Design Ways & Means

We were fortunate to find a great architect and designer for our project in Perry Cofield of Design Ways and Means. We purchased a lovely 1960 Kettler-built split-level colonial in the Barcroft Woods neighborhood of Falls Church in 1992. We knew at that time that we would eventually need to enlarge and remodel its 1950s style 12'x12' kitchen to accommodate our growing young family. I am a retired military officer and my wife is a military brat; we both have moved many times, lived in many houses and had pretty firm ideas about what we wanted. We spoke with several designers over the years but were always disappointed with designs that were little more than "bump outs" adding nothing to the charm of our home. Fortunately, we met Perry at a design show a few months after the birth of the youngest of our four children in 1996. Perry listened carefully to our ideas, spent time walking around the house and exploring the neighborhood. He also took an interest in our furniture, noting the things we had acquired during overseas assignments and getting a good feel for our style. Perry really listened to our thoughts and incorporated them into a design that was a beautiful, seamless addition to the house both inside and out. The design is also energy efficient. Although we added 250 square feet to our home, improved insulation and windows have actually resulted in lower energy costs. He is a wonderful artist and provided drawings from different perspectives so we could visualize exactly how the completed project would look. Perry also helped us find the perfect contractor for the project. He supervised the work until its completion. We experienced none of the problems with rising costs or sliding timetables you typically hear about. Best of all, the project has stood the test of time. Our kitchen has really been the heartbeat of our home for the last 17 years.