Home & Design

 

Good working relationships make all the difference in landscape design, so when Annapolis builder Bret Anderson of Pyramid Builders began work on his own house on the water, he contacted landscape architect Steve McHale, with whom he has worked many times over the years. They collaborated closely on ideas and drawings to bring to life Anderson’s vision of a home that would make him feel like he was on a permanent vacation.

The Southwestern-style house appears to cascade down a slope from foyer to living levels to an outdoor pool and patio, and then to the lawn and the Chesapeake Bay. Conscious of setback and fencing requirements, Anderson and McHale designed a pool that is raised above ground level and looks out over the adjacent water. The pool captures “the beauty of an infinity-edge pool, but it’s much easier to care for and maintain,” says Anderson.

The decking is constructed of carnation rose flagstone from India, selected because it’s cooler to walk on than typical flagstone and its color complements the house. In the front yard, McHale designed two raised planters, painted white, to create “a courtyard feeling,” he explains. Plants, including prickly pears and palms, complete the Southwestern ambience.

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Steve McHale, McHale Landscape Design, Inc., Upper Marlboro, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY:  (top) Richard Sweeney ,  (left) Kevin McHale, McHale Landscape Design, Inc.

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A Potomac couple liked the size of their master bath, but not much else about it. An outdated look, crowded vanities and a claustrophobic shower made the room both unappealing and impractical. The couple tapped Nancy Thornett Associates to transform the space, starting with a new floor plan. By relocating the tub they were able to enlarge the shower. The double vanities took over the space where the tub had been, yielding additional storage and counter space. An elegant, neutral palette gave the room a sense of luxury and tradition—exactly what the clients ordered.


BATH DESIGN:
Ann Unal, CKD, CBD, CID, Nancy Thornett Associates, Bethesda, MD. INTERIOR DESIGN: Stacey Grigg Saidy, The Drawing Room, Bethesda, MD.CONTRACTOR: Rojas Brothers Co., Inc. CABINETRY: Nancy Thornett Associates. COUNTERTOPS: Marble, R. Bratti Associates. FLOORING, WALLS: Marble, Architectural Ceramics. FIXTURES: Kohler. PHOTOGRAPHY: Ann Unal.

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Au Naturel
Building green should no longer be the exception but the rule, according to Yuri Sagatov of Sagatov Homes. “It is simply fundamental building science,” he says. “It’s not a fleeting new product with an unproven history or even something that is visible in the finished project. It’s more about maximizing the efficiency of the building and minimizing its building-waste stream.”

A case in point is the new custom home Sagatov recently designed and built for Carolyn Miller and Jim Allenchey on an infill lot in Arlington, Virginia. With an open floor plan and clean-lined, vaulted spaces, the property appears to pay homage to good modern design rather than green building. But from the moment the previous house on the lot was demolished, Sagatov embraced the latest energy-efficient technologies, air quality standards and eco-friendly construction practices in building the new home, which ultimately earned it a Five Star-plus Energy Star rating—the EPA’s highest rank.
Miller and Allenchey first met Sagatov on a tour of the builder’s own home. They were drawn to its clean, modern aesthetic as well as its eco-friendly footprint. “It probably never occurred to us not to build green,” says Miller, a principal at Marshfield Associates, a DC-based investment advisory firm. “It’s the responsible, right thing to do and we try to do it in other aspects of our lives so why not do that here?”

After his clients decided on a lot in Arlington, Sagatov embarked on a design program based on their request for an open floor plan with lots of natural light and views of the surrounding woods. “They basically gave me an idea of what they wanted, but free rein on how to design it,” he says.

Sagatov created a home with two large, rectangular masses connected by a center section that houses the foyer and a floating staircase. On the main level, one mass encompasses the living and dining rooms while the other houses a home office and a professional-grade kitchen for Allenchey, a chef and the owner of Dominion Deli in Falls Church. Voluminous windows blur the lines between indoors and out.

Every step of the way, Sagatov incorporated green features that are largely hidden behind the home’s sleek façade. “Most of the things we do for green aren’t really sexy,” he says. “They have to do with building science, trying to build as tight an energy efficient house as possible.”

Even before construction, Sagatov minimized the waste stream. During the demolition of the lot’s previous home, his team sorted and recycled 75 percent of the materials, including metals, concrete, bricks, windows and kitchen equipment. By using pre-fabricated wall panels for framing, they saved 20 percent in scrap material, he says.
Sagatov carefully sited the new house to take advantage of passive solar gain, positioning the living and dining rooms so that they receive maximum exposure throughout the day.

