Home & Design

On the eve of its September 24 grand opening, the long-awaited Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture beckons from its spot beside the Washington Monument. As unlike the iconic obelisk, as it could be, the 400,000-square-foot structure was a long-term collaborative effort by four acclaimed architecture firms.

The museum’s three-tiered exterior was designed by architect David Adjaye using 3,600 bronze-hued, cast-aluminum panels. Drawing on imagery from both African and American history, it evokes ornate ironwork created by slaves in 19th-century New Orleans. The panels admit daylight through their dappled surface, while openings frame views of the Washington Monument, the White House and other landmarks, reminding visitors that they are viewing the world through the distinctive lens of African American history and culture.

Designed by architect Philip Freelon, the interiors span nine levels—four of them below ground—housing exhibition galleries, educational spaces, a 350-seat theater, auditorium, café, and shop. The museum’s collection will trace 500 years of history, from 15th-century Africa to the present day. Highlights include the Harriet Tubman collection; an early-1800s slave cabin from South Carolina; a segregation-era Southern railway car; a Tuskegee Airmen trainer plane; an Angola Prison guard tower; and Chuck Berry’s red Cadillac. An 1874 log house built and inhabited by free slaves in Poolesville, Maryland, will also be on view. Visit nmaahc.si.edu.

LEAD DESIGNERS: DAVID ADJAYE, OBE; PHILIP FREELON, FAIA, Freelon, Adjaye, Bond/SmithGroupJJR. CONSTRUCTION: Clark/Smoot/Russell.

Art Studio Warp & Weft Driving east on Richmond’s 295 bypasses, the pace noticeably eases exiting onto Route 5. Along the winding, tree-shaded road, cyclists travel on a parallel path headed toward Williamsburg. Turnoffs lead to Virginia’s grand plantations that grace the north bank of the James River.

On the historic byway, one enduring farm in some ways mirrors centuries past. Acres of corn and bales of hay line the long drive to its white antebellum house, where a visitor approaches the entrance through massive columns and stairs sweeping up to a broad porch worthy of a movie set.

Owner Dianne Nordt—dressed casually in a jersey shirt, black pants, and flats—opens the door. For six years, she has been weaving ultra-soft blankets by hand, using wool from Merino sheep she raises on the property. She smiles and immediately asks, “Would you like to see how the loom works?”

Leading the way to a nearby room, Nordt sits down at one of two imposing wooden looms and steps on a pedal. Holding a boat-shaped shuttle that carries the yarn, she yanks it across an opening of taut wool threads. The stillness is broken by the clackety-plunk of wood harnesses rising and falling as they capture the thread. “Treadles control the harnesses,” she explains, “and the harnesses control which warps threads go up and down to make the pattern.”

Nordt pulls on a central beam, or beater bar, that moves the newly inserted horizontal thread (weft) down through the vertical strands (warp), which are strung like a harp. She then throws the shuttle device in the opposite direction, repeating the motions. It’s a rhythmic sequence dating back thousands of years.

“The act of weaving is peaceful, repetitive and tedious,” says Nordt. “For some reason, that appeals to me. I like dyeing the wool naturally using plants. I like the challenges that come with the mechanics of a loom. I like having a finished product that I can sell and that’s creative to make. I like all the steps,” she adds with a laugh, “except bookkeeping.”

With her pet collie by her side, Nordt heads out to check on the first part of the process: her 40 sheep. Past a wooden bridge arching over a ravine, the sheep barn was rebuilt of rough-cut oak after a fire four years ago. “I’m just going to put the sheep in the pasture real quick,” Nordt begins, explaining that the grass they eat is supplemented with feed and “all kinds of minerals. I want to be sure the wool quality is really good,” she says. “And if the sheep are healthy, they produce a lot of wool.”

Every year in February, a professional arrives from New England to shear the flock by hand. He completes the task in just four hours. On the barn floor, trash bags are filled with raw fleece that was rejected as too dirty to send to the mill in Michigan, where the wool is washed and spun into yarn.

