Home & Design

William Christenberry


Artist William Christenberry 

Artist William Christenberry is a storyteller whose tales are legendary among those who have followed his career. His portrayals of the American South, too, tell stories: a photograph of a building covered in kudzu, a bold abstract painting or a constructed sculpture of a church emerging from sifted, red Alabama soil. Separating this man from his art is unthinkable.

2006 was a watershed year for Christenberry: His work is prominently featured in an opening exhibition for the newly renovated Smithsonian American Art Museum, where he also curated a highly acclaimed exhibit of folk art. He also launched his new book, William Christenberry. Hemphill Fine Arts in Washington presented his early photographs. His photography is on exhibit in the Phillips Collection and the Berman Collection at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. And both his photographs and sculpture were featured in an exhibit last fall at New York’s Pace/MacGill Gallery.

Christenberry was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1936, in an era of storytellers, both visual and literary: photographers Walker Evans and Dorothea Lang, writers James Agee, Eudora Welty and William Faulkner, just a few of those who drew from the rich cultural heritage of the South, its distinguished and depraved, its dignity and despair.

Christenberry first conceptualized a link between story and art when he was an art student at the University of Alabama and audited a class on the modern short story. Here “a wonderful, dynamic professor brought the subject to life,” he recalls. It was Agee’s “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” that would have a major influence in his life.

“What Agee was doing with the written word was what I wanted to try to achieve in painting and sculpture—so that was pivotal for me,” he explains.

In New York, where he lived for a year after college, he met photographer Walker Evans. “Walker was a big champion early on, the first champion or supporter, or believer in the little Brownie [camera] snapshots—this was 1962 when he saw them. He encouraged me to take those seriously. He said, ‘Young man, there is something about the way you use this little camera—it has become a perfect extension of your eye. I suggest you take these seriously.’ At that time I was about as interested in photography as I was physics: zero,” Christenberry recalls.

It is that “eye” that Walker Evans discovered that defines Christenberry’s work, an eye that sees what others pass by and edits with sensitivity. His large-format photography forms the basis of much of his work today. Photographs of churches, country stores, houses and grave sites are taken over time, many repeatedly, showing a country store eventually engulfed in kudzu as nature takes over and tracing the cycle of life told in the photograph of a building.

These buildings take on the third dimension in the artist’s constructions, not models or perfect photographic replications, but interpretations of the psyche embodied in the structure. Photographs, paintings and constructions, often of the same subject, convey his persistence of milking the culture for the very essence of place.

The construction of Christenberry’s Dream Building Ensemble embodies a half-century of work. In the buildings’ forms and images are the underpinnings of his photographs of country churches with their steeples, or the pointed hoods of the Klansmen—commenting on the duality of Southern life and culture. To grasp this significance in the Dream Building Ensemble is to know the story behind it.

Raised in the atmosphere of racism, he sought to clarify and understand the roots of injustice he saw around him, most particularly, the activities of the Klu Klux Klan. Running up the stairs of a courthouse one day, he was confronted by a real-life hooded figure, a member of the Klan. It had such impact, he turned and ran downstairs. This became the prime-mover for the development of his Klan Ensemble, a collection of costumed figures. Many disappeared when his former studio was robbed. Months later, Christenberry began having dreams of buildings—the inspiration of his Dream Building Ensemble.

Christenberry’s studio, a contemporary addition built in 1984, is adjacent to his home on a tree-lined street in Cleveland Park, where he lives with his wife, Sandra, whom he describes as “the nuts and bolts and bedrock of this place.” The high-ceilinged, light-filled room reveals the source and breadth of his work. In one corner are pieces of his Dream Building Ensemble, across the room, gourds rest on the top of a cabinet, the shelves underneath lined with jars of paint. A poster shows an ear of corn topped by wings, and then another gigantic ear hung vertically—reminders of the culture of the countryside, pre-1960, most particularly Alabama.

Christenberry still drives the roads of Hale County, Alabama, the seeds of his art blossoming into a rich visual experience, one of understanding our roots and the story of darkness and light that persists in all of us.

Contributing editor Barbara Karth is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

RESOURCES

An exhibition of William Christenberry’s work is on view at the Smithsonian American Art Museum until July 8, 2007. He also curated the museum’s permanent installation, “Folk Art.” His works in “Where we Live: Photographs of America from the Berman Collection,” are on view at the Getty Center in Los Angeles through February 27, 2007. The book William Christenberry, published in 2006, is available from Aperture. Visit the Web site www.aperture.org.


Church, Sprott, Alabama," 1971

Wood, plexiglas and paper construction of the church above

"Corn Sign with Storm Cloud, near Greensboro, Alabama," 1977

"Dream Building Ensemble"

"Alabama Wall 1," 1985

A Suburban Resort

These days, ordinary swimming pools are simply off the radarscope. Nobody who’s spending the money for a pool wants the standard rectangle or the boring old kidney shape anymore.So when landscape architect Steve Wlodarczyk of Botanical Decorators got a call from clients in Laytonsville, Maryland, he wasn’t surprised to learn that they wanted “a back yard resort…a beautiful outdoor space that was unique and different.”Wlodarczyk decided to base the design on views from the house. He positioned the deck, the patio, the pool house and the swimming pool at pronounced angles in relationship to the house so that wherever you stand within the landscape, your view has a great deal of depth and perspective. “We wanted to avoid a pool-house structure that monopolized the space,” said Wlodarczyk, “and we wanted a story line or path that indirectly brings you around to the pool.

That story line begins with a walk under wisteria vine gracefully trailing off a custom-milled cedar pergola supported by eight-inch fiberglass columns. The pergola links the deck, patio, pool house and swimming pool together to create a cohesive resort-like outdoor space. Wlodarczyk matched the pool house design to the simple farmhouse style of the main residence. The entire area is wrapped in exuberant plantings of ornamental grasses, Russian sage, tickseed, clematis and hanging baskets full of annuals that deliver big bursts of color throughout the summer.

One unique feature is a pool deck made of a material called Sundeck, which is much cooler to the touch than flagstone and kind to bare feet in the height of summer.

In the front of the house, Wlodarczyk added a country-style open front porch and put in a bluestone and exposed aggregate walkway. Ornamental grasses, heavenly bamboo and spirea complete the picture, with Mohawk viburnums added for intense fragrance in spring.

 


Botanical Decorators, Inc., Olney, Maryland; Grand Awards, Outdoor Living Area and Front Residential Planting & Entranceway.

Dream Kitchens Americans spent about $13.5 billion on kitchen renovations in 2006.The good news is that, according to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, homeowners recoup at least 84 percent of the cost of a kitchen renovation in resale value. This makes embarking on a kitchen project a win-win situation: You get to enjoy your spruced-up cooking and dining space and it makes sound financial sense.

The kitchens we spotlight on the following pages are all upgrades of spaces that had lost their luster. Their appliances were outdated, their finishes mundane. More importantly, they were not conducive to the traffic patterns of 21st-century kitchens, which have become centers for entertaining, relaxing and multi-media multi-tasking.

The designers and architects whose projects we feature in this issue have done their homework, devising floor plans that meet their clients’ needs and wisely selecting appliances, fixtures and finishes from the dizzying array of materials on the market today. As you’ll see, these kitchens almost look too good to eat in.


Features in this kitchen by J. Paul Lobkovich include an
easy-to-use microwave drawer under the counter.

European Country Kitchen
Kitchen Design: J. Paul Lobkovich, Lobkovich, Inc., Tysons Corner, Virginia
Interior Design: Beth Kittrell, Kittrell Interiors, Fulton, Maryland
Photography: Lydia Cutter, Arlington, Virginia

J. Paul Lobkovich worked closely with interior designer Beth Kittrell to ensure that this kitchen renovation would complement the interiors of their client’s grand, rustic home in Great Falls, Virginia. The original kitchen was too long and narrow, so he took space from an adjacent closet to widen it. Because he felt that a single large island would have been too long for the available space, he proposed the creation of two square islands instead. Not only did two islands better fit into the kitchen, but they would also provide extra functionality, since each one could be used on all four sides. One of the islands features a table-level microwave drawer by Sharp that allows users to check on warming food without having to reach overhead. Appliances include two dishwashers positioned on either side of a farmhouse sink, a built-in Miele coffee system and a Wolf range.

Design inspiration came from the hand-painted fireplace mantel Kittrell created in the adjacent breakfast room. Lobkovich designed the kitchen hood in wood and stucco, and Kittrell had it painted with the same motif. Iron chandeliers by Currey & Co., antique beams in the ceiling and hand-planed plank floors create a rustic, Old World feel.


A custom-designed ventilation hood tops the stove.

Ahead of the Curve
Kitchen Design: Jennifer Gilmer, CKD,
Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland
Interior Design: Maureen Daly, Bethesda, Maryland
Photography: Bob Narod, Sterling, Virginia

The toughest challenge facing the design team in this kitchen renovation was undoing an unfortunate 1980s addition. The addition, which had a different ceiling height than the main space, formed an L shape with the original kitchen. “Trying to integrate these two spaces was a key to getting the kitchen right,” says Gilmer. “This L-shaped space was very broken up and disjointed from floor to ceiling. It took many, many meetings working on preliminary ideas to get the design to where it ended up.”

Jennifer Gilmer and interior designer Maureen Daly collaborated on integrating these two rooms into a more open and unified kitchen. Because space was limited, they came up with the idea of creating a cozy banquette instead of using stand-alone furnishings that would require more room.

To preserve adequate counter space near the banquette, Gilmer decided to trade in straight lines for curves. “Getting the booth to work with the counter was a struggle. When I drew an ‘S’ shape, everyone seemed to let out a sigh of relief followed by an ‘ooh’ and an ‘aah,’” she recalls. The unit houses a curved prep sink byFranke and storage below the Jerusalem stone countertops. In the cabinets with curved glass doors overhead, the homeowners display their collection of decorative glass. In a mix of traditional and contemporary styles, the designers juxtaposed darker matte-brown stained maple cabinetry around the perimeter of the kitchen with quarter-sawn glossy sycamore, a more contemporary look, in the curved area.

The refrigerator was placed in a centrally located spot on the opposite wall. “We ended up putting it pretty much in the middle of the kitchen between the prep and clean-up sink,” says Gilmer. “Here, it’s very accessible.”


Jennifer Gilmer traded straight lines for curves in this
ktichen renovation.

The hood and cooktop called for something dramatic. Daly proposed a single slab of marble with blue colorations providing a textural contrast to the sleek cabinets and stainless-steel hood. “The piece of marble was just the thing to set this off, a one-of-a-kind piece that gives it the ‘wow’ effect,” says Gilmer.

Sleek Italian Style
Architecture: Patrick Camus, Robert Bentley Adams & Associates, Alexandria, Virginia
Cabinetry & Appliances: Studio Snaidero, Washington, DC
Photography: Peter VanderPoel, Arlington, Virginia

There’s no rule that a kitchen must be traditional just because it’s located in a very traditional house. That was the sentiment shared by architect Patrick Camus and his client when they set out to upgrade the kitchen of this 1830s Federal-style residence in Georgetown. “It was a drive to reflect the technology of today rather than the philosophy of the entire house,” says Camus.

The layout of the historic home posed a number of design challenges. The kitchen was built on the basement level of the house, partially below ground, which was the norm more than a century ago. As a result, the space receives limited natural light, and has a ceiling height of only seven feet. Camus’s plan was to make the most of these shortcomings while creating a cutting-edge, modern kitchen for his client.