A comprehensive insulation program combines dense-packed cellulose throughout the structure with an air-sealing package focusing on key areas of energy loss. All windows and doors are low-emission, argon filled to eliminate air loss and energy exchange. Even the HVAC ducts are sealed with mastic, a gum-like substance, to prevent minute leaks in the system.

Clean air quality was a high priority for the homeowners, who have three dogs and two cats. The home’s dual HVAC systems employ top-of-the-line air filters and energy-recovery ventilators, which are needed to bring fresh air into homes that are so tightly sealed. Every three hours, they exchange all the air in the house.

Bathed in light with views of the surrounding canopy of trees, the living room enjoys a strong connection to nature. A high-efficiency, wood-burning stove with a custom concrete surround provides warmth on chilly nights. Oversized shaded pendants make a bold statement. Like all lighting in the house, they are on dimmers, which greatly reduce energy requirements.

In lieu of walls, only variations in ceiling height delineate the open living room, adjoining dining room and the kitchen on the other side of the floating staircase. Working closely with Allenchey, Sagatov designed the kitchen for serious cooking, with a professional Thermador cooktop and hood, a large granite-topped island and stainless-steel countertops. The kitchen opens to a large screened porch, where the homeowners enjoy morning coffee with their menagerie.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms with their own baths, as well as a laundry room. Large, round windows in each of the vaulted bedrooms dapple the walls with sunlight. The master bathroom features a custom cherry vanity and a heated marble floor.
The lower level of the 5,000-square-foot home features a mud room, a guest room that doubles as a yoga studio, an 8,000-bottle wine cellar and what Miller calls her husband’s “man room” complete with a pool table.

Natural landscaping surrounding the house places an emphasis on minimizing runoff. Permeable paving materials were used on the driveway, walkways and patio.

Whether you’re indoors or out, this is a home that revolves around enjoying—and protecting—its environment. Intelligent design and sustainable building practices aside, it’s simply a serene, relaxing place to be. Says Miller, “We love the way our home invites nature into our daily lives. At the end of the day when we walk into our house, the world goes away.”

DESIGN/BUILD: Yuri Sagatov, CR, Sagatov Homes, Falls Church, Virginia.

 

 

Indulgences - Food
Surf and Turf
Bourbon Steak recently debuted at the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown. Chef Michael Mina is known for his slow-poaching method of cooking meat, but the restaurant also features seafood dishes, including lobster pot pie with truffle cream, baby vegetables and wild mushrooms. The clubby space was designed by the Rockwell Group of  New York.
2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW;  (202) 944-2026. www.michaelmina.net.

Frederick Find
Chef Bryan Voltaggio  has been receiving rave reviews at Volt, located in a restored brownstone in his hometown of Frederick, Maryland. The restaurant emphasizes pure and seasonal ingredients. Entrées include  heavenly bronzini with ruby quinoa, cauliflower and petite red ribbon sorrel.
228 North Market Street; 301-696-8658. www.voltrestaurant.com.

Picnic, anyone?
Sebastien Tavel, who hails from France’s Rhône Valley, and his wife Mary tap into some of the top dairy farms in the States to bring an assortment of artisanal cheeses to La Fromagerie, their new shop in Old Town Alexandria.  A few foreign imports also join the mix, along with  charcuterie.
1222 King Street; 703-879-2467.  www.lafromagerieonline.com.

 

 

 

Indulgences- Travel
Eco-luxury in Portland
Located in the heart of Portland, Oregon, the Nines hotel has debuted in a 1908 building that once housed a famed department store. Today, the 331-room Starwood property is fresh from a major renovation that preserved its architectural heritage while introducing a number of eco-conscious initiatives; Silver LEED certification is pending. The seven-story atrium lobby  is bathed in natural light. Rates from $249. www.thenines.com.

Old Town Escape
Kimpton Hotels recently unveiled the chic new Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town Alexandria. Noted interior designer Vicente Wolf has created modern interiors that respect the city’s historic charm. Bathrooms juxtapose contemporary vanities in gray stone with elegant claw-foot tubs. The Lorien is also home to the restaurant BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier. Rates from $269, with weekend specials available. www.lorienhotelandspa.com.

