Home & Design

Shore Style Tribal Style The main pattern in Zinc Textile’s new Kuba Cay collection was inspired by a traditional Congolese tribal cloth. The geometric motif created with jute and soft chenille yarns comes in 10 colorways. It pairs well with the complementary Bluff weave and Jetty and Shoreline chenilles (shown in solid-colored pillows, right), which are also part of the line. Available at Romo in the Washington Design Center; romo.com

Shore Style Unburied Treasure The Lure of Sea Glass is as seductive as its subject. Local author Richard LaMotte’s latest book on sea glass delves into the emotional, often spiritual, aspect of searching and finding. Sharing the first-hand accounts of fellow collectors, LaMotte illuminates the calming effects of beachcombing—the act of sifting through mental and emotional detritus while stumbling upon shards of the past that have been burnished into comforting gems. Occasionally, these finds become talismans, remembrances of inspiration and healing. Glowing images by Annapolis photographer Celia Pearson—all taken in natural sunlight—accompany the text. $29 at seaglasspublishing.com 

Time Traveling in Chestertown Strolling the streets of Chestertown is a little like traveling back in time. A visitor might be in the midst of ordering a cranberry-orange scone with her latte when suddenly the tall ship Sultana glides into port from the peaceful Chester River, conjuring a long-ago vista. The seat of local government since 1706, Chestertown—also known as “America’s best-preserved Colonial seaport”—embraces history and the passage of time in all its rich complexity.

In fact, the Sultana—a replica of a British Royal Navy vessel that enforced those nasty tea taxes during revolutionary times—helped launch this small town into the 21st century. Since the ship’s construction was completed in 2001, educators and tourists alike have flocked to Chestertown to sail on the “Schoolship of the Chesapeake,” learn about the bay’s marine treasures and relive its history. The Sultana is also a centerpiece for the town’s many festivals. If this ship or other vessels are in port when you go, a sail on one of them will show you the town and its environs from the water. Many rural views from this Chesapeake tributary are virtually unchanged since the 1800s, and it’s great fun to peek into the backyards of the lovely waterfront homes. The Chester River Packet Company (chesterriverpacketco.com) also offers day and evening cruises on a 1920s-style tour boat.

Historic Highlights  History buffs won’t want to miss a 30-minute audio tour of the town’s waterfront area researched by scholars, performed by students from local Washington College and available via headphones at the 1746 Custom House. The self-guided tour features riveting personal stories of soldiers, slaves, and revolutionaries—including Thomas Ringgold, a wealthy slave trader and “Son of Liberty” whose house is one of the stops.

A leisurely amble through town will also yield architectural and horticultural delights. Pick up a walking-tour map that will guide you past 24 mostly Colonial gems in mint condition, from the red-brick Geddes-Piper House (home of the Kent County Historical Society and its exhibits) to the 1733 White Swan Tavern, which may have hosted George Washington and is now a bed & breakfast. Washington College, to which George gave his name and some founding funds, abuts the town and is worth a meander for its scenic buildings and landscaping.

Festival Fun  Fall is a festival season in Chestertown. Downrigging Weekend (October 28 through 30; sultanaeducation.org), features historic boats ranging from the pristine tall ship Kalmar Nyckel (a replica of a Swedish Colonial ship) to adorable wooden Beetle Cat sailboats. Many of the gorgeous crafts in the harbor are available for touring, and visitors can take a spin on tall ships including Sultana, Kalmar Nyckel, The Pride of Baltimore (a Baltimore clipper) and several oyster-dredging skipjacks. The festival also spotlights live music, nautical book talks, and fireworks.

To coincide with Downrigging Weekend, the Chestertown RiverArts Studio Tour (October 22, 23, 28 and 29; chestertownriverarts.org) welcomes art lovers into more than 50 artisans’ studios across Kent and Queen Anne Counties. Pop into the Chestertown RiverArts Gallery to plan your tour while browsing each artist’s work, from paintings to jewelry to vases, on display there. For those planning a springtime visit, Chestertown reenacts its own version of the Boston Tea Party every Memorial Day weekend.

Arts Scene  But, if you’re not in town for a festival, try to make Chestertown’s First Friday event from 5 to 8 p.m. on the first Friday of each month, when shops, restaurants, and galleries offer nibbles and special deals to visitors.

The elegant Carla Massoni Gallery (massoniart.com) showcases paintings, sculpture and woodcuts by highly regarded national artists; the nautical paintings of local favorite Marc Castelli and the works of contemporary realist Greg Mort can be found in the collection. Or visit Hegland Glass Studio (heglandglass.com), where husband-and-wife team Dave and Patti Hegland create kiln-formed art glass with intricate swirls of color and texture. The new, collaborative gallery, Create (createartcraftdesign.com), showcases the Heglands’ work, along with other fine crafts by a metalworker, a fine-furniture maker, a potter and a textile artist. Curated by Carla Massoni, these varied works are selected to complement each other. The artists can be commissioned to create pieces for public and private spaces.

Blue Canary Letterpress (bluecanarypress.com) features work by local and emerging artists along with unique cards, prints and custom designs by second-generation printer Jodi Bortz. And check out the studio of independent publisher Idiots’ Books (idiotsbooks.com), which offers quirky, satirical illustrated titles for adults and a line of children’s books. For musical performances and theater, visit the casual and intimate Art Deco Garfield Center for the Arts (garfieldcenter.org).

Fodder for Foodies  Whether you prefer coffee and a croissant at Evergrain Bread Company (evergrainbreadco.com) or local baked goods and produce from the Chestertown Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market (Saturday mornings, mid-March through December; chestertownfarmersmarket.net), you will not go hungry here. The bright and friendly Lemon Leaf Café (thellcafe.com) serves up everything from flannel cakes with homemade apricot syrup to an assortment of crab entrées. The White Swan Tavern (whiteswantavern.com) offers a traditional tea from 3 to 5 p.m. daily. And the newly renovated Kitchen at the Imperial (imperialchestertown.com ) boasts an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet with a fun build-your-own Bloody Mary and mimosa bar on Sundays.

To further titillate your taste buds, drop by Chester River Wine & Cheese Co. (chesterrivergourmet.com) for a glass (or bottle) of fine wine and an impressive cheese, olive or antipasto board.

Memorable Lodgings   If your idea of a holiday means stashing the car keys, central Chestertown has no shortage of options for accommodations from which you can walk everywhere you’ll want to go. The Widow’s Walk Inn B & B (widowswalkinn.com) and the John L. Stam House (jlstamhouse.com) are Victorian gems in the middle of town that offer full breakfasts and relaxing porches from which to watch the world go by. If driving appeals, the Brampton Bed and Breakfast Inn (bramptoninn.com) a mile outside town boasts private cottages and wood-burning fireplaces in many rooms. You’ll also enjoy a full breakfast, freshly baked cookies, and afternoon tea.

Finally, Great Oak Manor (greatoakmd.com) in Chestertown offers a waterfront experience that is both elegant and active, with kayaks and paddleboards available onsite. At this inn, you’ll enjoy a lovely view of the bay with your full breakfast and complimentary sherry or port to punctuate your evening.

Amy Brecount White explores the nooks and waterways of the world from her base in Arlington, Virginia. 

Flash of Brilliance When it comes out to play with vibrant art and flashes of color, a neutral palette can seem anything but bland. At least that was the case in a recent renovation by Marika Meyer Interiors. Bright abstract paintings, touches of indigo and tribal patterns create a look that’s at once serene and spirited in this neoclassical, mid-century home in Washington’s Spring Valley neighborhood.

“The house hadn’t been updated in 20 years, and many of its finishes were very heavy, very dark,” says Meyer. The clients, a well-traveled couple with four young children, “wanted to open it up and make it a welcoming, lighter family space.”

Meyer and her team began the transformation in 2014 with the removal of superfluous interior columns, narrow crown moldings, and dark wood floors.  In went fumed, gray-washed, white-oak flooring, lending the first-floor dining room, kitchen, living room and his-and-her offices a serene vibe. “It wasn’t easy to get the floors right, but they set the tone for the home,” says the wife.

Meyer played with other Zen-like updates to make the rooms, which only have eight-foot ceilings, feel far more capacious. Crown molding now extends onto the ceiling, making the spaces look taller. Base moldings went from low-profile to four-and-a-half inches high. And dated marble fireplace surrounds were replaced with stone ones to sleek effect. “Now when we walk into the house, we love the light and airy feel,” says the wife.

Working closely with her design-savvy client, Meyer achieved a layered, neutral backdrop for abstract paintings and photographs. “Everything was about texture upon texture,” says the designer. This meant grace notes like a Rose Tarlow linen wallpaper in the foyer, paired with a cowhide-framed round mirror and a slender Parsons-style table, which Meyer had faux-painted to mimic cobalt-hued malachite.

In the kitchen, her team simply repainted the existing blonde wood cabinetry creamy white and used herringbone Calacatta Gold subway tiles to form a new backsplash. “It was straightforward and not a complete redo, but it made the kitchen so fresh and approachable,” says Meyer.