The usable fleece returns from the mill wound on cones and grouped in natural shades of creamy white, brown, gray and black. “Those colors are the basis of each blanket,” says the weaver. “The palette is very neutral, with vegetable- or plant-dye colors added in as accents.”

The wool is then wound into loose skeins and immersed in dye baths extracted from plants such as blue indigo, orange-red madder root or yellow smartweed, which Nordt finds along the road. Dried leaf matter may be combined with the bark of Osage trees or black walnut shells, also gathered nearby. She strains the liquid through a colander before submerging the wool, which remains in the bath for periods ranging from 20 minutes to overnight, depending on the color. Nordt uses the stove and sinks in the home’s original ground-floor kitchen for this process. “We want to keep it separate from the family kitchen upstairs,” she says.

Once washed, dried and wound again onto cones, the wool—in an ineffable spectrum of roses, corals, and robins-egg blues—sits on shelves in the loom room, ready for use. Nordt favors restrained patterns with just a few stripes. “I feel simplicity shows off the wool best,” she says. The blankets measure 50 by 70 inches for a throw, or 50 by 35 inches for a baby blanket. Two part-time weavers help Nordt complete eight to 10 blankets each week. Over this past summer, her teenage daughter earned extra money as a studio assistant.

Nordt and her husband, an orthopedic surgeon, discovered the 400-acre farm 17 years ago. After months of consideration, they moved there with their three children, trading downtown Richmond for the rural life of Charles City County. For the weaver, it was almost like returning home. She grew up outside Charlottesville, traveling between the farms of both sets of grandparents. “One had an apple orchard, the other raised cattle,” she remembers. “My dad taught horticulture at the high school.”

Attracted to the city, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond as a fashion-design major but found that “something about the fashion business didn’t appeal to me. It’s all about disposal and trends.” Through the university’s craft department, she discovered a loom and learned to weave. “By the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to have a sheep farm,” she says. When her dad offered to buy her a car at graduation, she recalls, “I told him I’d rather have a loom; it’s the one I weave on now.”

Though the loom went into storage while her children were small, she never lost sight of her goal. In 2005, the first sheep arrived on the farm. Soon after, she remembers, “I took the kids down to the 17th Street Farmers’ Market to sell yarn.” She began selling blankets online in 2010, and two years ago started exhibiting at craft shows. In April, Nordt won the First Time Exhibitor Award at the 2016 Smithsonian Craft Show.

The family farm includes a small orchard, an old brick silo and a stable with four horses. Two hundred acres are leased to farmers growing crops.

Despite the workload, Nordt conveys an ethereal calm. “I feel like I’m from another time, related to a shepherdess,” she muses. Looking out across the James River from the home’s boxwood garden, she continues, “In this day and age to be a weaver and raise sheep, it’s such a basic thing to do. I like making things with my hands. I like starting from the beginning and doing the process to the end. It all comes from here. It’s so natural and sustainable.”

Writer Tina Coplan is based in Chevy Chase. Dianne Nordt’s blankets are available at Virginia’s Waterford Fair, October 7 to 9 (waterfordfoundation.org/fair); at the Philadelphia Craft Show, November 10 to 13 (pmacraftshow.org); and through nordtfamilyfarm.com

Indulgences Food SEA CATCH  Fresh seafood takes center stage at chef Michael Schlow’s new 30-seat Conosci, which recently opened within his larger restaurant, Alta Strada. In Conosci, designed by Edit Lab, beaded chandeliers illuminate a counter, where chefs work their magic on creations such as Japanese octopus with spicy citrus juice, yellow peppers, and pickled shallots. 465 K Street, NW; 202-629-4662. conoscidc.com

