Closed-off kitchens are common in older Northern Virginia houses, where a dining room, a foyer and a kitchen each sit behind their own walls. Opening those walls can change how light, traffic and finishes work across an entire floor. A recent Fairfax County project in Burke shows what that looks like in practice, and the lessons apply to many homes in the area.
What changed in the Burke open-concept kitchen
The home in Burke, Virginia, started with load-bearing and partition walls separating the kitchen from the dining room and the foyer. The cabinets, granite countertops and backsplash looked dated, and the staircase had carpet and a heavy wood railing. Vale Construction's open-concept kitchen remodel in Burke removed the walls between the dining room and kitchen and between the foyer and kitchen, and demolished an existing closet to improve flow. The goal was a brighter, more open main level without changing the footprint of the house, and three cramped rooms became one continuous, light-filled space.
The kitchen itself
The new kitchen uses white shaker cabinets, a large center island with a quartz waterfall countertop, a modern apron-front sink and a contemporary tile backsplash. Finishes were coordinated across the kitchen, dining and living areas so the open floor reads as one room rather than three.
Flooring and stairs
Carpet was replaced with hardwood on the main level and on the stairs. The staircase was rebuilt with new modern railings and light wood treads that match the new flooring, which keeps the entry and the kitchen visually connected.
Where to start when you want an open main level
Start by finding out which walls are load-bearing and which are partitions, because that decides how each wall can be removed and what support is needed. Then decide where the island, sink and cabinet runs will sit before choosing finishes, so the new layout drives the materials and not the other way around. Matching flooring across former room boundaries is what makes the opened space feel intentional.
Vale Construction is a licensed general contractor and design-build remodeler. Vale Construction offers kitchen remodeling for homeowners. Vale Construction serves Alexandria, Virginia and the surrounding Northern Virginia area.
Driving directions to Vale Construction from Fairlington
If you are coming from Fairlington, this map shows the drive to Vale Construction in Alexandria.
Frequently asked questions
What does an open-concept kitchen remodel involve?
In the Burke project it meant removing the walls between the kitchen and both the dining room and foyer, demolishing a closet, installing new cabinetry and an island, and replacing flooring so the main level flows together.
Can an open layout be created without adding square footage?
Yes. The Burke remodel opened the main level without changing the home's footprint, by reworking walls and a closet inside the existing structure.
Which finishes helped the Burke kitchen feel open?
White shaker cabinets, a quartz waterfall island, a contemporary tile backsplash and hardwood flooring carried across the kitchen, dining and living areas.
Does the staircase have to be part of a kitchen remodel?
Not always, but in Burke the carpeted stairs and heavy railing were replaced with light wood treads and modern railings so they matched the new hardwood.
Vale Construction location
Vale Construction
6020 Alexander Ave, Alexandria, VA 22310
(571) 474-1920