For a DC couple who dreamed of owning a waterfront retreat in Annapolis, patience paid off. The pair of avid boaters moved quickly when an estate they had always admired became available. “We had boated by this property many times over the years and always looked at it and thought, ‘What a great place,’” recounts the husband, principal of an investment firm. “When it came on the market, my wife saw the listing online. We bought it the next day.”

The husband, who has participated in nearby Wednesday night regattas for decades, was particularly keen on the boat houses and docks that came with the nine-acre parcel ideally situated at the intersection of Whitehall Creek and Whitehall Bay. But the 6,500-square-foot abode built in 2006 boasted its own share of selling points. For starters, the five-bedroom home with additional guest quarters over the garage offered ample accommodations for friends and family, including the couple’s four grown children and new daughter-in-law.

What’s more, “it had beautiful views of the water,” enthuses the wife, a lawyer-turned-nonprofit executive. “The previous owners had just done an extensive renovation so everything was brand new.”

That 2020 revamp, completed by ABS Architects and Pyramid Builders, introduced airy, contemporary elements—from a glass-and-steel entryway to a floating staircase—to what was originally a traditional, somewhat buttoned-up house. The kitchen and bathrooms underwent overhauls, and the screened porch was revised. Lastly, a glass walkway was added to connect the residence to the garage.

While the new owners embraced these prior improvements, they had a wish list of their own. So they engaged designer Jay Jenkins to boost function, further refine the plan and instill fresh style throughout. Jenkins invited Pyramid Builders back to collaborate on a smaller-scale renovation that subtracted some features, such as a superfluous opening in the dining room, and added others, including several built-ins. The most transformative change: converting part of the garage into livable space.

“First, we had to get the bones of the house right for the way they wanted to live,” relays Jenkins. “Then the rest of the project was all-encompassing interior decoration.”

The owners sought clean yet comfortable spaces. “We like transitional design with some contemporary flair,” reveals the wife. “We also wanted the house to be inviting. Jay really picked up on that.”

Jenkins employed crisp, white paint and natural wall coverings to create a cohesive canvas in the main-floor public spaces. “I really do believe that a house speaks to you and tells you what it’s looking for,” he offers. “Here, the architecture would not lend itself to a choppy color palette.”

Indeed, a clear sightline extends from the foyer, through the living room and porch, to the backyard and watery scene beyond. Jenkins established two seating areas in the living space and populated both with updated-traditional furniture upholstered in creamy neutrals that don’t distract from the view. He shares, “I wanted to do something quiet and elegant, without being off-putting.”

His subdued scheme also allows the couple’s artwork to shine. While visiting a Bethesda gallery, the wife fell for a painting by Washington Color School artist Thomas Downing, which today presides over the living room sofa. Several other pieces by Color Field artists soon joined their curated collection. Jenkins tapped his sources to find additional abstract works, including a swirly, multi-hued painting that emboldens the dining room, located to the left of the entryway.

The previously remodeled kitchen, with its cobalt-blue La Cornue range and hood, remained largely intact. Nonetheless, Jenkins masterminded a few modifications. He retrofitted the existing island with a custom white-oak surround and replaced glass lanterns with sleeker pendants overhead. Given that the kitchen could accommodate a casual dining table, the adjacent breakfast area seemed redundant. So, the designer reimagined it as a sunroom, trading its patio door for a picture window that showcases the cinematic setting.

One functional conundrum persisted, though. The home lacked a laid-back hangout where the whole clan could congregate. As a remedy, the team converted half of the two-bay garage into a family room and bar, adding 800 square feet of finished space. “That big move provided the program that is necessary to live in a wonderful way,” states Bret Anderson, founder and president of Pyramid Builders. “The space is really on par with the rest of the house now.”

Getting there required ingenuity and vision. Taking color cues from the home’s exterior stonework, Jenkins chose a warmer, coppery palette for the after-dinner destination. In the family room, he concealed non-negotiable mechanical equipment behind bespoke doors wrapped in a striped rug that suggests height. “The rug provides a nice visual as you come down the glass-lined hallway,” notes the designer. “But it also absorbs sound. A lot of thought went into making this project work.”