Presidential Style

The historic Carolina hotel at North Carolina’s Pinehurst Resort has just put the finishing touches on a new presidential suite. Designed by Gary Inman of Glavé & Holmes Associates in Richmond to reflect the hotel’s provenance, the 1,700-square-foot retreat boasts a bedroom  that opens to an octagonal study. Rates from $1,200, including breakfast and dinner. www.pinehurst.com.

 

 

Expert Advice - Lighting the Way

An Arlington, Virginia, homeowner recently went through her whole house, replacing every incandescent bulb with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). “She wanted to do her part,” explains Dominion Electric’s Nicole Brose, ASID, the lighting designer who steered her in the right direction. While changing bulbs is a small contribution to the energy conservation effort, it reflects America’s increasing interest in sustainable living. “Green lighting is still a newer concept,” Brose says, “but it’s the wave of the future. Just within the last six months we’ve seen factories producing more products, and people in the industry getting trained to work with them.”

In fact, a wide range of green lighting products is already available. And though many homeowners—including the Arlington resident above—can’t afford or are
not ready to make sweeping changes to their existing electrical systems, smaller-scale eco-friendly alternatives do exist. Incandescent bulbs, with a lifespan of 750 to 1,000 hours, can be replaced by halogens, which offer a very crisp, white light and last about 3,000 hours. CFLs offer the greenest alternative; they are Energy Star-rated and will last up to 10,000 hours. Though some say they don’t give off as pleasing a light as incandescents and halogens, they are available in a warm white tinged with orangey pink, as well as the cool white associated with traditional fluorescents.

If you’re interested in installing a new, eco-friendly lighting system, low-voltage LED (light emitting diode) lights are the best way to go. They provide much greater energy efficiency than any other light on the market today: An LED light will last 10 times longer than a CFL and use a third of the energy. Also, unlike CFLs, LEDs are mercury-free, which makes
recycling them easier and safer.

LEDs can be recessed, or used in under-counter applications, fixtures, lamps and cable and monorail systems. However, because of their low voltage, they cannot replace all forms of lighting in the home. “LED lighting is a work in progress in terms of providing larger and brighter lights,” says David Neumaier, a partner with Sound Images, a Falls Church, Virginia-based lighting and automation dealer. Neumaier suggests that a daylight system such as Solatube be used in conjunction with LEDs. “Daylight systems reflect and magnify sunlight in the home through a long, recessed channel from the roof to the ceiling,” he explains. He also advocates custom-programmed shade control systems, which help with climate control as well as light by monitoring shade positions day to day with sensors and software modules.

Unfortunately, the greener the lighting product, the higher the price—which can be discouraging to would-be environmentalists. It’s important to remember, however, that buyers will ultimately recoup their cash outlay; CFLs, for example, cost more than a regular bulb but last four times as long. And, as Nicole Brose of Dominion points out, “LED lighting is 50 percent more expensive than regular under-cabinet lighting but lasts four times as long.”

Lighting control offers another significant way to be energy efficient. There are several options, according to Lee Odess, marketing and sales director of Vienna, Virginia-based Integrated Media Systems, a lighting and automation dealer. “There are three families of controls,” Odess explains. “Wallbox dimmers, which are your traditional dimmer; single-room systems, where you take multiple switches in one room and introduce a master control for them in order to create atmosphere; and whole-home systems, where you would have a combination of dimmers and master controls.”

Dimmers offer an inexpensive way to save energy. Dimming your lights by 50 percent, for example, will save 50 percent of your electricity. In addition, says Odess, dimming your lights makes bulbs last longer. Remember to match the dimmer type to the fixture and bulb type, however; mixing them will result in poor performance and possibly a fire hazard.

Though a whole-house system is expensive, typically starting at $3,000, the energy savings can be substantial; master controls enable homeowners to reduce and regulate light usage anywhere in the house. For instance, says Odess, “a time clock feature can be set to turn lights on and off or to levels you want,” so that rooms not in use will never be needlessly lit. Lighting control systems can also include sensors that read the ambient light outside and adjust the level of artificial light to match. In addition to lighting, whole-house systems can control HVAC and security systems, home theaters, audio/video systems and more. Single-room and whole-house systems are available through lighting control companies such as Lutron and Crestron. Crestron has a Green Light product line specializing in eco-friendly methods and materials). Both companies offer a variety of options for retro-fitting a home with hard-wired and wireless systems for single rooms and whole houses.