Glass panels in the ceiling and high-gloss cabinets fill this
kitchen by Paul Camus and Studio Snaidero with light.

Though the homeowner requested a black-and-white scheme, Camus sought innovative materials and finishes that would bring color and light into the room. They selected high-gloss white lacquered cabinetry designed by Ferrari stylist Paolo Pininfarina for Studio Snaidero featuring curved fronts painted in a contrasting steel finish. “They’re painted with the same finish they use on Ferraris,” says Camus.

Glass panels in the ceiling and high-gloss cabinets fill this kitchen by Paul Camus and Studio Snaidero with light. Photo by Peter Vander-Poel

The homeowner was skeptical about including a large island in the plan, concerned it would feel too heavy in the space. So Camus designed an alternative composed of a glass bar-height tabletop, a black granite countertop and a stainless-steel base. Doubling as a breakfast bar and a prep space, his creation is sculptural and light.

An innovative lighting plan—combining recessed incandescent lighting, under-the-counter lighting and fiber-optic lights that change color according to the owner’s mood—was essential in the basement space. Camus also hung curvy glass elements from the ceiling to create the illusion that the ceiling is higher than it is. “The eye focuses on the composition—not the low ceiling,” he says.

He worked closely with designers at Studio Snaidero to select materials, such as the black Bisazza glass tile backsplash, the polished slate floors and the glossy cabinetry, that would reflect the colorful lights. “Black-and-white kitchens really can be quite dull. But this doesn’t look like a black-and-white kitchen,” says Camus. “This house deserves more than just the norm.”

Form Meets Function
Kitchen Design: Nadia N. Subaran, Aidan Design, Bethesda, Maryland
Interior Design: Jerry Copeland, Washington, DC
Photography: Robert Radifera, Aidan Design, Bethesda, Maryland

The galley kitchen takes center stage in this Federal-style Bethesda home, where it is visible from a sunken family room below. The problem was that the home’s outdated appliances and cabinetry weren’t much to look at, so the owners approached Nadia Subaran to give it a facelift and introducemore efficient and functional appliances and cabinetry.

“The clients were happy with the original layout of the galley kitchen,” says Subaran. “They liked the proximity of the appliances to one another, but wanted to upgrade to bigger and better in a space where everything was a tight squeeze.” The clients are working professionals who entertain frequently and have three teenagers, so functionality was key.


Nadia Subaran mixed materials such as slate and glass in
this galley kitchen.

Before Subaran started the project, the homeowners had already selected a slate floor with metal inserts. She used the flooring as an inspiration and starting point in choosing many of the finishes. “We wanted a space that was warm with sleek stainless appliances and finishes that were classic yet had depth or texture,” she explains. The countertops are a cleft Pietra Cardosa, a stone that has a smooth yet uneven feel to the touch and dramatic veining. The glass mosaic-tile backsplash, the cast-aluminum hardware and the beaded glass pendant shade were also chosen because of their subtle irregularity. “They help to give dimension to an otherwise long and narrow space,” she says.

A Modern Counterpoint
Architecture: Michael Gallin, Gallin Design Studio, Tarrytown, New York
Cabinet Design: Fred Grenfell, Kitchen & Bath Studios, Inc., Chevy Chase, Maryland
Photography: Bob Narod, Sterling, Virginia

The original, 1980s-era kitchen in this Potomac, Maryland, home was broken into three small spaces: the kitchen, a sitting room and a mud room. When architect Michael Gallin set out to design a renovation his first move was to incorporate them into one large room. New French doors (not pictured) opened up the kitchen to its wooded surroundings; a new cathedral ceiling reinforced the light and airy effect. A cut-out opens to the foyer so that the homeowners can monitor activity at the front door.


Michael Gallin and Kitchen & Bath Studios renovated this
space into a large, functional kitchen.

Gallin worked with kitchen designer Fred Grenfell to select clean-lined, contemporary cabinets and materials that wouldreflect the client’s modern aesthetic while avoiding a cold or sterile look. They chose custom cabinets in anigre, a light, natural-looking wood with distinctive graining. A wall of cabinets and drawers provides copious storage; the upper cabinets are wrapped in stainless steel with glass doors.

Stainless-steel backsplash tile reflects light in the space and, says Gallin, “gives the wall a bit of an abstract texture. I like the uniformity.” Stainless-steel hardware by Häfele completes the modern look on the flat-panel cabinet doors.

A large center island incorporates a cooktop with a down-draft telescoping exhaust vent, a prep sink and additional storage. The black granite countertop cantilevers over two separate sections of the island, creating a light, almost table-like effect. The homeowners store a footstool in the recess, which also makes a fun play space for small children. A pantry with roll-out shelves to the right of the refriger-ator provides convenient storage. Cooking appliances—a microwave, oven and warming drawer, also in stainless steel—are stacked in a “column” for a clean look.

Nostalgia With a Modern Twist
Kitchen Renovation and Interior Design: Bruce Wentworth, AIA, Wentworth Studio, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Photography: Ron Blunt, Martinsburg, West Virginia

When a client moved from a duplex in the Watergate to a smaller apartment on an upper floor, she called on architect Bruce Wentworth to renovate its outdated, 1960s-era kitchen. A long narrow hall led from the foyer into the cramped kitchen. The client sought an upgrade that would allow her to fit a table into the space and incorporate top-of-the line finishes and appliances on par with those in her former kitchen, which Wentworth designed in the 1990s.


A narrow space became a butler's pantry for storage.

Careful space planning enabled Wentworth to expand the kitchen by converting the hall into a long butler’s pantry lined with 12-inch-deep cabinets. To admit natural light from the adjacent dining room, he created a 48-inch opening in the wall finished with custom-forged ironwork by Cardine Studios. To economize on space, Wentworth proposed a 27-inch-wide Sub-Zero refrigerator plus under-the-counter refrigerator and freezer drawers. Streamlining the appliances enabled him to fit in a small table with a bullet-shaped top.

In a nod to nostalgia, the client chose buttery-yellow cabinets with seeded-glass doors, which conjure up memories of her childhood kitchen. Wentworth balanced traditional touches with modern elements, such as the glass Miele hood that shows off the single-slab granite backsplash and the hanging pendant over the table.

Old World, Renaissance Style
Lois Kennedy, CKD, Portfolio Kitchens, Vienna, Virginia
Photography: Lydia Cutter, Arlington, Virginia

The kitchen was the ugly duckling in an otherwise elegant, estate-quality home when the owners approached kitchen designer Lois Kennedy and requested a total makeover. “It’s a beautiful home that demanded something more stately and functional,” said Kennedy, who described the existing kitchen as “dark and dreary.”


Lois Kennedy filled this kitchen with rich detailing in the
molding and coffered ceiling.

The wife is a serious cook; she and her husband entertain frequently. Her cramped kitchen hardly fit the bill, with outdated appliances and minimal storage; for lack of a better place, the owners kept five five-gallon water-cooler dispensers right in the middle of the kitchen floor.

When Kennedy took on the project, her client’s wish list was extensive. Besides more storage, she wanted better workflow, professional-grade appliances and, above all, a kitchen that was “spectacular and like nobody else’s kitchen, anywhere,” Kennedy recalled.

The designer devised a plan that would carve out more space for the kitchen, establish a highly functional work environment and create one-of-a-kind features and finishes in a singular, Old World style. By demolishing the wall that separated the kitchen from three small utility rooms, Kennedy enlarged the kitchen substantially; she also created a second window to admit more natural light. Kennedy proposed a center island with a Wolf range located near the large refrigerator and freezer units; this arrangement would create a functional triangle where the cook could efficiently move from food storage to sink to cooktop.

To maximize efficiency and avoid her clients “running in circles around the island,” Kennedy designed a coffee bar/breakfast area that operates independently from the rest of the kitchen, with its own U-Line refrigerated drawers, Miele dishwasher and built-in Küppersbusch coffee machine.

An unusual material palette evolved as Kennedy suggested some novel ideas to meet her client’s needs—especially on the cabinet doors and backsplash. “The style she wanted really demanded some sparkle, but she didn’t want cabinet doors that you could see through.” Kennedy’s solution was to appliqué stained leaded glass on a mirrored surface for both the cabinet doors and the backsplash; Tourne Shipman of Stained Glass Overlay implemented her design. The hidden mirrors not only serve to hide the cabinet’s contents and the drywall behind the backsplash, but they also create a soft glow in the kitchen. More custom work was lavished on the ceiling, with a cove around the perimeter of the space and coffers in the center. Gilded paint finishes by Marilyn Most of Mostly Faux create an elegant effect.

Clever storage solutions abound. There’s even a window seat with roll-out shelves specially designed to bear the load of the owners’ spare water-dispenser bottles, which no longer occupy the middle of the kitchen floor.

Design Scene- A Modern Melange


Foyer by KUBE Architecture

The Washington Design Center, in partnership with Metropolitan Home, presented its annual Fall 2006 Design House. Titled “Modern with a Capital M,” the eight-room display was the culmination of the efforts of eight area design teams who were unleashed in The Design Center’s luxury showrooms with a mission: to refurbish their spaces according to their own interpretations of what “Modern” means today. The results, in case you missed it, were sublime.

Foyer
KUBE Architecture Washington, DC
The designers at Kube Architecture, in partnership with ITA Design and DMI Development Group, transformed the Design House entrance into an inviting series of folding planes. Flooring folded up to become seating, walls folded over to become ceilings and furniture materials folded down to serve as thresholds. The use of natural and eco-friendly materials—including polished black sea pebbles, recycled rubber flooring and bamboo—reflected the forward-thinking tenets of sustainable design.


Media Room by Gensler Architects

Media Room
Jordan Goldstein, AIA, and Jill Colletta Goebel
Gensler Architects Washington, DC

Rather than hiding technology away, Jordan Goldstein and Jill Colletta Goebel let it take center stage in their Japanese-inspired media room. Sony LCD flat panels were elevated to artwork on the walls and ceiling. A sunken lounge area invited visitors to relax and unwind, whether to watch the latest DVD release or simply enjoy each other’s company. Myriad seating options on the plush leather “floor” and the cushions sheathed in soft brown Maharam fabric let guests assume optimal viewing positions, even for watching TV on the ceiling. Why not?


Kitchen & Pantry by ColePrevost, Inc.

Kitchen & Pantry
Robert Cole, RIBA, and Sophie Prévost, ASID, IIDA
ColePrévost, Inc. Washington, DC

Debunking the notion that kitchens should be dark and serious, Robert Cole and Sophie Prévost lightened theirs up considerably with a crisp turquoise-and-white color palette. Their custom-designed dining/prep table would make a handsome and practical anchor in any kitchen. The herb garden, nurtured by special plant lights, lent an aromatic touch. Sleek Jenn-Air appliances and stainless-steel accents provided a high-tech contrast to Wood-Mode’s recycled-wood cabinetry. Unfurled rolls of fork-and-knife wallpaper by Tracy Kendall made a playful statement in the cozy seating area.


Living Room by Barry Dixon

Living Room
Barry Dixon
Barry Dixon Inc. Warrenton, VA

Barry Dixon is a master at mixing periods, styles and continents with panache. This living room was a case in point, where Dixon juxtaposed traditional architectural details with more contemporary pieces, many of his own design for the Barry Dixon Collection, available through J. Lambeth. Dixon’s Robertson bench took on a glamorous look, upholstered in a Watts of Westminster chenille


Bathroom by Division1 Architects

Bathroom
Division1 Architects
Silver Spring, MD

Show houses are meant to be forums where designers put forth ideas and working concepts. Division1 designers took the “modern” mandate to heart in their creation of a bathroom prototype. Clad in steel walls with a glass partition and dark-stained wooden bench, this was meant to be a sculptural “place to cleanse.” The sink was designed to channel clean water into the tub, creating the soothing sound of flowing water whether or not the bathtub was being used. A gutter in the tub would handle the overflow. Says principal Ali Honarkar, “Whether it’s practical or not, you always have to dream large.”


