Home improvement is the perfect option for any Chevy Chase homeowner looking to tighten up their home. Never worry about leaking faucets or clogged gutters. Chevy Chase homeowners no longer need to worry about the frustrations your home may give you on a daily basis. Simply give yourself a stress-free experience and let us take care of any home improvement services you would like done for your house.

We offer home improvement to the surrounding Chevy Chase area. 

Feel free to contact us today if you would like to undergo any home improvement services for your home.  

Our Chevy Chase home improvement clients have been more than pleased with the work we have completed for them.

Our number one priority is the customer.

We love doing what we do. Having the proper plan is imperative for any home service, especially regarding home improvement. If you are interested in any home improvement project, please visit www.natellihomes.com and contact us today.

Offering high quality home improvement services to the Chevy Chase area!

Whether you are drawing up architectural designs for a new staircase or have been thinking of a kitchen remodel, working with an expert in the field has its advantages. Not only do you get hands-on assistance with respect to the planning, but you also avoid costly home remodeling budget mistakes that are very easy to make. Five such mistakes in particular stand out.

1. The wishful budget. You intend to not spend a mint on remodeling the kitchen. In fact, you are estimating conservatively and vow to stay within your budget. Yet a few hiccups and the must-have seven-bottle mirrored wine cooler later, you have already blown your budget without being halfway through the remodel. The lesson here is simple: Set a realistic budget that allows for surprises and the little extras.
2. Broad ideas vs. detailed visions. Kitchen remodeling is not for the faint of heart. It is also not for those who do not have a detailed vision for what they want to see. Be specific! The more detailed you are in your instructions to the contractor, the easier it is for the professional to find you the right materials and hardware that suits your need. Plenty of additional expenses can be avoided by being detailed from the start.
3. Pinching pennies on materials. Lasagna is only as tasty as the high-quality ingredients that you put into it. Even the best builder will have a difficult time constructing you a dream porch for your home when you buy cut-rate lumber and pinch pennies on quality materials. Although it is always best to aim for inexpensive materials, going cheap is not the answer for a quality construction project.
4. Keeping mum. Your contractor needs to hear from you. When you see something you want to incorporate into the design, find that beautiful customized tub for your bathroom remodeling or want to add anything else that may affect the plans already made, it is crucial that you let your contractor know right away. The further along the project proceeds without you mentioning any changes, the costlier it is to make these very changes later on.
5. Changing your mind. Every time you change your mind, there will be additional expenses. It is that simple. While there is nothing wrong with changing your mind on a color or design detail here and there, consistently revamping plans and asking for changes to customized building components is costly.

At Natelli Homes, we know that you have plenty of questions about starting your home remodeling project and staying on track. Contact us today for more information on the best remodel budgeting practices and to find out how we can help you with your next project.

Whether you are self-employed or have a job that can be done from home on occasion or full-time, not having an office in your home can prevent you from actually working from home. If this describes your situation, one of the greatest home additions to consider is an office, which not only allows you to work from home, but provides a number of other benefits that make it worthwhile.

Tax Deductions

When you have a designated area where you do your work at home, you can add the adjusted costs of the room compared to your home and deduct them on your taxes. It is also possible to deduct cost of the equipment you buy solely for working at home, which will help you save on getting the proper equipment and furnishings that allow you to perform all of your work-related tasks from home.

Saves Money

While a home office provides tax savings, there are other, even more substantial savings to enjoy. For instance, not having to make a long commute five or six days a week adds up quickly, especially when you consider how much less maintenance and fewer repairs your car will need by driving less frequently.

It is also beneficial because if you do rent office space, you no longer have to do so, thus eliminating a considerable expense with one fell swoop, thus further demonstrating the perks of a home office.

Create an Ideal Environment

Working in an office or at your workplace may not always be the ideal work environment for you, but with a home office, you can design, furnish, and decorate it how you want to create an ideal workplace.

Having this will often lead to greater productivity, which will either lead to getting your work done sooner, or being able to squeeze in more work within your work schedule.

Get Started with No Delay

Another benefit regarding time is that a home office enables you to get started as soon as you are ready, as opposed to having to get cleaned up, dressed, and then make the commute to work.

In some cases, you can save an hour or more off of your daily commitment, which means you get to spend an extra hour at home, relaxing, and spending time with your family.

If you are interested in adding a home office, contact us to learn more.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

When it comes to home additions, the main choices are to expand vertically with a second floor or to extend a home horizontally by adding rooms. Another common way of describing a second floor addition is to call it “building up,” vs. building out. With the trend of multi-generational households in Maryland or Virginia, either approach can work as long as there is at least one master bedroom on the main floor. If you have active children, teenagers or young adults living at home, they may welcome a second floor addition as a getaway. By enlisting the help of an experienced builder, you can stay in your beloved Metro D.C. neighborhood without sacrificing on space as your family grows. If your home is on a narrow lot, you may need to build up instead of out. An article by HGTV suggests homeowners consider the pros of cons of either type of home addition.

• Different ways to build up

Adding a second floor is the main way to expand the living space if you are planning of build up. Other ideas, according to HGTV, include adding large dormers in a pitched roof or adding space above an existing garage, or porch.