But it’s the adjoining dining room, visible from the foyer as well, that brings the most drama. As a foil for all the grays and beiges, Meyer installed a navy-and-white paisley textured wallpaper from Arte. Framed by white crown molding and accented by original built-in bookcases, the wall covering plays off the backyard swimming pool, which can be glimpsed through the room’s large windows.

“We wanted the dining room to be impactful because it’s the first thing you see when you enter the house,” says the wife. Upping the room’s show-stopping glam is a faux bois silver chandelier studded with candle-like bulbs. It’s paired with a custom David Iatesta table flaunting distinctive curved legs.

For contrast with the sea of wallpaper, Meyer had two original built-in corner bookcases painted bright white and installed a pair of mirrors above gleaming, chrome-based Worlds Away consoles. “It all reflects out to the backyard and adds light to the room,” says the designer.

Varied textures and tribal accents embellish the adjacent living room, a plush zone that’s comfortable for both entertaining and family time. A skinny-legged Room & Board sofa in pale gray sidles up to a chunky Vanguard coffee table with an antiqued silver finish and velvet armchairs by Charles Stewart. A 14-foot-long, built-in window seat adds extra perching room during the couples’ frequent parties—or just for a kid to snuggle up with a book. Bright artwork and sparkling accents, such as crystal-based table lamps, keep the place from feeling monochromatic.

Punches of blue and blue-gray highlight other first-floor rooms. In the wife’s study, batik-like indigo fabric from Lee Jofa covers two armchairs by the fireplace, echoing the wanderlust feel of a mother-of-pearl inlaid desk from Theodores. Equipped with a built-in bar, the room also welcomes guests after hours.

A powder room off the foyer boasts another dazzling wall treatment: a blue-gray fabric from Travers that evokes an African mud cloth. It’s paired with deep-gray moldings and vintage finds to create a cozy, yet contemporary, mood.

Which is exactly what the owners had in mind. “Our house has a sort of tribal feel and influence,” observes the wife. “I love the mix of materials and textures and the natural feel. It really reflects our
personality.”

Writer Jennifer Barger is based in Washington, DC. Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and Spain.

INTERIOR DESIGN: MARIKA MEYER, Marika Meyer Interiors, Bethesda, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: JOHN JUENEMANN, Silver Spring, Maryland.

 

RESOURCES

FOYER  Wallpaper: rosetarlow.com. Chandelier: madegoods.com. Console: Custom. Console Faux Finish: billetcollins.com. Rug on stairs: coecarpetandrug.com. Mirror: Client’s collection. Painting: lamarbriggs.com.

DINING ROOM  Table: davidiatesta.com. Chairs: leeindustries.com. Chair Fabric: cowtan.com. Chandelier: paulferrante.com. Roman Shade Fabric: fschumacher.com. Buffet: worlds-away.com. Wallpaper: arte.com. Rug: coecarpetandrug.com.

LIVING ROOM  Drapery & Shade Fabric: fschumacher.com. Sofa: roomandboard.com. Club Chairs: charlesstewartcompany.com. Chair Fabric: thedesignconnection.us. Cocktail Table: vanguardfurniture.com. Lamps: timestwodesign.com. Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Chest: studioa-home.com. Painting above Fireplace: scottupton.net. Painting, opposite: craigalanart.com

WIFE’S STUDY  Desk: theodores.com. Chair: vanguardfurniture.com. Chair Fabric: leejofa.com. Pouf: rh.com. Wallpaper: farrowandball.com. Rug: coecarpetandrug.com.

Rays of Light The 1992 contemporary house had fallen into disrepair by the time Bethesda architect Jim Rill was called to its sweeping shorefront on Maryland’s Gibson Island, south of Annapolis. Its new owners, Houston transplants with a passion for design, could see its modernist potential. Rill could see its bones—and liked what they foretold.

“It had a big idea, but there hadn’t been follow-through,” says the architect. He draws a picture to show how a series of structural walls seemed to emanate from an invisible center like rays, widening out toward vistas of the Chesapeake Bay. Small windows, oddly placed walls and even the kitchen cabinets obstructed what could have been open sightlines to the water, with its ever-changing colors and passing wildlife. As Rill began to rethink and reorganize the home’s layout, those structural walls—along with a dramatic circular stair tower—became the foundation for his redesign. Everything else was gutted to emphasize the layered, open spaces with radiating views that expand outward from the entry along those rays. “The idea was to express the connection to the landscape,” says the architect.

First, he reclads the synthetic-stucco exterior with natural materials: stone for the stair tower, metal for the window casements and overhangs, and cement panels to highlight the strength and structure of each ray. These panels, he says, “look like stronger elements that hold the lighter materials.”

Achieving the right scale was paramount: The existing, standard-height glass doors topped with small, square transoms sliced and diced the water views; Rill replaced them with single-pane windows and doors that reach heights of eight to 10 feet. He also moved the front door from the side of the house to the center, within a two-story glass façade that he enhanced with much larger windows. Motorized shades throughout the home offer privacy.

Formerly, the front door—reclaimed from a temple in India—had opened into an enclosed vestibule where visitors were greeted with a wall. The new glass-door entry lets guests see through the house and out to the water before they even step inside. The temple door, meanwhile, holds a place of honor in the new basement-level wine room.

Rill reorganized and streamlined the interior layout, removing unnecessary entryways and hanging kitchen cabinets, for example, to emphasize the views from front to back. He even gave the first-floor master suite its own terrace and glass “front door,” through which one can see to the wall of windows in the back. The second floor houses three additional bedrooms, while the basement includes an exercise room and spa.

The architect worked closely with his clients to design ample display space for their extensive art collection, amassed over decades of traveling the globe.  He created a neutral backdrop with creamy-white walls to keep the focus on the elegantly framed art. But his most dramatic gesture was replacing a traditional spindle-lined staircase with a new, curving stairway that emulates the one at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, which the wife has visited often. “We wanted it to be a sculpture in itself,” Rill says.

Another imperative was establishing an art studio for the wife, who started painting as a second life pursuit in 2010. Initially a figurative painter, she recently began portraying all manner of birds that fly over the water and through her gardens. “I never gave birds a second thought” before moving in, she says, but her home’s pristine setting has inspired her art, which now reflects a new appreciation for eagles, great blue herons, hummingbirds, goldfinches and monarch butterflies. “I work with nature as a subject,” she explains. In fact, she even painted the doors to the bar and pantry closets in her new kitchen to reflect its waterfront views during autumn.

The couple wanted each room to be designed around existing furniture and other belongings they have collected over the years. Even before his clients moved to Maryland, Rill visited them in Houston to take an inventory. He measured each piece of furniture, created a plan for where wall art and sculpture would be placed, and designed custom cabinetry. As a result, the couple didn’t need to purchase much furniture before moving in—and they knew where everything would go.

The renovation hewed closely to the home’s original footprint, save for some small but significant additions. Rill extended the two outer rays in back to frame a wider deck and accommodate an outdoor kitchen and enclosed a covered porch so he could expand the master suite. He also added a second garage—a bonus, the wife says, because her husband can keep all the tools in his while she hangs art in hers.

The best “art,” however, is the unfolding view outside the great expanses of glass Rill incorporated into the design. “The structure itself frames a series of environmental scenes as you walk through, and each outdoor scene is so beautiful,” the wife marvels. “Each day, a new picture is created by the re-ordering of the natural environment and light.”

Jennifer Sergent is an Arlington writer. Photographer Helen Norman is based in White Hall, Maryland. 

Architecture: James F. Rill, AIA, Rill Architects, Bethesda, Maryland.

Wetlands Idyll A Bethesda couple had fallen in love with Rehoboth Beach years before they decided to buy a vacation home there. Children in tow, they made the trek each summer to savor the wide, sandy beaches and quaint downtown strip.

When their four kids were grown, they finally purchased a property on the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal that held a cottage with a vista of pristine wetlands. They wanted something small enough for two, but large enough to keep the family coming back. “We lived there on our vacations for three years to see if it worked,” recounts the wife. “But there was just not enough space when the kids were visiting.” In fact, the abode was too small even for the husband and wife; a litigator and law professor respectively, they needed space to work.

So they contacted architect Amy Gardner, whose practice focuses on building sustainably—a major priority for the couple. The idea was to renovate, but it quickly became clear that tearing down the dated, uninsulated cottage and starting afresh made more sense.

Gardner and project architect Brittany Williams traveled to Rehoboth and spent time observing the couple’s lifestyle and the way their current house worked—and didn’t. The new home’s sustainable elements would “focus on passive strategies to decrease energy demands,” says Gardner. Geothermal heating and cooling, a high-performance building envelope and an energy-recovery ventilator would minimize costs, while operable windows and skylights—particularly in the open stairway—allowed for natural ventilation. Reclaimed and recycled materials and LED lighting were also part of the package.

