Water saving tips for your bathroom

Michael Ullrich — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:16:42 +0100

published by: Michael Ullrich AIA

If 1 in every 10 American households installed water saving bathroom fixtures, it is

estimated that water consumption could be reduced by as much as 74 billion gallons per

year, saving approximately $1.5 billion annually in utility costs.

More and more often these days, we seem to be getting commissions to design and build

screen porches. A screened porch is a wonderful way to expand the living space of your

home, offering a protected outdoor space that in the MD, DC, VA climate can be enjoyed

One of the greatest things about residential architecture is the big impact even small projects can have on a home and its owners. Take for instance, this recently completed design;

The owners of a 100-year old Washington, DC row house were in dire need of a functional breakfast nook. With two growing boys soon to be 6'-0" or taller, the current breakfast space was beginning to feel craRead More...

Awarding Excellence in Remodeling

Michael Ullrich — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:22:31 +0100

Authored by: Peter Pagenstecher

Michael Ullrich — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:46:54 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

As our homes become more and more energy efficient and the exterior building envelope gets more and more tightly sealed, indoor air quality becomes a major concern. Think of it this way; have you ever been in an old home on a cold day and felt a draft? Though this draft is horrible for home efficiency, it is hugely beneficial to air quality because that draft brings fresh air into the home and creates circulation (air mRead More...

Re-thinking the Powder Room

Michael Ullrich — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:44:10 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Looking for space to tuck a powder room (or half bath) into your already cramped for space home? There is a new product that might be the answer for you, but you will have to think outside the box a bit. Caroma (www.caromausa.com) has introduced a unique fixture that integrates a dual flush toilet and a sink basin into a singular unit.

Cool new products for your next Bathroom Remodel

Michael Ullrich — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:29:09 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Who'd ever think of writing about shower drains? Utilitarian-looking at best, they are certainly not a design feature in most bathrooms. Well that sentiment may soon be changing. Infinity Drain (www.infinitydrain.com) offers a variety of unique bathroom drains with an architectural edge.

Their linear strip drain systems offer a multitude of design opportunities that can be incorporated into the overall aestRead More...

Chevy Chase, MD Addition: Part V- Breakfast room framing

Michael Ullrich — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:29:48 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Part V in a series that follows our renovation of a Chevy Chase, Maryland home.

The rear elevation of this Chevy Chase home was quite understated and lacked any real architectural character.

In order to maintain a conditioned, securRead More...

Chevy Chase, MD Addition: Part III- the owner's suite

Michael Ullrich — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:53:00 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Part III in a series that follows our renovation of a Chevy Chase, MD home.

As foundation grading, drainage, and waterproofing continues progressing on the first floor breakfast room addition, let's take a minute and review the planned renovations to the second floor of this Chevy Chase, MD home.

Most of today’s new homes incorporate the idea of an owner’s suite. The suite includes; a sleeping chambeRead More...

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you

Michael Ullrich — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:25:29 +0100

Posted by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Thanks to the collective efforts of our staff, Pagenstecher GROUP recently completed the design and fabrication of our new job signs. Look for them at all of our upcoming renovation projects throughout Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, and upper NW DC.

"We mentioned to you up front that we wanted to have a Pagenstecher GROUP sign prouRead More...

Chevy Chase, MD Addition: Part I- "design concepts"

Michael Ullrich — Tue, 24 May 2011 15:48:34 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Pagenstecher GROUP will soon break ground on another exciting Chevy Chase, Maryland home renovation.

Over the next several months we will be detailing our process from design thru finished construction. Keep checking in to follow the project as it takes shape.

"Every successful renovation project begins with aRead More...

Exposing Montgomery County Youth to Architecture

Michael Ullrich — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:46:10 +0100

Published By: Michael Ullrich A.I.A.

Last Wednesday, we invited a group of 5th grade weblelos into our Kensington, MD offices to assist them with their final activity badge requirement before becoming Boy Scouts. The topic; "What does an Architect do?"

