--- title: "Artwork — General Contractors | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/artwork-pfvwus-pf~1384592066 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1384592066.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: Artwork category: ["General Contractors"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/cb2385cf015b6ab6_8196-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "111 Quincy Place, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, United States" latitude: 38.9024 longitude: -76.9901 phone: "(202) 321-7540" website: http:// rating: 4.8 review_count: 14 best_of_houzz_awards: 1 followers: 118 last_updated: 2026-09-05 --- # Artwork Original Houzz profile: [Artwork](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/artwork-pfvwus-pf~1384592066) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** General Contractors - **Location:** Washington, DC - **Houzz rating:** 4.8 out of 5 (14 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2014), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves Unlike most contractors I was trained to be an Artist. I have an MFA degree in painting which I earned too many years ago to mention. I realized that I loved contracting when my wife and I bought and renovated a surplus 1897 DC Elementary School from the city in 1981. We kept a lot of the building for ourselves so that we could both have studios in the old classrooms and a generous living environment. I discovered that what had attracted me to art was making things. Now my company and I make things every day. I have never treated my work as a job. This is what I do. ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Artwork | | Address | 111 Quincy Place, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, United States | | Phone | (202) 321-7540 | | Website | http:// | | License Number | 7048 | | Followers on Houzz | 118 | ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Artwork](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/artwork-pfvwus-pf~1384592066) - **Website:** http:// - **Phone:** (202) 321-7540 ## Credentials - **Best of Houzz:** 1 award (2014), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.8 out of 5 — 14 reviews** ### Reviews **★★★★★ — bravenewwood, Aug. 2014** > This firm, under the expertise of Charlie Sleichter, knows it's abilities, and performs then perfectly. They consider all posibilities; they listen to the client input; they come in on time and on budget. **★★★★★ — Donald Lococo Architects, Dec. 2013** > Our firm specializes in design for single family homes and additions. We worked with Charlie on a modern addition and renovation to a home in Bethesda, MD. The project entailed a 1000sf addition, new kitchen, renovated bathrooms, new bedrooms, new screen porch and second floor balcony. With his broad skill set and efficient project management, he was able to complete the innovative and unusual details the modern project demanded in stride and on time. He was also valuable as a construction detail consultant and was not hesitant to suggest methods or materials, but at the same time was receptive to new methods and he always adhered to the drawings and the wishes of both client and architect. All in all he was great to work with and as an architect I would highly recommend him. **★★★★★ — jkayden, Oct. 2013** > Artworks was referred to me by a leading architect in Washington DC. I > am absolutely thrilled with the quality of their work as well as > competence of their entire team which was ledCharlie Sleichter. My > project was a large bookcase with veneer as well as steel finish on > the shelves. I am fortunate to use a fabulous interior designer based > in Seattle whom I have known for 25 years. He is now a well known > designer and on Architectural Digest's top 100 designers list. He is > very exacting and his designs require perfect execution. My designer > commented that Charlie's questions regarding executing this project > revealed that he was very skilled and paid strict attention to detail. > He is a hard marker and was very impressed. In fact, he said that he > wished he was in Seattle so that he could use him on other projects. > The finished product is gorgeous. Charlie and his team were a pleasure > to work with. They were meticulous and finished the project > expeditiously and on budget. **★★★★★ — theoadamstein, Aug. 2013** > Artwork provided complete construction services for a large Washington DC residential renovation. > Their attention to detail and professionalism was excellent and the quality of the work first rate. > On a personal level, the owner, Charlie Sleichter was easy to work with, met deadlines and worked creatively within our budget. > I highly recommend Artwork for residential construction and they are perfectly suited for projects large and small. **★★★★★ — Tom Ashcraft, July 2013** > Over the years I have had the pleasure of working with Charlie on several projects as well as being on the receiving end as a client. In Artwork projects, large or small, there exists a commitment to quality, detail, and open communication combined with inventive design build solutions and professionalism. In short, Charlie and his crew at Artwork are an excellent example of artisan/builders believing in what they make and whom they are making it for. **★★★★★ — rcrossart, July 2013** > Artwork is an excellent company. Not only do they have deep knowledge in all the building trades but they are a pleasure to have in one's home. They are respectful of one's belongings, timetable and security - all the things that trip up other other people. Charlie, an artist himself, maintains the highest aesthetic standards in the finished work and the whole team are great problem solvers. We have used them for small and large renovations - adding a 3 story small addition to our town house, redoing a bathroom and building custom buiit in book shelves. The date I refer to was our biggest project with them but recently we hired them for more cabinetry. **★★★★★ — chairmanwa, July 2013** > Artworks built a two-story, 1000 sq. ft. addition on the back of our house, which was originally constructed in 1928. The addition was designed by an architect, but Artworks was entirely responsible for the construction. The reason that we chose Artworks was my familiarity with company owner Charlie Sleichter's previous work and his outstanding design sense and attention to detail. We wanted the