For the primary bedroom at the opposite end of the first floor, Jenkins mixed soothing shades of blue and green that mirror the 180-degree panorama on display through its large windows. Three ensuite bedrooms housed upstairs, as well as a lower-level bedroom and the above-garage apartment, received decorative makeovers too.

After all, togetherness was the ultimate goal. “This was meant to be a multi-generational family space for our kids and, someday, their kids,” discloses the wife. “It’s all about the good quality time spent there.”

A couple looking to relocate closer to their children’s school from the suburbs snatched up a 1931 stone abode in DC’s Spring Valley. They then faced the challenge of transforming the stately acquisition into a family home for their brood of three kids, then aged seven and under, plus a dog. “This house could easily turn very formal,” relates the husband, who works in the investment industry. “It goes back to a different era. I could picture a butler serving in the dining room.”

That vision didn’t jibe with the family’s reality, where the dining room is more likely to see Lego construction than silver service. The new owners needed help creating spaces that would honor the home’s provenance while supporting their relaxed, no-room-is-off-limits lifestyle. They knew designer Kristin Peake, who brought fuss-free panache to their previous roost, would be able to thread that needle.

“The house is magnificent, and they wanted that feeling to resonate throughout the whole interior as well,” recounts Peake. “But it had to function for their family and how they live.”

Her plan would enhance interior architecture and bolster functionality in strategic spots before instilling polished yet hard-wearing style throughout. The project scope soon expanded to include a rear addition that would serve as an indoor-outdoor hangout and entertaining space.

Today, the five-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot home welcomes guests into a foyer leading back to the dining room. To the right, the living room connects to the wife’s office. The family room, kitchen/casual-dining area and mudroom are housed to the left, now joined by the new extension. Upstairs sit the primary suite with his-and-her baths and the kids’ three ensuite bedrooms. The husband’s office and a playroom rest on the third floor, while the lower level comprises guest quarters, a lounge and a gym.

Although the home had been recently renovated before the owners’ purchase, its pristine interiors lacked the level of detail, not to mention color, the couple craved. “It was pretty much white drywall everywhere,” recalls the wife, a stay-at-home mom. Peake embellished that vanilla shell with ceiling treatments, painted built-ins, bespoke wall finishes and more.

As for furnishings, the owners decided to start fresh. Peake developed space plans and timeless schemes for every room on all four levels. “The aesthetic is traditional, but we mixed in bits and pieces of modern as well,” she notes.

In the long living room, back-to-back sofas create two gathering areas. All the seating comes in handy during big-game viewing parties, made possible by a large-screen television enclosed in a custom cabinet. The husband reveals, “We usually entertain informally because that’s how we like to roll.”

In the dining room, a hand-painted Chinoiserie wall mural lends a garden vibe. Red linen drapes and a sleek pendant keep stuffiness at bay. Providing the requisite durability, steel-blue performance fabric adorns the host chair, while neutral, easy-to-clean wool herringbone covers the side chairs.

“Everything Kristin selected stands up to the way our family operates,” enthuses the wife. “But this room dresses up really well too. It can look more formal when we want it to, but we’re not afraid to have the kids do Legos and eat pizza in here.”

The kitchen was relocated to an addition during the previous renovation. Its white-painted cabinetry and marble counters stayed put, and Peake added user-friendly furniture. In the nearby family room, navy-blue paint enlivened existing white built-ins.

To establish a stylish mudroom, Peake tricked out an empty back hall with bespoke, blue-painted cabinetry designed to meet the family’s specific storage needs. New, white oak ceiling beams lend character. “This space is a beautiful illustration of form following function,” the designer avers. “That’s really how we designed the whole house.”

Upstairs in the primary bedroom, new layers—from the charcoal-stained plank ceiling to the upholstered bed wall—create coziness. Though overhauled earlier, the his-and-her bathrooms received a few upgrades. In his, for example, Peake repainted the existing white vanity a deep blue-gray and hung new brass-and-leather sconces above it.

Visiting grandparents often stay in the lower level’s well-appointed bedroom. Peake redid the existing ensuite bath, specifying white oak cabinetry, a marble countertop and a custom, metal-framed shower enclosure. A practical-and-pretty kitchenette adds thoughtful function to the adjacent hangout.

