Top Chefs at Home JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

These four local stars of Bravo’s popular “Top Chef” series have helped put DC’s dining scene on the map. A private tour of their own homes—and kitchens—offers a behind-the-scenes look at these up-and-coming pros.

Mike Isabella
The executive chef at Zaytinya in DC, Mike Isabella found inspiration and camaraderie during his run on “Top Chef” Season 6. On their days off, he and wife Stacy cook up a storm in their Penn Quarter condo.
read more

Bryan Voltaggio
A calm and steady culinary tour de force who was pitted against his brother Michael in the Season 6 finale, Bryan Voltaggio focuses on perfection at his acclaimed Frederick restaurant, Volt.
read more

Carla Hall
One of the finalists on Season 5, Carla Hall now runs the show at Alchemy Caterers in Silver Spring. After hours, this accomplished chef unwinds with her husband in their charming Takoma Park Victorian.
read more

Spike Mendelsohn
Following his stint on Season 4, Spike Mendelsohn left the Big Apple in 2008 to open Good Stuff Eatery in DC. Now, he and his fiancé Alyssa Shelasky enjoy midnight dinners and TV in their Capitol Hill home.
read more

**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.

A Modern Mix January/February 2010

KITCHEN DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: Sonny Nazemian, Michael Nash Custom Kitchens & Homes, Inc., Fairfax, VA. CABINETRY: Blackstone Cabinetry. COUNTERTOPS: Blue Pearl granite. APPLIANCES: GE Monogram. BACKSPLASH: Stainless steel. SINK: Blanco. FIXTURES: Danze. LIGHTING: Progress Lighting. FLOORING: Imola Ceramica-Antares, Sita Tile Distributors, Capitol Heights, MD. PHOTOGRAPHY: June Stanich, Fairfax, VA.

previous    next 

** Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.

Richmond Classic JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Richmond interior designer Jennifer Stoner had barely completed the finishing touches on her clients’ house two years ago when they  announced they were buying a 1906 home on Monument Avenue in the city’s historic Fan District. “It was the fulfillment of a dream for them,” Stoner explains. So she got to work on the new project.

Gus and Eileen Remppies had enjoyed living in “the Fan” on Hanover Street for several years, but were continually looking for a home on Monument Avenue. “They’re very active in Richmond civic events, and love to entertain,” says Stoner about Gus Remppies, a chief investment officer, and Eileen, a former kindergarten teacher. “They wanted a home that is a bit more centrally located.” In 2008 they found just what they wanted. Since a lot of their furniture was recently purchased, the couple decided to repurpose as much of it as possible, but wanted to make some changes too. Among them was to infuse this home with color. 

“Eileen wanted a departure from the true red and navy blue of the ‘old’ décor to something more contemporary and subdued,” says Stoner, who suggested introducing a soft gray-blue palette. And since the home would serve not only as a gathering place for friends and family (their daughter Daphne lives nearby) but also as a refuge for these two busy empty-nesters, the design plan necessitated separate approaches to the public and private rooms.

The main floor is the most dramatic of the three. Stoner painted the walls of the front hall black, partially to balance the high-contrast stencil on the stairwell that travels up all three stories. “I asked them to just go with me on this. They did—and they love it,” the designer says about the leap-of-faith color choice.

The architectural details are the most compelling elements of the house. High ceilings, deep crown moldings and coffered ceilings are all too grand to be ignored, so Stoner directed color choices and other decorative elements to embrace these assets. In the reception salon, Cowtan & Tout embroidered silk draperies hang inside the window frame, constructed at triple-width for extra fullness. The soft blue wall color offers a contemporary backdrop to the traditional furnishings.

The triple tête-à-tête settee is a conversation piece. “Everyone has to try it out,” Stoner says. In the adjacent dining room, Kravet red silk draperies hung over a Jab woven paisley shade help tie in furnishings from the previous house and impart warmth to the room.

