When Robert E. Simon founded Reston in 1964, he envisioned a community where thoughtful design, natural beauty, and diverse housing would work together. Six decades later, that vision is still visible in Reston’s villages, lakes, trails, and neighborhoods. But many of the homes built during Reston’s first three decades of development were not designed for how families live today.
Home Remodeling in Reston, VA
Design/Build Remodeling for Homeowners in America’s Original Planned Community
Serving Reston ZIP codes: 20190, 20191, 20194
From the contemporary clusters around Lake Anne to the split-foyers and colonials of South Reston and Hunters Woods, and from the larger homes in North Reston to properties along the lakefronts, Reston homeowners are ready for kitchens that open to living areas, primary suites that feel like a retreat, additions that take advantage of wooded lots, and whole-home reconfigurations that bring a 1970s floor plan into the present.
For over 40 years, Commonwealth Home Design has helped homeowners across Northern Virginia reconfigure, modernize, and expand their homes through design/build remodeling. We bring the same craftsmanship and attention to detail to every Reston project, whether it’s a full renovation of a single-family home or a carefully planned addition on a cluster property.
Our Remodeling Services in Reston
Kitchen Remodel
Reston kitchens from the 1970s and 1980s are often small, closed off from adjacent living spaces, and finished with materials that no longer reflect the home’s potential. We open layouts, improve natural light, and redesign for how families use kitchens today.
Bathroom Remodel
From compact upstairs bathrooms in 1970s cluster homes to dated primary suites in 1990s colonials, we redesign Reston bathrooms for comfort, function, and a level of quality that matches the rest of your home.
Home Additions
Many of Reston’s single-family homes and detached cluster properties have room to expand. We design sunroom additions, primary suite wings, family room expansions, and screened porches that complement the home and the natural setting. Reston Association design review is part of our process.
Whole House Remodel
For Reston homeowners ready to transform their entire home, we handle full-scale reconfigurations: structural changes, layout redesigns, system upgrades, and finish work from top to bottom.
Basement Remodel
Many Reston homes have partially finished or walkout lower levels with untapped potential. We convert them into guest suites, media rooms, home offices, gyms, or flexible living space.
Outdoor Living
Reston’s wooded lots, trail access, and community setting make outdoor living spaces especially appealing. Screened porches, four-season rooms, decks, and patios that extend your living area into the landscape.
Mother-in-Law Suites
Multigenerational living is increasingly common across Northern Virginia. We design self-contained suites with private entrances, kitchenettes, and accessible features within Reston single-family homes.
New Home Design
For teardown-and-rebuild projects on Reston lots, we provide full design and construction for custom homes that fit the community’s architectural character and Reston Association guidelines.
Garage Remodel
Convert, expand, or improve your Reston garage, whether that means finishing the space above, adding storage, or building a new detached structure on the property.
Recent Projects Near Reston
Whole House Remodel and Modernization (Fairfax)
An award-winning whole-house remodel transformed a modest 1960s rambler with an open floor plan, expanded sightlines, a reconfigured kitchen, and a bright contemporary cottage-inspired aesthetic.
Contemporary Kitchen Remodel and Screen Porch Addition (Vienna)
A contemporary kitchen remodel and screened porch addition improved flow and indoor-outdoor living, with targeted updates to the family room, bathrooms, and basement bar.
New Sunroom (Vienna)
A new sunroom was designed to maximize natural light and expansive wooded views through a dramatic wall of windows.
Ready to Remodel Your Reston Home?
Whether you’re opening up a 1970s floor plan, adding a sunroom or family room to your property, or renovating a home in one of Reston’s established villages, our design/build team is ready to help. Let’s talk about what’s possible.
What Homeowners near Reston Say about Working with Us
The Home Styles and Remodeling Challenges We See Most in Reston
Reston’s housing story is unlike any other community in Northern Virginia. As America’s first post-war planned community, Reston was built in phases across its seven villages, each reflecting the architectural trends of its era. That means remodeling in Reston requires understanding not just the home, but the neighborhood it sits in and the design guidelines that apply.
The earliest homes, built in the mid-1960s through the 1970s around Lake Anne and in the southern villages, include contemporary and mid-century modern designs, split-foyers, split-levels, and modest colonials. The contemporary houses often feature sloped volume ceilings that give these homes their dramatic character but also create specific remodeling considerations: kitchen cabinet layouts, bathroom ventilation routing, lighting design, and tying additions into angled rooflines all require careful planning. Many of these are cluster homes, built close together with shared green space. They tend to have compact kitchens, closed-off living areas, small primary suites, and systems and finishes that are now 50+ years old. These homes were innovative when built, but the layouts don’t match how families live today.