What was initially envisioned as a freestanding pool house ultimately morphed into a 700-square-foot, all-season extension off the kitchen. Architect Addison Nottingham presented plans for a timber-frame structure with a vaulted ceiling. Multi-fold, glass doors wrap around two walls for seamless access to the pool terrace. “We tried to make the space as open and glassy as possible,” he relates. “The doors fold and stack so they don’t interrupt the family’s enjoyment of the outdoor area.” Contractors Randal Fleming and Bill Saar executed the plan.

The addition channels a spirit of escape. Its interior is meant to transport family and friends to Maine, where the couple owns a vacation home. “Maine is our happy place,” shares the husband. “We wanted to bring some of that feeling to our DC life by making the porch a little rustic.” Dark-wood planks on the ceiling and walls, plus locally sourced stone around the fireplace, achieve the desired effect. The final result, he adds, “is a great party space.”

Then again, the family—and guests of all ages—enjoy every room in the house. As Peake sums up: “This home is made for living.”

Interior Design: Kristin Peake, Kristin Peake Interiors, Rockville, Maryland. Addition Architecture: Addison Nottingham, RA, LEED AP BD+C, ACG Architects, McLean, Virginia. Landscape Design: Sisson Landscapes, Great Falls, Virginia.

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT
Interior Cabinetry & Built-Ins: lyndonheathcabinetry.com. Home Technology: bethesdasystems.com. Windows: marvin.com through wdshowplace.com. Folding Doors: centor.com through qualitywindowanddoorinc.com. Faux Finishing: artstarcustompaintworks.com.

LIVING ROOM
Sofas: Custom. Sofa Fabric: hickorychair.com; fabricut.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com. Twin Table Lamps: jamieyoung.com. Wood Cabinet: lyndonheathcabinetry.com.

DINING ROOM
Table: Custom through highlandhousefurniture.com. Chairs: leeindustries.com; hollandandsherry.com. Chair Fabric: quadrillefabrics.com. Host Chair: hickorywhite.com. Host Chair Fabric: shellibreidenbach.com. Chandelier: urbanelectric.com. Drapery Fabric: kravet.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com.

MUDROOM
Cabinetry Paint: Stone Cutter by benjaminmoore.com. Light Fixture: palecek.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Cabinetry Color: Hale Navy by benjaminmoore.com. Ottoman: hickorychair.com. Ottoman Fabric: samuelandsons.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com.

HALL
Stair Runner: carpetimpressions.com. Round Table: Antique. Frame Chair: gabby.com. Frame Chair Fabric: ralphlauren.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Headboard & Fabric: vanguardfurniture.com. Throw & Accent Pillows: legacylinens.com. Loveseat: hickorychair.com. Motorized Shades: hartmannforbes.com through abenetworks.com. Drapery Fabric: kravet.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com.

PRIMARY BATH
Window Treatment Fabric: kravet.com; samuelandsons.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com. Wall Color: phillipjeffries.com.

LOWER-LEVEL BEDROOM
Wallpaper: phillipjeffries.com. Bed: bakerfurniture.com. Nightstand: vanguardfurniture.com. Sconce: curreyandcompany.com. Accent Pillows: ralphlauren.com.

LOWER-LEVEL BATH
Vanity Top: caesarstoneus.com. Floor Tile: Architessa.com. Wallpaper: winfieldthybony.com. Shower Tile: waterworks.com. Ottomans: rogersandgoffigon.com. Dark Green Cabinetry: Andiron by sherwin-williams.com. Drapery Fabrication: everettdesign.com.

POOL HOUSE
Sectional & Woven Chairs: bakerfurniture.com; vanguardfurniture.com. Ottomans: rockvilleinteriors.com. Ottoman Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Chandelier: buzzellstudios.com. Backsplash: architessa.com.

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 room, 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.”

For two decades, the 1930s-era, red-brick residence in Spring Valley played host to top-drawer political and charity fundraisers. Its previously formal interiors provided an appropriate backdrop and suited its longtime owners’ lifestyle. Those staid spaces felt a bit uninviting, however, when the now-retired couple—he was a corporate attorney and she a legislative advocate for child safety—started a new, more private chapter. So they enlisted designer Dane Austin to instill a spirit of joie de vivre throughout.