Despite the burgeoning interest in green lighting, as Nicole Brose of Dominion Electric sees it, homeowners still have a way to go. “We are taking the lead from European countries, but we’re not there yet. At Dominion, every month we get more customers interested in introducing sustainable lighting into their homes, usually on a smaller scale.” But, she adds, “It’s important to do your part, even on a smaller scale.”

Kenneth M. Wyner is a photographer in Takoma Park, Maryland.

 


Dream Kitchens & Baths
There were dozens of impressive entries submitted for the first annual design competition organized by the Baltimore Washington Chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and sponsored by HOME & DESIGN  magazine. NKBA is comprised of kitchen and bath specialists who adhere to the organization’s high standards of design, safety and functionality. Judging the impressive array of entries was a group of seasoned professionals with a variety of design perspectives: Connie Edwards of American Woodmark Corporation; Amy Gardner, AIA, of Gardner Mohr Architects LLC; Diane Gordy of DGI Design Group; Rob Morris of Morris-Day Designers and Builders; and HOME & DESIGN editor in chief Sharon Jaffe Dan.

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Classical Contemporary
For two decades, the Georgetown couple walked past a Colonial Revival brick house near Tudor Place and wished it could be theirs. “We admired the simplicity and elegance of the architecture,” says the attorney husband. “The home is somewhat unique because it is freestanding rather than a row house. It came with one of the deepest gardens in Georgetown.”

When he and his wife, a telecommunications consultant, discovered their dream home was finally for sale, they jumped to buy it. The interiors needed updating so they turned to Rob Brown and Todd Davis, who had remodeled rooms in their previous house. “They know how to integrate clean, modern furnishings with older homes in which the preservation of the historic details is essential,” says the wife. Brown and Davis, who have offices in Bethesda and Miami Beach, are best known for decorating the Washington, DC, and Chappaqua, New York, homes of former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as Hillary Clinton’s former Senate office.
Hardly the typical Washingtonians whose conservative tastes run to wing chairs and Oriental rugs, the well-traveled homeowners prefer more stylish, pared-down designs. “In essence, we are Bauhaus admirers,” says the husband. “We dislike clutter, excessive ornamentation and overly decorated spaces.” At the same time, he and his wife appreciate the historic charm of Georgetown and made sure renovations respected the architectural character of their 1883 home. “The challenge was to find the right balance between preserving the best of a 19th-century structure and furnishing it with designs that are clean, simple and elegant,” he says.
Brown and Davis addressed both modernity and history by setting sleek furnishings into rooms outlined in elegant architectural details of their own making. “The façade is gorgeous but the interiors did not match that,” says Brown. “To either side of the central hallway was a jumble of rooms. It was time to give the house new life.” On the main level, archways between the hallway and flanking spaces were widened and raised to improve flow. A small room behind the living space was replaced with a coat closet and a powder room with a sculptural stone sink.
At the rear, the kitchen was completely overhauled by Poggenpohl with contemporary cabinets, glass backsplashes and stainless-steel appliances. It now opens to the rebuilt back porch overlooking the terraced garden and pool. The room across the hall from the kitchen was framed in new paneling and built-in cabinetry to create a family space. Chairs and sofas were recycled from the couple’s previous home and reupholstered to provide comfortable seating for reading and watching TV.
Throughout the house, the décor reflects what Brown and Davis call “classical contemporary,” a luxurious but streamlined look that has become their signature. “One of our trademarks is the juxtaposition of old and new, and bringing colors together in unexpected ways,” Davis says.
The more formal rooms at the front of the house exemplify this mix of traditional and modern elements. In the living room, Brown and Davis replaced the fireplace mantel with a carved limestone surround and installed new architectural moldings to create a classical interior design backdrop to stylized, Deco-inspired furnishings. Instead of pairing sofas around the fireplace, they arranged seating areas at either end of the room and connected them with a floral-patterned carpet of their own design. “It was inspired by a late 19th-century Chinese import rug for another client,” explains Brown. “The furniture has a Deco flair and in terms of Deco interiors, Chinese rugs were often used.” Ivory upholstery on the chairs and sofas provides a contemporary twist within the room’s traditional setting.
Across the hall, a similar contrast is evident in the dining room, which also serves as a music room for the couple’s three children. A baby grand piano faces upholstered chairs pulled up to a rosewood table and a banquette in front of the windows. As in the living room, the piano and furnishings are linked by a large rug in subdued tones to match the upholstery. In both living and dining rooms, marigold silk draperies add a jolt of color. “These rooms tend to be dark because they face north,” says Brown. “We chose a golden tone to warm them up.”
Abstract prints by noted American artists Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg and Richard Serra, and large paintings by Spanish artists Miguel Angel Campano and José Freixanes underscore the contemporary feeling. “We think the art reinforces the importance of simple furnishings—the furnishings do not collide visually with the art,” says the husband.
Upstairs in his study, Brown and Davis extended the same strategy applied to the living and dining rooms, but reversed the approach. Instead of ornamenting the walls with intricate moldings, they used streamlined cherry paneling and shelving as a modern backdrop to traditional furnishings, including four chairs the designers originally created for the British Embassy.
Contrast continues in the master bedroom, where light-colored bedding, drapes and upholstery are set off by raisin-colored silk wallpaper. “We were asked to make it a cocoon,” says Davis. “So we used materials to absorb sound from the street.”At one end of the room, a print by British artist Henry Moore hangs over a fireplace framed in a simple stone surround. “It’s our favorite room, especially in winter with the fireplace burning,” says the husband. “We are often there, reading or working late at night when the house and the city outside are quiet.”
Washington, DC-based Deborah K. Dietsch is the author of Live/Work: Working at Home, Living at Work. Photographer William Cunningham is based in New York City.