The 1980s brought development to North Reston and additional sections of the southern villages. Larger colonials, center-hall designs, and traditional homes on bigger lots became more common. These homes are structurally solid but now carry 30- to 40-year-old kitchens, bathrooms, and finishes. Owners in this category often have significant budgets and clear expectations: open kitchens, luxurious primary baths, finished basements, and outdoor living spaces that take advantage of Reston’s wooded setting.
Some of the most recent single-family construction in Reston includes custom rebuilds on existing lots, where older homes have been torn down and replaced. These newer builds bring their own remodeling opportunities as original builder-grade finishes age out and homeowners want upgrades that reflect their personal style.
Across all eras, Reston homeowners share a connection to the community’s natural setting: the lakes, the 55 miles of pathways, and the mature tree canopy that defines the landscape. Additions and outdoor living projects here need to respect that setting while expanding usable living space. And because Reston’s lots tend to be more compact than in communities like Oakton or Great Falls, creative space planning is essential to getting the most from a renovation or addition.
Bathroom Before:
Living Room Before:
Why Reston Families Trust Our Design/Build Approach
Unlike general contractors who subcontract design or offer surface-level upgrades, Commonwealth integrates design and construction under one roof. You get structural solutions a contractor can’t provide, more accurate budgeting from the start, creative space planning tailored to Reston’s home styles and lot constraints, and a cohesive team of designers, carpenters, and project managers who work together with daily jobsite presence and consistent communication.
We understand the specific considerations that come with remodeling in a planned community: Reston Association design review, cluster property guidelines, and the need to work sensitively within neighborhoods where homes are close together and natural areas are valued.
Reston Permitting and Design Review: We Handle It All
Like Oakton, Reston is unincorporated Fairfax County, so all building permits for structural work, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, additions, and site work run through Fairfax County’s Land Development Services and Building Division.
But Reston adds a layer that most Fairfax County communities don’t have: the Reston Association’s Design Review Board (DRB). Any exterior modifications visible from common areas, including additions, decks, porches, fences, exterior paint colors, and even some landscaping changes, require DRB approval before work begins. The DRB evaluates projects for compatibility with the neighborhood’s architectural character and Reston’s covenants.
For homes in cluster communities, individual cluster covenants may add additional requirements beyond the Reston Association’s standards. Understanding these layered guidelines is essential to planning a project that gets approved and built on schedule.
We coordinate all Fairfax County permits, Reston Association design review submissions, and any cluster-level approvals so you don’t have to manage the process yourself.
Serving Reston from Our Vienna Office
Commonwealth Home Design’s office in Vienna is a short drive from Reston’s villages along the Dulles Toll Road and Route 267. Our project managers are on-site throughout every active Reston project, and our team has been building across Fairfax County for nearly four decades.
Reston homeowners receive the same hands-on, design/build experience we deliver across all of our service areas, with the added understanding of Reston Association guidelines and cluster community requirements that a Reston project demands.
Commonwealth Home Design
208 Dominion Rd NE
Vienna, VA 22180
703-255-9861
Frequently Asked Questions: Reston, VA Remodeling
Do I need Reston Association approval to remodel my home?
If your project involves exterior changes visible from common areas, yes. The Reston Association’s Design Review Board reviews additions, decks, porches, fences, exterior colors, and other modifications for compatibility with community standards. We handle the submission and approval process as part of every project.
What if my home is in a cluster community?
Many Reston homes are in cluster communities with their own covenants that may add requirements beyond Reston Association standards. We identify applicable cluster guidelines early in the process and factor them into the project plan.
How long does a major renovation take in Reston?
Most large Reston renovations take 4 to 8 months of construction depending on scope, structural work, and whether you’re adding square footage. Design review approvals can add time to the front end, which is why we start that process early.
Can you add on to a Reston cluster home?
In many cases, yes. Cluster homes often have more design constraints than detached single-family properties, but additions like sunrooms, screened porches, and bump-outs are frequently possible. We evaluate feasibility, setbacks, and design review requirements before design begins.
Can you remove load-bearing walls in my Reston home?
Yes. It’s one of our most requested services, especially in 1970s and 1980s homes where kitchens, dining rooms, and living areas are separated by structural walls. Our engineering team handles design and structural plans.
Do you remodel newer Reston homes, or only older ones?
We remodel homes of every era. A growing portion of our work involves homes built in the 1990s and 2000s where owners want to upgrade kitchens, bathrooms, and living spaces beyond the original builder-grade finishes.
How close is your office to Reston?
Our Vienna office is a short drive from Reston via the Dulles Toll Road. Our project managers are on-site throughout every active project.
Also Serving Communities Near Reston
In addition to Vienna, Commonwealth Home Design serves homeowners throughout Northern Virginia. Each community has its own character and housing stock, and our team brings the same architect-led approach to every project. Explore our service areas:
Let’s Talk About Your Reston Project
From first conversation to final walkthrough, our design/build team is with you every step of the way.