addition, including all trim and details, to match the original construction as faithfully as possible. Artworks did not disappoint in any respect. Of special note was the excellent advice that Charlie offered as inevitable "surprises" associated with our old house came up. He also has excellent cabinet-making experience and was able to custom design elements and build specialty elements for us. All in all, we were (and remain) highly pleased with the work done by Artwork. **★★★★★ — orisoltes, July 2013** > Artwork did an expansion of our home in Bethesda, MD. Their work was meticulous and consistently went beyond what they were obligated to do so that the result was more than satisfying. We were thrilled with Charlie's work and that of his crew. Since Artwork does not engage in multiple large projects at once, they are able to devote careful attention both to quality and to getting things done in a timely fashion--and at a most reasonable cost. Quality, timeliness, reasonable rpice-- all of them co-exist in Artwork's world! **★★★★★ — Leslie Shampaine, July 2013** > I can't say enough about the positive experience we had with Charlie and his team at Artwork. They did a three-story house expansion, that took 6 months. He was a partner with our architect and came up with many creative concepts and design solutions himself. > And Charlie was a partner with us, his customer, by always going out of his way to be proactive with suggestions and helping solve problems or offering us alternatives that fit with our desires. Another plus: they stayed on budget; and finished the job within the timeframe they had predicted. > Charlie is not just a good builder, he is very creative and has a wonderful design sense. His cabinet work is good and when I couldn't find the right size bathroom vanity he built the vanity himself to fit the space. > He also came up with an original design for our entry, for built in cabinets. We pondered the design for a long time and then he came up with a creative concept that he built and which is not only functional but artistic in its style. > We would highly recommend Artwork for any job. The Soltes Family! **★★★★★ — ngcbarrett, July 2013** > Charlie was the general contractor on a full house renovation we did and he was excellent. He was creative, well organized, and an extremely good value engineer who made sure we got the best value for our money. We love our new home and that is in large part due to Charlie's good work. We have recommended him to many people in our circle of friends and they found him to be equally impressive. **★★★★ — robertbellarchitects, July 2013** > Charlie Sleichter has been the contractor on several job for my clients over the years. He is always a thoughtful and amiable contractor- who pays attention to details and contributes to the building process. My clients show a particular fondness for him as a person and always enjoy working with him. As an Architect, I would recommend him as a general contractor and as a craftsman. > > Robert Bell A.I.A > www.robertbellarchects.com **★★★★ — Ellen Hatton, July 2013** > Charlie Sleichter (Artwork) was the general contractor for my client's home renovation. The clients had excellent taste and a tight budget, and Charlie's workmanship, design input, and efficiency helped bring the project to a very happy conclusion. The finished product was lovely. The level of craft was high and Charlie's relaxed personality makes him very easy to work with. ## Selected projects - [Bethesda Screen Porch](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bethesda-screen-porch-pj-vj~273456) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 10 - [King Place, NW](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/king-place-nw-pj-vj~207965) - Location: Washington, DC - Photos: 11 - Description: The owners/ architects bought this 1924 Sears Bungalow because they liked the location and the challenge of incorporating the old with the new. We more than doubled the size of the house without changing very much the houses presence on the street, - [Rosemary Street, Chevy Chase](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/rosemary-street-chevy-chase-pj-vj~207958) - Location: Chevy Chase, MD - Photos: 12 - [Chesapeake Street, NW Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chesapeake-street-nw-residence-pj-vj~269266) - Location: Washington, DC - Photos: 21 - Description: This is a two story addition to a traditional brick single family home on a quiet residential street. The project included renovating the Basement and the First Floor as well as some minor work to facilitate storage in the attic. - [The Jersey Devils "Hoagie House"](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/the-jersey-devils-hoagie-house-pj-vj~207970) - Location: McLean, VA - Photos: 23 - Description: One of the only times in my career that I worked as a subcontractor. This incredible house was built by the "Jersey Devils" in the early eighties. It burned to the ground in the 2000's and was rebuilt with modern upgrades. Artwork hung all the windows and doors and did all the milling and installation of Mahogany trim inside and out. We also installed all the interior and exterior tongue and groove ceilings. The interior alone hade over 21,000 linear feet of "Larch" 1 X 6. With the exception of… - [Metropolitan Home 1990](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/metropolitan-home-1990-pj-vj~269305) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 7 - [University Park Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/university-park-residence-pj-vj~269994) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 2 - [Cleveland Park Addition and Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/cleveland-park-addition-and-renovation-pj-vj~310357) - Location: Washington, DC - Photos: 21 - Description: This project involved building a large three story addition as well as renovating a lot of the existing house in order to change the way you move through the spaces. The owners home office is under the side porch which required building a roof into the ceiling/ floor system of the porch and detailing the trim to not show where the water was being directed. There was a pool in the back yard which was very much in the way of building such a large addition. We put steel beams over the pool and buil… [See all 8 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/artwork-pfvwus-pf~1384592066) ## Ideabooks - [Fireplace Design](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/74703125/list/fireplace-design) — 19 ideas - [Beckerman Basement](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23387048/list/beckerman-basement) — 6 ideas - [Beckerman Bath](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20399931/list/beckerman-bath) — 15 ideas [See all 3 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/charlie-sleichter) ## Community Q&A **Q: Stain or paint** *(in Design Dilemma)* I'd like advice if I should paint my front door or stain. What do you think will look better? I am also wondering if I should keep the storm door or paint it black. I would like it removed but the front door is solid wood so it is not insulated enough. A: As long as that particular storm door is there it doesn't matter what you do to the door. No one can see it. Personally I have trouble seeing past those bare 4 X 4 posts holding up your porch. I am hoping your contractor got snowed out before he could, and he is coming back in March to take those things off the wall and finish detailing the posts. It is not fair to talk about landscaping when your house is under snow, but I think you need something under the shorter windows for balance. **Q: It's just not working...** *(in Design Dilemma)* We recently built a new home (our first) and I was aiming for a sort of craftsman style home. We've now lived here for almost a year and I still feel like something isn't clicking in the kitchen. I can't decide if it's the color (I think it's Martha Stewart Bamboo) or the color of the wood floors and island. I'd like to put in a backsplash and was thinking white subway tiles. I'm a little lost - I wonder if anyone has any suggestions on how we could make this "work" a little better?? A: Your photo is deceiving because there are no stools at the island which makes the space in front of the island look empty. If you have some post a photo with them in place. If you don't have any, get some. Where else will your friends sit while "helping" you cook. I love the photo above from SoYoung Mack Design. I like everything except possibly the microwave cabinet that you have to bend over to use. The client must have insisted on putting one somewhere in which case your hands were tied. **Q: Where can I find this door?** *(in Design Dilemma)* I have seen this picture pop up on Pinterest but each post is either directing to a personal blog talking about a friend sent her that photo or another one is a place to buy the number decals. My wife loves the door and we would love to have it on our house. A: A carpenter with a little patience can remove the panels from any panel door. We usually use a multitool to cut out the sticking from one side and then use a small trim piece to replace it. I have used this method to put architectural glass in a five panel dark basement stair door. Recently we did it to replace the bottom two panels with wire screens in another five panel door to get more make up air for a steam boiler. **Q: What type of bookshelves beside fireplace?** *(in Design Dilemma)* I'm slowly bringing my 1970s house up to this decade. The room is already narrow at 11 feet wide by 17 feet long, and the ceilings are low (7'11"). Just to check on the 'look', I've placed some cheap bookcases in each spot beside the fireplace (which is 36" wide). I like the white, but with the low ceilings, should the bookcases be only as tall as the height of the fireplace. Is there a rule of thumb regarding the height of the shelves wrt the fireplace with low ceilings? A: I like Groveraxels ideas. I think natural wood would go best with the basic brick fireplace. As a builder I have always specialized in built ins because I enjoy making them. Don't let anyone build anything for you there without seeing some "shop drawings" or renderings that show all the trim details. The scribe on the wall and the trim facing the fireplace should be equal have some thickness. Minimum 1 1/2" maybe more in order to stand up to the brick without looking spindly. I have replaced a lot of bookcases that were built by somebodies friend, brother, boy friend or the housekeeper's husband. They did the best they could, but in the end it wasn't good enough. **Q: Family heirloom drop leaf just doesn't go, does it?** *(in Design Dilemma)* We moved to this craftsman from a larger home and have tried to make this drop leaf table work. We already have a dining room table and nowhere else for this table. We just feel like it throws off the living room. Plus it's a dining table! I thought of setting it up as bar but just not sure. A: I agree with those that would remove any large wood furniture from the room. It is a really special little room. I hate seeing a chair stuffed in the corner next to the fireplace. How many times have you had a bunch of friends or family over, lit a fire and someone had to drag the chair out to sit facing the fireplace. Actually, you would have to move the table to do that. **Q: Suggestion whether to remove dated stone/plaster around front entry** *(in Design Dilemma)* We would like to remove the old plaster/stone surrounding the front doors. Would you replace with the same siding as the upper stack of the house or use something different? A: I stand by my earlier comments, as I am sure DMH does. The metal "columns" are not particularly interesting in design or scale, and the stone entry being on plane with the brick walls makes the entry wall appear thin and lacking any elements to make it special. I'm not sure why you would need to add a step to the paving. Here in the Mid Atlantic area where snow can be an issue we always have entry doors a minimum of 5" above grade. (Which is what yours appears to be.) You mention not liking the white sill under the door. Keep in mind that anything you build or attach over the existing stone could compromise that sill depending on how much it protrudes out from the wall. If it is stone or concrete you could easily stain it. As far as the whole "Mid Century" conversation.....I could care less. I enjoy mixing antique and modern elements in many ways. What is more relevant is creating a design that will work to enhance the overall appearance of a poorly detailed facade and make you feel good every time you pull into your driveway. I liked your response to the DMH sketch....You said: "Wow, what a difference it makes." --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-05.*