When William and Kate Flint bought their first home in 1990, they settled on a World War II–era brick Colonial with a small, wood addition in Silver Spring, Maryland. "The house was a cheap dump with real potential," Kate says. Initially the couple planned to do some basic renovations and sell the home within a few years. In the meantime, however, they fell in love with the neighborhood and decided to stay.

For years the Flints made the cramped house livable, if only marginally, by finishing and refinishing floors, and painting and repainting walls. By 2003, however, they were desperate to remodel and build an addition. Their two children were growing out of their bunk beds, and a leaky basement was causing moisture problems. Friends recommended Alan Abrams, CPBD (Certified Public Building Designer), of Abrams Design Build, a Washington, D.C., sustainable building firm, and their adventure began.

The Flints wanted their "new" house to be everything the old one wasn’t—without compromising the Colonial’s integrity. "We didn’t want to McMansion-ize the place and make it look as though we’d completely destroyed the original," William says. Eight houses on the block share identical building plans, so the couple had seen huge additions that had become out of scale with their lots.

Initially, the Flints weren’t seeking a green approach to their project—they just wanted something that looked good. Abrams introduced them to sustainable strategies, including building orientation and efficient use of energy and materials, which meant that even though the house is now almost double its former size, its utility bills have stayed the same.

Priority #1: Make Space for the Family

PROBLEM: The Flints were no longer comfortable in their cramped space. The kids were getting too old to share a room, the kitchen was the size of a closet and the basement was unlivable.

SOLUTIONS: Kate and William replaced the existing, rickety addition (built around 1950)—which they not-so- lovingly referred to as the "subtraction"—with a modestly scaled, two-story addition. They also reconfigured the existing floor plan and finished the basement—now a comfortable rec room for the children to enjoy after their homework and chores.

On the first floor, Abrams created one large space that incorporates a kitchen, living room, dining room and sitting area. The Flints use furniture and room dividers to delineate the areas without compromising the open feeling.