The clients “wanted to make the home more livable and a happier place to be,” recounts Austin, who relocated from Washington to Boston in 2012 but continues to work with clientele in DC. “The overall goal was to deformalize the spaces and bring in some playfulness and whimsy, while retaining sophistication.”

The empty nesters with two grown kids had meticulously preserved their four-bedroom, 4,500-square-foot abode, having just overhauled the kitchen before Austin and his creative associate, Caitlin McLaughlin, came on board. Their scope of work began with light remodeling, including a primary bath facelift, closet makeovers and an electrical upgrade.

Austin then began reimagining the interiors, using color as one key tool. In his fresh palettes, the wife’s preference for jewel tones, particularly shades of amethyst, is clearly evident. Take the entry vestibule, where Twin Diamond Studios painted a decorative finish featuring rows of purply teardrops on the walls.

The artists’ bespoke handiwork jazzes up several spaces, in fact. In the adjacent stair hall, a watercolor-esque wall treatment marries the studio’s artisanal touch with elements of nature—a recurring theme throughout the project. Austin didn’t have to look far for inspiration. “The finish is reminiscent of the rolling hills surrounding the neighborhood and a stream that passes by the home,” he explains.

In other spots, a statement fabric helped coalesce the plan. A richly hued, color-block print from Kelly Wearstler caught the wife’s eye and kick-started the living room’s scheme. Used for the window panels, the textile resembles an abstract work of art. Textural upholstery fabrics in dusty pastels provide balance, as does a geometric-motif rug woven in earthy neutrals.

A multi-era mix of furniture, including an edited assortment of the owners’ existing treasures and family heirlooms, fills that space and others. “We enhanced their belongings with supplemental pieces and custom-made items, as well as vintage and antique finds,” Austin relates. “The furnishings truly feel as though they were curated and collected over time.”

One of the living room’s seating arrangements pairs a wing chair passed down from the wife’s grandmother with a mid-century-style sofa, a brainchild of Austin. The other grouping combines Art Deco-inspired pieces—a flirty, fringed settee and curvy club chairs—with a 1950s, travertine-topped coffee table designed by Bertha Schaefer.

In the front dining room, nature returned as a muse. Flowering shrubs outside the windows inspired the palette. Hand-painted in a shimmery shade named Hydrangea, a striated wall covering from Twin Diamond Studios’ own line adds verve. To Austin, its iridescent color also recalls “the sunset at a golden hour where the sky blushes with lavender hues.”

The room’s appointments evoke a mid-century vibe as well. A vintage, Sputnik-style chandelier hangs over a new table based on a timeless Finn Juhl design. Two ’50s-era, Italian, colored-glass-and-brass sideboards found on 1stDibs flank the fireplace. “Vintage and antique pieces carry forward a story from another time period and bring it into the present,” notes McLaughlin, who joined Austin and the wife in the hunt for compelling finds. “Their effect in a space is really transformational.”

Although the owners report using all their updated spaces these days, daily life is centered in the family room, which flows across the rear of the home. At one end, a casual-dining zone, established around an existing window seat, adds function. A Roman shade showcasing a painterly botanical print in autumnal tints dresses that large side window. On the walls, lustrous grass cloth with a metallic backing provides the perfect foil.

“While there is color and pattern, it’s well-tamed by warm neutrals,” Austin says of his approach to the interiors. “There are moments of whimsy among a larger expanse of sophisticated neutrals. There’s still a sense of being rooted in Washington, DC.”

The upstairs primary bedroom, where a grass-cloth wall covering conjures a calm backdrop, further illustrates the point. Shades of amethyst reappear in the pussy willow-patterned drapes, velvet-upholstered bed and luxe linens. The ensuite bathroom’s faux wall finish lends organic appeal; an existing vanity received a fresh coat of creamy paint. The wife’s office down the hall is awash with lavender tones too. While the kids’ earmarked bedrooms on the second and third floors remained the same, lower-level guest quarters and a hangout space received vibrant, decorative redos.

