A ‘warm, welcoming’ Colonial in Arlington, Va.
By Kathy Orton,
Tod Connell Linen & Lens
In 2007, when Sela Thompson Collins was six months pregnant, she and her husband, Art Collins, were looking for a home in Arlington, Va. They found this Colonial in the Lee Heights neighborhood.
“We saw lots of young families,” Sela said. “There were parks. The schools were great. It was convenient to Art’s office [in downtown D.C.]. And it just had a very warm, welcoming feel to it. We fell in love with it.”
Art added: The neighborhood “is a part of what we would all call suburbia, in the sense that there are significant foliage, trees and plantings. The wildlife is prolific in the area. You can feel nature to a significant extent while living in this home.”
The house was designed and built by Sunline Custom Homes in 2006. It is Sunline’s Brighton model.
“I remember when we first walked in,” Sela said. “While it looks like a traditional Colonial, it felt much more contemporary. . . . It felt very comfortable and very approachable but still has a presence to it.”
The main floor has defined spaces such as would be found in a traditional Colonial. The office is to the right of the entrance hall. The formal living room and dining room are adjacent to each other on the left.
The spacious kitchen has island seating and a breakfast area. A large opening overlooks the two-story great room. The soaring ceiling and windows give the room a light, airy feel.
“Everyone always is surprised when they walk in,” Sela said. “I think they expect it to be much more closed-off, and it’s not. The light is fantastic, even on cloudy days.”
Tod Connell
Linen & Lens
The kitchen was updated in 2019 with new cabinetry, quartzite countertops, porcelain tile on the floor, a double oven, a built-in microwave, a beverage center and a glass door in the pantry to admit more natural light.
The Collinses hired Cherrydale Kitchen and Bath to renovate the kitchen, and the project was finished in December 2019, before the pandemic hit. The complete makeover included new cabinetry, quartzite countertops, porcelain tile on the floor, a double oven, a built-in microwave, a beverage center and a glass door in the pantry to admit more natural light.
They recently updated the bathrooms, expanding the owner’s suite bathroom. That bathroom has Carrara marble tile on the floor and walls, separate vanities, a soaking tub, a shower, a private water closet and radiant-heated floors.
The house’s lower level is versatile. In addition to the large recreation room and wet bar, it has separate rooms suitable for a variety of functions. The fitness room could also be an additional office. Next to an existing bedroom and bathroom is a room that could become a living area for an in-law suite or a playroom.
Tod Connell
Linen & Lens
The backyard has a brick patio with a kitchen and grill.
The backyard has a brick patio with a kitchen and grill.
“I think it’s a great home for a family with young kids, from the perspective there are two schools, the elementary and middle school, within a couple blocks of the home,” Art said. “When Sela was pregnant, we, in fact, in part picked the home after deciding to move to Arlington for good schools. And then I think it’s also a good home for even a family without kids.”
The Collinses enjoy entertaining — whether it’s a birthday party, a holiday gathering, an informal dinner with family and friends, or a more lavish reception.
“We have done events to support things that we care about, causes and candidates and things of that nature,” he said. “It is widely used for those purposes, while being a great home for just our family.”
The five-bedroom, six-bathroom, 6,800-square-foot house is listed at just under $2.6 million.
Listing: 3911 Lorcom Lane, Arlington, Va. Listing agent: John Eric, Compass Previous House of the Week: Chevy Chase, Md., condo is a showcase for art More Real Estate: Do you have questions about home improvement or home ownership? Ask us. How the D.C.-area housing market fared in 2020 by Zip code The 10 most expensive homes sold in the D.C. area in 2020