• What to expect

When adding a second floor, your builder will most likely strengthen the existing foundation so it can support the new weight. Your builder or contractor will make sure the architectural plans meet the local guidelines such as the allowable height for houses. A new stairwell may eat up some of the living space on the lower level. Also, expect your contractor to demolish some of the walls in order to accommodate for structural supports and new lines for plumbing and electricity.

• Ways to use a second floor

Having a second floor is exciting for any size family. Many homeowners like to have a game room, media room or home theater on the second floor. Other ideas include having several bedrooms, a bathroom and a loft area. A major consideration is whether to make most of the space on the second floor “livable” or to use some of the space as a two-story foyer for the drama. Other design details include the style of railing and flooring choices.

Other features that can make a second floor addition even more thrilling include balconies. Your contractor can build a balcony off an upstairs master bedroom suite, game room or other space. Having spectacular views from the second floor can raise the value of your home.

At Natelli Homes, we take pride on giving our Maryland and Virginia clients our full attention and giving our clients a variety of options. For more information on home additions and our architectural and remodeling services, please contact us.

Building custom homes is an art that requires the skill and innovation of a reputable builder as well as the vision of a homebuyer bubbling over with excitement. Eventually, you may need to sell your dream home. Some people wonder whether it’s possible for a home to have too much personality or be too unique for resale purposes. According to a recent article by Yahoo Homes, custom dream homes can end up being a hard sell. When working with a builder on plans for your custom home, consider whether you are taking risks when tailoring a home to your tastes. Many Maryland and Virginia homeowners don’t like cookie-cutter type homes, but some architectural styles are more popular than others. An experienced builder can guide you whether you choose a four-square home, split level, cottage design or custom estate. An article by Custom Homes points out some of the home design trends that can help rather than hurt your chances of selling at a profit in the future.

Home additions can completely change the form and function of any home.It is a big decision to add a single room or perhaps several rooms and will require some careful planning. To help ensure you get the finished home you want, use these 4 tips.

Custom Millwork
For those with an eye for the details of a custom built home you begin to find the flaws fairly early in the process of investigation. Aspects of interior construction that frequently fall short of perfection are ceiling treatments and molding, also known as millwork. Whether its crown, dental, coffered ceilings, or even the lowly shoe molding, one always finds places that weren’t done as perfectly as they could have been. But when you find the right craftsmen, millwork nirvana may be close at hand.

The custom millwork in this home provides many examples of how attention to detail makes all the difference in the world. The drywall corners have all been rounded, except at the base and the top, where they join the millwork. This provides for tight-fitting corners where the millwork wraps with full returns, completely enclosing the corner.

Windows fit perfectly within their allotted spaces featuring transoms and beadwork that are flawless. (BOB, GREG CALLED THE HORIZONTAL SEPARATIONS WITHIN THESE WINDOWS MULLIONS, BUT I LOOKED ONLINE AND TRANSOMS ARE HORIZONTAL AND MULLIONS ARE VERTICLE. YOU MAKE THE CALL.)

The formal spaces feature columns, coffered ceilings and crown molding. All of the molding is made from solid poplar. The geothermal heating system has been running for weeks to keep the millwork at a constant temperature and humidity to prevent cracking and warping.

Where ceilings and walls meet at odd angles, soffits have been added to the trim work to create a seamless edge.

Where you notice imperfections in the featured photos, it’s simply because you’re viewing a work in progress and the final finish has not been applied. Feel free to e-mail me with your questions and comments. I can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website www.natellihomes.com.

Custom

Seven

The

Soffits

There is nothing prefabricated about the carpentry in this home, right down to the lowliest of all considerations, the shelving in the closet and storage spaces.  Each closet has shelving specifically designed to maximize storage within the space and to facilitate the ease of placement and recovery.  There is a custom made cedar closet where the finest clothes will be stored, and numerous closets that use MDF, as the shelving material.  But every closet’s shelving has rounded outer edges.  The shelves are then primed, sanded and painted with the final finish. 

The kitchen pantry offers a great example of custom made shelving.

Custom

The cedar closet is a work of art, if you have a hankering for cedar closets.

Custom

Other closets throughout the house are designed to maximize form and function.

Custom

Feel free to e-mail me with your questions and comments.  I can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website www.natellihomes.com.

The architectural design of this home employs many Old World creative elements.  From the older stucco finish of exterior walls, to distressed bathroom vanities, to fireplace hearths and wrought-iron railings, the finished produce will transport you in time.  The great room floor and kitchen ceiling exemplify these design details in the use of wooden beams.

The ceiling contains hand-made wooden faux beams, distressed and stained to look decades old.  The parallel alignment of beams across the ceiling contrast large wooden squares on the great room floor, arranged in a diamond pattern, that will be filled with stone tile.  When the crossbeams are added above, the look is one of a somewhat coffered ceiling juxtaposing a coffered floor.  The overall effect will be striking.  BOB, DON’T KNOW IF I’M USING THE RIGHT TERMS THERE.

Handmade

Boxed

The same style hand-made wooden faux beams are used in the master bedroom.  Here they complement a fireplace of lovely vintage design, distressed vanities and other elements.

Distressed

The home uses stone, rich woods and stucco in both the exterior and interior designs.  The wooden faux beams find application on all three levels and appear one last time in the wine cellar.  Here they complete an aesthetic of stone, stucco and vintage wrought-iron and solid wood doors.   

Feel free to e-mail me with your questions and comments.  I can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website www.natellihomes.com.