“The first challenge was how to orient the house on the site,” Gardner recalls. “The water is to the west, and that is the hottest, least pleasant exposure.” She and Williams conceived an L-shaped abode that faces west to maximize views of the canal and wetlands but is buffered by a courtyard shaded beneath carefully preserved trees and sheltered from the wind.

Integrating the stunning natural scenery into the design was another challenge. “We wanted to ensure that the home would engage fully with the outdoors,” says Gardner, who designed a glassed-in entry foyer that connects the two wings of the house and opens out to the backyard. “It’s a continuous view from the street side through the foyer and out to the canal and marsh,” she explains. Walls of windows on the canal side frame views to the courtyard and beyond, and a boardwalk deck offers a transition from the house to the outdoors. The 3,600-square-foot house is sited as close to the canal as permitting would allow, making the water views more dramatic.

The owners tapped landscape architect Holt Jordan to enhance the connection between the house and its setting. “The idea was to celebrate the canal and the marsh,” Jordan says of his overall plan. “We used existing persimmon trees to tie the landscape to its location and floated a deck so the trees are coming out of it.”

In lieu of a traditional lawn, native grasses are planted all over the property, punctuated by ornamentals and framed by paths of crushed clam shells surrounding slabs of bluestone.

The two-story main wing houses the open-plan kitchen/living/dining room with the master suite above. The other wing—christened “the bunkhouse”—holds two bedrooms (one double as the husband’s office) with a shared bath. The name “bunkhouse” derives from the fact that the bedrooms are open on one side, facing glass doors leading to the courtyard with only heavy canvas curtains for privacy. “It drove my kids crazy when they were here last,” remarks the wife, laughing, “but I love the openness.”

While sustainability was a given, the couple was less sure about the direction they wanted the house to take in terms of style. After poring over pictures online, the wife “focused on a ‘rustic modern’ look,” she says. “I like simplicity, so we tried to keep it simple.” Cedar shingles and siding on the exterior convey a farmhouse sensibility, while expanses of glass keep it modern. A cedar-and-steel pergola covers the boardwalk, which is made of a durable hardwood called machichi. Motorized rollout shades on the pergola can be lowered to shield the interiors from the sun, and slatted cedar barn doors slide over the glass doors to the bunkhouse. “We were looking for elements that move, to change the light in the space,” Gardner explains.

Inside, a natural material palette combines rugged reclaimed-oak floors with spare, stainless-steel stair railings and Douglas fir woodwork. Gardner and Williams collaborated with Jennifer Gilmer on a kitchen design that perfectly reflects the wife’s “rustic modern” preference. Two cabinet styles—one resembling textured barn wood and the other a sleek, gray wood surface—are framed in hot-rolled steel that conveys the look of industrial-style furniture. Expenses of exposed ductwork and open shelving unify the kitchen and sitting area, while beyond the dining area, a spacious screened porch beckons.

Upstairs, the airy master suite is accessed via a passageway with a built-in, reclaimed-oak desk 16 feet long that easily accommodates several workspaces. Overlooking the canal on two sides, the master bedroom boasts a vaulted ceiling embellished by Douglas fir beams suspended on steel rods. For continuity, all the baths feature marble-look porcelain-tile surfaces and Douglas fir vanities topped with quartz countertops and basin sinks by Scarabeo.

The architects helped the wife outfit the house with clean-lined furniture from Ligne Roset, keeping the rooms spare so as not to detract from the view. “I love the wetland,” says the wife. “It’s spectacular and changes all the time. The sunsets are incredible.”

Photographer John Cole is based in Silver Spring.

ARCHITECTURE: AMY E. GARDNER, FAIA, LEED AP, principal; BRITTANY WILLIAMS, AIA, LEED AP, project architect; Gardner Architects LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland. KITCHEN DESIGN: JENNIFER GILMER, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. BUILDER: ROBERT PURCELL, Beachwood, Inc., Showell, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: HOLT JORDAN, ASLA, PLA, Jordan Honeyman, Washington, DC. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: 1200 Architectural Engineers; 12ae.com.

 

RESOURCES

GENERAL  Flooring: Random width and length white and red oak. Woodwork: Douglas fir. Deck: Machiche. Cable Rails on Stairs: agsstainless.com. Metalwork on Beams and Porch & Barn Door Hardware: ashtonwelding.com. Windows: Integrity by Marvin; marvin.com. Doors: loewen.com. Barn Doors: Alan Wierengo through beachwoodinc.com.

KITCHEN  Cabinetry: artcraftkitchens.com. Countertops & Backsplash: inhomestone.com. Appliances: mieleusa.com; rangecraft.com. Dining Table & Chairs: ligne-roset.com. Pendants over Island: kichler.com. Pendants over Table: rh.com.

LIVING AREA  Sofa, Matching Chairs, Geometric Occasional Tables: ligne-roset.com. Wood-Burning Stove: us.rais.com. Fan: minkagroup.net.

BATHROOM  Gray Tile in Master Bath: daltile.com through inhomestone.com. Light Tile in Master and Other Baths: anatoliatile.com through inhomestone.com. Sinks: scarabeoceramica.com. Tub in Master Bath: kohler.com. Bath Fixtures: totousa.com; grohe.com; kohler.com; americanstandard.com.

MASTER SUITE DESK AREA  Desk Fabrication: Alan Wierengo through beachwoodinc.com; ashtonwelding.com. Chairs: hermanmiller.com.

 

A Formal Affair The stately c. 1918 mansion in Washington’s Kalorama neighborhood has no doubt, seen its share of glamorous gatherings over the years—and probably a few official dinners, given that two foreign ambassadors consecutively called it home recently while their residences were under renovation. “If these walls could talk...” quips designer Kelley Proxmire, who was tapped by the home’s new owners to ready the interiors for their own fêtes and philanthropic events.

Kristen Lund and her husband, a financier, purchased the property in 2015 with the intent of hosting frequent events. They are actively involved in many charities, and Lund sits on the Washington National Opera’s board of trustees. “We are big believers in entertaining,” she says. “We knew when we bought this house that we would have functions here to support the Opera.”

The couple, who worked with Proxmire to decorate their previous home in McLean as well as their family retreat in Paradise Valley, Arizona, trusted the designer to handle their new Kalorama home with care. “Kelley has a sixth sense for what a house needs,” remarks Lund. “She has a knack for working with older homes and maintaining their character.”

The home was designed by famed architects Clarke Waggaman and George N. Ray, known for their prolific residential and commercial work in early 20th-century Washington. The Beaux Arts residence is blessed with large rooms, 12-foot ceilings, and tall windows. And despite a full renovation in the late 1990s, its original architectural details, including refined plaster moldings, were luckily left intact.

The existing layout works well for Lund, her husband and their three-year-old son and baby daughter. While the first floor comprises a cozy family room and a kitchen with an eat-in area, the level above these family-oriented spaces boasts a formal reception hall that branches into the living room on the left and the dining room on the right. Two upper floors include five bedrooms and a library.

Proxmire touched every space in the home, making minor tweaks in some—such as new window treatments in the existing kitchen, where a full makeover is planned for the not-too-distant future—and totally transforming others. On the second floor where guests gather, her clients wanted to create a chic setting for formal entertaining.

The designer’s goal was to balance formality with freshness. “Quite honestly, it’s a more formal look than I usually do,” she admits. “I have to read my clients and see what they like and how they live. This look reflects them. It’s sophisticated and classic with a little bit of zip.”

An embroidered-silk floral fabric from Pierre Frey, which Proxmire used on accent pillows in the living room, served as a springboard for her elegant palette of cream, tan and gray. “I often start a scheme with fabric,” she explains. “When I design, I think about the sequence of color.” Pulling hues from this inspirational textile, Proxmire chose a backdrop for each space—hand-painted Gracie wallpaper in shimmering neutrals for the dining room, a silvery metallic wall covering for the hall and a textured, tan silk for the living room. “How color flows from room to room is really key. There’s a nice flow here,” she adds. Blue-tinged ceilings also visually link the second-floor rooms.

Next, Proxmire layered in a mix of furnishings, reimagining, rearranging and reupholstering many pieces from her clients’ collection. The quatrefoil-patterned rug from their previous dining room, for example, was too small for the new dining room so Proxmire solved the problem by laying a larger sisal rug underneath it. She shifted a chandelier from the family room to the upstairs hall, while an oversized screen that once embellished the couple’s McLean home is the “perfect scale” for their new living room, where it hangs above a sofa. Fresh fabrics, from a solid cotton weave to exotic animal prints, revived three pairs of existing chairs in the living room.

The homeowners’ collection also included several antiques, which Proxmire paired with new furnishings. Even extremes—a Biedermeier secretary and acrylic side tables—play nicely together in her carefully crafted arrangements. The designer also selected two classically styled sofas from Hickory Chair to round out the eclectic mix.

“I incorporate old and new,” she says. “There’s a blending of more modern pieces with traditional lines in the living room. Sometimes it’s subtle and sometimes it’s not so subtle, but I rarely do a room that’s all traditional.”