Dining Room by Patrick Sutton

Dining Room
Patrick Sutton
Patrick Sutton Associates Baltimore, MD

Inspired by recent travels, Patrick Sutton decided to emulate the elegance and simplicity he experienced in the dining rooms of both L’Ambroisie restaurant in Paris and in a rustic 16th-century guesthouse in Tuscany. “I found the austere beauty of both dining rooms at once ancient and modern,” Sutton recalls. He adopted the sparing touch, combining antiques, a rustic stone floor, a wrought-iron chandelier, a modern painting and simple fabrics in an uncluttered way that embodies elegance and warmth.


Wine Library by Darryl Carter

Wine Library
Darryl Carter
Darryl Carter Inc. Washington, DC

A wine cellar need not be relegated to a “cave” in the basement, as Darryl Carter so stylishly proved in his wine library. He achieved a modern sensibility by selecting Wood-Mode cabinetry in Nordic White and hanging a pendant of his own design (for The Urban Electric Company) over a pair of demilune tables from The Rist Corporation. White leather wingchairs with nail-head trim from the Darryl Carter Home Collection provided comfortable seating, perfect for the simultaneous enjoyment of a good Cabernet and a favorite book.


Master Bedroom by Raji Radakrishnan

Master Bedroom
Raji Radakrishnan
Raji RM & Associates Brambleton, VA

Raji Radakrishnan created this bedroom for a modern couple: he is a classicist while she loves modern design, especially the Art Deco period and the 1940s. The shell of the room reflects classical design in homage to Sir John Soane, with a Neoclassical mural and aged stone walls. The furnishings, however, are mainly from the 20th century, from Art Deco to contemporary pieces like the Arca bed and nightstands from Poliform/Sagart Studio and the metal tables with leather insets from Century. A modern mix indeed.

At Home with Equinox's Todd Gray

Chef Todd Gray, Ellen Kassoff-Gray and son Harrison
in the family room of their DC row house, designed by
architect Harry Wardman almost a century ago.

It is the day before Thanksgiving and chef Todd Gray and his wife, Ellen Kassoff-Gray, are planning a menu: grilled Rappahannock oysters with lemon butter, assorted cheeses and chilled champagne. This first course isn’t for Equinox, the popular DC restaurant they own together, but for the progressive Thanksgiving feast they share each year with their seven-year-old son, Harrison, and 30 friends and neighbors.

Today the house is buzzing with activity. A neighbor pops in to discuss Thanksgiving wine pairings, a delivery truck pulls up with rental chairs, and a photo shoot is underway. Kassoff-Gray is late for a meeting and can’t find her car keys. She has to be home in time to take Harrison to Cirque de Soleil while Todd heads for dinner service at Equinox.

Action-packed days are par for the course for the Grays, who have been called “Dining’s First Couple” in Washington. Focused on running the restaurant (Todd is the executive chef and Ellen the general manager), the Grays have made their home—a Wardman-designed row house in DC’s Crestwood neighborhood—warm, inviting and unpretentious. “Our goal at this stage, with a young child, is to have a comfortable house where I would not freak out if Harrison was running through the living room with a light saber,” says Kassoff-Gray.

When the Grays first saw the home in 2001, they knew that it was perfect for them. “Something drew Todd and me to this house,” recalls Kassoff-Gray. “We stood right here in the foyer and said, ‘This is it.’”

The Grays were only the third owners of the house since it was built almost a century ago. The bad news was that it needed major work. “It had hardly been touched in 35 years,” says Kassoff-Gray. “Every inch of the house needed something.” They repaired the plaster walls, the plumbing and the electrical system and created a new front entry. In the backyard, they added on a terraced patio and planted a garden that supplies Equinox with a seasonal bounty of fresh herbs.

Kassoff-Gray has created a warm, earthy atmosphere on the home’s main level. The foyer shows off Wardman’s original moldings and stair rail and leads to the living room and the former dining room, which the Grays converted into a family room with crimson-colored walls. It’s a better use of space since most of their home entertaining is casual and spur of the moment. “Our whole life is dining, so it’s a holiday to get away from it,” says Kassoff-Gray. “I’m more of a canapé and glasses of wine on the front porch kind of entertainer.” An eclectic mix blends antiques with funkier modern furnishings. Todd Gray’s parents are collectors who have given the couple a number of pieces, from the vitrine in their foyer to the dining table in their breakfast room. “My parents love detailed furniture and wood. I grew up having an appreciation for good molding and good furniture and the classic lines of a home, something that has a history and a story,” says Gray. “We have a little mix of ‘realness’ and those ideal pieces that represent tradition and family history.”

Paradoxically, the one room they haven’t had a chance to upgrade is the kitchen. But what their kitchen lacks in square footage and professional-grade appliances it makes up for in utility. Every knife, cookbook, food processor and spice jar has its place on the shelves and stainless-steel racks. It’s clearly a space that is used often, mostly by Kassoff-Gray. “I am the home chef,” she says, since her husband’s evenings are usually spent at Equinox. “When we eat [dinner] together as a family, we have to go see Dad.” She and Harrison often meet Gray at the restaurant for a meal before the main dinner rush, attend a game or a concert and then return to Equinox for dessert. “Harrison knows where the chocolate truffles are for the ride home,” she laughs.

The Grays are planning a kitchen upgrade at home after they complete a soft remodeling at Equinox by early spring. Aside from running the restaurant with a staff of 40, they are both involved in other ventures. Todd Gray is the executive chef of billionaire businesswoman Sheila Johnson’s Salamander Hospitality. The company is developing the Salamander Inn & Spa in Middleburg, Virginia, and currently runs the gourmet emporium Market Salamander, with locations in Middleburg and Palm Beach, Florida. Gray is now working on the launch of a third Market Salamander in DC, hopefully located in close proximity to Equinox.

Kassoff-Gray volunteers for Harrison’s school and other organizations around town. She is busy planning the fifth annual Sugar & Champagne, a fundraiser she created to support the Washington Humane Society. The affair features 15 of the city’s top pastry chefs serving their creations along with sparkling wines. (This year’s event will be held on January 23 at DC’s new Hotel Palomar; dogs are welcome).

On the occasion that he is home for dinner, chef Gray cooks family fare, perhaps a Sunday-night risotto or lamp chops grilled out back with Harrison. “Harrison enjoys the spirit that cooking at home brings to a family,” says Todd. “Some of the best conversations happen over family and food.”

Photographer Bob Narod is based in Sterling, Virginia.


Ochre walls set an earthy tone in the living room.

Kassoff-Gray found the tall vases on the mantel at
Reincarnations on 16th Street.

The breakfast room adjoining the kitchen houses an
antique breakfront and dining table.

Chef Gray breaks in a new collection of All-Clad pots in his
small kitchen, to be renovated later this year.

The dining room at Equinox.


Plusmodo by Poggenphol.

Spanish designer Jorge Pensi melds the seemingly contradictory concepts of display and disguise in the Plusmodo counter system for Poggenpohl. Underneath solid, six-inch countertops, glass pull-out trays showcase dishes and deep drawers eliminate the need for hinged doors. Sliding doors on the overhead cabinets allow you to display what you desire—and hide what you don’t. Choose from elm-fronted cabinets, or white, blue or gray lacquer, and laminate or glass countertops. Visit www.poggenpohl-usa.com.


Artisan farmhouse sink

For a deep, functional sink to suit the clean lines of a modern kitchen, look no farther than the stainless-steel farmhouse sink from Artisan. It is resistant to stains and corrosion, with a fully coated and padded underside to minimize noise and maintain water temperature. Call (212) 967-2100.


Urban Inspirations Contempo series by Houzer.

The “Urban Inspirations” Contempo Series of sinks from Houzer includes five models, all handcrafted of 18-gauge premium stainless steel. Designs range from a prep sink or gourmet single sink to a 50:50 or 70:30 double sink. Call (800) 880-3639, or visit www.HouzerSink.com.


Parma pull-out by Danze.

Whether you are watering a potted plant or simply filling a large pasta pot, faucets with extra reach are definitely in, and Danze has added new designs to its selection. The Parma pull-out faucet boasts minimalist European styling, and is available in chrome or stainless steel. Call (877) 530-3344, or visit www.danze.com.


Kohler Iron/Tones collection.

Colorful and graceful, the Iron/Tones cast-iron sinks by Kohler offer organic shapes in trough sinks and divided options. The six sink designs come in warm, inviting colors, and the soft contours are a fresh departure from more geometric designs—plus add ease to cleaning as there are no sharp corners to trap dirt. Visit www.kohler.com.


Thermador induction cooktop.

For controlled, professional cooking at home, Thermador now offers a line of state-of-the-art induction cooktops. Utilizing electromagnetic technology, induction cooking focuses heat directly into the pan, leaving the surrounding surface cooler to the touch than standard stovetops. Easy-to-use touch controls feature a wide range of settings and power levels. Call (800) 656-9226, or visit www.thermador.com.


Vario 400 by Gaggenau.

The Vario 400 Series from Gaggenau features a series of professional quality built-in units. Mix and match from a variety of large, stainless-steel appliances, including an indoor barbeque grill, an electric deep fryer, an in-counter steamer, a gas wok burner or an induction cooktop. Simple, twist-function knobs offer quick ignition. Call (800) 828-9165, or visit www.gaggenau-usa.com.


Wind Crest induction cooktop.

Induction cooking tends to be faster, safer, cleaner and more economical than traditional cooking methods, so it’s no wonder that induction cooktops are growing in both popularity and availability. The 30- and 36-inch induction cooktops from Wind Crest offer 11 temperature settings and a special feature that automatically adapts power to the pan size. Visit www.windcrestcnp.com


Slated Extractor Hood by bulthaup.

For a sleek, modern kitchen, try the Slatted Extractor Hood from bulthaup. Its clean, triangular form angles up, away from the wall, to allow for more head room over the cooking area. When not in use, the hood’s aluminum slats fold flat against the base, leaving a simple, sculptural form. Call (800) 808-2923, or visit the Web site www.bulthaup.com


Silestone by Cosentino's Mountain Series.

From the Smokey Mountains to the Grand Canyon, the rich colors and dimensions of nature’s looming beauties inspired Silestone by Cosentino’s Mountain Series. Black, browns, golds and grays mix in this non-porous natural quartz surface to offer the depth and richness of natural stone—without the maintenance. Call (800) 291-1311, or visit www.silestoneusa.com.


Custom hood insert from GE.

When working with a custom tile or woodwork design around your stove, why should it stop when you get to the hood? GE Monogram Custom Hood Inserts fit into your own hood designs. Available in three sizes, the hoods feature a control panel that can be remote-mounted on a nearby wall or countertop. Visit www.ge.com.


Quality Cabinets' Axiom line.

For a graceful, modern kitchen without the designer prices, Quality Cabinets has introduced Axiom, a line of sophisticated and clean cabinet designs in an elegant maple veneer available with a wide range of decorative hardware choices. Visit www.qualitycabinets.com.


Fusion by Merillat.

