Musical Transformation

Kitchen cooking area with cabinets lining three walls with sink, and stove at one end.

Eating area at one end of kitchen, with two chairs and a built-in bench.

Design detail of counter with decorative bold tile backsplash.

View of dining area from kitchen with white wainscoting and peach walls.

Kitchen and dining area open to living room from doorway and large open window above dining table.

Full view of kitchen dining area, kitchen and living room.

Small, oval bath sink hangs below thickly framed mirror.

Window seats frame a large built-in storage cabinet.

Music stand, violin and chairs at one end of the room with sheet music filling a wall of shelves at the other end.

Looking across music room to the backyard through a wide picture window.

Small home over lower-level one car garage with a walkway leading around the side of the house.

Second view of the front, with a walkway leading to the front door.

Walkway on the side of the house, leading to the back yard.

Home office with big windows and a large closet.

Full bath with pedestal sink, traditional deep bath tub and white tile with blue trim.

Inset shelves in shower with hexagon pattern decorative tile.

Hexagon tile on bathroom floor, white with blue and green accents.

Bedroom with wood floor, large windows, closet doors and a wood frame bed.

Built-in storage with drawers and cabinets in on a side of the bedroom.

Blue cabinet door knobs with traditional floral pattern painted in shades of gold.

Stone slab walkway to side of house with black metal railing.

Side entrance to the house from the pathway.

Backyard and three-quarter view of exterior back of house.

Architect: Sara Mallio in collaboration with aMorton Design
Photographer: Robert Umenhofer Photography

These two musicians had a problem. They loved their small house in Arlington, but it was so small that when they played their viola’s, their bows would hit the low ceilings. They needed an addition to their house that could accommodate their bowing along with a few friends. And while they were at it, they needed a new garage, kitchen and bathroom. With the tiny size of their house, these changes ended up touching every room in their house but one. We were careful throughout the process to respect the small scale of their home, while delivering the program they desired, with harmony.

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