A Renovation from the Heart

Story courtesy of Miftakhova Morrell Architects

Photography by Ansel Olson and Nicholas Wilson

Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this architectural project, known as the Via Florence Renovation, transformed a suburban home into a calm and functional dwelling. The team at Miftakhova Morrell Architects reimagined the interiors for a family who loves to gather in the kitchen, creating a central hub for quality time together through the updated spaces and bringing modern touches into the home’s existing footprint. Finishes, furnishings, tech, and accessories were updated to achieve a serene, functional result.

The Heart of the Home

Designed to support the owners’ love of cooking as a family, the kitchen integrates minimal detailing with purposeful functionality, allowing the kitchen to serve as both stage and retreat.

A continuous architectural gesture connects the kitchen and scullery, while the island serves as the psychological center of the home—a place for gathering, preparation, and daily connection. Warm, tactile materials unify the space, and standardized kitchen components with thoughtful detailing create a highly restrained design while minimizing cost and construction.

Ceramic tiling with vertical scalloping and tight seams creates a wall and backsplash that appear to be a single continuous surface, free of lighting and power that are recessed into the cabinets above. The existing gas fireplace unit was kept in place in the adjoining family room, while its surrounding trim and stone were redone to align with the updated interior. Fixture and furniture selection was thoughtfully integrated to complement and amplify the home’s tactile character.

Working within Existing Parameters

Working within the home’s modest footprint and budget, Miftakhova Morrell Architects demonstrates how precise detailing and material restraint can yield meaningful transformation, turning a common suburban house into a tranquil space for contemporary living.

In suburban contexts, homeowners often face limited choices. Subdivision housing typically follows standardized checklists that do not always respond to the needs of individual users. The Via Florence Renovation re-energizes the space while respecting the existing architecture and economic framework of a suburban Charlottesville home. Within this small-scale intervention, meticulous detailing and careful material selection were prioritized to elevate everyday life.

The Via Florence Renovation aimed to make a significant impact through subtle, strategic moves. Wherever possible, elements of the existing home were retained and carefully modified. Throughout the design process, the focus remained on thoughtful restraint; editing a larger vision to ensure the project felt appropriate within its neighborhood context.

The original red oak floors, common in many nearby homes, were preserved rather than replaced. After being sanded three times and sealed, they revealed a refreshing light tone that maintained a connection to the home’s history. The new kitchen layout was designed around existing utility locations for the sink, dishwasher, and range hood, minimizing unnecessary construction.

“Working within an existing structure can be complex, but when approached with care, it allows for meaningful transformation achieved in a sustainable way,” says founder and architect Lemara Miftakhova.

As a practicing architect and educator with a passion for process-driven design and a deep commitment to architectural pedagogy, Lemara and her husband and business partner, Andrew Morrell, are also passionate about teaching the next generation of architects at James Madison University. Their teaching is grounded in processes they have cultivated in practice, and bridges analog experimentation, digital design, and fabrication. Their pedagogy enables students to form an individual voice through iterative making, drawing, and modeling.

“I am committed to cultivating inclusive learning environments where curiosity, experimentation, and craft are central to shaping a more thoughtful built environment,” she shares. Andrew adds, “We are interested in creating highly contextual work that utilizes texture, detail, and technology to elevate the human experience.”

The Via Florence project transforms an existing home through thoughtful renovation and preservation, uniting budget-conscious design with custom detailing to create a refined, enduring home that will be loved for years to come.

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To see more projects, visit Miftakhova-Morrell.com.