Bespoke details, such as the custom banding on the hall’s valance and draperies, are another design signature. Proxmire also enjoys “the hunt for one-of-a-kind accessories,” scouring brick-and-mortar shops as well as the online marketplace 1stdibs to find them. She uncovered the living room’s antique, sunburst wall hanging, for instance, at the now-shuttered Georgetown location of Comer & Co. “The finishing touches are almost as important as good bones,” she maintains.

The third-floor library, with its quatrefoil ceiling treatment, masculine paneling, and leaded windows, has both—exceptional bones and meticulously placed crowning touches. “We used all existing pieces,” the designer reveals.

When the interiors were ready for the show, Lund invited friends, including Proxmire, to the home for afternoon tea—and the party-
goers happily lingered. “That’s the power of the house,” says Lund. “Guests don’t want to leave, which I love.”

Catherine Funkhouser is an Arlington writer. Photographer Kip Dawkins is based in Richmond.

Interior Design: Kelley Proxmire, Kelley Interior Design, Bethesda, Maryland.

 

RESOURCES

DINING ROOM  Dining Table & Sideboard: nancycorzine.com. Dining Chairs & Gilt Mirror over Fireplace: Clients’ collection. Dining Chair Fabric & Draperies: pierrefrey.com. Drapery Trim: samuelandsons.com. Drapery Fabricator: JK Drapery, Inc.; 703-941-3788. Chandeliers: niermannweeks.com. Wall covering: graciestudio.com. Rugs: galleriacarpets.com.

ENTRY  Round Table, Lion Sculpture, Candle Holder, Silver Planter, Gilt Sconces: Clients’ collection. Chandelier: Existing. Small Ottomans: fschumacher.com. Ottoman Fabric: Hodsoll McKenzie through zimmer-rohde.com. Window Treatment Fabric: taffard.com. Drapery Banding & Wallpaper: jab.us/. Fabricator: JK Drapery, Inc.; 703-941-3788.

LIVING ROOM  Wallcovering: phillipjeffries.com. Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Tufted Loveseat: hickorychair.com. Loveseat Fabric: cowtan.com. Pillows on Loveseat: cowtan.com, pierrefrey.com. Secretary, Gilt-Framed Chairs & Twin Coffee Tables: Clients’ collection. Fabric on Gilt-Framed Chairs: manuelcanovas.com through cowtan.com. Sunburst Wall Art: comerandco.com. Striped Draperies: calvinfabrics.com. Drapery Fabricator: JK Drapery; 703-941-3788. Acrylic Side Table: spectrumcollection.com. Console between Windows & Gilt Lamp on Acrylic Side Table: marstonluce.com. White Sofa: hickorychair.com. Sofa Fabric: nobilis.fr. Glass-Topped Oval Coffee Table, Side Tables Flanking White Sofa, Gilt Armchairs & Mirror above Fireplace: Clients’ collection. Gilt Armchair Fabric: cowtan.com. Marble-Based Lamps: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Art above Loveseat, White Sofa, Console & Bust on Console: Clients’ collection. Black-Framed Ottoman by Secretary: Antique. Club Chairs & Black-Stained Occasional Table by Fireplace: bakerfurniture.com. Club Chair Fabric: nobilis.fr. Pillows on Club Chairs: pierrefrey.com, samuelandsons.com. Tufted Ottoman: Custom frame by JK Drapery; 703-941-3788. Ottoman Fabric: janechurchill.com. Trim: samuelandsons.com. Fireplace Screen: salvationsaf.com.

LIBRARY  Leather Chairs, Round Metal Table, Coffee Table, Rug, Bust: Clients’ collection.

Layered Luxe family relocating from New York to Washington decided to keep their Manhattan apartment. So when they moved into their 1940s colonial-style home in Georgetown with very few furnishings, their intent was to start anew.

One of the owners met DC-based interior decorator Colman Riddell at a dinner party and invited her to have a look at their three-bedroom house. Along with its good architectural bones, it had plenty of natural light via French doors and large windows, tall ceilings, simple but elegant trim work and a big backyard. The spacious side patio, with its flagstone paving and lacquered black gate, also struck Riddell as charming and full of potential.

Inside, the wood floors had already been stained dark, and all the walls, trim and moldings had been painted matte white, providing Riddell with a perfect canvas on which to design the home her clients wanted.

“The homeowner was looking for a minimalist feel and neutral palette, but with lots of textures and layers. Above all, she wanted everything to be comfortable for her young family,” says Riddell, who was soon hired for the job. “She and her husband often host informal gatherings, so rooms suitable for easy entertaining were also important.”

On the main level, Riddell began the design process by selecting two sizable Stark carpets—one for the dining room and one for the living room. Both are textured sisals with narrow twill banding; the one in the dining room has a subtle geometric pattern.

“I didn’t want the carpets to be exactly the same but to be compatible; I wanted to give the separate rooms different personalities right away,” explains Riddell. The two rooms lie across from each other, divided by a narrow center hall with a staircase leading up to the bedrooms.

The long living room proved a challenge. The rectangular space is anchored at one end by a fireplace sandwiched between built-in alcoves. To add symmetry, Riddell designed a wall of bookcases at the opposite end of the room; they house the well-traveled homeowners’ global collections and art books. “I wallpapered both the bookshelves and the alcove backs in a textured grasscloth,” says Riddell, who then layered in accessories sparingly.

“My approach for that—and for the rest of the design—was to integrate negative space balanced with solid blocks of interest,” the designer explains. “You can’t appreciate the accents unless you have a place for the eye to rest.”

In the living room, Riddell made the decision to split the floor plan into two separate seating arrangements that flow together as needed—ideal for hosting large groups. An eight-foot-long sofa slipcovered in Belgian linen grounds the fireplace end of the room, along with a pair of plush, velvet-upholstered armchairs. “I wanted it to be comfortable and cozy,” says Riddell. “On the opposite side, I used a six-foot-long matching sofa. The two seating areas are bridged by a couple of stools that can be pulled up to either side.”

Though the home’s overall palette is neutral, the spaces are far from boring. “To make neutral interesting you need layers of texture—not just in fabrics and textiles, but in furnishings and colors,” Riddell observes. In the living room, for example, she selected throw pillows in chocolate velvet mohair, ivory boiled wool and beige Belgian linen with contrasting coral tape. Materials are also highly varied, from a honed-travertine coffee table with wrought iron legs to a cerused oak side table.

“I find you can add a lot of character and individuality via side tables,” says Riddell, referring especially to a repurposed cylindrical gear block in its original wood finish that sits between the armchairs in the living room.

In the dining room, Riddell selected a repurposed trestle base and paired it with a new pine top to create a one-of-a-kind table. “For lighting, I wanted a moody atmosphere in the dining room,” she says. “The double metal chandeliers shed light up and down. They also have an industrial vibe,” she continues. “I find punches of black also add interest to a neutral space.”

On the patio, landscape architect Leslie Gignoux of Fritz & Gignoux designed a contemporary yet classic wrought-iron pergola above the teak dining table. During the warm months, the pergola is lush with wisteria, giving shade during the day and dispensing ambiance at night by way of pierced, canned lighting.

Riddell decorated this outdoor room with a mix of neutral materials ranging from wicker to concrete and also worked in global accents. The result is yet another textured and layered space for the homeowners to enjoy.

Charlotte Safavi is a writer and stylist based in Alexandria. Robert Radifera is a Charlottesville photographer. 

INTERIOR DESIGN: COLMAN RIDDELL, Colman Riddell Interiors, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: LESLIE GIGNOUX, Fritz & Gignoux, Washington, DC.

 

RESOURCES

LIVING ROOM  Sofas: rh.com. Matching Armchairs: leeindustries.com. Armchair Fabric: duralee.com. Wingback Chair: henredon.com. Wingback Chair Fabric: glant.com. Round Table by Wingback Chair: kravet.com. Coffee Table: Custom. Twin Ottomans & Upholstered Bench: bungalowclassic.com. Sisal Carpet: starkcarpet.com. Picture over Mantel: Mary Page Evans through addisonripleyfineart.com. Mirror over Sofa: Owners’ collection. Sconces over Sofa: Moss & Co.; 202-337-0540. Sculptures in Niches: luckettstore.com. Round Occasional Table between Chairs & Covered Woven Basket: palecek.com. Table Lamps: arteriorshome.com. Round Occasional Table by Sofa: centuryfurniture.com. Art between Windows: christousimis.com. Drapery Fabric: graylinelinen.com. Drapery Fabricator: Leang’s Interior & Distributor; 301-477-3065.

DINING ROOM  Dining Table & Sideboard: Owners’ collection. Chairs: rh.com. Pendants over Table: urbanelectric.com. Lamp on Sideboard: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Art above Sideboard: douglasdavid.com. Art to Left of French Door: christousimis.com. Draperies: graylinelinen.com. Drapery Fabricator: Leang’s Interior & Distributor; 301-477-3065. Carpet: starkcarpet.com.