INTERIOR DESIGN:
Rob Brown and Todd Davis, Brown Davis Interiors, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, and Miami Beach, Florida.

Living Large Outdoors
Whatever it may be called—arbor, colonnade, conservatory, deck, loggia, pergola or pool house—the outdoor structure is a significant component of today’s modern American garden. Outdoor structures can be used as transitions between one part of the garden and another, or they may connect the house to the yard. In the articles that follow, you’ll discover how a simple curving wall can contain a luxurious outdoor retreat that’s used throughout the year. You’ll be intrigued by waterfalls and pools sculpted from a steeply sloping backyard. Talented designers, of course, are key: Their vision can turn the simplest  landscape into a practical yet exceedingly stylish haven.

This landscape plan  is a very unusual one. The backyard is short and shallow, completely unsuitable for the large entertaining area with swimming pool that the homeowners desired. Pool designer Carrie Luttrell of NVBlu Inc. says the solution was to link a rear patio to the side yard, which was just big enough for an expanded patio and a negative-edge pool suitable both for adults and active children. However, because the yard slopes up toward the street, Luttrell explains, instead of having a negative edge on the far end of the pool that disappears in the distance, the negative edge on this pool serves as a small waterfall that is viewed from the patio entertaining area.

A hydrotherapy spa at one end accommodates eight adults, and it, too, has a waterfall that appears to cascade from the pool into the spa below it. “We wanted to mimic the same negative-edge effect,” says Luttrell. While Luttrell was responsible for the entire design, the patio was installed by Statz Stone and Structure, which also worked with the homeowners on the striking plantings that surround the area and complement the landscape in the distance.

Washington, DC-based Jane Berger is a landscape designer and publisher of GardenDesign Online.com.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Carrie Luttrell, NVBlu Inc., Chantilly, Virginia.
PATIO INSTALLATION & LANDSCAPING:
Statz Stone and Structure, Sterling, Virginia. PHOTOGRAPHY: Morgan Riehl, MAR Photography, St. Kilda, Australia.

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Gourmet Grandeur
Granting a client’s wish list for a renovation with little room for expansion can seem like a daunting task. However, for kitchen designer Jennifer Gilmer, it was a challenge that was easily met. To make the kitchen larger in both appearance and measurement, the dining room wall was pushed back and its single doorway was replaced with a double. The appliances requested by the client, including a prep sink, built-in refrigerator and second oven, fit on the wall opposite the large island. To avoid overcrowding, a convection oven was placed in a tall cabinet, creating extra pantry space.

Kitchen Design: Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Bethesda, MD. ARCHITECT: Gilda Marinho, Bethesda, MD. CONTRACTOR: Paul Lappas, Lappas Construction, Inc., Bethesda, MD. CABINETRY: Premier Custom Built, New Holland, PA. COUNTERTOPS: Caesarstone and Wenge Butcher Block. APPLIANCES: Gaggenau, Best Hood, Miele, Franke, Grohe. PHOTOGRAPHY: Bob Narod, Sterling, VA. PHOTO STYLING: Priya Gupta.

