

Read article : What goes into a spa bath that wins a National 'Contractor of the Year' award? | Articles

It's a matter of record that only one National Contractor of the Year (COTY) award was conferred on a Washington-area company in 2017. The winning project is a spa bath in the McLean home of Sunder and Premilla Raman. The project was ranked the nation's best residential bath in the $25,000 to $50,000 range.

The winning remodeler, Michael Nash Design Build and Homes, is a 30-year-old design build firm which maintains an extensive Lee Highway showroom.

Michael Nash is no stranger to awards for excellence in home remodeling. In recent years, the firm has won several prizes from the “Finest in Family Living” competition sponsored by the National Association of Homebuilders, and about a dozen Chrysalis awards from Qualified Remodeler Magazine, which assess the quality of remodeling projects in a nationwide contest.

More generally, Michael Nash ends the year by submitting work to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry's Washington, D.C. chapter, which has conferred its Contractor of the Year award on Michael Nash projects in one category or the other every year for 30 years. In fact, the full-service remodeler has amassed more Washington-area COTY awards than any company in the award's nearly 40-year history.

Among other things, the COTYs are designed to assess what the remodeler has accomplished within a specific budget range.

“The criteria works well for us,” says Sonny Nazemian, Michael Nash founder and CEO. “Our work culture is oriented towards outperforming the limits of the budget. Yes, you can point to an upscale celebrity bathroom in, say, Architectural Digest that's more luxuriant than anything we've done, but what the story doesn't reveal is that someone spent $200,000 on it. The COTY, by contrast, compares apples to apples, and we are good at stretching the size and quality of what can be achieved in a bathroom within a specific budget parameter.”

Part of this, the remodeler observes, is the design and technical back-up provided by the firm's 11,000-square-foot showroom. Nazemian places a premium on being able to sell finish work materials for close to cost.

Even so, the range of counter surfaces, cabinetry, flooring, plumbing fixtures, lighting solutions on display are without rival in Northern Virginia. Then, too, the company commits to a “fixed price” contract, which means that the quoted figure is binding even when there may be change orders.

The company's greatest value component is its talent pool. The top designers have been with the firm for a minimum of 12 years. There is always a professional in the showroom to talk through ideas with browsers when asked.

Some homeowners say they “discover” the core solution to a previously undeveloped design problem on the first visit. Others take their time, treating themselves to multiple visits, researching online and in magazines, then spending long afternoons in the showroom.

Premilla Raman falls into the later “patient and deliberate” category. Raman and her daughter spent hours poring over selected web sites and magazines – even talking with neighbors who had recently remodeled.

It was on a friend's recommendation that Premilla Raman wandered into the Michael Nash showroom, and began looking at full-sized displays and talking with staff designers.

“There are hundreds of samples; I could wander around on my own gathering ideas and taking notes. There was no sales pressure, but when I asked for feedback, I received immediate assistance and very relevant suggestions.”

Raman's vision called for converting a 210-square-foot production-house master bathroom in their four-bedroom Colonial into an open, free-flowing spa bath loaded with cutting-edge amenities. After occupying the house for 22 years, the Ramans – both seniors – were ready for luxury.

“In the previous floor plan, there was a platform tub in a bay window that absorbed about half of the available floor space, yet the shower was too small,” Premilla Raman recalls. “But once we starting looking at alternatives with the designer, we began to see the possibilities of a much more luxuriant space.”

Still, the larger question was how “successfully” can a dated production-house floor plan be transformed into a flowing postmodern design while sticking to the boundaries of the bathroom's existing footprint? For instance:

“We wanted a larger walk-in design that wouldn't require a built-in curb to keep the water in,” the homeowner remembers. “But weren't sure this was even possible.”

To meet these new requirements, the design team removed the platform tub and introduced a subfloor that raised the floor about an inch. The shower is now lower than before, and the subfloor bevels slightly toward a linear drain, eliminating the need for a built-in lip around the shower.

“Of course, this kind of change demands angles that are absolutely precise,” Nazemian explains. “Water is an absolute judge of whether a shower design works well.”

Tucked behind floor-to-ceiling glass walls, the new shower sits on river rock flooring that connects it visually to a freestanding pedestal tub. There's a small bench at one end, a hand-held shower nozzle within easy reach. Overhead, the stainless steel “waterfall” shower head proffers a range of body sprays with varied temperatures and pressures.

The shower's inside wall is finished in soft Brennero Pearl porcelain accented by a glass tile inseam; cubbies designed to hold personal items are within easy reach.

For a still more leisurely bathing experience, the acrylic tub tucked into a three-window bay presents a restful view of the tree tops. Window shades by Applause can be easily adjusted to screen back light.

For enhanced convenience and privacy, the former double sink has been replaced with a pair of floating vanities, each on a different wall.

Featuring espresso-colored maple and mission style cabinet facings and white quartz surfaces, the vanities present a clean, linear elegance in a room that is refreshingly simplified and spacious.

Is this the nation's prettiest new spa bath?

“We like it,” Premilla says. “Better yet, everything we were promised was delivered. That's a good feeling.”

For information call (703) 641-9800 or visit MichaelNashKitchens.com

John Byrd has been writing about home improvement for 30 years. He can be reached at (703) 715-8006, www.HomeFrontsNews.com or byrdmatx@gmail.com