NEW LOOK IN OLD TOWN  The Majestic in Old Town Alexandria is serving up new décor along with its seasonal bistro fare by chef/proprietor Gaby Hakman. Beckman Architects and designer David Anthony Chenault collaborated on the makeover, inspired by the Art Deco roots of the original Majestic Cafe, which opened on the site in 1932. Arteriors chandeliers hang over the bar. 911 King Street; 703-837-9117. themajesticva.com

LATE BITES  Richard Sandoval’s Toro Toro now caters to the after-hours crowd with a late-night menu. Along with pan-Latin small bites and drink specials, night owls can enjoy the restaurant’s sleek décor by LW Design Group of Dubai. Tufted gold-leather couches and metallic chandeliers grace the sultry lower-level lounge. 1300 I Street, NW, 202-682-9500. richardsandoval.com/torotorodc

 

Indulgences Travel TROPICAL GETAWAY  Located near the Vietnamese port of Da Nang, Naman Retreat hosts guests in modern villas, some of which are clustered around an expansive pool. A full spa and on-site tai chi and yoga foster a relaxed vibe; the resort is a perfect jumping-off point to My Son Sanctuary and Marble Mountains, both World Heritage sites. From $250. namanretreat.com

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND  Designed by Jeffrey Beers International, the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel blends urban glam with industrial style, as shown in its lobby bar and guest rooms. From its digital concierge to an interactive entrance wall, technology is one of the hallmarks of this 348-room Garment District hotel. Rates from $499. renhotels.com

A STAR IS REBORN  The legendary Ritz Paris has reopened with much fanfare following a four-year renovation by the New York design firm Thierry W. Despont. The makeover preserved the property’s landmark façade and revamped the Grand Jardin. Inside, everything from the luxurious pool to Bar Hemingway has been painstakingly restored in period style. Rates from $1,345. ritzparis.com

STEP IN TIME  Tiffany’s Art Deco Watches, part of the 2016 Blue Book Collection, combine a white-gold band with precious gems. Choose among pink and blue sapphires, diamonds and emeralds. From $75,000. tiffany.com

EMERALD STYLE  Perfect for autumn soirées, CH Carolina Herrera’s Emerald green silk evening gown features a fetching bow detail. $1,150 in the designer’s CityCenterDC boutique. carolinaherrera.com

STONE AGE  In a nod to nature, Christian Louboutin’s Paloma Malachite Patent Leather Tote sports a playful, faux-stone exterior. The nine-by-nine-inch bag has double handles and a removable shoulder strap. $2,000. saksfifthavenue.com

SPEED RACER  With its sculpted body and aerodynamic profile, Mercedes Benz’s new AMG GT R is a sports car designed with a nod to the company’s motorsport models. Its V-8 biturbo engine powers from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. A nine-way adjustable traction control system lets this head-turner hug the road in style. Look for a mid-2017 debut; price to be determined. mercedes-benz.com

DANISH MODERN  The new Oslo speaker by Denmark-based Vifa marries a simple, compact design with electrifying sound. The five-pound, Bluetooth-enabled device can be moved around the home or easily taken on the road. Its textile cover by Kvadrat comes in Sand Yellow, Ocean Blue, Anthracite Gray and Pebble Gray. $549; vifa.dk

SMART SHOES  Using a built-in chip, Under Armour’s SpeedForm Gemini 2 Record Equipped running shoes track and store data including runtime, duration, distance, and splits. The shoe, which enables athletes to run device-free, sends data after workouts to smartphones and fitness monitors. $150. ua.com

Out & About NKBA Masquerade Ball JUNE 17, 2016—The Baltimore-Washington Chapter of the National Kitchen & Bath Association celebrated the NKBA’s 50th anniversary with a masquerade ball at the Top of the Town in Arlington. Guests enjoyed dramatic views of Washington landmarks across the Potomac River.

Out & About July/August Inside Look Party JUNE 21, 2016—Home & Design celebrated the launch of its July/August 2016 Designers’ Issue at T.W. Perry’s Silver Spring location. Attendees perused the latest in high-end building materials throughout the inviting new showroom and mingled over drinks and appetizers.

