A great design team is a little like a dating coach—architects and interior designers objectively assess the attributes and shortcomings of a house with the end goal of presenting the most charming version of it to the world. Fortunately, for a gracious 1925 Georgian Revival abode on a sleepy block in Chevy Chase, DC, there were a lot of positives to accentuate. The home had well-proportioned rooms and period details aplenty; all it needed was a thoughtful refresh.

The homeowners, both lawyers with two now-grown children, began an update six years ago but backburnered it: At the time the kids were juggling busy high school schedules, then covid happened. When the teens left for college, the couple decided the time was finally right. “We became empty nesters, so of course we decided we needed more space!” the wife jokes. Relying on the recommendations of their long-term contractor, WT Construction, led them to engage Hill & Hurtt Architects and J.D. Ireland Interior Architecture + Design for the renovation.

Originally, the residence boasted a traditional layout with a central stair hall flanked by a living room on one side, dining room on the other and a small-by-today’s-standards kitchen at the back. Building a new rear addition gave the family an enlarged jewel-box cookspace with a window-filled conservatory that serves as both breakfast nook and lounge.

Elsewhere, room designations shifted to suit the rhythm of their day-to-day life. “How they had been using the house came to define the design,” says architect Eric Hurtt. For instance, working from home through the pandemic made the couple realize they needed a dedicated office, so they converted the dining room to a study. Across the hall, the former living room became the dining room, and the living room moved to the original kitchen space. Removing a shallow coat closet better connected the entry hall to the living room, and opening up the walls surrounding the staircase exposed the bottom steps, allowing them to generously spill out into the hall. “The clients were interested in maintaining some of the original architectural elements, but the spaces felt separated from one another,” notes Hurtt. “It became a question of how to open it up while keeping some of the detailing that felt true to its era.”

New windows, flooring, trim and wall finishes replaced the old, but still honor the home’s century-old framework. In the entry hall, walls were made thicker to allow for the addition of pocket doors and a built-in niche to house hats, scarves, dog leashes and shoes. Such millwork upgrades met their match in artisan surface treatments thanks to designer Joe Ireland, who injected the first-floor rooms with a hefty dose of main-character energy.

Starting the moment guests walk in the front door, the mood is whimsical and welcoming. Osborne & Little’s Orchard, a nostalgic vine print, playfully winds up the walls. “It’s got a 1930s vibe with a little nod to Hollywood Regency, but in a very pared-down way,” says Ireland. The wallpaper establishes the palette for the entire project: “Every color in that paper you can find throughout the house.”

Shades of deep plum and turquoise echo in the dining room where the combination of Holly Hunt wall covering and a Trapezi hand-blown glass chandelier bring big-time drama. The atmosphere is heightened by the addition of new casement doors which lead to an old side porch now used as an exercise room. The arched openings feature opaque, sandblasted glass, so when the porch lights are on, the dining room takes on a romantic glow. The doors are just one example of the many collaborative efforts between architect and designer. “Having another party who understands what the design opportunities are really takes a project to the next level,” observes Hurtt.

The home’s pièce de résistance, the new kitchen/conservatory, is awash in Benjamin Moore’s Garden Stone, a shade of chartreuse pulled from the island’s marble slab. “We picked this wild stone that has arsenic green and raspberry running through it, and that became the springboard for the space,” enthuses Ireland. Wanting the island, which is painted a deep berry hue, to feel like a piece of furniture, he sourced and refinished vintage Eastlake dresser hardware from the 1890s. “We wanted it to feel like it had been there all along,” he adds.

The adjacent living room takes a quieter tack, with soft peachy walls and ivory furnishings. “With all the pattern going on throughout the house, we ended up doing a paint color instead of another wallpaper so it would read as calm, light and airy, yet still full of interest,” explains Ireland.

It’s no surprise that such lively interiors were the result of the client giving Ireland creative license. “This was one of those dream projects where they let us go crazy,” he confides.

“A lot of wallpaper and darker colors wouldn’t have been my natural inclination, but it turned out fantastic,” concludes the wife. “In the end, you just have to trust your design team.”