This new Arlington, Virginia home channels big city loft vibes in a suburban setting. Designed by ODE Design for former city dwellers who made the move to a bigger suburban footprint, the home was built wider instead of higher, giving the clients 12-foot ceilings, big open rooms, and sightlines that allowed the clients to keep watch over their kids from anywhere in the house.

That wider footprint didn’t come easy. The homeowners spent years hunting for a lot that could support this kind of layout in a neighborhood with tight zoning rules. Once they did, the design leaned all the way into that horizontal space. Each room keeps its own identity, but the openings let light and space carry across the whole floor. The layout isn’t locked in place: instead, rooms can shift between dining, living, or gathering configurations as the family’s needs change.

A sunlit loft play area and two bedrooms make up the upstairs children’s wing. Meanwhile, the primary suite is set apart as a calm space, with a vaulted ceiling and a bathroom built around a black sculptural tub under a skylight.

That same flexibility is found in the exterior areas, featuring a screened porch with a 13-foot ceiling that makes it feel like another room rather than a secondary outdoor area. Other spaces include a four-car garage, a gym, and an extra bedroom. The result is a modern, practical home that was well worth the wait. Discover more by ODE Design.

Photography © Jennifer Hughes