The sitting room shimmers, thanks to mother-of-pearl tile installed above the fireplace.
A penchant for grand-scale entertaining drove a couple setting out to build their dream home in a Washington suburb. Yet family-friendly functionality was a consideration too. The pair purchased a scenic lot with mature trees and then assembled a team of experts, starting with architects Richard Foster and Patrick Zimmerman, to realize their ideal. As the latter recounts, “They wanted spaces that would be comfortable for everyday living, but also able to host large events.”
The architects developed a plan for a two-story, 26,000-square-foot abode with seven bedrooms and 11 baths, plus oodles of amenities including a main-level indoor pool and lower-level theater. Within the first floor’s open layout, notes Zimmerman, “there is a very clear delineation between formal entertaining spaces and family spaces.” From the foyer, the living, dining and music rooms flow off a gallery that terminates in the main stair hall at one end and a curved window niche at the other. The family and sitting rooms, kitchen, casual-dining area and kids’ hangout are grouped to the right. A bar, adjacent to the back stair, serves as a transition point between the two sides.
Vast stretches of glass harness natural light and foster an indoor-outdoor connection—both key client objectives. The living room’s 24-foot, floor-to-ceiling expanse incorporates center sliding doors that lead out to a rear terrace, which extends the entertaining zone. “A lot of it was about the drama of window units going all the way up to the ceiling,” says Zimmerman. “With no wall above the window, there’s an unobstructed view to the outdoors.” Throughout, the bold black units constitute a mix of painted wood, steel and aluminum, depending on the application.
Softening the effect, off-white stucco clads the exterior. Limestone accents—from the chimney caps to the watertable—and a natural-slate roof bolster the façade’s timeless appeal. The interior, however, leans more modern. Designer Arlene Critzos collaborated with the architects to lavish the spaces with bespoke details, many of which were inspired by the owners’ world travels. “The clients wanted high-level finishes and a luxe, hotel feel,” she reveals.
Guests step into a swanky foyer where curved panels covered in a pearlized wood veneer drop from the 12-foot ceiling. The entryway’s luminous, faux-painted wall panels repeat in the gallery. Decorative, laser-cut wood accents, suggesting an updated take on time-honored tracery, flank the sitting room’s threshold.
Fireplaces received special treatments too. Straddling the living and dining rooms, the double-sided pièce de résistance showcases a slab of bronze-colored, natural quartzite suspended over polished black marble. “This project was a great opportunity for creative applications,” Critzos relates. “It involved a complex use of beautiful materials and finishes.”
Pyramid Builders left nothing to chance in executing the elaborate scheme. “We did numerous, life-size field mockups throughout this house to ensure that every condition—the proportion, the profile, how the various elements come together—was just right,” shares principal Bret Anderson. “From there, we all worked together to tweak the design. We were able to fabricate a finished product with great success because of that interactive process.”
For the bar area, the homeowners envisioned a sleek, distinctive look. Sarah Kahn Turner, then on staff at Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, weighed in. The bar itself, handcrafted in steel, serves as a sculptural centerpiece. A bi-fold window along the back opens for indoor-outdoor service.
Kahn Turner also maximized function and style in the sizable kitchen. She specified double islands—adding an induction cooktop to one and a second sink and dishwasher to the other (all three supplement appliances that are placed along the periphery). As she explains, “The way to tackle a big room like this is to create multiple zones.”
A mix of finishes and materials lends a refined air. Off-white lacquer clads the appliance panels and peripheral cabinetry. Topped with marble-like quartz, the island bases sport pewter-toned, metallic paint with a hand-rubbed, buffed-wax finish. White oak lines the floor and ceiling. “The kitchen is modern, but I don’t find it cold,” states Kahn Turner. “We layered all these different finishes and tones to keep visual interest moving around the room.”
Glamorous furnishings dressed in elegant neutrals channel the posh-escape spirit. At the fireplace end of the living room, a pair of armless sofas covered in a modern, woven jacquard face a glossy-white coffee table with sinuous curves. “There’s grandeur in monochromatic tones, varied textures and subtle patterns that nevertheless have power,” notes Critzos.
Now complete, the “world-class home,” as Bret Anderson describes it, supports family life and elevated entertaining. “The team was able to fulfill the clients’ vision so both of those aspects come together in a very positive way,” he adds. “The project is a testament to a terrific collaboration.”
Architecture: Richard Foster and Patrick Zimmerman, principals; Daniela Martinez, project architect, Foster Zimmerman Architecture, Rockville, Maryland. Interior Design: Arlene Critzos, ASID, principal; Joyce Pearl, lead senior designer, Interior Concepts, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. Kitchen Design: Sarah Kahn Turner, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Builder: Bret Anderson, president and founder; Dave Attenberger, Pyramid Builders, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Jeffrey Plusen, RLA, ASLA, Plusen Landscape Architects, Catonsville, Maryland.
RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT
Windows & Doors: marvin.com; westernwindowsystems.com; dynamicfenestration.com through wdshowplace.com.
FOYER
Light Fixture: firefarm.com. Console: globalviews.com.
SUNROOM
Chairs & Cocktail Table: bakerfurniture.com. Chair Fabric: centuryfurniture.com. Rug: Custom. Fireplace Surround: Architessa.com. Drapery Fabric: estout.com. Sofa: leeindustries.com. Sofa Fabric: centuryfurniture.com. Paint: Autumn Orchid by sherwin-williams.com. Ceiling Treatment: ornamentalplasterworks.com.
FOYER
Ceiling Fixture: finearthl.com. Ceiling Treatment: mayaromanoff.com. Table: Custom. Walls: Pure White by sherwin-williams.com.
MUSIC ROOM
Sofa & Sofa Fabric: bakerfurniture.com. Ceiling Paint: Pure White by sherwin-williams.com. Chandelier: Custom. Pillow Fabric: fabricut.com. Chairs: theodorealexander.com. Chair Fabric (front): theodorealexander.com; (Seats): centuryfurniture.com. Rug: Custom. Cocktail Table: johnrichard.com. Drapery Fabric: osborneandlittle.com.
LIVING AREA
Tufted Bench: Custom. Sofas: leeindustries.com. Sofa Fabric: centuryfurniture.com. Cocktail Table: christopherguy.com. Rug: mastourgalleries.com. Glass Pedestal Table: globalviews.com.
STAIR
Walls: neolith.com. Dining Table: Custom. Side Dining Chair: theodorealexander.com.
FIREPLACE DETAIL
Round Pendant: visualcomfort.com.
BAR AREA
Cabinetry: Sarah Kahn Turner for gilmerkitchens.com. Gold Pendant: visualcomfort.com. Island Design: gutierrezstudios.com. Paint: Pure White by sherwin-williams.com.
KITCHEN
Kitchen Design: Sarah Kahn Turner for gilmerkitchens.com. Cabinets: premiercb.com. Pendants: visualcomfort.com. Barstools: swaim-inc.com. Hardware: atlashomewares.com.