Adam and Maria Betalvi, owners of Solid Home Improvement, reimagined their early-1900s Hyattsville home with a discreet one-story addition anchored by a Georgian-style kitchen. The expansion, which measures 31 feet by 17 feet, also included a mudroom, laundry room, bathroom and a fully finished basement.
A central goal of the project was to ensure the addition felt seamless from the street—harmonious with the existing home and its surrounding neighborhood. With more than 16 years of building experience, Adam achieved this by incorporating a parapet with a decorative hip roof, allowing the new structure to blend quietly into the home’s original massing.
Though the renovation doubled the home’s square footage, the addition remains intentionally understated. It is thoughtfully crowned with a roof deck that provides valuable outdoor living space without disrupting the home’s proportions or altering its visual presence.
The addition was part of a broader, years-long rehabilitation that began when the couple purchased the house in 2020. The home required significant structural updates, presenting both challenges and opportunity. The renovation began with the installation of a critical structural beam in the living room, later complemented by faux beams to create a cohesive coffered ceiling. Another defining moment was uncovering a fireplace concealed behind ductwork, which the couple restored with a concrete mantel and heritage-inspired penny tile hearth. Original maple hardwood floors were preserved, and new trim was milled to match the home’s rosette detailing—reinforcing continuity rather than contrast.
The project also marked the beginning of the Betalvis’ professional partnership. As Adam’s construction business grew, Maria’s ESL language school closed during the pandemic, prompting a creative pivot. Working alongside Adam, she used the renovation as a hands-on design education, building her first portfolio through the house. What began as a renovation became a shared proving ground—shaping both their home and their work as business partners.