Merillat cabinets also joins the ranks of companies producing clean, contemporary options with the introduction of Fusion. Part of its Classic collection and available in either maple or cherry, Fusion has full-overlay, slab-style door fronts perfect for a modern kitchen. Visit www.merillat.com.


Transitions cabinets from Wm Ohs.

The Transitions cabinetry line from Wm Ohs breaks the company from its previous mold of Old World styles. All hand-crafted and hand-finished in the U.S., the cabinets are defined by elegant details and contemporary elements in three new designs: Asian, which is serene and simple (shown); American, featuring wider cabinet doors, bold proportions and stainless-steel accents; and European, mixing warm wood doors with minimalist styling. Visit www.wmohs.com.


Siemens hiDefinition dishwasher.

The Siemens hiDefinintion dishwasher has more specialty cycles and convenient features than ever before, from an Auto Wash feature that allows you to vary cycle time, water and energy usage and temperature, to the xPress feature, which reduces the wash time if you prefer to pre-rinse before loading. An optional Sanitizer setting can be used on any of the main wash cycles. Visit www.siemens.com.


La Perla by Miele

The La Perla model of Miele’s G 2000 Series dishwashers features the Navitronic control system, allowing you to navigate through an expansive touch-screen menu of wash options. Miele’s signature third-level cutlery tray is split into two individual sections in the G 2000 series, allowing even greater flexibility of use. Visit www.miele.com.


Sheer kitchen island

More than just another countertop, this innovative kitchen island from Italian company Sheer combines a fully functional workspace with a spectacular light source. When the island is not in use, the top part of the globe glides down to create a sculptural lamp that fills the kitchen with a soft, intimate glow. Available locally through Sogol Décor. Phone (301) 656-6006, or visit www.sheer.it.

Resources
The National Kitchen and Bath Association Web site provides useful information on kitchen and bath products, designs and trends. It also helps homeowners locate professionals among its 25,000-plus membership. The association sponsors the annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference, the largest international event in its industry. The next Confer- ence takes place in Las Vegas from May 8 through 10. Phone (877) 652-2776 or visit www.nkba.org. For more information on the Conference, visit www.kbis.com.

Show Stopper
Ayrlawn, a Georgian mansion in Potomac, was site of
the 2006 NSO Show House.

HOME & DESIGN was one of the 2006 sponsors of the annual National Symphony Orchestra Decorators’ Show House, always an anticipated autumn event. The site, a Georgian mansion in Potomac known as Ayrlawn, was built in 1992 by Washington architect Alfredo Echeverria for the former Nicaraguan ambassador to the United States and his wife. The gracious, four-level, 16,672-square-foot residence situated on two wooded acres provided 25 interior and landscape designers ample opportunity to create their magic. As often happens, the finished product was amazingly cohesive; colors flowed, themes intertwined and the spaces seemed harmonious—like a good piece of music. In case you missed it, here are some highlights of what we saw.


Stan Kelly's Stairway.Stairway
Stan Kelly, Stan Kelly Interiors, Washington, DC
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland

Creating a sweeping first impression is the two-story stairway, which brings outdoor elements inside. “It sets the tone and shows off the bones of the house while providing a gathering place for visitors,” explains designer Stan Kelly. The architecture offers a glimpse of the garden beyond the French doors on the main level and through the windows on the landing above. Kelly covered the walls with a green-on-white Farrow & Ball botanical print, which influenced his color choices in the fringed and beaded silk draperies. Further enhancing this enfolding space are an iron settee and a chandelier created from a piece of architectural salvage.
David H. Mitchell's Living Room.Living Room
David H. Mitchell, David H. Mitchell & Associates
Photography: Erik Johnson, Alexandria, Virginia

David Mitchell honed in on a pale, subtle color palette in this comfortable yet elegant living room. Everything was chosen with one objective: making the living room serene. “We are all about serenity, harmony and comfort,” he said of his design focus. As with most of his projects, this one started with the fabric choices: colors and patterns that range from muted designs in off-white and ethereal blue-green to soft pastels and harmonious stripes that add just a touch of spice. Even lighting choices were implemented to accentuate the room’s subtle texture and to soften the graphic edge of the dramatic art Mitchell selected as a visual focal point. The walls mimic a subtle linen texture, which can hide a multitude of imperfections, and provide a backdrop for furniture that includes an unexpected blending of styles, including a Biedermeier pedestal table and Swedish rococo chairs. Windows are lavishly draped in linen with Mitchell’s signature contrasting grosgrain ribbon trim.
Basha White's Dining Room.Dining Room
Basha White, Basha White Interiors, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Photography: Gordon Beall, Bethesda, Maryland


Basha White infused her dining room with glam, but also with great subtlety. Creating a shimmering setting for an elegant dinner started with the walls in a finish by The Valley Craftsmen that took inspiration from silver leafing. Then focusing on the diners, White suspended two six-arm Murano glass chandeliers over two round tables that comprise a versatile seating arrangement accommodating up to 20. The Grecian dining tables by Keith Fritz are finished in honey-tone antiqued pear wood, and are surrounded by inviting Klismos chairs upholstered in coral silk by Jim Thompson. Draperies are elegant yet minimal, while the soft reflective walls are a fitting backdrop for the owners’ collection of art. Other accents, such as bronze metal sculpture, glimmering picture and mirror frames and crystal obelisks, add light-reflective accents and a magical air to the space. Keeping the background simple allows the defining elements of the room to have their place in the spotlight.
Suite Sanctuary by Karen Luria and Starlin Interiors.Suite Sancturary
Karen Luria, Karen Luria Interior; Identity, Alexandria, Virginia, and
Starlin Interiors, Rockville, Maryland
Photography: Lydia Cutter, Arlington, Virginia
Designed to be a contemplative, restful space, the suite sanctuary incorporates natural elements like leopard-skin upholstery, a rosewood table and a garden waterfall for atmosphere. “The combination of harmonious earth-tones and textures illustrates the complexity and color of the fabric of our lives,” says Karen Luria. While recognizing that we live in a world of man-made and natural elements, she attempted to soften the effects of wood, glass and steel in the space by adding the fluidity of the waterfall and the natural beauty of flowers.
The Family Room by Sandra Meyers.

Family Room
Sandra Meyers, Sandra Meyers Design Studio, Rockville, Maryland
Photography: Lydia Cutter, Arlington, Virginia

The large gathering space of the house was made to feel more intimate and comfortable by Sandra Meyers’s high-contrast color choices and zones of lighting. Staining the floor dark and painting the ceiling a saturated color helped de-emphasize the 12-foot-high walls. Invitingly comfortable chairs and sofas beckon, and the rich terracotta walls help create a feeling of warmth and welcome. To further enhance the intimacy of the space, she designed zone lighting, individually controlled for ambient or task illumination. Luscious draperies and accessories with distinctive textures add an element of surprise, as does the plasma TV that, with the push of a button, is concealed by an artful panel.


Cynthia Sayers's Breakfast Room.The Breakfast Room
Cynthia Sayers, Creative Design Solutions, Alexandria, Virginia
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland

It’s never easy to bring the outdoors in, but the seemingly disparate elements of Cynthia Sayers’s breakfast room did so beautifully. Sayers took inspiration from the historic “Trellis” wallpaper designed by William Morris and now available through J. Lambeth in Washington, DC. She applied it to the ceiling, and then chose to upholster the walls in a coordinating wool herringbone from Morris and Company. Iron chairs were deftly skirted in fabric matching the ceiling paper, and faux-bois table bases completed the woodland setting. Illuminating the table is a well-chosen drum pendant fixture, which highlights both the ceiling above and the tabletop below.


Kelley Proxmire's Sunroom.

Sunroom
Kelley Proxmire, Kelley Interior Design, Bethesda, Maryland
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland

This is a gem of a room—especially in the afternoon sunlight. Bright white walls and furniture are punctuated with clear turquoise and lime. A stylized floral on the small armchairs was Kelley Proxmire’s inspiration for the room; the fabric from the Designer’s Guild Collection gave the appearance of being hand-painted. Grass cloth applied to the walls and then painted white adds subtle texture. Full-length draperies, in crisp white cotton dramatically banded with turquoise, frame the windows and conceal the top of the tropical-looking woven shades. Wood tables, elegant silver accessories and crystal bibelots add Palm Beach sophistication to the otherwise casual space.


The Kitchen, by Rosalia Kallivokas of Clive Christian.

Kitchen
Rosalia M. Kallivokas, Clive Christian, Washington, DC
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland

Before the luxurious new elements of this incredible kitchen were installed, the space was overhauled. Walls were removed, allowing for a better flow of light and traffic. Then Rosalia Kallivokas transformed the space into a warm and lovely place that’s as conducive to casual conversation as it is efficient in the preparation of a formal dinner. Enfolding beauty belies its functionality. Among the details that make it such a special space are the elegant crystal chandeliers, the gold-leaf detailing highlighting the elaborate molding on the cream-colored cabinetry, the freestanding island and serving peninsula and the marble and wood countertops.


The Master Bedroom and Sitting Room by Annette Hannon.
 
Master Bedroom & Sitting Room

Annette Hannon, Annette Hannon Interior Design, Ltd., Burke, Virginia
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland

A restful retreat was the design direction of the master bedroom, and inspiration came from the beautiful French damask that Annette Hannon used throughout. From the corona over the bed to the draperies at the French doors, it captures the elegance and inspired the aqua-glazed walls with portrait-framed faux finished mother-of-pearl insets. Sprinkled throughout the space are other light-reflective elements: the chandelier, the floating glass shelves displaying a coral collection and the ceiling medallion inspired by an antique brooch. A fruitwood chair and silver-inlay chest are subtle counterpoints to the cool colors elsewhere.

Lynni Megginson's Boy's Room.The Boy’s Room
Lynni Megginson, L&M Designs, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland
The oft-repeated line about “snips and snails, and puppy dog tails” inspired Lynni Megginson’s use of Thibault’s “Best in Show” wallcovering for the boy’s bedroom. The idea of soft burnt-orange as a complement to the aqua blue in the wallpaper was the genesis for the room’s unusual color scheme. “Sometimes the most unexpected combinations are the ones that bring the most delight,” she says. Mixing traditional and contemporary themes, rough-and-tumble furniture with Ultrasuede, and “furry” fabrics and whimsical accents with practical elements like built-ins for storage created a well-rounded, utterly useful space for an active boy and his dog who has a playful behavior of whirling his tail, just to seek some attention. If your dog also has this playful behavior then you should consider reading about why do dogs chase their tails?

The "Granny" Nanny Bedroom, by Shanon Munn.“Granny” Nanny Bedroom
Shanon Munn, ASID, Ambi Design Studio LLC, Springfield, Virginia
Photography: Angie Seckinger, Potomac, Maryland
Preferring the term “smart design” to “green design,” Shanon Munn cozied up the granny suite with eco-friendly elements. Her personal philosophy includes a preference for natural textiles such as cotton, linen, silk and wool; earth-friendly wood products; and low-VOC paints that look just as refined as their conventional counterparts. Munn prefers natural fibers because “they tend to be more aesthetically pleasing,” and always installs compact fluorescent bulbs throughout her spaces, even in the antique lighting. Here she deftly mixed a hand-carved, eco-friendly rubberwood headboard with a generous sprinkling of antiques because she says, their use “is a great way to recycle.” The ceiling medallion was inspired by the detailing on the antique Hungarian trunk. Jeanne Blackburn is a freelance writer based in Montgomery Village, Maryland.

Applause


Hotel Palomar Washington DC.

