Jodi Berger grew up in Potomac—so when she and her husband Adam returned to Maryland after six years in the New York area, it was a natural choice to rent a townhouse in her old stomping ground. After a couple of years, they purchased a 1988 Colonial a block away from the designer’s childhood home.

The 4,640-square-foot, four-bedroom house was in good shape, but its interiors were dated and traditional. Orange-hued cherrywood ran amok, from the kitchen and family room to the home office. Chair rails, wainscoting and heavy trim adorned nearly every room. Berger, whose taste runs contemporary, jumped right in.

“I gave myself a blank slate, painting the walls white and removing much of the millwork,” she recalls. “And I stained the red oak floors light, which gave me a start on the palette.” The kitchen immediately got a major facelift. The rest of the redesign happened piecemeal over six years, during which every room in the house was transformed. In the meantime, Berger and her husband welcomed two daughters, now one and three years old.

Reconfiguring the basement—home to the nanny’s quarters, a playroom and JLA Designs’ studio—is next. A Q&A details the design process so far.

Define your aesthetic and the ways it’s reflected in your home.

We call ourselves “classic contemporary with a twist,” which I think of as fresh, bright and modern. Here, I left enough traditional architectural details—for instance, the wainscoting in some rooms and the curved stairwell—to make it feel transitional. Keeping those elements allowed me to bring in modern influences. I replaced a classic, checkered-marble floor in the foyer with a large-format porcelain version in light gray and white, paired with an ombré stair runner and abstract wallpaper.

How did you modernize existing elements?
We kept the cherry built-ins in spaces like the family room and home office but simplified their trim and gave them a high-gloss lacquer. We replaced white-framed windows throughout the house with new Andersen ones and painted the wood frames black.

Describe your color palette and how it impacts the design.
I went with black, white and gray with gold accents to create drama through contrast. I gravitate to neutrals; I see color all day in my work and find it hard to infuse it into my own home.

Share your take on wallpaper.
I would put wallpaper in every room if I could! It adds so much depth and texture, it just completes a space for me. When I couldn’t find a wallpaper I wanted, I designed something and had my faux painter, Nicolette Capuano, create it. My designs are always watercolor-y and ombré, going from light to dark.

Detail the design of your living room, which exemplifies your style.
I think of it as my Chanel room—no kids’ toys or chaos. I designed the organically shaped rug, made by Carpet Creations, with all my colors. I chose a curved Jonathan Adler sofa and designed the cerused-oak coffee table. I saw the textural wall covering and was obsessed with it! I painted the ceiling black for contrast. Since our office is on site, we often use my home as a showhouse to help clients visualize what’s possible.

How did you formulate your plan for furniture and rugs?
This is our first home, so we bought everything new for it. A lot of the rugs and furniture are custom pieces I designed and had fabricated.

What changed in the kitchen?
We used the existing footprint, but everything is new. I extended the island top for seating and added white cabinetry. I took down upper cabinets on one wall and extended the rest to the ceiling. A desk zone is now a pantry wall. The countertops, backsplash and shelves are quartzite; I’m a big fan of natural stone, which imparts a sense of history.

Explain your philosophy on decorating children’s rooms.
Kids’ rooms should have personality yet still be sophisticated enough to grow with your child—don’t put up alphabet wallpaper, for instance. In my older daughter’s room, we sponge-painted the ceiling in candy clouds and I designed a fluid pink stripe that’s painted on the walls.