Bazaar Bathing Beauty DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER  Handcrafted using traditional sand casting methods, Stone Forest’s Bronze Lunette vessel makes a striking addition to any bathroom. The production process can lead to small anomalies that are the distinctive traits of each sink. Available in golden- and weathered-bronze finishes that will develop a patina over time. stoneforest.com

OLDE ENGLAND  Signature Hardware brings a touch of Victorian England to its Freestanding Telephone Tub Faucet, in brightly polished brass. The faucet set comes complete with a lift-and-turn drain  and metal cross handles that cradle the hand shower on its flexible 60-inch hose. signaturehardware.com

INTO THE GROOVE  The grooves on the WAVE collection of cabinet hardware by Du Verre Hardware evoke the action of waves. The hand-finished, recycled-aluminum knobs and pulls come in satin nickel, antique brass and oil-rubbed bronze. Available at Push Pull Decorative Hardware in North Bethesda. pushpullhardware.com

CLASSIC STYLE  Elements of classic European architecture inspired Marble Systems’ Urban Layer Collection of stone and porcelain tiles. The line showcases parquetry, latticework, trellises, framework, geometric weaves and blocks. Patterns come in soft, neutral hues; the customizable collection is suitable for all interior applications. marblesystems.com

ON THE WALL  Designed by Ramón Esteve for L’Antic Colonial, the Faces collection of ceramic wall tiles is characterized by modern, geometric motifs on multi-dimensional or flat surfaces. Available at Porcelanosa in black and white, or metallic gold and silver. porcelanosa-usa.com

SUSTAINABLE SOAKER  Designed by Patrick Messier, the minimalist, sculptural BBE 02 tub from WETSTYLE’s Be Collection is made of eco-friendly soy and vegetable extracts and mineral stone instead of chemical-based resins. Available in matte and high-gloss finishes with an attached shelf that comes in oak or walnut. wetstyle.ca

ON THE SURFACE  To create Dekton, a surface by Cosentino, inorganic elements found in glass, porcelain and quartz are heat-compressed to accelerate the changes that occur in natural stone over time. Now, Cosentino introduces a new Dekton palette that includes Aura, a strong-veined, marble-like surface. cosentino.com

INDUSTRIAL EDGE  The Gridscape2 Soft-Close shower door by Coastal Shower Doors conveys an industrial edge with clear, glass panels framed in anodized aluminum that can be finished in black bronze or chrome. Each door comes in a hinged, sliding or folding version. coastalshowerdoors.com

SLEEK SYSTEM  Fiandre—maker of eco-friendly porcelain surfaces resembling stone, wood, concrete and more—has launched Aqua Maximum, a system of sleek, customizable sinks and shower trays. Shown here, the marble-like Double Integrated Washbasin Up&Down creates a clean-lined, uncluttered look. granitifiandre.com

NO PRESSURE  Form meets function in Geberit’s streamlined Sigma70 flush plate. With its smooth surface, the plate is mounted to a rocker switch that maintains dual-flush capabilities without buttons. Hydraulic-assist activation means it responds to the lightest pressure. The model comes in easy-to-clean stainless steel and colored glass. geberitnorthamerica.com

SHOWER TIME  Plan the perfect shower with Kohler’s customizable Choreograph Shower Wall and Accessory Collection. Walls and panels are made of Serica, a durable composite material, and come in a choice of colors, patterns and textures (shown in Sandbar and VeinCut Sandbar). Glass and integrated shelves and hooks keep clutter contained. us.kohler.com

BOLD AS BRASS  The solid-brass heated towel rail by British manufacturer Drummonds conveys old-fashioned luxury. Traditionally styled, it can be heated by water, electricity or both. Available in multiple sizes and finishes and in freestanding, wall-mounted and floor-mounted versions. Sold through the company’s New York City showroom. drummonds-uk.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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