Hotel Palomar Washington DC recently opened its doors in Dupont Circle. Interior designer Cheryl Rowley of Beverly Hills has created a stylish interplay of rich materials, dramatic lighting and clean, geometric forms. The boutique hotel prides itself on promoting the arts. In the lobby, niches display handmade crystal bowls, a stylized still life of sculpted birch twigs and glass sculptures by M. Janis Liar. Above, light glowing through a piece of alabaster creates a textural focal point.

A Sense of Proportion

January/February 2007


In front of the Colonial façade, a sleek modern bench by
artisan Douglas Thayer.
Moving into a new house often marks the end of a “honeymoon” period. That was the case for Susan Brett, who had just settled into the five-year-old Colonial in Potomac that she and her husband, Robert Shesser, thought was perfect for their family of four. However, as she started to adapt the home to her family’s lifestyle, its traditional trim and ornate draperies began to wear her down. A fan of the clean and simple design, Brett found herself longing for a modern house, yet trapped in a traditional shell.“I found this house and we really liked the location and I was sort of blind to the ‘issues,’” Brett recalls. “We liked the basic structure and size and location but there were a lot of pretty cheap materials all over the place. There were these amazing curtains, very big swags everywhere. At first, we thought, ‘Oh great, we don’t have to do anything quickly.’ Then, basically every day I started ripping them down.”Brett needed help. So she turned to Thérèse Baron Gurney, an interior designer who had just completed a home for one of Brett’s friends and whose portfolio includes a number of award-winning modern projects. Brett first invited Gurney over to help furnish the family room.At first sight, Gurney knew that the soaring space needed a lot more than a new sofa. The home’s two-story foyer culminated in a round area where two Corinthian columns led into the family room. The proportions were all wrong. “The big problem when we first came in,” recalls Gurney, “was it was such a large house, it was such a large space, how do we proportionally deal with the furniture and the furnishings?”

“The big problem when we first came in,” recalls Therese Baron Gurney, “was it was such a large house, it was such a large space, how do we proportionally deal with the furniture and the furnishings?”

Gurney’s solution for bringing scale to the family room also led to a total overhaul of the foyer. Once that was done, Brett and her husband wanted more. With Gurney’s help, they embarked on a whole-house transformation that included the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, the master bedroom and bathroom, and the creation of a new sunroom.

By introducing a sense of scale, symmetry, and order, Gurney has achieved what many homeowners assume is impossible: going modern in a classic Colonial. Despite the home’s traditional façade, guests discover a sleek, modern foyer within. The original marble floor and standard wooden stair rail are gone, replaced by honed limestone floors and a custom stair-rail treatment of Gurney’s design made of stainless steel, sandblasted glass, and mahogany.

“I worked with scale and elements of modern architecture…but yet we used them in a way that I think is not cold or austere,” says Gurney of the foyer design. “Each of those groups of three columns works within a larger grid, so we created order where there wasn’t order. It’s interesting because it’s contrasted by this one continuous piece of mahogany, a handrail that meanders up and around. It kind of creates an interesting dynamic between the two.”

Metalworker Ed Stockman of Art Studio Iron spent months implementing the stair-rail design. “It was a very intricate, long, arduous process. He actually spent the night here one night,” recalls Gurney, who believes it was worth the effort. “To me, it’s really the most central, most important thing. It really changed the whole dynamic of the house.”

Gone are the fussy Corinthian columns in the foyer, replaced by weightier Doric columns that are more in scale with the soaring space. A wooden table by furniture maker Ted Boerner topped with limestone invites guests into the family room beyond.

Early on in the project, Gurney made another sweeping change, replacing the standard baseboards, moldings, and hardware throughout the house. “They were under the scale and weren’t in proportion to what the volumes we were working in really deserved,” she recalls. “The hardware was hollow and brass. The hinges were junky and painted. For me, changing out things that you normally don’t focus on changed the whole atmosphere and feeling of the house. They make it special and unique.”

Gurney zeroed in on a simple palette of colors and materials that would unify the interiors and create a sense of harmony from one room to the next. A consummate collector with a keen eye for modern design, Brett worked closely with Gurney on the selection of furnishings and art to complement her home’s new look. “Sue will be out and she’ll find something and she’ll call me and after her description, I’ll say, ‘Go ahead.’ I trust her completely,” says Gurney.


Homeowner Susan Brett and interior designer Therese
Baron Gurney. Low-slung Italian sofas coupled with a modern cocktail table set a serene tone in the living room. In the dining room, Gurney paired Brett’s existing dining table and buffet with new chairs upholstered in leather. A custom mirror from France and hanging pendant lights complete the formal yet pared-down look.

The family room required more custom work, again to tackle the proportions of the space. Gurney designed an oversized wall unit to house the TV and Brett’s collection of art glass. “It was such a large space,” says Gurney, “that any kind of furniture that was in there before looked dwarfed. So what I did was create an overscaled, large curio cabinet. It balances this very large vertical that was existing from the fireplace and grounds the room.”

Furnishings were selected for comfort and durability. The chairs swivel and the fabrics say Gurney, “are very forgiving for kids with greasy hands eating in chairs. And the sofa is curved because it accommodates a family of four and lots of friends.”

The family room opens to the kitchen and breakfast area. Kitchen designer Larry Rosen of Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens upgraded the space working closely with Gurney to select materials that would blend well with the rest of the house.

The next stage of the project focused on the design of a sunroom off the kitchen. Where there once was a basic deck, there is now an expanded, light-filled room where the family enjoys lounging and watching TV on comfortable new sofas and enjoying casual meals around a table of Gurney’s design.

Once the ground floor was complete, the designer and her clients turned to the master bedroom suite. An emergency-room physician, Shesser needed a tranquil place to decompress after long hours at the hospital. Though large, the existing master bath with its plain white cabinets didn’t quite satisfy the couple’s desire for a spa-like retreat, so they decided to renovate the bathroom before the bedroom. Gurney replaced the cabinets with custom, floor-to-ceiling millwork made of natural maple. An “implied grid” created by the cabinet seams establishes a sense of symmetry and order. The rest is a pure luxury: limestone floors, an air jet tub, an oversized shower with a wall of glass tile, a built-in TV and even a small beverage cooler. The natural materials and soothing color palette produce an immediate calming effect.


A custom stair rail of Gurney's design, a honed limestone
floor, and retooled columns welcome guests into the foyer.
Creating harmony between the bedroom and bath, Gurney designed a new limestone fireplace surround in the bedroom. Above the fireplace, natural maple millwork complements the cabinetry in the bath. the project was a deviation from her strictly modern work, Gurney feels it proved a valuable point. “This was a challenge that I actually embraced. How do you bring a modern aesthetic or modern way of living into a shell that exists? You can do it by massaging gently and making subtle changes, bringing back scale and proportion to these overscaled houses. It can be done.”

When she considers the work of today’s greatest designers, Gurney notes a single common denominator. “The whole thing comes down to the appropriateness of the mass to space it relates to, whether it’s a large space or a small space. It’s the challenge of design. It’s what I embrace. It’s why I love doing what I do.”

Interior Design: Thérèse Baron Gurney, ASID, Washington, DC; Renovation Contractor, Main house: Kandel Construction Group, Potomac, Maryland; Renovation Contractor, Sunroom: Four Seasons Design Build, Rockville, Maryland

Photographer Anice Hoachlander is a principal of Hoachlander Davis Photography in Washington, DC.


The entry hall opens into the living room, which features
seating by B&B Italia and a painting by Thomas R. Walsh.

Gurney matched the owners' existing dining room table
and buffet with new chairs upholstered in luxurious leather.

A maple "curio cabinet" displays the homeowner's
glass collection. A sliding glass door hides the television.

The new kitchen includes maple cabinetry by Neff, Impala
black granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances.
The new sunroom features a seating area and a dining
table that takes in views of the wooded backyard.
Gurney echoed elements from the bathroom design in
the bedroom's fireplace surround and cabinetry.
Gurney created a spa-like retreat in the master bathroom.

Farmhouse Reborn

The renovation of this pre-Civil War farmhouse in Great Falls, Virginia, was all about pairing architectural craftsmanship with rich building materials to create the perfect setting for embracing nature, indoors and out. The 2.3-acre estate occupies the highest point of what was once a 40-acre dairy farm; now tall windows provide panoramic views and its new interiors are bathed in natural light.
The home was renovated with maintenance-free stucco
and Carderock stone.

When a Bethesda couple purchased this house in 1993, it had already been updated to a plantation-style white clapboard with columns in front. “It wasn’t much to look at, but it had great barns,” the wife chuckles. “We wanted our children to experience rural living like my husband enjoyed when he was growing up [in Maryland].” Shorieh Talaat designed a small addition for them, and the couple framed and painted it themselves. But with two teenagers, they soon called the architect back for the major expansion, completed in 2006.

“With the first addition we felt we had to honor the original farmhouse, but by the second phase, we decided to do what we really wanted,” says the homeowner.

While traveling and working in England, she had become attached to the old country homes designed by 20th-century British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Lutyens happened to be a favorite of Talaat’s as well. “There’s a whimsy about his style, an elegant informality, and I think we nailed down the spirit of it in this project. Lutyens collaborated with a landscape designer, and this house reaches out into the landscape,” says Talaat.

“The home has a genuine character to it,” says Shorieh Talaat. “The exposed beams, for example, serve an aesthetic purpose, but they are also actually working. The joinery is beautiful all the way through; craftsmanship was our big focus.”

The homeowners, who have careers in engineering and technology, have spent free time creating formal gardens on the front side of their property, and a “tree collection” behind the house. “My husband started with a few existing dogwood and apple trees, and now he has 250 trees—and three tractors!” his wife exclaims.

Talaat adds, “The exterior development of the project was driven by the homeowners’ love of gardening. The new greenhouse, terrace, courtyard and entry court reflect that sensibility and help compose these garden spaces.”

Another priority for the family is entertaining. “We like to invite whole families over after our children’s sporting events, but I wanted separate entertainment areas for adults and kids,” says the homeowner. “My husband wanted a greenhouse and a billiard room.” To satisfy these goals, Talaat designed an open floor plan with a new first-floor living room and billiard room that are divided by back-to-back fireplaces. The kitchen, built in phase one, separates these new “adult” areas from the original family room. The renovation also includes a home office, a second-floor master bedroom suite with adjoining terrace, three additional bedroom suites and the greenhouse, which opens off of the billiard room and is great for overflow at parties.

The exterior development was driven by the husband’s desire for maintenance-free materials. Talaat selected stucco and Carderock, quarried locally in Maryland. “We used Carderock for phase one, so this was a way to knit the two renovations together and make it seamless,” says Talaat. The trim and upstairs terraces are Spanish cedar.

Inside the home, a premium was placed on outstanding craftsmanship and the use of natural materials, from limestone and red birch floors to the cherry custom cabinetry in the kitchen and the handcrafted maple beams in the great room. “The home has a genuine character to it,” says Talaat. “The exposed beams, for example, serve an aesthetic purpose, but they are also actually working. The joinery is beautiful all the way through; craftsmanship was our big focus. Everyone who worked on the project got in the spirit of it, and it was fun to watch.” Mark Moeller of MS Moeller Cabinetry and Millwork, Inc., built the Spanish cedar terraces outside as well as all of the interior beams, paneling, wainscoting and cabinetry. Moeller completed the work off-site; it was then installed by the project’s general contractor, BOWA Builders.