Though we talked a lot about the pragmatics of Architecture, we also explored the creative side of the profession. I asked aRead More...

Protect your home from stink bugs

Michael Ullrich — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:59:01 +0100

Published by: Michael Ullrich, A.I.A.

Spring is upon us; warmer temps, blossoming landscapes… and stink bugs! Scientists are predicting the shield shaped invaders will again plague DC, MD and VA in 2011. So how do we protect our homes from these smelly nuisances? Unfortunately at present time there is no wonder cure for stink bugs, but here are a couple techniques to help minimize the problem.

If you are not adRead More...

Making an impact with Tile

Michael Ullrich — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0100

A tile rug is a great way to add elegance to any bathroom. Traditional 6x6 white field tiles surround a polished Carrara Marble rug inlay in this master bath.

Adding Space without Adding Space - Part II

Michael Ullrich — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100

What is the most underutilized space in most homes? The answer is right under foot, it’s your basement. For many the basement is a damp, musty space, devoid of natural light, disconnected from the rest of the home, useful only for storage. This is unfortunate, because I see the basement as useful lower level living space, and you should too.

Water management:

Moisture is the most common problem found in basements and left unattended can lead to noxious odors, conRead More...

Adding Space without Adding Space

Michael Ullrich — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

In the current economy, and with growing awareness of green concepts, it seems the desire for "big" houses is on the decline. This gives architects and remodelers an exciting opportunity and challenge: to make smaller houses live "large".

To me, a house should be tailored so that every square inch has purpose and usefulness in the daily life of its inhabitants. This concept is critically important in smaller homes. In the next couple of blogs, I will discuss diRead More...

Make your dream home come true

Michael Ullrich — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:00:00 +0100

We have all seen countless advertisements on HGTV, for their "dream homes". It's an enticing sales pitch. A uniquely designed, fully decorated home, on a picturesque site. Who wouldn't want that?

Well, I see every home as a "dream home" waiting to be realized. Far too often we focus on the negative aspects of our homes, instead of looking for opportunity and potential. Intoxicated by television and print images, we "dream" of someday aspiring to have this or that, anRead More...

Virtual Remodeling

Michael Ullrich — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 05:00:00 +0100

We experience the world in three dimensions, yet most of the drawings I produce when remodeling homes throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. are representative of only two dimensions (plans, elevations, sections, etc). This can pose a major challenge when trying to express the complexities of a design to my clients. It is difficult for most people, architects included, to fully visualize a space when looking at two dimensional drawings. Fortunately, computer aideRead More...

Sense of Scale

Michael Ullrich — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Scale - no, I am not talking about that thing we all dread stepping onto in our bathroom or at the gym. I am talking about proportion and the spatial qualities of an object or entity in relationship to its surroundings. Scale is measurable, but more importantly it has a sensory component. When you walk into a room, how do you feel? Does something seem off? Maybe the windows are too small, the room is too narrow, and the couch blocks circulation paths. EverythiRead More...

Thinking outside of the Box

Michael Ullrich — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Welcome to my blog. I am Michael Ullrich, AIA, an architect dedicated to residential design and remodeling in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you…

“Thinking outside of the Box”

It seems everywhere I turn; I am constantly reminded of the downturn in the current economy. Instead of talking about how bad things are, I would instead like to share a bit of optimism. Read More...

Blog entries from Michael Ullrich

Water saving tips for your bathroom

Awarding Excellence in Remodeling

Re-thinking the Powder Room

Cool new products for your next Bathroom Remodel

Chevy Chase, MD Addition: Part V- Breakfast room framing

Chevy Chase, MD Addition: Part III- the owner's suite

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you

Chevy Chase, MD Addition: Part I- "design concepts"

Exposing Montgomery County Youth to Architecture

Protect your home from stink bugs

Making an impact with Tile

Adding Space without Adding Space - Part II

Adding Space without Adding Space

Make your dream home come true

Virtual Remodeling

Sense of Scale

Thinking outside of the Box