Home & Design

Vintage Style To step into Mike Johnson’s downtown DC abode is to breathe a sigh of contentment. The not-quite-gentrified neighborhood outside recedes, replaced by comfort, refinement and a sense of harmony. Johnson—a senior designer at Lori Graham Design + Home on 14th Street and the owner and curator of Sixteen Fifty Nine, a now-shuttered venue for Mid-Century Modern furniture and art—has showcased his own personal collection in a space that perfectly reflects his taste and style. 

This magical, one-bedroom apartment was not so easy to come by. In 2010 when Johnson was looking, there was very little inventory in DC and virtually everything he saw was a disappointment. When a new high-rise came on the market in Shaw, Johnson investigated, discovering a more vibrant area than he had remembered from his last glimpse years before. And when he saw the sleek, modern building, he knew right away. “It was exactly what I was looking for,” he says. “I wanted something a little more modern, open but not too industrial, with a lot of light.”

Johnson promptly purchased the 750-square-foot, eighth-floor residence, which encompasses an open kitchen/living area, a bedroom with an adjoining alcove, a walk-in closet and a bath. The living area and bedroom afford expansive views of the urban scene below through large, industrial-style windows, while a narrow balcony extends the living room space. The clean-lined, convenient kitchen, with dark-stained wood cabinetry, thick Silestone countertops and GE Profile appliances, occupies one end of the room. Ceilings of raw, exposed concrete are juxtaposed with smooth, light-stained bamboo floors. 

The designer made a few changes prior to moving in. He delineated the entry by embellishing the walls in a woven wool fabric from Rose Tarlow. He installed a glass-tile backsplash in the kitchen and replaced the light fixture over the square island with a globe-shaped fixture by Y Lighting. He added track and recessed lighting throughout the apartment. And he painted and re-carpeted the bedroom and expanded and heightened the doorway to the closet area to create an alcove papered in grasscloth by Phillip Jeffries. 

Johnson moved into his new home bearing an array of art and vintage furniture from the 1920s through the 1960s. “Most of what I had was from my previous house, collected over years,” he says. “When I was buying for Sixteen Fifty Nine, every now and then I’d come across something I just couldn’t part with, so I would keep it.” To showcase his collection—which also includes 20 years’ worth of first edition modern novels by authors ranging from John Steinbeck to John Irving—he installed built-in bookshelves along one wall. The plan was to place them between two existing posts in the wall, but he ended up adding a third post that differentiates the kitchen from the rest of the room while supplying space for valuable extra shelving. “I had all these books and no place to put them,” he laments.

The shelving also beautifully accommodates Johnson’s growing collection of industrial, black-and-white etchings from the ’20s, ’30s and ’40s. “One of the things that happened when I moved here was I had a lot of very colorful art on the shelves but didn’t really love how it looked,” he explains. “I’ve begun collecting a lot of [Depression-era] WPA etchings, little by little replacing what was there. 

“When I buy for myself I don’t look at price as much as I do when I buy for the store,” he continues. “Buying for myself, I look more at what I love.”

Johnson cleverly mixes vintage furnishings with attractive, practical pieces such as a sectional sofa from the now-defunct Storehouse Furniture and a bar cart from Crate & Barrel. Baker ottomans coexist with 1920s dining chairs from an Adams Morgan antiques store, while black-shaded table lamps by Hinson sit atop original marble occasional tables by Eero Saarinen. Circa-1940s club chairs have been reupholstered, one for the living room and one for the bedroom. Behind the sofa, a wrought-iron-and-glass console—a knock-off of a piece by Jean-Michel Frank—from Pottery Barn holds a vintage marble sculpture Johnson picked up at the Georgetown Flea Market, while a shelf above it is the perfect perch for an abstract composite resin sculpture made in 1969.

 Surrounded by his very personal treasures in a light and comfortable home, Johnson is happy with his choice. “I love the space,” he says. “When I first looked at this place, I knew exactly how it would be to live here.”

Photographer Geoffrey Hodgdon is based in Deale, Maryland.

INTERIOR DESIGN: MIKE JOHNSON, lead designer and showroom director, Lori Graham Design + Home, Washington, DC.