In the music room, Stoner again blended the old with the new while focusing on the architecture. Pale yellow walls echo the more intense Lee Jofa gold draperies. A red club chair and an Oriental rug from the previous house have found a comfortable spot near the fireplace. Of special note is the intricate stencil work on the ceiling—an interpretation of a motif on the crystal-embellished chandelier.

Rather than completely renovate the kitchen, which actually worked well for the homeowners, Stoner simply redecorated, adding a few details to make it theirs. The “antiqued” cabinets and crackle-finish paint on the arch and island display the talents of Richmond decorative painters Jennifer Ludvik and Patti Ryan. The new, quilted stainless-steel hood over the stove adds visual interest, and handcrafted iron “ants” marching above the French doors are there for fun. 

One of Stoner’s challenges was to create a sense of coziness in the spacious master bedroom, which boasts high ceilings. She painted the walls a muted blue, then grandly draped the wall behind the bed with silk gathered on crystal knobs just below the crown molding. She embellished the drapery with pearl swags to create a dramatic and romantic effect. The fireplace on the opposite wall is flanked by shuttered windows with balloon shades in matching blue silk with a sheer silk overlay. The master bedroom and its adjacent sitting room both reflect the theme of old and new. The lyrical wall sculpture and lounge chair in the sitting room came from the previous home, while the window treatments and custom ottoman were just purchased. All blend comfortably into a beautiful design. 

Jeanne Blackburn is a writer based in Montgomery Village, Maryland. John Magor is a photographer in Richmond, Virginia.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Jennifer Stoner, IFDA, Mosaic Interiors, Richmond, Virginia.

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.

Classic Colonial January/February 2010

Bryan Voltaggio JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

It’s Monday, Bryan Voltaggio’s day off. But with a photo shoot taking over his living room, two-year-old son Thacher begging him to ride skateboards and live lobsters to pick up at Dulles, he can hardly kick back.

The Culinary Institute of America grad spent nine years developing his technique with chef Charlie Palmer at Palmer’s New York, Las Vegas and DC restaurants. Then he and his wife Jennifer, a graphic designer, returned to their hometown of Frederick, where Bryan opened Volt to critical acclaim in 2008.

In their Urbana, Maryland, townhouse, Jennifer designated the lower level as the “man cave,” which Bryan outfitted with a rear-projection TV, Wii, PlayStation and two dartboards, one for himself and one for Thacher. Jennifer, meanwhile, took the lead on the main level, furnishing the spaces in a clean, retro-chic style.

On the rare occasion that he is home in time to cook, Voltaggio keeps it simple, making pizza or pasta or grilling chicken or hanger steak. Eventually, he would like a larger kitchen with an induction cooktop (safer and more energy-efficient than gas), multiple dishwashers and open niches for easy storage. “As a chef,” he says, “I like to have everything at my fingertips.”

CAN’T COOK WITHOUT
Porsche knives, All-Clad pots, pull-out faucet.

ALWAYS IN FRIDGE
Milk, butter, eggs, cream, herbs, celery. Plus stocks and sauces frozen in ice-cube trays for late-night, flash in-the-pan meals.

SIGNATURE DISH
“Making the most of whatever is in season, trying new techniques while it’s here and fresh. Right now, it’s mushrooms. Next week it will be something else.”

FUTURE PLANS
At press time, there is talk of Bryan and his brother, “Top Chef” winner Michael Voltaggio, opening a restaurant together.

RECIPE

Spiced Hot Chocolate with Orange and Fennel Marshmallows
Serves 4

Hot Chocolate:
2 ½ cups 2-percent milk
7 oz. dark chocolate 72%, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest
2 cinnamon sticks, cut in half
2 vanilla beans, scraped

Heat the milk to a simmer and stir in all ingredients except the dark chocolate. Let the flavors meld for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chocolate by incorporating with a wooden spoon. Mix in the chocolate until totally combined. Strain the hot chocolate using a fine mesh strainer. Reserve hot until ready to serve.