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Potomac Perch
After Leslie Train Westreich moved into a Watergate condominium once owned by former Virginia Senator John Warner and his wife Elizabeth Taylor, her horizon literally expanded. The penthouse atop the famous 1965 Washington, DC, complex offers spectacular vistas of the Potomac River and local landmarks, including the National Cathedral and the skyline of Rosslyn, Virginia. “When I entered this space, my spirit soared and I made an immediate offer. I love the incomparable views,” says Westreich, a former psychotherapist, devoted golfer and grandmother of 11.

But an awkward layout detracted from the space so she decided to renovate. Her logical choice of an architect was Errol M. Adels, whose firm had previously designed a home for Westreich and her former husband. “I had just closed an international practice, which kept me on planes a great deal of the time, and had returned to Washington to establish a smaller office when Leslie called,” recalls Adels. “She described her desire for a warm, intimate space that would also provide a backdrop for her artwork and superb collection of neoclassical, Biedermeier and Art Deco furnishings.”
After the condo was purchased, both homeowner and architect agreed that the space needed to be gutted. “In the end, we were left with the concrete floor and ceiling slabs and lots of bulky columns,” recalls the architect. “We even removed all of the floor-to-ceiling windows so they could be replaced with a more sophisticated glass to control UV rays.” In contrast to the building’s modern architecture, Adels created a stylized backdrop for Westreich’s European antiques.
From the entrance, a central hallway was widened to form a gallery, which connects all parts of the apartment. Now all the rooms, including the bathroom, open to the view. To give architectural definition to the long gallery, Adels installed pilasters replicated from an Art Deco structural pillar, one of Westreich’s unused finds. The reproductions were cast in plaster by Giannetti Studios of Brentwood, Maryland, which has done work for the White House, according to Adels. The gallery also incorporates niches for the owner’s collectibles, including silver pieces and majolica pottery. The pale yellow limestone floor is banded with inlaid mosaics aligned with the pilasters to create a continuous visual rhythm.
The formal dining room, a study in elegance, opens from the gallery. Adels installed decorative antique iron gates found at a Paris flea market at the room’s entrance and upholstered the walls in a soft celadon-toned fabric from Boussac. The burled maple dining table is from Westreich’s collection as is a nearby marble-topped Edgar Bandt Art Deco table that displays her collection of antique silver.
At the end of the hall, the light-drenched living room extends to the windows at the perimeter. Just outside, the wrap-around terrace is furnished with weather-resistant rattan seating and glass-topped tables with neoclassical bases. Decorative stone and glazed urns from Provence are filled with perennials to provide touches of color. Views upriver toward Key Bridge offer spectacular sunsets along the Palisades, while those to the east overlook the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial.
On the living room walls, Adels applied birch panels with gilded details to form an architectural backdrop to a 19th-century French marble fireplace. Extending along the rear wall is a hand-painted, three-paneled trompe l’oeil scene of Pompeii that inspired the rest of the neoclassical decor.
To provide a dramatic setting for afternoon tea or dinner with a river view, Adels designed a marble mosaic-topped table that was crafted in Paris. It sits on a decorative iron base and is surrounded by four upholstered Art Deco chairs from the S.S. Normandie, a 1932 French ocean liner renowned for its stunning interiors. “We had the chairs covered in a Manuel Canovas silk velvet which we embossed using a technique called gauffrage,” explains Adels. “It’s a labor-intensive process, but its subtle effect cannot be duplicated.”
Stepping outside, Westreich marvels at all the activity below. “It’s a living landscape,” she says of the boats and racing sculls in the Potomac and bicyclists and runners at water’s edge, all reflected in the river. “I thrive on all this visual excitement.”

Tracy Mitchell Griggs, a writer and design blogger, resides on the Chesapeake Bay. Stuart Estler is a Rockville, Maryland-based photographer.

Design Classic
With their whole-house remodel nearly complete, the Arnold, Maryland, residents of a waterfront condo turned to Kitchen Encounters for their final project. Their challenge was to create a functional, high-end kitchen in a confined space, evoking a classic style that would complement the rest of the interior. Against a background of beige and cream, the kitchen became warm yet sophisticated, opening onto a breakfast area with a built-in hutch and wet bar for extra storage. Furniture-like cabinetry added to the traditional look, and hardwood floors unified the space.
KITCHEN DESIGN: Mark White, CKD, Shane M. Silverman, CKD (co-designer), Kitchen Encounters, Annapolis, MD. CONTRACTOR: Blackketter Craftsmen,Inc., Millersville, MD. CABINETRY: Neff Kitchens. COUNTERTOPS: Granite. APPLIANCES: Sub-Zero, Wolf, Miele, Best by Broan. PHOTOGRAPHY: Mike Gullon. Harbor Springs, MI.