 

What's Cooking Imported Style
A sleek kitchen boasts cabinetry by Italian manufacturer Canti Cucine, pictured here in zebrawood with a matte finish and paired with hardware from German company Kesseböhmer, quartz countertops and wood-like porcelain-tile floors. All products are available through Nouvel Kitchen and Bath in Tysons Corner. nouvelusa.com

Space Saver
The GE Monogram 30-inch Fully Integrated Glass-Door Refrigerator with Convertible Drawer fits seamlessly into tight spaces, clad in stainless steel or custom-paneled to match the cabinetry. Independent temperature controls allow the bottom drawer to be used as either a fridge or freezer; LED lighting, adjustable shelves, a removable beverage rack, water filtration and a self-closing vegetable drawer complete the picture. geappliances.com

Look, No Hands
Kohler debuted the Sensate Touchless kitchen faucet at the 2013 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. A hands-free fixture that minimizes germs, it works with the wave of a hand or object. A dual-function spray head easily switches from stream to spray. kohler.com

Streamlined Style
Simple lines and minimal trim characterize Wood-Mode’s Vanguard Plus cabinetry collection, notable for its rough-sawn oak veneer, contemporary doors and textured surfaces. Available in a range of matte finishes through Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles in Gaithersburg. davidaskitchenandtiles.com; wood-mode.com

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place
The Altamont pendant from Hudson Valley Lighting makes a clean, crisp addition to the kitchen. With a distinctive ring-and-rod chain and conical shape, the light is available in Distressed Bronze, Historic Nickel and Polished Nickel through Annapolis Lighting. It also comes with a paper shade for a softer look.
annapolislighting.com 

Chemical Reaction
To create Cosentino’s new surface, Dekton, the raw, inorganic elements found in glass, porcelain and natural quartz undergo an accelerated version of the metamorphosis that organic rock undergoes over time in nature. The elements are compacted into slabs and baked. The result: an attractive, durable surface that comes in a range of neutral hues. dekton.com/usa

A Separate Piece
The Signature Elements collection for St. Charles of New York features Autour, a furniture-like cabinet that extends counter space. Its wood surface conceals a drawer with a built-in knife block and the lower level offers shelving or storage. Available in a range of woods, paints or stains; pictured here in black walnut with an anigre veneer base. stcharlesofnewyork.com

Curve Appeal
Country Floors’ new waterjet-carved marble-and-glass Glamour Collection offers five distinctive design motifs, including Curvalicious (pictured), a fanciful pattern of curlicues in Allure Light and Snow White Polished marble. Despite its delicate appearance, the surface is durable for floors as well as walls and comes in a wide range of marble and glass options. countryfloors.com

Blown Glass
A decorative blown-glass container was the inspiration for this simple pendant from Kichler’s Everly collection. Clear, bowed glass is paired with a base finished in Chrome or Olde Bronze, and a distinctive Vintage Squirrel Cage Filament bulb finishes the look. Available through Dominion Electric Supply Co. Inc. kichler.com; dominionelectric.com

The Look of Fabric
Architectural Ceramics’ new collection of tiles echoes the look of decorative fabric. Ideal as an accent surface, these one-by-four-inch mosaic tiles are designed using waterjet technology and are available in Calacatta Gold and Bianco Venatino marble. Pictured here, Brocade is a herringbone pattern. The collection is exclusive to Architectural Ceramics. architecturalceramics.com 

Each year, a panel of building industry professionals is selected to judge new homes and communities in the Mid-Atlantic region, and to choose their nominees for the Great American Living Awards. Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, the Washington Metropolitan Sales and Marketing Council and the Maryland National Capital Building Industry Association, the venerable GALA Awards have honored excellence in new home architecture, interior design, sales and marketing in our region for the last 50 years. This year’s festivities were held at the Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia, on October 3, 2013. Entries filled 43 categories; those pertaining to architecture and design included single- and multi-family homes; town homes and condominiums; custom home and remodeling projects; and land and site planning.

The Winners
Below are the award recipients for projects in one or more of the design and architecture categories.

Arlington Designer Homes, Inc.

Artisan Builders, LLC

Basheer & Edgemoore

Beazer Homes

BOWA

Bozzuto Homes

Brookfield Residential

Collins & Kronstadt Architecture Collaborative, Inc.

Comstock

Creaser O’Brien Architects 

Creekstone Builders

Creighton Enterprises Custom Homes

DR Horton

Evergreen Homes

Forest City Washington

Hartman Design Group

Integrity Homes

Interior Concepts, Inc.

James McDonald Associate Architects

John F. Heltzel, AIA

Joy Custom Design/Build

KTGY Group, Inc. Architecture + Planning

Lessard Design, Inc.