Marshmallows:
1 cup sugar
3.5 ounces egg whites
½ cup water
20 gelatin sheets
¼ cup confectionary sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon fennel pollen

Bring water and sugar to a simmer. Cook the sugar until it reaches 129 degrees Celsius on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, whip the egg whites to soft peak in a mixer. Bloom the gelatin in ice water. Warm the gelatin after bloomed in a microwave until melted and warm. Add the gelatin to the finished sugar and continue to mix. Then add the sugar to the egg whites. Flavor as desired at this point. Once the marshmallow starts to cool enough to handle and soft peaks form, remove from the mixer. Using a pastry bag or plastic bag with corner tip cut, pipe the marshmallows into desired shapes. Dust with the cornstarch and powdered sugar mixture.

Goat Cheese Orzo Gratin
Yield: 2 quarts

Goat Cheese Cream:
5 ounces butter
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons white pepper, ground
1/3  cup flour
2 cups heavy cream
32 ounces milk
6 ounces goat cheese

Make a roux with butter and flour. Add cream, milk, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and whisk in goat cheese. Cool and reserve.

Orzo:
1 lb. orzo pasta, blanched in salted boiling water
½ cup grated aged goat cheese (if not available use Pecorino Romano)

Preheat oven to 375F. Warm the pasta in the goat cheese cream, divide into individual casserole dishes, top with the grated cheese. Bake until golden brown on top.

**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.

Indulgences- Food JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Logan Debut 

Neighborhood Restaurant Group has opened two new hot spots in a single, two-story building near Logan Circle. Birch & Barley features the inventive American fare of chef Kyle Bailey, who hails from New York’s Allen & Delancey, while upstairs, ChurchKey serves 555 different beers from 30 countries plus wood-fired pizzas and panini. Designer Catherine Hailey created the interiors of both spaces. 1337 14th Street, NW; 202-567-2576; www.birchandbarley.com; www.churchkeydc.com.

Sleek Bar Scene

For a night on the town, DC’s sexy Co Co. Sala (above) is worth a visit. Winner of a 2009 Rammy Award for the “hottest bar scene,” the venue serves lunch and dinner as well as pastries, cocktails and “sinful shots” containing chocolate. The design by Interior Architects features low banquettes, red velvet curtains and undulating brown walls. 929 F Street NW; 202-347-4265; www.cocosala.com. 

Valentine’s Day Delights

J. Chocolatier has opened in Georgetown near Cady’s Alley. Owner Jane Morris calls her handmade confections “very low-tech, but very high craft.” Her most popular items are creamy Sea Salt Caramels and Passion Truffles—heart-shaped chocolates infused with hibiscus tea, mango and passion fruit and topped in 24-carat gold dust—just what your sweetheart ordered. The shop also features homespun baked goods, coffee and decadent sipping chocolate. 1039 33rd Street, NW; 202-333-4111. www.jchocolatier.com.

**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.  

Mike Isabella JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Mike Isabella had a busy 2009. He was nominated as one of Washington’s Rising Culinary Stars. He competed on “Top Chef” against some of the country’s best talent. And, he got married. But this young chef is hardly slowing down.

“We work on a new dish at Zaytinya every day. Even if it’s been on the menu for years,” he says, “we try to make it better.” José Andrés’s ThinkFood Group tapped Isabella to run the show at this Greek-Mediterranean hot spot in 2007, when he and Stacy moved to DC from Atlanta, where they met through work. (She is now the private dining coordinator at Poste.)

The couple frequents local farmers’ markets and cooks together on Sundays. “Stacy is definitely a much better home cook than I am,” says Mike, who gets scolded by his wife for preparing crowd-size portions and using every pot, pan and utensil in the kitchen of their lofty condo. But once in a while, Mike can’t resist cooking the traditional Sunday supper of his childhood. “I cook the food I love: pasta, meatballs and garlic bread,” he says. “I want to go back to my Italian heritage, the way I was raised, and combine it with techniques I’ve been working on.”