ENTRY  Console Table & Decorative Planter: elegantearthatthearbor.com. Mirror above Console: luckettstore.com.

GUEST BEDROOM  Bedstead & Bedding: rh.com. Nightstand on Wall: Corbel through wisteria.com. Bedside Lamp: aidangrayhome.com.

MASTER BEDROOM  Bedstead & Night Tables: rh.com. Bedding & Window Treatment: graylinelinen.com. Fabricator: Leang’s Interior & Distributor; 301-477-3065. Bedside Lamps: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Art over Bedstead: callowayart.com.

COURTYARD  Dining Table, Chairs & Server: janusetcie.com.

At Ease The allure of Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay proved impossible to resist for a McLean couple whose son had graduated from the Naval Academy. Four years of visits and a vacation spent on the bay cinched the deal: The couple decided to build a weekend home near Annapolis that will eventually serve as their permanent residence when the husband, a business executive, retires in a few years. “We really like the activity here,” says the wife, “and it’s so beautiful.”

The pair fell in love with—and acquired—a waterfront property in the historic Bay Ridge community. Planning to tear down the outdated, 1920s-era stucco home on the lot and start anew, they assembled a team of local professionals for design and construction. Builder Guy Pilli, architect Cathy Purple Cherry, interior designer Arlene Critzos and landscape architect Kevin Campion collaborated to create a retreat that would blend timeless, traditional forms with a relaxed aesthetic befitting this beachy locale.

“We wanted a house that is casual and open, but also very nice for family and friends to enjoy,” says the husband. “And we wanted to utilize the views as much as possible. Why live on the water and not be able to see it?”

While the lot offers unobstructed views of the bay, a paved street separates it from the shoreline. This raised a question: Should the driveway and main entry be located on the water side of the property, where parked cars would block views, or on the opposite side, where there is also street access? The owners went for the latter option, making the water side of the home essentially its “backyard.”

Purple Cherry carefully sited the 7,500-square-foot home to create the largest possible footprint within the confines of critical area rules and setbacks. The architect also considered the owners’ affinity for the shingled homes found on Nantucket, with wide porches, cedar-shake roofs, and dormer windows. She honed in on a center-hall colonial floor plan that would locate a family room, dining room, kitchen and breakfast area to the left of the entry. The husband’s study and utility areas such as the garage, mudroom and powder room would occupy the right.

Abundant windows and transoms maximize views and brighten the interiors. “Natural light makes a huge difference to the happiness in a house,” says Purple Cherry.

The second floor harbors the master suite, a bedroom for the couple’s grandchild, the wife’s study and a TV room. A suite above the garage with separate stair access hosts guests, including their grown son and daughter. A lower level boasts another guest suite, a media room, a wine cellar and an exercise room.

Crisp millwork and precise symmetry bring a sense of order to the interior architecture. “I start a design by thinking how it needs to flow from inside to outside; there’s a logical connection,” says Purple Cherry. “For me, it’s about a natural reduction of chaos.”

When it came to furnishing the home, the owners’ guidelines were simple. “Always comfort, always good wood and always a quiet sophistication,” recalls Arlene Critzos. “It’s not over-decorated. It’s just at ease.”

The designer tempered a “cleaner traditional” look with subtle hints of coastal style. Punches of blue—on the dining-room walls and kitchen backsplash—enliven a neutral color scheme. “Until you go to the grandchild’s room, the house could be anywhere,” she says. “But when you see the crisp blue-and-white color palette and look out to the Chesapeake, it all fits together.”

The kitchen extends from the front to the back of the home. Kitchen designer Joni Zimmerman helped create a large, functional space where a breakfast area overlooks the bay on one side. On the other, a back kitchen features a steam oven, a second dishwasher, and a beverage bar. “I cook a lot and the kitchen is just dream,” says the wife. “It has great flow.”

The palette shifts to pale golden hues in the serene master suite, complete with wainscoting and a fireplace. As Critzos says, a “touch of sunshine” embellishes the master bath, with onyx tile inlaid in the shower and on the marble floor.

Landscape architect Kevin Campion designed gardens that surround the home with low-maintenance shrubs and native grasses. “We needed to create two front garden spaces, one functional and one ceremonial,” he explains. “The back porch is where the owners live when they’re outside due to the amazing water views.”

On the back porch, furniture was chosen for comfort and durability against high winds and brackish breezes. As Critzos observes, it’s best to be ready for all kinds of weather. “When you live on the water, it’s not just about the beautiful sunny days,” she says. “It’s also about beautiful storms, beautiful clouds—and beautiful four seasons.”

The owners attribute the success of the project to their team of talented design pros, all frequent collaborators. “They knew each other and were able to communicate to make sure they were taking care of the details,” says the husband. “They worked well together.”

He and his wife now enjoy spending long weekends and holidays in their new Annapolis retreat. “When we start slowing down to the speed limit to get into Bay Ridge, we begin relaxing,” the wife relates. “And once we’re there, we don’t want to leave.”

Photographer David Burroughs is based in Annapolis.

ARCHITECTURE: CATHY PURPLE CHERRY, AIA, LEED AP, CAS, Purple Cherry Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: ARLENE CRITZOS, JOYCE PEARL, SAMANTHA SOPP-WITTWER, Interior Concepts, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. KITCHEN DESIGN: JONI ZIMMERMAN, CKD, CBD, Design Solutions, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. BUILDER: GUY PILLI, Pilli Custom Homes, Millersville, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: KEVIN CAMPION, ASLA, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland.

 

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT  Flooring: realhardwoodfloors.com. Windows: loewen.com. Lighting Design: lightinglabx.com and interiorconceptsinc.com.

DINING ROOM  Rug: Custom through interiorconceptsinc.com. Chandelier: visualcomfort.com. Decorative Painting: warnockstudios.com. Table, Chairs & Sideboard: theodorealexander.com. Chair Fabric: fairfieldchair.com. Table Lamps: eastenterprises.net.

KITCHEN  Cabinets: signaturecustomcabinetry.com. Backsplash: inhomestone.com. Appliances: subzero-wolf.com. Breakfast Chairs & Bar Stools: stanleyfurniture.com. Pendants: troy-lighting.com. Breakfast Table: oldbiscaynedesigns.com. Breakfast Room Light Fixture: visualcomfort.com.

FAMILY ROOM  Light Fixture: arteriorshome.com. Sofa, Side Chairs & Side Chair Fabric: leeindustries.com.

TERRACE  Stone Table: elegantearth.com. Chairs: summerclassics.com. Chair Fabric: sunbrella.com. Swivel Chairs: braxtonculler.com.

HUSBAND’S STUDY  Millwork: Litewoods; 410-349-4565. Desk: emersonbentley.com. Lamp & Light Fixture: stylecraftonline.com. Rug: helioscarpet.com.

LOWER LEVEL  Sectional, Sectional Fabric & Pillow Fabric: leeindustries.com. Driftwood Wall Sculpture: creativecoop.com.

LOWER LEVEL HALL  Demilune: bernhardt.com. Sconces: solarialighting.com.

KIDS’ ROOM  Headboard & Shams: interiorconceptsinc.com. Headboard Fabric: duralee.com. Coverlet: amityhome.com. Dresser & Nightstand: stanleyfurniture.com. Lamp: surya.com. Drapery Fabric: duralee.com. Art: spicherandco.com. Mirror: bassettmirror.com.

MASTER BEDROOM  Nightstand & Bed: stanleyfurniture.com. Bedding: easternaccents.com; legacylinens.com. Table & Floor Lamps: eastenterprises.net. Shutters: hunterdouglas.com. Chaise: leeindustries.com. Drapery: fabricut.com.

MASTER BATH  Cabinetry: Through dsikitchens.com. Chair: taylorking.com. Shutters: hunterdouglas.com. Light Fixture: designersgalleryinc.com. Drapery: fabricut.com.

Modern Oasis Architect Gregory Uekman and his wife Ann Dorough were living in a tiny cottage in Kensington when they began looking for a larger home. “I wanted a house with a view, without seeing our neighbors’ backyards,” recalls Uekman.

The architect didn’t find that unencumbered vista, but instead convinced his wife to buy a modest 1950 rambler in Bethesda that he could transform into what he calls “an island” amid a sea of larger homes.

In expanding the one-story, 1,100-square-foot structure, Uekman added a master suite to one side of the house and replaced the garage with a freestanding studio on the other. The resulting U-shaped complex encloses a stone-paved rear courtyard that creates a feeling of seclusion.

“What drove the design was a sense of privacy, even when we’re outside,” says the architect, who nicknamed the residence “Maison Defensive” in honor of his strategy to shield it from its neighbors. “And having the courtyard gave us the opportunity to open the house to it and make the interior feel larger than it is.”

As a designer, Uekman says, “light and clarity are extremely important to me,” so he used glass and white stucco to make the house and garage appear crisply modern. Copper-clad additions housing the kitchen and bedroom bay window provide visual contrast to the pale exterior.