Michael Harris Homes

Miller & Smith

OPaL, LLC

P Four

Paradigm Companies

Pulte Group

Redwood Ventures

Relux Homes

SK+I Architecture

Soave Real Estate

Stanley Martin Companies

StonebridgeCarras

The Arcadia Communities

The Building Group

The Leigh Agency

The Ryland Group

Van Metre Homes

Vornado Charles E. Smith

W.C. Ralston Architects 

Workshop | t10


Great American Living 2012 Awards

At Home with John Riggins Football legend John Riggins keeps souvenirs of his career as a running back for the Washington Redskins in the basement media room of his newly built home. Riggins’s team helmet sits on a coffee table and, leaning against the walls, framed photos and newspaper clippings document his pivotal role in Super Bowls of the 1980s.

These days, though, “The Diesel” is more interested in talking about his current venture than past glories. After stints as an actor and sports commentator, he now hosts his own television show on Comcast SportsNet Washington called “Riggo on the Range.” The episodes combine hunting and fishing adventures with cooking game caught in the wild.

“We’ve got pheasants, venison, antelope and Hungarian partridge in the freezer right now,” says Riggins. “When the game is processed and prepared properly, it’s as good as it gets.” The bounty came from his recent 48-day stint on location in the Midwest and West, while traveling in an RV called the “Riggobago.”

The cooking segments of upcoming shows, some with DC celebrity chefs, will be filmed in the kitchen of his Cabin John, Maryland, home. Far from being rustic, the house is urbanely contemporary with walls of glass framing vistas of the C&O Canal and Potomac River through the trees.

“If you didn’t know better, you’d think you were in Montana or Alaska,” says Riggins, pointing to the shallow area of the river where he sometimes fly-fishes. “It’s like The Swiss Family Robinson; you feel like you are in a tree house.”

The Hall-of-Famer clearly likes the proximity of his pared-down home to the great outdoors, but admits his taste runs to “timber-frame structures with a lot of stone and wood.” He credits the unconventional design to his wife Lisa Marie, an attorney and a yoga instructor, who worked with DC architect Robert Gurney to realize her vision. “I prevailed on the modern design,” she says. “We used to have a loft in Manhattan and I wanted to recreate that feeling here.”

Before they could build the house, the Riggins family lived in a nearby rental until their dream location on the Potomac finally went up for sale. After purchasing the property in 2008, the couple razed the Tudor-style residence on the lot and hired Gurney to design a new four-bedroom home. “They were both open-minded about my ideas for the site,” says the architect.

John’s preference for rugged materials is reflected in the home’s exterior of dry-stacked slate, mahogany and cement board, and a lava-stone-clad wall extending around a huge fireplace in the living area. The pivoting front door is also mahogany and supersized at five feet wide by 10 feet high. Gurney strategically placed windows and interior openings to offer views straight through the house to the outdoors so the connection to nature is always present.

Lisa Marie’s wish for a loft was fulfilled in an open space for cooking, dining and entertaining on the main level. In furnishing the house, she worked with DC interior designer Therese Baron Gurney to recycle streamlined pieces from her previous homes and complement them with new contemporary designs.

“The house is modern but not sterile,” says Lisa Marie. “We accomplished a warm feeling through all the different materials and daylight that comes into the rooms. It’s conducive to socializing and enjoying great food.”

The couple’s favorite space is the galley kitchen where marble countertops and walnut cabinetry are configured around the commercial-grade gas range and refrigerator from their New York loft. “The kitchen is the magnet of the house; everyone is drawn to it,” says the former football player, who does most of the cooking for family and friends.

On the second floor, the couple’s shared home office overlooks one end of the living area through floor-to-ceiling glass. Bedrooms for their two daughters, Hannah, 17, and Coco, 9, and a first-level guest suite are placed at the front of the house. The main-floor living space and second-level master suite with sitting area are located at the rear overlooking the river.

Joining the front and back rooms, a two-story hallway extends from the front door to the basement staircase. On the upper level, the two sides of the house are connected across the hallway by a pair of steel bridges whose glass floors have unnerved even the toughest guests. “Dexter Manley [former Redskins defensive end] wouldn’t cross the bridge,” John Riggins says, recalling a party attended by former teammates at the house. The couple frequently entertains and, after moving in, shifted the living room sofa to make more room for dance parties.

Although Riggins says he conceded most of the design decisions to his wife, his involvement in elements of the house became clear during a recent tour. “I call him the optimizer,” says Lisa Marie of her husband. “He researches and explores every situation before making a decision.” That attention to detail led him to insist on a geothermal heating and cooling system to save energy as well as heated floors throughout the house. Outside, he leveled the front yard to make way for a lawn and recently planted rows of arborvitae to shield the property from the street. “John took an interest in how the whole house was put together,” says Gurney.

When he wants to relax, Riggo enjoys a long soak in the large, sculptural tub he chose for the master bathroom. He also insisted on matching vessel sinks for the vanity. Is the outdoorsman a fan of contemporary design after all? “I’m a practical-minded guy, but beauty needs to be celebrated and respected,” he says. “That’s what this house represents.”