CAN’T COOK WITHOUT
Microplane for grating garlic, ginger, cheese. Le Creuset cookware. Japanese knives.

ALWAYS IN FRIDGE
Chicken stock, fresh vegetables, lemons, Greek yogurt, cheese, bacon, chicken, champagne.

SIGNATURE DISH
Isabella’s Octopus Santorini combines grilled baby octopus, capers, marinated onions and a yellow split-pea purée.

FUTURE PLANS
“I want to open up my own concept restaurant. It’s a life-challenging goal. You can’t skip steps,” says Isabella. “I want José [Andrés] to be a part of everything I do because he’s been a big mentor to me. He has supported me, critiqued me and taken me all over the country. Not many people get that from their bosses.”

**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.

Indulgences- Travel JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Architecture Fantasy Camp

The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust will offer a four-day Architecture Fantasy Camp at Wright’s Home and Studio in Chicago’s Oak Park neighborhood. The first of four 2010 sessions takes place March 5 to 8. Participants will work in Wright’s studio with accomplished architects to plan and design a structure of their own. Attendees will also tour Wright’s Unity Temple and Robie House (above). No experience is necessary; the camp is open to non-architects only. Tuition is $850 for Trust members and $900 for non-members. 708-848-1976; www.GoWright.org.

Sweet Island Escape

Sugar Ridge is scheduled to debut in December 2009 on Antigua. The island’s sugarcane-covered hills inspired the name—and the design—of this luxury resort. Local designer Charmaine Benjamin-Werth created modern interiors and a spa evoking the colors and textures of nature. Introductory rates from $120 per person if booked by January 31. 866-591-4881; www.sugarridgeantigua.com.

Green In Soho

The eco-friendly Crosby Street Hotel, a member of Design Hotels, has opened its doors in New York’s Soho neighborhood. Owner/designer Kit Kemp has employed her signature style in this new venture, mixing tradition with technology. She hopes to attain Gold LEED certification for the property, which employs recycled materials, green power and efficient plumbing. Rates from $495/double. 800-337-4685; www.designhotels.com/ crosbystreet.

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.

Georgetown Gem January/February 2010

Art Studio- Natural Expression  JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Ceramic artist Judit Varga reaches on her studio shelves for two bowls filled with dried artifacts collected on walks and trips with her family. These imprints of nature represent more than casual souvenirs. “I’m drawn to creating things like those I collect,” says Varga, carefully removing each fragile piece and displaying it on her work table, like treasures from a jewel chest: remains of a graceful lotus flower, parchment-thin seed pods clinging to a silvery branch, a delicate cocoon sliced to reveal its intricate web of pockets as if spun from golden wire. 

“That’s my inspiration,” says the artist, who admits to sitting for hours studying the forms and wondering, “How can a tiny animal with not much brain make something so beautiful? How does a bird weave a nest into such a strong structure?”  

Varga’s answers to these musings appear in an adjoining room. Poised on pedestals, a curved plate is pierced by a checkerboard of irregular openings, echoing the form of a honeycomb stored nearby. A smooth spiral perforated with holes resembles the surface of a reclaimed sea rock, weathered and pocked from wear. 

“I’m not trying to copy,” explains Varga. “It’s interesting to learn from structures in nature and translate that into my work.” 

Her direction has evolved over time and across nations. Raised in Hungary and educated with a master’s degree in ceramics from the Hungarian Applied Art Academy in Budapest, she graduated in 1992 with an award for Best Graduating Ceramicist from the Hungarian Arts Council.   

When Varga arrived in the U.S. in 1993, she put her art on hold while her daughters were small. Three years ago, she had a one-person exhibition in Szombathely, the small town where she grew up near the Austrian border. “My teachers and professors came and were impressed. It was the end and start of a new circle,” she relates. 

Varga’s work has also been exhibited in “40 Years of Hungarian Ceramics” in Gödölo, Hungary, and at galleries in the U.S., the U.K. and Germany. Most recently at the Washington Craft Show—Varga’s first participation in a contemporary craft event—she won the AmericanStyle Award of Excellence for an emerging artist.  