The team also integrated architectural artifacts and antiques throughout the property, even designing an entire bathroom around a piece of tile discovered at an art show. “The homeowners are avid collectors,” says Talaat. “They purchased salvaged doors, fireplace surrounds and statuary with the intention of artfully including them in the architecture, so we had a focal point to work with in virtually every space.” Spanish cedar doors salvaged from a Pittsburgh warehouse, for instance, were earmarked for the home’s new front entrance. Guarding the walkway are huge antique stone lions, reportedly salvaged from the Lilyette lingerie company founders’ estate and purchased at Thieves’ Market in Virginia. A fantastic gargoyle scupper reigns over the stone terrace in back, and an antique fireplace surround in the billiard room features ornately carved griffins.


Two antique stone lines flank the front walkway.

A palette of Benjamin Moore’s historic deep blues and greens works beautifully with the rich woods because there’s so much natural light throughout the house, Talaat says. The homeowner calls her choices “nature’s colors.” She says, “It’s a happy house and it was designed for comfort. The light makes us feel energized, and the greens, especially, make me feel more alive because they help bring the landscape in.”

Talaat is also pleased with the finished project. “The result of the renovation, I think, is a delightfully eclectic composition that is rich with details and carefully considered materials and finishes,” he says.

Sherry Crisp is a freelance writer based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Photographer Kenneth M. Wyner is based in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Architecture: Shorieh Talaat, AIA, Talaat Architects, Burtonsville, Maryland • General Contractor: BOWA Builders, McLean, Virginia • Custom Woodwork, Exterior & Interior: Mark Moeller, MS Moeller Cabinetry & Millwork Inc., Westminster, Maryland


A metal archway of cowboys provides an eye-catching
transition from the house to the barn.


Up-lighting showcases the new living room's 20-foot
ceilings and handcrafted beams.


Cherry pillars and back-to-back fireplaces separate the
living room and billiard room.


The family room was added in 1993.


In the billiard room, a wet bar is concealed behind custom
cherry paneling and cabinetry.


The original log ceiling was raised in the upgraded kitchen.


The flagstone terrace and stone fireplace located off the
kitchen is one of three outdoor living areas.


A terrace located off the new master bedroom was
handcrafted of Spanish cedar.

A House in the Country
Interior designer Alice Busch infused the home with a
southern European influence.

“Farther west,” homeowner Margaret Kay kept insisting. “I wanted to be farther west and be out in the country.” For her husband, David Kay, one of the founders of Capital Automotive inMcLean, Virginia, this would mean a longer commute. He was reluctant to move.

The couple’s Leesburg home in River Creek had been beautifully decorated by interior designer Alice Busch (Home & Design, Spring 2004). Busch just needed to select a few more accessories and it would be finished.

Nevertheless, the Kays began taking Sunday drives west through Beacon Hill, the expansive rolling parcel of land near Leesburg that once belonged to Arthur Godfrey, a well-recognized personality from the early days of television.

The Georgian-style house they found couldn’t compare with their home in River Creek. The interior lacked its fine moldings and grace. Margaret said, “Yes,” but David said, “No.”

Their solution was to call Alice Busch and ask her opinion. Margaret Kay laughs as she recalls Busch saying, “I prayed the whole way up the driveway that this was not the house.” As the three walked through, Margaret restrained her enthusiasm while David withheld his reservations.

Busch recalls telling the couple, “It will take a lot to make it what you have now, so if you want to do it we can do the design, and I have someone who can do the construction, but it is a big commitment.” When the Kays bought the house in September 2003, Busch and her team began design work at breakneck speed with the goal that the Kays and their two young children would move in as soon as possible. The house “had a good foundation,” recalls Busch, “but it didn’t have any of the millwork and proportions that were needed for the scale, or the detailing.” She began to rework the home’s interior architectural elements to create a grander, more elegant effect.

Her overall goal throughout the house was to gently veil the Georgian style in favor of a southern European influence, one that would evoke Provence or Tuscany. The deep vibrant hues that were gorgeous in River Creek gave way to soft tints for an airier ambiance that would be rich, yet light.

The Kays settled on their new house in November and Busch brought in her contractor. Paneling was installed, columns were added or enlarged, archways were reconfigured and several were topped with friezes. Crown and shoe moldings were enhanced.

Busch’s workroom was busy fabricating new draperies and shortening others from the River Creek house. Custom sofas for the music room were designed and constructed. Furnishings were purchased for the family room and gathering room.

By the mid-March day when the contractor moved out, wallcoverings had already been hung and painting and faux finishes were complete. The next day the house was cleaned, draperies were installed and rugs rolled out. The day after that was moving day.

Trucks drove up the drive and a transformation occurred like a well-choreographed ballet. The following day Busch’s staff was in the house accessorizing, and they were done. In the back, the uninspired lawn has been transformed into multiple garden rooms, hidden retreats for quiet conversation.

The couple’s French-style living room furniture, upholstered in silk, was almost completely transferable to the new home. Rather than placing a coffee table in the space, Busch pulled in a tufted ottoman upholstered in an iridescent fabric for a multi-hue shimmer under the chandelier.

The coffee table from the previous home’s living room was moved to the music room, where it joined its new twin in front of two custom sofas. Busch hung the light and airy, Italian double voile draperies trimmed in fringe high to keep the eye moving upwards, countering the weight of the piano.

In the light yet formal dining room, French-style chairs replaced heavier leather and velvet ones from the previous home. The mirror, previously hung on deep gold walls below weighty, ornate moldings, looks lighter now against aged walls finished in an Old World, damask-pattern.

In the family room, Busch chose textured chenille fabric for the sofa and chairs. “Chenille is most resilient to children, very durable,” she emphasizes. Plantation shutters are warmed with waterfall draperies in silk plaid trimmed with black and gold fringe.

Busch also added shutters in the gathering room off the kitchen, where the children do their homework as dinner is prepared. It is a room for lounging about watching television, reading or playing games and family dining.

Between the kitchen cabinets and the fireplace, a window was converted to a door for easy access to the outdoor kitchen, living area and pool. Toile wallpaper lends a French Country appeal to the room.

With spring, work began landscaping their three-acre property. The home’s mottled-toned brick exterior was painted a creamy off-white. Busch called in landscaper Charles Owens and, as if by magic, the driveway now culminates in a motor court leading to a French parterre and fountain in front.

In the back, the uninspired lawn has been transformed into multiple garden rooms, hidden retreats for quiet conversation with a pool and a complete outdoor kitchen for easy entertaining. In the outdoor living room, a fire roars in the massive stone fireplace against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Once they were settled into their new house, the Kays gave it a name: “Remember When.” They want their children to have a life full of delicious memories in this house so that in years to come when the family gathers, they will say with fondness, “Remember when... .”Contributing editor Barbara Karth resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Photographer Gordon Beall is based in Bethesda, Maryland.Interior Design: Alice Busch, Great Falls Distinctive Interiors, Inc., Fairfax, Virginia


A rich blend of fabrics and textures creates an elegant
effect in the dining room.


Busch chose chenille fabrics for the family room upholstery.


A window between the kitchen and fireplace was converted
into a door for easy access to the outside.


Fine Landscapes created a massive stone fireplace in the
al fresco living area.

A Place For Everything Although spring and its promise of renewal may seem distant as winter winds whip the eaves and keep us inside, professional organizers say that winter is the perfect time of year to take stock of our stuff and tackle the groan-inducing task of organizing closets and garages. Diehard do-it-yourselfers don’t need to search far to get help in accomplishing the goal—big-box stores, home and garden centers and retailers that focus exclusively on home organization all offer hundreds of storage solutions. Time-pressed homeowners who want more customized solutions, however, are best served by consulting with design professionals and home organizers, who offer an increasing range of services, including onsite inspections, proposals generated at the time of the consultation and a preview of the finished job courtesy of customized software.

Creating Closet Harmony
According to the experts, the first step in creating harmony in any space is taking an inventory of belongings. Gwen Wise, a designer and space planner with Closets by Design in Manassas, Virginia, advises her clients to follow the two-year rule. “If you have not worn it or used it in two years, it’s likely taking up valuable space,” she says. She also suggests taking stock of closet contents at least twice a year during seasonal transitions to help prevent clutter. A simple method of reducing accumulation is to create three piles: trash, donate and keep. “The trash and donate piles should be disposed of as quickly as possible to avoid objects finding their way back into closets,” she said, smiling. “Most of my clients are surprised at the amount of space that is available once unused items are cleared out.” Wise works collaboratively with her clients to develop objectives for the closet and assesses not only their possessions, but the client’s lifestyle as well. “Each client is unique. One of my realtor clients had a huge shoe collection and so we built individual mirrored shoe box storage for all of her footwear.”

Wise takes closet measurements, works up a layout by hand and then assists the client in selecting materials, colors, and components from several collections offered by the company. Custom looks are achieved through closet accessories, decorative components and hardware. Closets by Design, like many high-end closet organizers, offers a variety of options and styles; cabinet and drawer fronts are offered in raised “Deco” style or flat fronts, and mirrored, frosted glass and Lucite insets are other choices for drawers and cabinet fronts. Popular accessory components include velvet jewelry trays, belt racks, Lucite dividers, shoe racks, and tilt-out hampers. Proper lighting is also part of a successful closet installation.

 “Customers can expect to pay on average anywhere from $3,000 to $8.000 for a custom closet solution." she says.

Potomac Garage Solutions renovated this garage.Garages Get a Facelift
Riding on the success of the custom closet companies, the latest entrants into the $8 billion dollar home organization industry are companies devoted to garage organizational systems. “Today’s garage is no longer used to just house vehicles,” says Peter Belman, owner of the Rockville, Maryland-based franchise of GarageTek, the nation’s largest garage systems company. “Our aim is to help our customer take back their garage by creating a flexible space that can accommodate multiple needs. People are busy, have more toys, they’re involved in sporting activities, and are likely to have a third vehicle.” Add caustic chemicals, garden and power tools and abandoned household items to the mix, and it is easy to see why there is an increasing demand for garage organization solutions. “The foundation for a successful garage design solution is threefold---functionality, appearance and most importantly, safety,” Belman notes, adding that GarageTek has partnered nationally with the Home Safety Council, a non-profit devoted to creating awareness about safety in the home.

GarageTek services are turn-key. “We send a designer to survey the garage and take measurements. The data is then put into a laptop brought to the appointment and the dedicated software generates a 3-D view of the new garage, and a proposal is generated on the spot. Within a few weeks components are delivered and installed,” says Belman explaining the company’s process.

The company’s solution is based around a plastic wall panel that holds a variety of brackets, shelves, buckets, hooks and lockable cabinets that can be easily moved around to accomodate the homeowner's changing storage needs. The panels resist the damaging effects of hot and cold temperature cycles common in garages and fit together using a tounge-and-groove locking system that is applied over drywall or attached directly to framing studs. "The beauty of our system is the total flexibility. Components can be moved around easily and customers can purchase additional components as storage needs

Another local company offering a turn-key garage solution is Potomac Garage Systems, which has teamed up with the Whirlpool Corporation, manufacturers of the Gladiator garage system. Like GarageTek, the foundation for the system is a PVC wall panel. The two-tone UL-rated Gladiator components are made from galvanized steel and are manufactured in the U.S. In addition to creating the garage layout and assisting customers to select the best components for current storage needs, Potomac Garage Solutions employs a crew that will install new lighting and electrical outlets and also offers painting and refuse removal services. “We are a one-stop-shop for the homeowner,” says Zev Pomerance, director of sales for the growing company based in Rockville. The company also sells garage floor products. “Concrete, tile and epoxy finishes have been traditional materials of choice for garage floors,” he explains, but points out the disadvantages of each. “Concrete is hard to keep clean, tile doesn’t stand up to chemicals, and epoxy finishes eventually crack and are slippery when wet. We did a lot of research before settling on a few products we recommend and sell to customers,” he states.

