A Worldly Approach MAY/JUNE 2012

Frustrated by her narrow kitchen, the owner of a historic DC row house decided to open it up to the rest of the home with a complete redesign. She tapped architect Carmel Greer of District Design and Davida Rodriguez of Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles for the job, which involved a couple of main goals: to reflect the client’s Scandinavian heritage with a functional, minimalist design; and to showcase a collection of bowls and utensils that the client collected on frequent trips to Africa. 

The new floor plan called for the wall separating the kitchen from the rest of the main floor to be removed and a pantry to be replaced by a mudroom addition. Based on these plans, Rodriguez selected dark cabinetry and white countertops, then white-washed the exposed brick wall for contrast with the sleek cabinetry and hardwood flooring. Open shelving displays the client’s collection of artifacts, and custom-height pantry cupboards topped by floating cabinets provide storage. 

Architecture: Carmel Greer, LEED AP, District Design, Washington, DC. Kitchen Design: Davida Rodriguez, CKD, Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Contractor: H.I. Contractors, Silver Spring, Maryland. Photography: Bob Narod.

Cabinetry: Wood-Mode and Brookhaven through Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, Gaithersburg, MD. Countertops: Caesarstone through R. Bratti Associates, Alexandria, VA. Appliances: KitchenAid through Ferguson Enterprises, Beltsville, 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.