Petite and personable, with deep-set hazel eyes that light up her face, she bounces around her studio making the process look easy. “You have to find your own way to work with clay,” says Varga. Her hand-building techniques use a minimum of tools, while maximizing the properties of the medium. The artist uses an ordinary pizza roller to flatten the clay into a slab, pointing out that professional tools would hinder her work. “Low tech is satisfying. It’s just me and the clay with a minimum between us.” 

Her ceramics students at Montgomery College, where she has taught for two years, joke about her “control mania,” says Varga, referring to her insistence on determining the precise moment to step in and work with the clay. “Timing is the trick,” she argues. “If you force it, it’s going to break.” 

She favors fine semi-porcelain because of its plasticity and capacity to be manipulated over time. Starting with red, white or black clay, she sometimes paints the prepared slab’s surface with slips and engobes— diluted clay with colorants that become an integral matt glaze once pieces are fired.  

Her hands stretch, mold, twist and pinch slabs into circles, spheres, knots and boxes, sometimes joined in a single composition. Pairing different colors inside and out or combining elements with silky and gritty surfaces adds further contrast and dimension to her pieces. 

Varga views clay as an equal partner in her art. “I try to let the material shine,” she says. Through her interaction with a product of the earth, the artist connects with the universal language of nature in cellular organic forms,  created by her own hand.

Tina Coplan is a writer in Chevy Chase, Maryland. For more information on Judit Varga, call 301-237-0531 or visit www.juditvarga.net.

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.

Window Dressing JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

For their newly built weekend home in St. Michaels, a Davidsonville, Maryland, couple wanted a classic look—comfortable yet more formal than a typical beach house. The home has numerous windows overlooking the water, so they turned to designer Cristina Uria of Carlos Interiors, Inc., to dress them up without obstructing the scenery. Pictured above, the daughter’s bedroom features bishop’s sleeve window treatments with wrap-around swags in a soft-lined, sheer fabric from Fabricut in aubergine and gold. Gold tassels and hardware pick up the gold accents in the room. 

In the dining room the homeowners chose a decorative inlay on the floor rather than a rug, so Uria softened the lines of the room using wrap-around swags with flat-pleated panels in a luxurious fabric from Kravet.

In the spacious kitchen (below), panels in the seating area impart a sense of height to the room; a corner pleated valance in the same Kravet fabric maintains an unobstructed view in the dining area. Over the kitchen sink, a soft cascade wrap-around swag in a complementary fabric from Duralee lends interest to the space. 

WINDOW TREATMENTS: Cristina Uria, Carlos Interiors, Inc., Crofton, MD.

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.

A Well-Appointed Pub JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

When a Laytonsville, Maryland, couple bought their sprawling nine-year-old home fully furnished back in 2005, it was exactly what they wanted—right down to the furniture. They left the interior virtually untouched from the ground floor up, but from the beginning they knew the cavernous, unwelcoming basement would need an overhaul. After living in the house for several years, they decided to renovate. “We wanted a space to entertain, one we could enjoy with two people or 40,” the homeowner says. Their vision encompassed a range of entertainment options as well as a lively new look.

The couple tapped interior designer Samantha Friedman for the job, which ultimately would include an audio/video area, a bar, a wine cellar and billiards. The homeowners wanted the space to remain as open as possible and the husband, who frequently travels to England for work, was attracted by the idea of creating a pub-style atmosphere in the space. “I like the friendly look and feel of a pub,” he explains. Friedman embraced the concept, creating what she terms “a modern take on an English pub,” with a color scheme and finishes that also worked with the rest of the home.

Friedman accomplished much of the transformation through the use of warmly stained maple wainscoting and deep gold-yellow walls throughout; the cream-colored Berber carpet was replaced with scratch-resistant oak floors and richly patterned area rugs. Columns are paneled in maple with drink rails to approximate the feel of a bar. Built-in, custom designed benches line the walls beside the billiard table, tucked behind marble-topped café tables that add to the pub atmosphere.