Frequent contributor Deborah K. Dietsch is based in Washington, DC. Maxwell MacKenzie is a photographer in Washington, DC. 

ARCHITECTURE: ROBERT M. GURNEY, FAIA, principal; BRIAN TUSKEY, project architect, Robert M. Gurney Architect, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: THERESE BARON GURNEY, ASID, Baron Gurney Interiors, Washington, DC.

OUT OF THE BAYOU
A complete makeover by DC-based Gensler has brought a fresh, polished look to Acadiana while remaining true to the restaurant’s Cajun character. The new dining room features booths clad in reclaimed barn wood and oversized black organza drum chandeliers “dripping” with crystals. Above: A trio of deviled eggs on the menu. 901 New York Avenue, NW; 202-408-8848.acadianarestaurant.com

TROPICAL GETAWAY
Ka’ana Resort Belize encourages guests to experience the beauty of this Central American country with a cave-tubing adventure (above) while pampering them with luxury accommodations (two-bedroom pool villa is pictured, left); gourmet cuisine featuring produce from the resort’s own organic garden; and private picnics. Rates from $300.  kaanabelize.com

LUXURY IN THE ALPS
Located in Austria’s Lech-Zurs ski resort, Bentley’s House pampers guests in style. Ensconced in one of its three chalets (pictured), they enjoy sumptuous fireside meals served by their own butler and wines from a 1,000-bottle cellar. Après ski, spa treatments, a vitality pool and gym beckon. From $1,000 per night for a chalet that sleeps four. bentleyshouse.com 

TAKE MANHATTAN
Relive New York’s glory days in The Chatwal Hotel, a 1905 Stanford White landmark that has been painstakingly restored by architect Thierry Despont in Art Deco style. A meeting room called the Stanford White Studio preserves the building’s original paneling (pictured), while its 76 guest rooms and suites envelop guests with Frette linens and walls upholstered in luxurious ultra-suede. Nightly rates from $825. thechatwalny.com

TASTE OF SPAIN
Barcelona Wine Bar is serving up tapas with attitude in Logan Circle. The new hot spot designed by co-owner Sasa Mahr batuz features custom-built tables and chairs; original artwork hung on reclaimed-wood walls; and a wine cellar in the bar area. 1622 14th Street, NW; 202-588-5500. barcelonawinebar.com 

MAKE A SPLASH
Avión Tequila has introduced its newest product, Avión Reserva 44. Aged for 43 months in a temperature-controlled cave and one month in a special barrel, this deep, complex tequila is bottled in crystal decanters hand-signed and -numbered by company founder Ken Austin. $150. tequilaavion.com

On the Cutting Edge JOY RIDE
Audi’s 2014 R8 turns heads with its refined exterior and sculpted grille. The all-new V10 boasts a seven-speed transmission and goes from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3.3 seconds. Interior seats are available in diamond-stitched leather. From $114,900 for V8 and $151,200 for V10. audi.com

ADVENTURE TECH
Inspired by vintage dive watches and iconic sports cars, the Swiss-made Skywatch combines precision movement with hip style. Resistant in depths up to 100 meters, the watches are available with 44mm or 38mm cases and straps in premium silicone or Italian sailcloth. $295. skywatchsite.com

LIGHT SHOW
The JBL Pulse speaker by Harman International livens up any party with an LED light show to accompany the music. The Pulse streams music wirelessly via Bluetooth from any portable device; a rechargeable lithium-ion battery keeps the high-fidelity sound and light show going for five-hour sets. $199. jbl.com

BE JEWELED
The Atlas pendant and rings by Tiffany combine 18-karat white gold with diamonds for a modern but delicate look. Pendant, $1,850; small ring, $3,000; wide ring, $3,500. tiffany.com

COLD CAPER
Karen Millen’s wool Investment Cape ($599) creates a sleek silhouette. Trimmed in a faux-fur collar, it’s paired here with a checked-print jean ($139) and pony and leather boots ($299). Available in Tysons Galleria.karenmillen.com

BOHO CHIC
The ITA Collection—a new brand by sister design team Bita and Rouzita Vahhabaghai—has introduced a line of handbags inspired by the worlds of fashion, art and architecture. The Bibi II combines rhodium-plated metal with black calf hair and Italian leather. $1,895. itacollection.com 

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.

The company also publishes an annual H&D Sourcebook of ideas and resources for homeowners and professionals alike. H&D Chesapeake Views is published bi-annually and showcases fine home design and luxury living in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

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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