“All the rooms are pulled together with their own schemes,” observes Austin, “but there’s still a continuous thread and harmonious color palette that runs through them.” The relaxed yet elevated tableaux support the couple’s new phase and somewhat more casual entertaining style. As the designer reflects, “In the end, we’re simply setting the stage for a life well-lived.”

Rainbows and rock ’n’ roll, it’s safe to say, are hardly typical interior-design inspirations, especially for a classic home in Old Town Alexandria. But they’re exactly what Farrell Wilkins and Win Sheridan had in mind as they reimagined their 200-year-old Federal manse. “Our personalities and style are not traditional whatsoever,” reveals Wilkins, a stay-at-home mom. “I wanted that to show through.” The vision: daring color, lively patterns and edgy furnishings—thrown into sharp relief against venerable period architecture.

The couple was living down the street in a row house, already outgrown by their blended family with five young children, when they first spotted the grande dame. Even in a neighborhood teeming with notable landmarks, the freestanding residence commanded attention. Known as the Patton-Fowle House, it was built in 1806 by James Patton in the humble flounder vernacular, an asymmetrical, half-house form featuring a single-slope roof. Years later, shipping merchant and banker William Fowle, who also co-founded the Alexandria Lyceum, purchased the property. His circa-1820 expansion is attributed by some to esteemed Boston architect Charles Bulfinch, who was then serving as the third Architect of the Capitol.

Thankfully, the brick façade, gracious bones and many architectural flourishes—from elaborate plaster moldings to marble fireplace surrounds—survived subsequent renovations, as well as a modern-day addition and basement excavation. They now are protected in perpetuity under a historic-preservation easement granted by a previous owner to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the Historic Alexandria Foundation.

The new owners happily assumed the stewardship mantle. While the six-bedroom, 6,600-square-foot home was in good shape when they purchased it in 2021, the interiors lacked desired pizzazz. “We respect the house,” states Sheridan, an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who is also a partner in Alexandria Restaurant Partners. “But we wanted to put our own touch on it.”

They asked designer Courtney Cox for help. Tackling a small-scale renovation first, she partnered with architect Patrick Camus and Thorsen Construction to overhaul the primary bathroom and upgrade Wilkins’ closet; three other baths received refreshes.

When Cox returned to decorate the rest of the house, rainbows and rock ’n’ roll entered the conversation. Her clients “wanted the interior to be unique, fun and a little sexy,” the designer recounts. “And they wanted it to be quite a big surprise when you walk in.”

In the foyer, the original curved staircase greets guests. Its unusual ombré runner hints at what’s to come.

To the left sits the living room, envisioned as a feminine salon where Wilkins could gather with girlfriends. In what she calls her “happy place,” walls lacquered in a sophisticated shade of pink set the tone. Metallic wallpaper adorns the ceiling and reflects light from a customized chandelier featuring brass ginkgo blossoms. Crafted in a geometric weave, the drapes embody the prismatic spirit the wife requested.

Glamorous vintage furniture mingles with chic new pieces. An alpaca-covered banquette lines one wall and wraps around a corner; mid-century armchairs flank the preserved fireplace. Dressed in burnt-orange alpaca velvet, a Vladimir Kagan tête-à-tête takes center stage. “There are so many show-stopping elements in the space,” notes Cox, who recently struck out on her own after closing Ivy Lane Living, the firm she co-founded 14 years ago. “Farrell and Win were willing to take risks. This project pushed me outside my comfort zone and in a new design direction.”

Her avant-garde approach carries into the dining room opposite. Take the hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper. Its Anemones in Light motif—combining flowers and rainbow beams—was a collaboration with fashion icon Kate Moss, who used it in her own London home. For the window treatments, Cox took cues from a style she’d admired while staying at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. Paired with long silk-taffeta panels, the jagged valances, she says, “provide a nice contrast to the floral wallpaper.”

The striking room isn’t just for show. “We love hosting and having dinner parties,” discloses Wilkins. “Our hosting style is more informal. It’s kind of sit-where-you-can-and-get-comfortable.”