At the far end of the room, the media area offers plush reclining chairs and ottomans on wheels that can be pushed out of the way for large gatherings. Friedman installed a nook for relaxing in an already existing niche and added two more niches on either side of the 103-inch flat screen television, with more built-in seating and storage space underneath. Each niche is elegantly appointed with seat cushions and throw pillows so the wife—and various young nieces and nephews—have a place to curl up. AV equipment is concealed behind fabric-lined custom cabinetry.

Friedman converted the former laundry room, which adjoins the media area, into a climatized wine cellar. She replaced the plain, squared-off doorway and rectangular windows with Tudor-style archways to echo the English pub theme. Recycled cork floors and unfinished granite surfaces create a rustic, Old World feel.

Friedman designed a tasting table and stools so the couple can entertain in the wine cellar. According to the husband, he and his wife eat dinner in the space about once a week.

As far as the homeowners were concerned, the bar was the pivotal element in the renovation. “The clients were very specific,” Friedman recalls. “They didn’t want it to be your average basement bar area.” In fact, as the husband describes it, he wanted something authentic enough so that “if I put someone in a blindfold, took them to the bar then took the blindfold off, they’d think they were in an actual bar.”

Friedman, who used to design commercial kitchens, outfitted the space with commercial-grade bar equipment, including an authentic beer tap, roll-top cooler, cocktail station, ice chest and blender station with a sink and wine refrigerator. She used the same cork flooring and unfinished granite countertops that are installed in the wine cellar to unify the spaces.  An antique mirror lines the wall behind the bar, which also holds a flat-screen TV. “One of my favorite things is the fact that I can have the football game on at one end and something else on TV at the bar,” says the husband. “It really works out great.”

Photographer Kenneth M. Wyner is based in Takoma Park, Maryland.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Samantha Friedman, ASID, Samantha Friedman Interior Designs, LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

**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.

Industrial Art JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

A new gallery opens its doors in DC on January 16. Industry Gallery will focus on functional art created with industrial materials, from wire mesh and Lucite to fiberglass and rope. Exhibitions will highlight limited-edition pieces by such innovative artists as Harush Shlomo, whose sculpture is pictured above, and Tejo Remy, whose installations are shown on the left.

Industry Gallery will occupy a 4,300-square-foot space at 1358 Florida Avenue, NE—also home to Conner  Contemporary Art, a venue for artists who specialize in diverse media. According to Industry Gallery director Craig Appelbaum, contemporary design is attracting more and more attention. “Conner has helped make DC a destination for contemporary art connoisseurs,” Appelbaum says. “My intention is to make it a destination for aficionados of design too." Call 202-399-1730 or email [email protected].

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.

Carla Hall JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010

Cookies are baking in Carla Hall’s kitchen. The 5-foot-eleven accountant-turned-model-turned chef almost forgets them as she shows visitors her century-old home’s original fireplace and still-working pocket doors. Then, graceful as a dancer, she leaps back to the kitchen to pluck the chocolate-cherry gems from the oven just in the nick of time.

Between catering events, teaching and special appearances, Hall seldom has time to cook at home. “What I like for dinner is what my husband Matthew cooks,” she quips, praising his red curry with chickpeas and potatoes. For breakfast during the week, Hall usually downs a smoothie or oatmeal with fruit. But on weekends, she insists, “I’m in charge of the pancakes.”

She and husband Matthew Lyons, an FDA attorney, recently remodeled their kitchen, working with kitchen designer Shimon Garibi to create a space that marries her taste for traditional with Lyons’s contemporary style. “I like neutral colors but, just like in my food, there’s always a surprise,” says Hall, who trained at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg. “I call it ‘oompah.’”

CAN’T COOK WITHOUT
A good stove; plenty of counter space, drawers and cabinets; a raised hood to accommodate her height; deep sink.