“We really like Swisstrax, a manufacturer of large, interlocking floor tiles that are environmentally friendly, recyclable and made from UV-stabilized polypropylene. It’s an advanced plastic material that is similar to new car bumpers with additional additives that inhibit fading, static electricity and other conditions,” claims Pomerance. “The tiles really are the ultimate product for garage floors–-they are oil resistant, and impervious to gasoline and all automotive chemicals, as well as bacteria, mold and mildew. Most importantly for homeowners, they are easy to clean and maintain, and when you move, they go with you.” Both Pomerance and Belman say that the cost of their custom garage systems ranges from $4,000 to $8,000.

Dual-Purpose Entertainment Center
You’ve tackled your closets and garage, so turn your sights to rooms that might benefit from slick organizational upgrades. Rosenthal Homes, an award-winning custom builder based in Potomac, Maryland, recently developed a solution for clients who were looking to disguise an entertainment center. Josh Rosenthal, director of marketing for the firm, says the company spent weeks searching for a unique hinge that allowed their cabinetmaker to create a swinging bookcase that reveals books on one side and when rotated, houses the entertainment center on the other. “This solution was one that fit with the client’s lifestyle—the wife did not want the television to be immediately available to the kids when they came into the room, but it permits easy access for her husband, who was a bigger TV fan than she,” explains Rosenthal. In addition to building custom homes, the company also offers remodeling services to homeowners seeking custom organization and storage solutions.


This cabinet by Rosenthal Homes rotates.

Tracy Mitchell Griggs writes from her home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Once Upon a Mattress
Few would argue against the transcendent power of a good night’s sleep. Yet fewer of us are getting the precious sleep we need—and our mattresses could be to blame.

The statistics are stacking up like duvets on a cold night. Sixteen percent of Americans sleep fewer than six hours a night and more than 80 chronic sleep disorders(you can also cure your sleep disorder through restorative yoga) have been identified. Sleep deprivation is linked to depression, an alarming number of accidents and even obesity.

Though little can be done to soothe new-job jitters or an inconsolable infant, a restful night often starts with a good mattress. The word “good,” of course, is subjective. What works like a dream for one person is another’s nightmare. Thankfully, there is a greater variety of mattresses available than ever before, including ones with advance-engineered springs and coils, memory foam and a host of other technologies that promise a happy ending to our bedtime stories. Some of these new high-tech beds are commanding price tags of $5,000 to $50,000.

Like in the traditional mattress market, though, it is critical to assess the options and remember that price and quality don’t always go hand in glove. “A lot of beds on the market today are just there because people are willing to spend a lot of money on a bed,” cautions Winthrop Schwab, co-owner of Mattress Traditions in Falls Church, Virginia. “It’s important to know what you’re getting.”

The New Breed of Mattress
“Memory foam” beds—initially developed by manufacturer Tempur-Pedic—offer a completely new take on the mattress concept and are now a common showroom fixture from many manufacturers. Often denser and more compact than their traditional counterparts, these mattresses are made of open foam cells that deform and compress, self-adjusting to body size. The result is a mattress that remains firm where needed and soft where desired— creating a custom fit for each individual body.

While couples may agree on many things, few have the exact same needs in mattress support. Enter the air-chamber mattress, which has pockets on each side that can be adjusted by dialing in individual preferences for comfort, firmness and body support. These beds, sold under brand names such as Sleep Number (manufactured by Select Comfort), are sold in stores across Maryland, Virginia and DC.

Luxury bed-makers such as Swedish manufacturer DUX have taken this concept to even higher levels. The new Dux 8888 model, for example, features zones on each side of the bed that can be adjusted for shoulder, hip and leg support, plus it offers a lumbar support cushion that can be pumped up or deflated depending on user preference. To try out a Dux bed, you’ll have to travel to the company’s showrooms in Philadelphia or New York. The Manhattan store boasts two private sleeping chambers where visitors can test mattresses, which range in price from $5,000 to $10,500 for a king size.

These products’ technical nature can be a turn-off for people who don’t want to take a remote control to bed. “Some people don’t like the idea of having gadgets associated with their mattress. And because there is a mechanical aspect to it, there is the chance that you could wear out the control or have pump failure,” Schwab says. “It’s all covered under the warranty, but some people would prefer not to deal with it.”

Manually Adjustable Models
Not just for hospitals anymore, manually adjustable beds are growing in popularity among younger buyers, says Schwab. “They are great for reading in bed at night, and of course more and more people want to use their laptops in bed.”


Hollandia International's new adjustable bed.

Israeli bed-maker Hollandia International just opened its first US retail outlet at the Marketplace Design Center in Philadelphia. Hollandia’s frames and mattresses—ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 for the pair—are adjustable to numerous settings by using an air-pressure hand control that requires no electricity or batteries. Its mattresses are stuffed with breathable latex and covered in soft aloe-vera fibers. A portion of the mattress is specially engineered to accommodate side sleepers, adjusting support to improve blood flow.
New Traditions
The good news is that each of the core components of most traditional mattresses has undergone substantial upgrades in recent years. The upholstery layer—which tends to determine the price of most mattresses—used to average nine inches thick. Today, the average comes in at an about 15 inches. More important than the height, however, is what’s inside these layers. Several of Sealy’s high-end Stearns & Foster mattresses contain a new synthetic fiber that is soft like cotton but more resilient and durable. And Shifman Mattress, which sells through Bloomingdale’s among other outlets, stuffs its mattresses with fine cotton that the company processes in-house and then hand-tufts.

Given Americans’ obsession with sleep products, a number of European manufacturers, including U.K.-based Hypnos and Vi-Spring, and Sweden-based Hästens and DUX, have crossed the Atlantic with high-end mattresses, sold primarily through specialty shops and

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living.  Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.


Janet Brown Interiors offers a wide selection of custom-order
furniture and ready-to-go accessories.

Richmond, Virginia, is a bustling urban city with historic charm and a plethora of things to do. And shopping is definitely one of them. Along the west side of the city, parallel to the James River, is West Cary Street, a nine-block-long district known as Carytown—a Mecca of shopping for just about anything, including home wares from funky and unique accessories to fine antiques. Shop owners who have carved out a niche for themselves—whether they are new arrivals or early groundbreakers—are proud to call this cozy neighborhood home.

Dead center in the Carytown district is the Cary Court Shopping Center, built in the 1930s and now home to several large design stores. Interior designer Janet Brown had been in business in Richmond since 1994, but moved her shop to Carytown four years ago. “It really does have everything in one neighborhood,” she says.

Janet Brown Interiors is a nest of stylish home goods, as well as a home base for her design firm. The shop grew out of the desire to have on hand “what you need to finish a room’s design,” says Brown. The collection ranges from interesting tabletop décor to accessories such as mirrors, lamps and pillows galore. Fun finds include antique French copper pieces and pillows made from vintage fabric remnants—Brown likes to carry things with a history behind them. Brown’s firm will create special-order upholstery and furniture on request.

Also in Cary Court is EQ3, one of two area showrooms for this hip Canadian furniture dealer. It is the place to find cutting-edge design at a reasonable cost, from gracefully curved chairs to funky dishes and accessories. Search among the stylish room settings in the spacious showroom for that perfect modern accessory—or an entire new dining set, perhaps. Personal favorites include the sleek Space flatware and the wide, cozy platform beds.

At the end of the shopping center sits Leo Burke Furniture, a family-owned business dealing in an eclectic range of high-end home furnishings. Leo Burke opened in the summer of 1958, and at the time, “Cary Street was a thriving suburban retail district,” says owner Jack Burke. “It has evolved into an incredibly successful retail and restaurant district in the center city.” The Burke family store, too, has also progressed into a successful enterprise, delivering to the neighborhood such classic lines as Baker Furniture and Hickory Chair, among others.

On the corner of the block is The Elephant’s Toe Antiques—recognizable by the trademark suit of armor on guard by the front door. Visitors can often be seen getting their photos taken next to it, and “he’s become quite the fixture in Carytown,” says store owner Jim Strickland. An antique dealer for 14 years, Strickland moved his shop to Carytown four years ago. Here you can find a wide selection of eras represented, but the main focus of the furniture leans toward classic, Continental pieces, as well as a good selection of American primitive items.

On the facing side of West Cary Street, you’ll find a bevy of flooring options, whether you’re looking for a hand-knotted carpet in the classical style, or something fun, say, to spice up a country kitchen. For fine imported rugs, visit W. Hirsch Oriental Rugs. Or try Pirouzan Oriental Rugs on the next block down, which features new, antique and semi-antique Oriental rugs. Looking for something more playful? Check out Carey Burke Carpets next door to W. Hirsch. The family-friendly shop stocks colorful rugs and mats in all shapes and sizes, along with matching accessories, from subtle to kitsch. It also has a large room dedicated to whimsical rugs and accessories for children.

Moving back up this side of West Cary Street, on the small stretch between Beaumont and McCloy Streets, visitors pass the Richmond location of Ten Thousand Villages, known for gathering beautiful, handmade goods from the world over. A member of the International Fair Trade Association, the company supports global artisans within their communities, and offers them not only an outlet for their craft, but a sustainable, fair wage to help improve their quality of life. Here you will find everything from silver jewelry and beaded home accessories to smooth, wooden serving dishes and utensils.

Nearby is Garden Designs, a cozy, multi-story house that is bursting with anything you could want to decorate your garden, from petite benches to fun statuary and iron trellises, as well as one-of-a-kind finds by local artisans. Glittering wind chimes and reflectors fill the space with light, and the scent of herbs flutters throughout. Looking for some tips? Landscape design consultations are available.

On the next block of West Cary Street, between Freeman and Nansemond, there is a cluster of several interesting antique and collectible shops and galleries. In the middle is Anthill Antiques, Etc., a place to play, with colorful crystal prisms sparkling throughout, a wide variety of vintage and handmade jewelry, plus dozens of accent pieces to add just the right touch to any room. Look around for beaded fringe or perhaps a length of chain to finish restoring that old lamp pull. On our visit, the large orange tabby cat that has been wandering the streets of Carytown for the last eight years was stretched out lazily on the floor of the upstairs room, enjoying a patch of sunlight.


EQ3 in the Cary Court Shopping Center.
Photo by Tyler Darden 

For larger furnishings, visit Martha’s Mixture, Ltd., a few doors up. With a variety that ranges from French Country sideboards and rustic plank tables to nautical accessories—including several large model boats—Martha’s Mixture is indeed a mix. The collection of antique and hand-crafted reproduction furniture is accented by unique accessories, including a stunning collection of colorful oyster dishes when we stopped in. The glittering entryway is a credit to sister company, House of Lighting, which has filled the ceiling with chandeliers ranging from geometric Swarovski crystal concoctions to traditional six-armed chandeliers. Along the side wall run shelves of lampshades in every size, color and variety.

The warm, subdued Brazier Fine Art, Inc., on the corner of West Cary and Freeman, carries the work of nearly 30 artists from across the United States, Canada, France and Russia. The collection tends toward Modern Realism and Impressionism, mostly original paintings in oil, but some sculpture as well. Here and there graceful antique furnishings accent the gallery, many of which are for sale. Brazier opened in Carytown 11 years ago, choosing the neighborhood for many of the same reasons other shop owners do. In addition to being easily accessible, “it is an area that is unique in its individuality, with privately owned shops,” says gallery owner Loryn Brazier.

