I recently photographed a lovely row home expansion project in the Capitol Hill East neighborhood of DC, designed by Studio Upwall Architects and built by Impact Construction. We had the shoot on a beautiful fall day, and were able to capture the amazing natural light in the home, maximized by Studio Upwall’s design.
The rear facade of the house — with it’s floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding door to allow access to the rear deck — allows the home to fill with this striking golden light in the morning, and gives the bedroom a unique indoor-outdoor feel.
The kitchen benefits from the project’s most unique feature — a two-story, open-air light well that allows natural light and a breeze to penetrate the side of the home, a rarity in a row home like this.
From the backyard area, the exterior details reveal themselves: the simple, but striking material palate, the partially covered seating area on the interior of the light well, and the expansive rear deck area that blends seamlessly into the kitchen. And how could I miss that amazing reflection of the sky in the second-story glass railing?
The homeowners’ two energetic cats seemed to love exploring the custom-built shelves, seen above.
As always, we wrapped up the day with the trademark twilight exterior photograph, with the camera positioned on top of a Jeep in the driveway. All of the home’s features are on display, and I think this shot does a great job at showcasing the balance between the inside and outside spaces of the design.