ALWAYS IN KITCHEN
Plugrá butter; eggs from the farmer’s market; olive oil.

SIGNATURE DISH
Sea bass en papillote with roasted tomatoes, capers and gremolata butter.

FUTURE PLANS
The launch of the made-to-order Cookie Collection from Alchemy Catering, available online.

STYLING: Ugo Arinzeh, Arinzeh Interiors, Washington, DC .KITCHEN DESIGN: Shimon Garibi, Elite Kitchens, Rockville, MD. CABINETS: Leicht. STOVE: KitchenAid. REFRIGERATOR: Fisher & Paykel. BACKSPLASH: Oceanside Glasstile through Architectural Ceramics. FLOORING: Porcelain tile through Architectural Ceramics. COUNTERTOPS: Silestone.

CARLA HALL'S FAVORITE RECIPES

Vegetable Tagine with Pistachio and Candied Orange Couscous and Cucumber Sour Cream

When preparing a recipe of a particular cuisine, it helps to know what spices are used in that cuisine. In this case, we're using a Moroccan profile (red pepper, cumin seed, coriander, mint, saffron, anise, cardamom, cinnamon). Now that you have the framework, let your imagination go wild.

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups diced tomatoes (roasted, if you find them)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
3 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups each (butternut squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips), diced
1/2 cup diced kalamata olives
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until aromatic, about one minute. Add the spices (cumin, coriander, anise, cayenne, salt, pepper and cinnamon.) Cook until the onions are coated and the spices are nicely toasted.

2. Add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaves and chickpeas; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes.

3. While the base of the stew is cooking, heat a large skillet to sauté the vegetables. Toss each vegetable in olive oil and salt. In small batches, sauté the vegetables until they are nicely seared. Add them to the pot as they are finished. NOTE: Start with butternut squash, since it will take the longest to cook.

4. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are nearly tender, about 30 minutes. Add the lemon zest and continue to simmer an additional 15 minutes.

5. Sprinkle with parsley and cilantro, and serve over couscous.

Pistachio and Candied Orange Couscous
2 cups boiling stock (vegetable or chicken)
2 cups couscous
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup toasted pistachios
1/2 cup candied orange peel
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest

1. In a medium bowl, mix couscous, salt and olive oil. Pour boiling stock over couscous and mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Use a fork to break up couscous.
2. Stir in pistachios, orange peel, mint, parsley, and lemon zest. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Cucumber Sour Cream
1/2 European cucumber, finely diced (not peeled)
8 ounces sour cream
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, then season to taste. Chill before serving.

Vadouvan Carrot Soup with Chili Oil
Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds carrots, peeled, sliced
1 rib celery
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons Vadouvan spice mix (see below)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup chilled whipping cream

1. Heat oil on medium-low heat in medium-sized pot. Add carrots, celery, onions, leeks and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Pour in stock and add Vadouvan spice blend. Add lemon juice and sugar. Simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes
.
3. Remove pot from heat. In small batches, purée soup in a blender until silky smooth. Return soup to pot and finish with cream. Thin to desired consistency with additional broth, if necessary. Adjust seasoning.

Chili Oil
8 ounces vegetable oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 dried chilies

Sauté red pepper in one tablespoon of oil. Add dried chilies and smoked paprika. Pour in remaining oil and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm. Season with salt. Purée until smooth in blender. Strain through cheesecloth into medium bowl. Store in squeeze bottle.

Vadouvan Spice Mix
2 pounds onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound shallots, halved
12 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh curry leaves (optional)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Pulse onions in 3 batches in food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with shallots, then garlic.

3. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions, shallots and garlic (stir often) until golden and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Grind fenugreek seeds in grinder or with mortar and pestle. Add to onion mixture along with remaining ingredients, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined.

5. Transfer to a parchment-paper lined sheet pan and spread as thinly and evenly as possible. Bake, stirring occasionally with a skewer to separate onion, until well browned and barely moist, about one hour to 75 minutes.

**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.