Dorough, who works as a manager at the American Institute of Architects, deferred to her husband’s aesthetic for most of the renovation. “I married a guy who picked out our wedding china and crystal, so I understand his design sense,” she says. “But I had my must-haves, like a well-designed kitchen, a reading nook and as much green space outside as possible.”

The new kitchen projects from the front corner of the house to offer a large space framed by rift-sawn oak cabinets and Caesarstone countertops. Standing at the sink, Dorough, who picked out the glass-tile backsplash, points to the master bedroom visible through a doorway in the opposite corner. “Even though this is a small house,” she says, “we get long views through the interior so it feels more open.”

In the heart of the home, the original kitchen and back wall was demolished to expand the living room. Now, a large, open space comprising a sitting area by the fireplace, a TV lounge and a dining area all face the courtyard through a new wall of glass.

This transparent barrier extends farther into the backyard than the original rear wall. In contrast to the red oak flooring in the rest of the living area, the space between the new and old walls is defined by the same stone flooring that paves the courtyard, visually connecting the indoors and outdoors. Overhead, a steel beam spans the opening where the back wall once stood and new, freestanding partitions next to the dining space provide storage and a place for the TV.

Accessible from the living space, the master-bedroom addition centers on a large bay window that provides Dorough’s desired reading nook, with a view of the courtyard. Other windows throughout the house and office are judiciously placed to provide light without glimpses of neighboring properties. A light well over the sitting area in the living room channels sunshine from skylights into the center of the home.

Behind the living room chimney, the former back bedroom is now the master bathroom and a laundry closet. Two of the original bedrooms at the front was kept intact to serve as a guest room and Dorough’s home office.

Uekman commutes to his job by walking a few steps to the freestanding studio at the back. “I wanted a sense of separation from the house and this makes a statement that you are going to the office,” says the architect, who previously worked in downtown Bethesda. The rear of the office structure provides a storage space and behind it is a small shed for garden tools.

Inside the house, furnishings are kept to a precious few. Authentic Pension chairs designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in the 1930s face the TV. Clean-lined armchairs and a sofa from Room & Board provide living room seating. Uekman designed the walnut coffee table next to the sofa.

The couple says their pared-down living style complements the design of the house as a modern oasis in a changing suburban neighborhood. “The benefit of minimalism is serenity,” says Dorough. “I can come into the house after a busy day and decompress easily.” v

Writer Deborah K. Dietsch is based in Washington, DC. Paul Burk is a photographer in Baltimore. 

ARCHITECTURE: GREGORY UEKMAN, AIA; Uekman/Architects LLC, Bethesda, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Bonaventure Builders, Clifton, Virginia.

Creative Spirit Beginning October 27, a stroll through Atrium Interiors’ showroom in Tysons Galleria will reveal four chic new room vignettes. They will showcase individual custom furniture collections masterminded by established DC-area interior designers Paula Grace Halewski, Skip Sroka, Marlene Weiss-Alexander and Lisa Bartolomei. The pieces are handcrafted for Atrium Interiors, which carries traditional and contemporary custom furniture, lighting and accessories. “The craftsmanship is unique,” says Halewski of the store’s wares. “The furnishings—including our collections—are all made in a small town in Portugal where each craftsman has their specialization.”

The vignettes will occupy 200-square-foot spaces in the 2,600-square-foot showroom. New collections will be introduced every six months, and the designers will rotate rooms.

Grace Notes  A sophisticated dining room vignette by Paula Grace Halewski of Paula Grace Designs will highlight her Away Dining Table, which will be paired with Ode to Thomas O chairs upholstered in Kravet leather. Halewski also designed the wool-and-silk Link Rug for the collection. Sculpted-glass chandeliers by Fine Art Lamps will be on display.

Approachable Luxury  Lisa Bartolomei of Bartolomei & Co. defines her collection as “luxury-minded items built at an approachable price.” Her living room vignette will feature case goods: a rosewood bar cabinet with a laser-cut brass front; a chest of drawers in Macassar ebony with brass accents; a marble-and-brass coffee table; and an end table of anigre and ebony. Upholstered pieces will include a slipper chair inspired by a 1940s French design, as well as a contemporary sofa.

Design Synergy  Skip Sroka of Sroka Design, Inc., designed his collection in response to a growing trend: clients requesting spaces that serve more than one function. Sroka’s library vignette “combines work and dining—it’s a synergy with what is happening to our homes,” he says. A buffet opens into a desk with storage beneath it and an étagère offers storage and display space. The Corey Chair—named for Sroka’s late, beloved pet—boasts whimsical dog legs that harken back to early Egyptian and Greek designs. All of the pieces are finished in lacquered mahogany.

Mother of Pearl  Marlene Weiss-Alexander of Weiss Alexander Design Group took inspiration for her bedroom vignette from a mirror she had designed for a client using a mother-of-pearl wall covering by Innovations. The iridescent surface now accents nightstands and a headboard covered in fabric from Great Plains by Holly Hunt. A dresser is made of pau ferro wood with wenge ebony accents and a bench of wenge ebony is upholstered in Romo fabric.

Atrium Interiors, 2001 International Drive, McLean, Virginia; 703-883-1134; atrium-interiors.com

WASHINGTON, DC

Porcelania: East Meets West  Cross MacKenzie Gallery, November 10 to December 8
Walter McConnell’s monumental assemblage of porcelain figurines—comprising Buddhas and more cast from molds found in hobby shops—is one of the contemporary takes on traditional clay techniques by four ceramic artists in this show. McConnell’s towering constructions can also be seen at the Freer Sackler exhibition "Chinamania" (through June 4, 2017). Steven Young Lee’s masterful porcelain meltdowns are presented at Cross MacKenzie, as well as at the Renwick’s "Visions and Revisions: Renwick Invitational 2016" (through January 8, 2017). 1675 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 202-337-7970; crossmackenzie.com

Suzanne Caporael: A Progression of Prints  Addison Ripley Fine Art, December 10 to January 21, 2017
Inspired by the fields, lakes and rivers near her home in Upstate New York, Suzanne Caporael’s art has evolved from literal representations to pared-down, flattened scenes that distill a lyrical essence. Her work is traced through prints and a few paintings spanning 30 years. 1670 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 202-338-5180; addisonripleyfineart.com

Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi: Everything Became Nearness and All the Nearness Turned to Stone Hemphill, November 11 to December 23
Blending Western abstraction and Persian art, brilliantly hued paintings reflect the dual cultural experiences of this Iranian-American artist. Meticulous ornamentation based on “Tazhib”—the art of illumination—contrasts with explosive passages of pigment, referencing both personal and socio-political conflicts. Ilchi is currently an artist-in-residence at the Arlington Arts Center. 1515 14th Street, NW; 202-234-5601;hemphillfinearts.com

Michelle Peterson-Albandoz  Long View GalleryDecember 1 to January 8, 2017
Growing up near forests in Connecticut and Puerto Rico, Michelle Peterson-Albandoz’s  art celebrates the aesthetics of wood, which has always fascinated her. She has assembled hand-sawn wood into patterned wall pieces. Installed side-by-side, these three-dimensional artworks may cover an entire wall. 1234 9th Street, NW; 202-232-4788; longviewgallerydc.com

Rachel Farbiarz: A Different Country  G Fine Art, October 29 to December 10
DC-based artist Rachel Farbiarz examines current events through extensive drawings combined with collage elements using historical source materials from books, journals, newspapers and magazines. Measuring from 11-by-14 inches up to 48-by-60 inches for an epic tableau, Farbiarz’s intriguing art acknowledges the repetitive persistence of current struggles. 4618 14th Street, NW; 202-462-1601; gfineartdc.com

Chiaroscuro: a collection of works by Ognian Zekoff  Artist’s Proof, December 7 to January 8, 2017
These larger-than-life oil paintings depict the human body in photographic hyper-realism. Bright light, deep shadows and rich, monochromatic tones heighten the sense of drama. Subjects appear to reach beyond the frame, overwhelming lines between illusion and reality. Born in Bulgaria, Zekoff lives and works in Canada. 1533 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 202-803-2782; aproof.net

MARYLAND

Art/Craft/Design, Create  Create, ongoing
Create is a new gallery that presents works by nationally recognized, Eastern Shore craft artists: Rob Glebe (metal), Patti and Dave Hegland (glass), Bob Ortiz (wood furniture), Marilee Schumann (ceramics) and Faith Wilson (painted floor cloths). Works by guest artists rotate; jewelry makers are featured in December. Changing wall pieces are curated by Carla Massoni, whose nearby art gallery is also in Chestertown’s historic district. 113 South Cross Street, Chestertown; 410-870-9808; createartcraftdesign.com

Landscapes Into Art  C. Grimaldis Gallery, October 27 to December 22
Varied visions of the landscape are shown by 10 artists from the Mid-Atlantic region. Dating from 1980 through 2016, these oil and watercolor paintings feature Henry Coe’s traditional views and colorful interpretations by Baltimore native David Brewster, alongside those of younger artists who continue to expand the landscape genre, as in Eleanor Ray’s charming miniatures. 523 N. Charles Street, Baltimore; 410-539-1080; cgrimaldisgallery.com

VIRGINIA

Chris Stephens: Sight Lines  Haley Fine Art, December 8 to January 10, 2017
In this debut exhibition of his abstract oil paintings, Chris Stephens—known for his sweeping views of Virginia's Piedmont region—applies a similar palette of vibrant colors embedded in strong geometric patterns. 42 Main Street, Sperryville; 540-987-1000;haleyfineart.com

Prison (Re)form   Workhouse Arts Center, through December 31, 2017
Gathered on the grounds of the former Lorton Prison, five sculptures bear titles such as “Memory” and “Escape.” The large-scale works in bronze, steel and wood memorialize convicts and suffragists once imprisoned in the surrounding historic buildings. The sobering themes of these sculptures are intended to encourage contemplation about past and current prison conditions. 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton; 703-584-2900; workhousearts.org 

Writer Tina Coplan is based in Chevy Chase. 