Similar feelings struck a chord with Teri Ward Rettman and Sheri Ward, who opened Fringe across the street in 1999. They moved to West Cary for “its uniqueness,” says Rettman. “It’s full of one-of-a-kind vendors and boutiques. It’s a gathering of small business owners that have a unique eye.” They have filled Fringe with custom furnishings and accessories, both of their own design and gathered from the world over, turning it into a charming design shop. Their goal has been to collect things that you won’t find anywhere else. Warm-hued walls, dark woods and plush chairs welcome visitors into an indoor courtyard complete with a bubbling fountain set into the tile floor. The scent of handmade French block soaps and old eather fill the air. Rettman, an interior designer, recently decorated a luxurious bedroom with vintage touches reminiscent of world travels at the 2006 Richmond Symphony Designer House.


EQ3 is a showcase of stylish modern furnishings.
Photo by Tyler Darden

The streets are full of many more resources than we can list here, from several interior designers’ boutiques to consignment stores and framing galleries. And if you ever happen to tire of shopping for furniture and accessories, try some of the other fun stores in Carytown, from All Fired Up!, a paint-your-own pottery shop; and Compleat Gourmet, full of the best in cooking tools and toys; to several of the neighborhood bookstores—most of which have cats of their own. Pick up the free “Carytown Guide,” available in many shops, for a full list and a map, or visit the newly created Web site, www.carytown.org, which promises to be a complete resource on all the happenings and openings about town.

RESOURCES

Tip: If you’re just in town for a visit, several area hotels offer shuttle bus services directly to West Cary Street.

Anthill Antiques, Etc
3439 W. Cary Street (804) 254-2000

Brazier
3401 W. Cary Street (804) 359-2787 www.brazierfineart.com

Carey Burke Carpets
3115 W. Cary Street (804) 355-3512 www.careyburke.com

The Elephant’s Toe
3100 W. Cary Street (804) 353-9100

EQ3
3142 W. Cary Street (804) 358-4142 www.eq3.com

Garden Designs
3317 W. Cary Street (804) 358-8763

Janet Brown Interior Design
3140B W. Cary Street (804) 358-9548

Leo Burke Furniture
3108 W. Cary Street (804) 358-5773 www.leoburke.com

Martha’s Mixture Antiques
3445 W. Cary Street (804) 358-5827 www.marthasmixtureantiques.com

Pirouzan Oriental Rugs
3015-3017 W. Cary Street (804) 353-6808

Ten Thousand Villages
3201 W. Cary Street (804) 358-5170

W. Hirsch Oriental Rugs Center
3117 W. Cary Street (804) 359-5463


Brazier Fine Arts.

Photo by Tyler Darden<


Martha's Mixture and House of Lighting.
Photo by Tyler Darden

 


Patrick Newman of House of Lighting.
Photo by Tyler Darden.

 


Terese Cerully, "co-conspirator" of Anthill Antiques.
Photo by Tyler Darden.


Belfield teaches an intuitive abstract class at Artworks.

“Artworks is really a studio, and sometimes a gallery,” says Brenda Belfield, leading the way into her amazing work and display space. Light floods in from the tall windows; one wall is hung with paintings, the other with the numbered cartoon for a stained-glass window. Her back room is a glorious jumble of sheets of glass, a firing kiln and tables of works in progress. To enter Artworks is to find oneself at the center of the shimmering, shifting, illusory colors of the glass Belfield works with, which change with the clouds sailing by outside and the movement of the beholder. Belfield’s work is everywhere, from the delicate works on thin handmade paper, half calligraphy and half bold brushstrokes, that were inspired by a trip to China, to the evocative bursts of vibrant color in the large modern canvases along the wall.

Trained at George Washington University and the Corcoran, Belfield’s reputation is international. Her work includes 60 windows at the Washington National Cathedral, a wall of glass and marble at NATO’s Sigonella base in Sicily, a glass panel at the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia and glass installations in chapels and churches from North Carolina to California. She has received six national awards for her stained-glass designs; her paintings have been featured in numerous one-person shows.

Whether she’s working on an installation for a private home or a house of worship, Belfield’s inspirations come from her acute observations of the world around her and her strong sensitivity to what the space is designed to do. “What you see here is a small sampling of my work,” Belfield points out. On one wall is a huge 12-by-12-foot cartoon, something like a blank paint-by-numbers, which represents the plan for a stained-glass window for a chapel in Denver. “This window is for a meditative chapel, so it has to block the light, and be very quiet,” she says. “This one is for another wall, so you can get a sense of the scale—two walls adjoining at the corner. When you stand in the middle, you will be in the midst of the glass that creates a shield, a quiet retreat from the world. It should have some color, but it should not distract or overwhelm.”

Belfield chooses each piece of glass she works with, looking carefully at each sheet. The patterns and whorls, the colors and surface textures are as individual to her as children in a classroom, waiting to be taught what their true gifts are. Belfield uses hand-blown glass from the Lambert Studio in Germany. It is shipped to a warehouse in New Jersey, where she chooses the color palette, and then it’s shipped to Serbia, where her fabricator, Steven Stanisic, operates his studio. Belfield will email the cartoon design and color specifications to Stanisic, whose craftsmen will cut each piece by hand and assemble the panels for shipment back to the States.

“I’m working on a project now for the lobby of the Odyssey Residence in Arlington…a very quiet, Zen-like interior suggestive of water,” she says, fingering a sheet of glass that is not blue, not green, but a running pattern of both reminiscent of the swirls in a clear pool. “Glass always looks like water to me anyway,” she points out, leading the way to the kiln. “It’s all about light; if it reflects, it’s one color; if the light passes through it, it’s another. It [glass] must be cut, or broken, to form a new piece. I see the shattered glass as a metaphor for shattered lives that are annealed and made into a new whole. The broken pieces become even more beautiful after they’ve gone through the fire,” she says. “It’s fascinating work, helping people imagine how the space can be transformed by art. In my own house, I switch things around all the time. Because sometimes, I feel outgoing, and I like bright color, and other times, I’m retreating; I want very minimal quiet paintings; I call those my Zen series, where there is an absence of colors.”

Belfield is continuously inspired by the world around her to create both her glass designs and her paintings. “I’m not just a glass artist,” she says firmly. “I’m interested in too many things.” Central to her glass art and paintings is the essence of surfaces beyond which there are other worlds, other depths. The interplay of transparency, translucency, opacity, texture and color that characterizes her glass is equally characteristic of her paintings, encaustics and collages. “The encaustics were from a time when I was using very little color; the Zen series is one I keep going back to; both are works you can find more things in, the longer you look.”

For the last few years Belfield’s design work has turned increasingly to employing all her techniquesto create home spaces that reflect her clients’ individuality. “I did a group of fused glass pieces for a home where they had beautiful gray walls; the glass was hung so it seemed to float over that beautiful gray; they appear to be transparent, or opaque, and they shift in color as the light shifts, as the people move.” Another of her designs is a 14-foot panel of clerestory glass windows in a bedroom. The central panel of the window has a full moon made of opalescent glass, which holds the light from a street lamp outside, and glows all night long.

“The inspiration for that was a photograph of a Moon Gate I saw in China. A group of us traveled there to study with calligraphers, who taught us how to use the inks and the brushes and the rice paper,” she recalls. The discipline of calligraphy, and the concentration that “free” brushwork requires, has changed the way Belfield approaches her own work, and the way she teaches. “I teach an intuitive abstract painting class here at Artworks, and I tell my students, ‘This class may change the way you paint, and it may also change the way you live. When you open your mind to see the possibilities in paint, you may also see possibilities in life’s situations.’”

For more information on Brenda Belfield and Artworks, visit the Web site www.belfieldArtworks.com or call (703) 464 7477.

Rosemary Knower is a freelance writer based in Baltimore.


Broken pieces of glass that are fused together.

 


"Hidden Tiger," a two-canvas work.

 


A front-door panel in Belfield's house.

 


A stained-glass window at St. Alban's School.

 


"Kaleidoscope," a four-by-four foot collage.

Fused glass panels in the lobby of Holy Cross Hospital.

A Fruitful Renovation

In the hallway leading to the basement space, Andre Sabbagh created a new cove ceiling covered in Venetian plaster.

It all started when a light fixture over a Rockville couple’s pool table broke. They asked their friend, interior designer Andre Sabbagh, for advice on whether to fix it or buy a new one. This launched a discussion about what they thought the lower level of their home should ultimately look like. Sabbagh had some exciting ideas. So exciting, in fact, that the homeowners decided to embark on a full-scale renovation that would create a one-of-a-kind billiard room, wine cellar and plush new home theater.

In the original space, stairs led down to the basement and into a stark hallway with an existing wine room on the left and a spare room on the right. The hall culminated at a bar overlooking the billiard room. The décor consisted of white walls and dull wall-to-wall carpeting.

Sabbagh’s goal was to create a refined, personalized space that would reflect his clients’ style. “This is a home, not a pub,” he explains. “We wanted to make it elegant. The intention was to give it the coziness of an Old World feel combined with the quality of today’s finishes.”

The wife, whose father and grandfather were both winemakers, asked Sabbagh to integrate two large wine barrels made by her father into the design. So he designed custom cabinetry that encompasses the barrels as well as additional wine storage. Then he created a cozy seating area in front of the cabinetry where the homeowners and their guests can enjoy a bottle of wine or play a game of cards.

Throughout the new space, Sabbagh incorporated rich, textural materials, such as custom wall panels made of tooled leather and cork floors that evoke the interior of an old wine cellar. Decorative painting by Christine N. Barnette creates an antique, rustic effect.

In the billiard room, Sabbagh designed a freestanding bar along one wall. Below it, a mural of wine barrels by Barnette reinforces the theme. During a game of pool, guests can rest drinks and snacks on the bars or on the two round granite stands hung on cast-iron bases that Sabbagh designed in opposite corners of the room.

Other than a custom-designed mirror, Sabbagh resisted the urge to hang other objects on the billiard room walls. “I wanted to make the space itself a focal point and the architectural element, of course, is the pool table. Each print, painting or mirror would overtake this dominant element in the room,” he explains.

One of the designer’s greatest challenges was configuring the home theater, a small space with three different entrances. To conserve space, he selected theater seating by Motion Craft Furniture that reclines in place. Top-grain leather upholstery and dramatic lighting effects create a luxurious cinema experience. Meanwhile, the home theater system installed by Graffiti Audio Video features all of the latest bells and whistles: a remote that controls all A/V equipment, the lighting and the retractable screen; surround-sound; and a platform motion shaker that kicks in during action scenes.

The homeowners are delighted with their home’s new lower level. Says Sabbagh, “The elements pull from the past and present. The beauty of the space is that it’s so personal. When friends or family come over, they have a story to tell.”

Photographer Bob Narod is based in Sterling, Virginia.

Interior Design: Andre Sabbagh, TAS Interiors, Falls Church, Virginia Home Theater Installation: Graffiti Audio Video, Washington, DC Decorative Painting: Christine N. Barnette, Christine Nicole Productions, Glen Burnie, Maryland Cabinetry: Shlomo Assaraf, As It Should Be, Kensington, Maryland


Custom cabinetry integrates old wine barrels. 

The new space boasts a freestanding bar. 

Wall panels were made of tooled leather. 

On the new shelving over the existing bar the client displays
100-year-old miniature wine barrels made by her grandfather.
 

The new home theater sets an elegant tone. 

The Motion Craft seats recline in place.
HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

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