Casual soirées often spill out to other spaces, including the breakfast area, where a round table seats eight. Marbled Rebecca Atwood paper on the walls and ceiling keeps the glass-lined zone bright and airy. The adjacent kitchen was previously renovated in a timeless aesthetic, so Wilkins and Sheridan opted to postpone their own remodel. New glass lanterns installed over the island add a bit of drama.

However, the most dramatic—and rockin’—space is the moody lounge that lies off the casual-dining area. Sheridan’s colorful and prized trove of signed guitars (with Bono, Slash and Tom Petty among the legends represented) served as the design impetus. “I really wanted to put my guitars on display,” says Sheridan. “We were able to create a whole room around my collection.”

Teal-toned, lacquered-raffia wall covering and painted trim establish a monochromatic backdrop to showcase an ever-rotating display. Vibrant, glass-mosaic-and-brass tile over the reimagined bar, a boldly striped velvet on two vintage chairs and eye-popping wall art from Laurie Lindqvist amp up the interest.

Colors soften in the upstairs primary bedroom. Silk panels in a dusty-pink hue create a cocooning effect and block out city noise. “We wanted to envelop the room in fabric and add layers as a buffer,” Cox explains.

Throughout the design process, the team communicated with the easement’s governing bodies. The end result is no buttoned-up museum, though. “We love the history here,” Sheridan says, “but what we love the most is that this a great home for us and our kids.” Especially now, with its bespoke, offbeat interiors.

Interior Design: Courtney Cox, Courtney Cox Interiors, Alexandria, Virginia. Contractor: Thorsen Construction, Alexandria, Virginia. Styling: Kristi Hunter.

RESOURCES

LIVING ROOM
Sectional: TN Custom Design. Sectional Fabric: sandrajordan.com through hollyhunt.com. Sectional Pillow Fabric: fabricut.com. Sectional Round Pillows: nobilis.fr/en. Drapery Fabric: romo.com. Drapery Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com. Tete-a-Tete: vladimirkagan.com. Tete-a-Tete Fabric: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Paint: Calamine by farrow-ball.com. Rug: farshcarpets.com; stantoncarpet.com. Art above Mantel: robertreapaintings.com. Ceiling Fixture: rosieli.com. Wall Covering: hollyhunt.com. Chairs: Vintage. Chair Fabric: nobilis.fr/en. Center Table: Vintage. Etegere: amuneal.com. Foyer Paint: Pointing by farrow-ball.com. Stair Runner & Landing Carpet: therugcompany.com. Chandelier: bakerfurniture.com.

DINING ROOM
Wall Treatment: degournay.com. Paint: Card Room Green by farrow-ball.com. Chandelier: 1stdibs.com. Table & Chairs: bakerfurniture.com. Chair Fabric: clarencehouse.com. Buffet: us.julianchichester.com. Lamps & Bench: Vintage. Drapery Fabric: interiors.hollandandsherry.com/en. Valance Fabric & Trim: samuelandsons.com/en. Drapery Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com.

KITCHEN
Pendants: vaughandesigns.com/us. Runner: therugcompany.com.

BREAKFAST ROOM
Wall Covering: rebeccaatwood.com. Table: keithfritz.com. Chairs: hickorychair.com. Chair Fabric, Front: kravet.com. Chair Fabric, Back: radishmoon.com. Light Fixture: hectorfinch.com. Sconces: rosieli.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Sofa: hickorychair.com. Sofa Fabric: edelmanleather.com. Pillow Fabric: romo.com. Chairs: Vintage through chairish.com. Chair Fabric: harlequin.sandersondesigngroup.com. Coffee Table: bunnywilliamshome.com. Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Floor Lamp: visualcomfort.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Drapery Fabric: interiors.hollandandsherry.com/en. Drapery Trim: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Drapery Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com. Art: laurielindqvist.com. Cabinetry Design & Fabrication: waterworks.com. Wall Treatment: artistictile.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Bed: bakerfurniture.com. Headboard Fabric: schumacher.com. Bedding: matouk.com. Pillows: S. Harris through fabricut.com. Divan: madegoods.com. Divan Fabric: Old World Weavers through scalamandre.com; romo.com. Divan Pillows: schumacher.com; osborneandlittle.com. Rug: farshcarpets.com. Drapery Fabric: interiors.hollandandsherry.com/en. Drapery & Shade Fabrication: knightsbridgeinteriors.com. Shade Fabric: barthalpern.com. Night Tables: bakerfurniture.com. Table Lamps: mrbrownhome.com.