Glass House After renting a house on 20 acres overlooking the Tred Avon River, a couple decided to buy the property in Easton, Maryland, and replace its outdated main dwelling with a modern vacation retreat that would embrace the views. The reasons for the purchase are obvious: Where the land juts into the river, magnificent water vistas lie in almost every direction.

Building a new home from the ground up in this remote location required a strong commitment to place. The husband, who runs an energy company, and his wife, live outside Pittsburgh and have to fly or drive about five hours to reach the Eastern Shore.

Their choice of Washington, DC-based architect Robert Gurney and interior designer Therese Baron Gurney, a husband-and-wife team, led to the design of a three-volume, 5,500-square-foot structure. The center volume houses an entrance hall and second-floor guest suites. It’s flanked on one side by the one-story main residence and on the other by a low-slung garage. Built at differing heights, the three wings appear to be separate but are actually joined by glass-enclosed connectors.

“By varying the sizes and proportions and combining vertical and horizontal volumes, the overall composition becomes dynamic,” says Robert Gurney. “I like when you can look out from one volume and see into another.”

Water views are revealed slowly, enveloping visitors once they are inside the glass-enclosed living spaces. “You arrive at a solid volume—the entrance doesn’t have windows—and you don’t sense the water until you are well inside the house,” Gurney says.

Wanting to use materials that would be maintenance-free, he eschewed wood and painted surfaces for fiber-cement panels and aluminum-framed glass. The chimney in the living area is clad in terne-coated stainless steel.

The heart of the house is a 124-foot-long pavilion enclosed in glass and raised four feet above the ground to accommodate occasional flooding. Wrapping the perimeter, elevated terraces with roof overhangs for shade offer seating aimed at the best views.

An outdoor staircase leading from one terrace descends to a swimming pool and patio. Overlooking this area is a secluded, screened porch that Gurney located at the back of the entrance hall. “I didn’t want to make the porch directly accessible from the living spaces, as that would have created a barrier to the landscape,” he explains.

The flat site, reconfigured by landscape architect Lila Fendrick to improve drainage, now slopes gently and features a rain garden. Fendrick also preserved the mature trees on the property. “We protected the majority of maples, oaks, cedars, conifers and other trees so the house would look like it has been there for a very long time,” she explains. “The landscape design is very restrained and architectural in character.”

In addition to the overhanging roof, which shields the house from the sun’s rays, other energy-saving features include a geothermal heating and cooling system, solar tubes that heat the pool and in-floor radiant heating. Automated window shades are built into the ceiling.

Inside the house, Therese Baron Gurney reflected the clean-lined architecture with modern furnishings and a color palette drawn from bright hues found in nature. Swivel chairs upholstered in burnt orange wool bouclé echo the sunsets, while wood tables serve as reminders of the tree-lined setting.

“The furniture needed to respect the scale and proportions of the house,” Baron Gurney says. “My goal is to provide a harmonious environment that complements both the architecture and the way the clients live.”

The pavilion nearest the water houses an open living/dining area and kitchen at one end and the master suite and the husband’s home office at the other. The living area centers on a marble-clad fireplace with a movable panel that conceals the TV. A custom console table behind the sofa “allows you to rest your arm and your drink, and enjoy yourself,” notes the designer.

The custom ash dining table is paired with classic Brno chairs designed by Mies van der Rohe, whose 1951 Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois, inspired Gurney’s design of this project. Behind the kitchen, the home office incorporates a seating area with comfortable sofas and a painted-steel and walnut coffee table.

For the master suite, Baron Gurney designed a leather and walnut bed that rests on a linen-banded rug. Tucked above the screened porch and entrance hall are two additional bedrooms for guests.

Before the home was built, Gurney renovated an existing guesthouse on the property for the homeowners to stay in during the 18 months of construction. He has since modified the original dock with a covering made of the same fiber-cement panels that clad the house and is currently redesigning a two-story building on the property to hold an exercise room, guest suite, and garage. With all these features in place, the owners may make the long trek to their sleek vacation home more often—and stay longer to soak in the views.

Deborah K. Dietsch is a Washington, DC, writer. Maxwell MacKenzie is a Washington-based photographer.

Architecture: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, principal; Brian Tuskey, project architect, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Washington, DC.  Interior Design: Therese Baron Gurney, ASID, Baron Gurney Interiors, Washington, DC. Landscape Architecture: Lila Fendrick, Lila Fendrick Landscape Architects, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Contractor: Peterson and Collins, Washington, DC.

A homeowner with two children, downsizing from a large Potomac colonial, loved the smaller scale and urban feel of the 1920s Sears bungalow kit house she discovered in Chevy Chase—despite the fact that it needed extensive remodeling. She purchased the home and embarked on a renovation that would preserve its character while revitalizing it with a more open floor plan and light, elegant interiors. A happy collaboration with architect Richard Leggin and interior designer Penny Mickum resulted in a house that is more spacious, yet retains its street-friendly proportions.

“It’s the kind of house people want these days—a not-so-big house with quality space,” says Leggin, who at their first meeting gave his client a gift: a copy of the original ad for the Sears “Maywood” home extolling the “simplicity and worthfulness” of its design.

Leggin’s renovation plan preserved the front façade of the house, with its inset entryway, wooden shingles, and overhanging cottage-style roofline. The foyer, living room and dining room were also left intact, and a side porch that had been enclosed by a previous owner became a home office. The major change was a two-story addition across the back of the house that tripled the size of the original galley kitchen and added a family room, breakfast room, porch and second-floor master bedroom suite. A drive-in garage was also added on the lower level.

Leggin notes that the original house had “lots of cottage-style charm, both inside and out,” including its cozy entry foyer with a paneled stair wrapping a built-in bench, and a well-sized living room with a stone fireplace and a  bank of five windows across the front, typical of the Arts and Crafts style. “The new interior rooms reflect all of that—scale, details, plus enhanced circulation and flow through the house, and from the house to the garden,” Leggin says. While the addition substantially increased the home’s square footage, it was carefully balanced to complement the existing structure and allow for a fair-sized yard and garden.

In her interior plan, Mickum worked closely with her client, who wanted the décor to evoke the feeling of summers on Nantucket combined with the lines and lightness of Swedish Country design. After an estate sale disposed of most of her traditional furniture, she was ready to start anew. She and Mickum honed in on a palette of soft blues, greens, grays, and beiges, selecting some key new pieces—including a painting of hydrangeas that is a focal point in the living room, and a custom carpet in the dining room in swirls of blue.

Light walls, white interior shutters, cabinets and built-ins throughout the first floor provide continuity and contrast with the warm-brown wood floors, stained a custom color mixed by Mickum. The recurring design elements enhance the renovation’s more open floor plan, with its easier connections between rooms and from the interior to the yard and garden.

The complementary design carries through to the second floor. To make the hallway feel more spacious and open, Leggin expanded the landing at the top of the stairs. The generous master bedroom suite, which overlooks the yard, encompasses a vestibule, a walk-in closet, and a large bath. Mickum painted the upstairs bedrooms in different shades of blue and continued the white shutters, cabinetry and marble finishes from downstairs.

“I wanted each of the rooms to have its own character while maintaining continuity throughout the house,” says the designer, who explains that her goal was to create “a feeling of serenity and a flow.”

The décor feels carefully pulled together, yet personal. Seashells, a favorite of the owner, are displayed throughout the house. An antique clock from her previous abode, repainted to complement the Swedish-style furniture, occupies the home office. The iron bedstead in her teenage daughter’s room is a piece purchased years ago. The Sears Maywood ad, now framed, hangs in a first-floor hallway.

The owner is thrilled with the results of the renovation. “I use every room, which wasn’t the case in my previous house,” she says.  And her children’s friends love the right-sized home, which feels open in the summer and cozy in the winter—perfect for every occasion.

Writer Sue Kirchhoff is based in Silver Spring. Timothy Bell is a New York-based photographer. 