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In The Zone
Modifying a galley kitchen arrangement to satisfy the needs of a growing family with multiple cooks was the challenge facing Mastercraft Design, Inc.’s Rita McSorley. The plans for a kitchen that doubled as a place for family gatherings included an informal seating area and designated spaces for cookbooks and a television. The use of multiple types of wood and finishes helped to create different zones within the kitchen. The finished space serves as a center for cooking and entertaining as well as a link to the newly renovated dining room.

KITCHEN DESIGN: Rita L. McSorley, CKD, Mastercraft Design Inc., Manassas, VA. ARCHITECTURE: Mark A. Coupard, AIA, Charles P. McSorley, Associate AIA, Coupard Architects & Builders, Falls Church, VA. CONTRACTOR: Coupard Architects & Builders. CABINETRY: CWP Cabinetry. LIGHTING DESIGN: Nicole White Brose, Dominion Electric Supply. BUILT-INS: Scott Groves Cabinetmaker, Groves Cabinetry. COUNTERTOPS: Silestone. APPLIANCES: Viking Range, KitchenAid, Fisher & Paykel, Brizo, Blanco, The Noland Company. TILEWORK: Alpha Tile. PHOTOGRAPHY: Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography.

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Faced with a span of only 15 feet from the kitchen window to the rear property line, most homeowners wouldn’t begin to consider building a backyard entertaining area. But landscape architect Chad Talton of Surrounds says that with just a bit of planning and effort, “you can make any space useful, no matter how big or small it is.” Talton’s McLean, Virginia, clients specified their desire for an outdoor living space, but left most of the other decisions up to him.

In front, Talton designed a formal, elliptical-shaped guest entry of brick and flagstone, flanked by boxwoods. He also integrated a new walkway into the existing drive, which overlooks a neighboring lot; hardscaping complements the Colonial-style house and its quaint, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. In the backyard, he designed a curved stone wall that warmly embraces the new entertaining area, complete with a built-in grill and fireplace that make it useable year-round. Low retaining walls provide additional seating for guests, and tall conifers screen out neighboring properties. “It was such a small space,” says Talton, “and there was so much going on in it, that it seemed appropriate to use evergreens and other plantings that would add color constantly.”

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Chad Talton, Surrounds Landscape Architecture and Construction, Sterling, Virginia. PHOTOGRAPHY: Ron Blunt, Washington, DC.

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When a Potomac homeowner hired Carnemark systems + design, inc. to update her kitchen, she had two goals: to open the kitchen up to the adjoining dining area for a sense of uninterrupted space, and to create a colorful, contemporary kitchen. The challenge turned out to be in creating the open floor plan, because the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room was load-bearing. Carnemark left a slice of the wall intact, then made it a pivotal design element by painting it a warm red. Sleek cabinetry and spare lines finished the job.


ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Jonas Carnemark, principal, Carnemark systems + design, inc, Bethesda, MD. CABINETRY: SieMatic. COUNTERTOPS: Caesarstone. APPLIANCES: Gaggenau. PHOTOGRAPHY: Maxwell Mackenzie, Washington, DC.

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The owners of a DC rambler wanted to transform their small, outdated 1950s kitchen into a large, open space full of light—contemporary but not cold. They called on Design Studio International to do the job, which involved doubling the size of the kitchen by combining it with the former dining room, which allowed access to more natural light through the dining room windows. The designer added more workspace, along with a partition to separate the kitchen from the new dining area. Splashes of bright, unexpected color, clean-lined cabinetry and modern finishes complete the effect.

KITCHEN DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Savena Doychinov, CKD, Dimiter Doychinov, project manager, Design Studio International Kitchen & Bath, LLC, Falls Church, VA. CABINETRY: Adelphi Kitchens, Inc. COUNTERTOPS: Granite, curved glass, stainless steel. APPLIANCES: Thermador, Wolf, Miele, Zephyr, GE Monogram, KitchenAid. PHOTOGRAPHY: Bob Narod, VA.

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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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The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

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