Anyone who’s ever strolled through Somerset, Maryland, has undoubtedly been seduced by its small-town feel and eclectic mix of architectural styles—two reasons why “For Sale” signs are a rare sight in the neighborhood which borders Washington, DC. When interior designer Marika Meyer learned of a 1949 center-hall Colonial coming to market from a friend of her mother’s, it felt like a gift from the real estate gods. But the elderly owner didn’t have email, so Marika put pen to paper explaining that her family was outgrowing their Bethesda digs and that she and her husband Michael were looking for a forever home where they could usher their sons, Grayson and Colin, through the teen years into adulthood. It struck a chord with the owner who herself raised two boys in the house, so she invited the family over. “I couldn’t believe the letter in the mailbox worked!” laughs Meyer. “The house was perfect—it had plenty of space, it just needed some love.” 

Among the abode’s selling points were good flow and even better bones, but past renovations needed to be peeled back and rethought. In the early 1990s, the owners had blown out the rear of the house for an ill-conceived addition that contained an enlarged kitchen and great room, and later that decade a three-story L-shaped annex was put on to make room for an expanded basement, a main-level family room and a primary suite upstairs. After 30-plus years, those updates felt tired, so upon closing the deal, Meyer brought on architect Peter Miles of The Drawing Board, Inc., to address some of the more problematic areas and finesse the rest. 

“For starters, if you are a lover of symmetry, the kitchen addition was awful,” avers Miles. “The cooktop was in the island, which was centered under the opening to the addition, so half the cooktop was in the old house and half was in the new space, and the ceiling height changed partway through.” 

The awkwardly stitched-together “Frankenkitchen” had another problem: Because its shed-style ceiling sloped dramatically downward, the view outside was compressed to a sliver that didn’t do the scenery justice: Lush and private, the verdant rear yard borders the town’s tennis courts. “Peter understood right away that the whole back needed to be windows,” says Meyer.  

“We needed to make it feel like you’re stepping out into the garden,” adds Miles.

Now a conservatory-inspired kitchen with a raised ceiling connects seamlessly to the outdoors. Enlarging the cook space also meant rethinking the layout. Meyer’s husband, a serious cook, wanted space for guests to congregate while he prepares meals. The new arrangement is an entertainer’s dream with an ample island and a cozy banquette for everyday dining. 

Smaller changes throughout the home also yielded a big impact: Passageways were reoriented and enlarged; what was once the original tiny mid-century kitchen became a butler’s pantry; and utilitarian spaces such as a new powder room and coat closet were carved out of the main-level floor plan. White oak hardwood was installed to match the existing floors, which were restained. Future, longer-term projects currently on deck include updates to the library, upstairs bedrooms and baths. 

With the first-floor renovations mostly complete, it was time for Meyer to dress the spaces in her signature style. If many of the furnishings look familiar, it’s because they’ve migrated from her previous house, which was profiled in this magazine in 2022. Beloved treasures, such as a T.H. Robsjohn Gibbings palm frond coffee table, chinoiserie mirror, elephant garden stool and dining chairs backed with Schumacher’s Imperial Trellis fabric, reappear in the mix. “I love vintage pieces for many reasons, but for these houses that were built in the 1940s, it has a lot to do with scale.” Her affinity for timeless furnishings with a bit of patina runs in the family. “I was mostly inspired by my maternal grandmother, who was a decorator in Washington, and who was also named Marika,” she shares. “Her personal style was heavy on the classics. For this house, I loved the idea of a return to tradition, but in a way that felt fresh, light and updated.”  

Of course, there’s always room for brand-new traditions to take hold, too. After surveying the living room post-renovation, Meyer wondered, “What can I do to make this room compelling?” The answer: Farrow & Ball’s Lotus wallpaper. A long-time favorite of the designer’s, the art nouveau-inspired paper wrapped the dining room walls in the old house. “It was exactly what this living room needed,” she observes. “I think that pattern has become our family’s love language. As soon as it went up, one of the boys walked in, smiled and said, ‘Now it really feels like home.’”

RESOURCES

DINING ROOM

Wallpaper: schumacher.com. Trim Color: Mizzel by farrow-ball.com. Dining Table: vintage. Side Chairs: vintage. Side Chair Seat Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Side Chair Back Panel Fabric: schumacher.com. Green Host Chairs: vintage. Chandelier: visualcomfort.com. Chandelier Fabric: marikameyer.com. Window Treatment Fabricator: JK Drapery; 703-941-3788. Window Panel Fabric: schumacher.com. Window Panel Tape Trim: fabricut.com.

LIVING ROOM

Wallpaper: Lotus by farrow-ball.com. Sofa: vintage. Sofa & Accent Pillow Fabric: schumacher.com. Chairs: vintage. Chair Fabric: cowtan.com. Existing Coffee Table: vintage Robjohns-Gibbons. Table: Custom by marikameyer.com. X-Bench: Vintage Dorothy Draper. Lamp: vintage. Lamp Shade: ballarddesigns.com. Portrait: vintage.

BUTLER’S PANTRY

Mirrored Cabinetry: Kevin Smith. Fabric Roman over Sink: pennymorrison.com.

KITCHEN

Ceiling Paint: Iceberg by benjaminmoore.com. Pendant Light: urbanelectric.com. Cabinet Maker: stuartkitchens.com. Range: bluestarcooking.com.

BREAKFAST ROOM

Banquette: livenupdesign.com. Grasscloth: thibautdesign.com. Tulip Table: allmodern.com. Chairs: vintage. Chair Fabric & Artwork: marikameyer.com.

POWDER ROOM

Wallpaper: Lee Jofa by kravet.com.