ARCHITECTURE: RICHARD LEGGIN, AIA, Richard Leggin Architects, PC, Glen Echo, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: PENELOPE MICKUM, Penelope Mickum Interior Design, Bethesda, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Utica Builders, Sterling, Virginia.

With its classic brick exterior, slate roof and stately presence, a center-hall colonial built in 1926 is a perfect fit for its southern Virginia locale. The owners, who moved in 19 years ago with a blended family of six children, only recently decided it was time for a thorough makeover. Though the kids are now grown, 11 grandchildren have entered the scene and the couple felt the need for more functional space to accommodate their visits.

They tapped architect Robert Paxton to expand the home’s cramped, dated kitchen and family room, bring in more light and integrate the indoor and outdoor spaces. “We needed a nice kitchen/sitting area for the kids,” says the wife. “We wanted the whole family to be comfortable when they’re here, and to have more usable space inside and out.”

Paxton and his team got to work sketching ideas for opening up the floor plan to the outdoors. “It was like a lot of these houses, built in the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s,” the architect observes. “I call them introverted—built with service kitchens and minimal closet space and little connection to the landscape.”

Achieving better flow from the inside out meant also making the outdoors more accessible. The house is sited so that the driveway leads to the rear of the property, where a back door serves as the main entry. Paxton and his team replaced the uninviting back door with one of glass flanked by sidelites, then added a wide portico over it to impart a sense of scale. The driveway—formerly paved in asphalt that “looked like a road,” as Paxton recalls—is now cobblestone, connected by a picturesque, curved stone stairway.

Around the corner near the kitchen, an unused side yard sloped up awkwardly from the house. Collaborating with landscape architect Rachel Lilly, Paxton devised a way to dig out the slope and create an outdoor room in its place. They installed a slate patio complete with a fountain and a brick retaining wall; lush landscaping finished the new al fresco living area.

Meanwhile, the plan for the kitchen makeover moved forward. Extending out 10 feet from the original kitchen and spanning 32 feet in width, the addition creates ample room for an updated, functional kitchen and family room. Along with the glassed-in back entry, three sets of French doors, which spill out to the patio from this spacious new area, bring the outdoors into the open-plan space. “I could sit there all day long; you don’t even feel like you’re inside,” the wife says. “And the patio is fabulous.”

A breakfast nook with a built-in banquette is tucked beneath the back stairway. A French limestone fireplace from Chesney’s of London in the sitting area creates a focal point. Reclaimed heart-pine ceiling beams delineate the kitchen, with its white-painted cabinetry, limestone countertops, and backsplash. Antique, wide-plank European oak floors are stained light and distressed.

As is often the case, a small renovation project soon grew in scope. “Once [the owners] saw our ideas, they wanted us to do more,” Paxton says. An overhaul of the master suite, including a poorly designed dressing room and bath, created a more functional layout. The new dressing room shares space with adjoining his-and-her baths—one feminine with Venetian plaster walls and cream-colored millwork; the other masculine, with dark-wood cabinets and ceramic wall tiles. Limestone floors and counters unify the spaces. On the second floor of the addition, a bath was added along with an improved laundry room containing plenty of storage.

The husband’s study received a facelift, with a fireplace and built-ins, while Paxton updated the wife’s home office with another French limestone fireplace from Chesney’s of London, paneled walls, a stone floor, and new built-in shelving. Windows with fewer mullions in all the remodeled spaces admit more light.

The wife, a retired interior designer, worked with designer R. David Craig on the home’s interiors. “We wanted to lighten the house up,” she says. “The prominent colors are lime green, soft blue, khaki, and off-white. We have Oushak carpets and vibrant art, so we needed a soft, neutral palette to make them pop.”

The couple “had lived there so long, nothing really flowed,” Craig says. “They needed a plan that would make the interiors feel cohesive.” He reupholstered the furniture to fit the new, lighter décor, with notable additions like a round dining room table and antique dining chairs, and a new sofa with matching armchairs in the living room. Dining room millwork was freshly painted and soft linen now covers the living room walls. The family room addition was furnished from scratch, beginning with an antique carpet and textured-plaster walls that provide the backdrop for a comfortable sofa and armchairs gathered around an antique coffee table.

At the husband’s suggestion, the design team brought in Boston-based Lam Partners, a lighting firm, to install museum-quality lighting that would enhance the owners’ extensive art collection. Craig combined that lighting plan with one of his own, creating layers of light that now beautifully illuminate the refurbished home. “Lighting is always big,” he observes, adding that this house was no exception. “When you walk into one of the well-lit rooms, you know it’s right—even when you don’t know why.”

The late Philip Beaurline was an architectural photographer in Charlottesville.

RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN: ROBERT L. PAXTON, AIA, principal; SHAWN A. MULLIGAN, AIA, project architect; R. DAVID CRAIG, director of interior design, Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects, Charlottesville, Virginia. CONTRACTOR: Worth, Inc., Roanoke, Virginia. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: RACHEL M. LILLY, Rachel Lilly Landscape, Port Republic, Virginia.

After grueling practices at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, defenseman Karl Alzner returns home to roughhousing of another kind. On afternoons when the team’s in town, he can be found chasing and be jumping around with daughter Stella, who turns two in December and cooing over son Anson, born in June 2016.

Fans would hardly expect to see the Cap’s “iron man,” who holds a team record for 458 consecutive games played, filling sippy cups or cradling a newborn in his downtime. But that’s exactly what’s happening when he and his wife Mandy—both tall, laidback and dressed in t-shirts and jeans—welcome a magazine crew into their Arlington home like old friends.

Since having kids, Alzner, 28, finds it easier to separate home and hockey. “I always make the reference to football,” he says. “They have 16 games and each one has much more significance than our 82. We’re going to have a bad game but the implications aren’t as steep. I can come home, hang out with Mandy and the kids and get my mind off hockey.”

The Capitals chose this Vancouver native in 2007’s first-round draft. Mandy, his longtime girlfriend from Calgary, also moved to the States and they wed in 2012. Two years ago, the couple purchased their Craftsman-style spec home, chosen for its traditional detailing, its backyard where dogs and kids could play and its open kitchen that could host crowds of all sizes.

After moving in, the Alzner instilled the home with their own personality. They painted its neutral siding a cheerful blue, landscaped the empty yard and built a flagstone patio for outdoor entertaining. Inside, they replaced builder-grade light fixtures, installed a home theater on the lower level and furnished the six-bedroom house with an eclectic mix of antiques, retail finds, and art depicting rural scenes, horses, and cows.

“We added a lot of warm wood tones and rustic pieces,” says Mandy. “I grew up in the country—hence the horses and the cows.” She and Karl also dabble in DIY projects, from upholstering benches to crafting the headboard and desk in their guestroom.

The Alzner share cooking duties in their spacious kitchen. Last summer, they grew vegetables in their backyard, and Karl often smokes meat in a Big Green Egg grill. “He’s really good at it,” says Mandy. They enjoy hosting Karl’s teammates for dinners but, Mandy laments, “I wish hockey players would sit down for a meal. When they come over they just sit in front of the TV and watch football.”

Given their neighborhood’s proximity to the airport and the iceplex, it’s no coincidence that other players have settled nearby. “A bunch of teammates all live in the area; we can walk to each other’s houses,” says Karl. These neighbors, including Nicklas Backstrom, Marcus Johansson, T.J. Oshie, Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik, all have kids under three. The families share toys, spend holidays together and hang out a lot. “We rely on the hockey family,” says Mandy.

Last May, Alzner was sidelined by a groin injury during a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. After surgery and months of rehab, he was pronounced fit for the 2016-2017 season. “It was a little frustrating because summer’s the time I really like to get myself into good shape,” says Karl. “But I feel good now. I can’t wait to start.” As this issue goes to press, the Caps are gearing up for their October 13 regular-season opener—against Pittsburgh.

Alzner is optimistic about the coming season. “My hope is to be able to put up a picture of us holding a Stanley Cup,” he says. “That’s always the goal. Especially with how good a team we had last year, I don’t expect anything less. You have to have lofty goals in sports.”

He and Mandy, who also own a home near Calgary, have grown to love their adopted hometown. “Never in a million years did I think I’d live in Washington,” Karl admits. “It’s such a different experience living here than so many other cities, with its museums and all the architecture. It was a very pleasant surprise and I’m extremely happy.”

Committed to giving back to the community, the Alzner support local charities. Mandy spearheads the annual Canine Calendar, which features photos of Caps players posing with their own dogs and shelter animals; Taylor Winnik, the wife of Caps forward Dan Winnik, is the photographer. The 2017 calendar goes on sale November 18 at home games and online; proceeds benefit Virginia’s Homeward Trails Animal Rescue.

And through a program called So Kids Can, Karl and other players donate to a local charity for every Caps win; this season’s beneficiary is Martha’s Table. “Money helps, but being there and giving time to the charity is just as important. So we also visit the organizations,” says Karl. “It makes sense to give back to the city that’s given us everything we have.”

Photographer Bob Narod is based in Sterling, Virginia.

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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