CLOSET
Closet Design: Studio Camus. Closet Fabrication: thorsenconstruction.us. Rug: farshcarpets.com. Wallpaper: romo.com. Stool: kravet.com. Stool Fabric: Old World Weavers through scalamandre.com. Art: robertreapaintings.com.

A timeworn, vintage home in Cleveland Park’s historic district needed significant TLC—and a keen eye. Designer Martha Vicas, who was searching for new digs of her own, eagerly stepped up. “The house was not in great shape,” she recalls. “But I saw the potential.”

Through the years, Vicas has orchestrated countless renovations, both for her own family (the single mother has three grown children) and for clients. Ready for her next challenge, she inked a deal and called on architect Chris Lyon, a frequent collaborator. “I wanted to restore the house while creating a home that is conducive to modern life,” she discloses.

Originally conceived by visionary 19th-century developer John Sherman, the side-hall dwelling had seen some character-altering changes. Lyon secured approval from DC’s Historic Preservation Office to redesign and reconstruct the then-awning-covered entry that had at some point ousted a Craftsman-style porch. “The house had been drastically modified over its lifespan,” he reports. “Based on this, we made the case that we could alter the façade in a sympathetic way and make it more welcoming.”

The interiors had been rethought too. Their existing configuration didn’t support Vicas’ vision for a comfortable gathering place. “I wanted a happy home where I could welcome friends and family for extended stays, or just for an evening,” reveals the designer. To that end, Lyon devised plans to reshape the existing spaces on three floors, replace an earlier back addition and excavate the cellar. A separate rear structure that served as the previous owner’s art studio was reimagined as an indoor-outdoor entertainment space.

While the entryway and original stair, along with a sitting room to their right, remained intact, most of the house “was completely gutted and reframed,” says Lyon. On the main level, walls shifted to establish a designated dining room, butler’s pantry/mudroom, office and powder room. Moving the basement stair to an already-enclosed side porch improved traffic and light flow. “We worked hard to get a lot of program in the footprint,” adds the architect. “Everything just feels right now.”

Tucked quietly behind the original house, a two-story, 1,000-square-foot addition helped to open up the spaces. On the first floor, it contains a sunny kitchen and lounge area with large windows and French doors accessing the backyard.

There, landscape architect Joseph Richardson formed an urban oasis. Bluestone-capped steps lead down to an enclosed, red-brick courtyard with a gathering zone. A stone retaining wall showcases new plantings, from evergreen holly trees to lush perennials. “The rear yard is focused on the indoor-outdoor entertainment relationship,” states Richardson. “It also serves as a little retreat for Martha—to read a book, take a phone call or relax and enjoy nature. It’s the perfect set-up for her lifestyle.”

Inside on the second floor, the primary suite sits largely in the addition. A guest suite, second spare bedroom and hall bath round out that story. The attic transformed into an airy loft with an upgraded bathroom. Digging out the cellar added another 500 square feet to bring the home’s total to more than 5,000. The lower level now harbors a hangout space, bedroom, bath, gym and wine cellar.

The kitchen design was paramount to Vicas, a self-described “pretty serious cook” who worked in catering at one point during her varied career. A graduate of the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, the DC native left a New York-based job in international banking to pursue her love of food and to study at the Culinary Institute of America. When renovating her then-home unlocked a passion and knack for design, however, she changed course again and launched M.S. Vicas Interiors in 2001.

So stakes were high as the chef-turned-designer deliberated over her latest kitchen. Preferring a clutter-free look, Vicas prioritized storage and easy access. “I took the time to meticulously plan the kitchen, just like I ask clients to do,” she recounts. “And it really paid off. There’s a spot for everything.” The timeless space marries marble countertops with a walnut island and both black- and white-painted cabinetry.

Vicas wove that simple palette throughout the interiors. “I wanted the house to feel serene—and serene to me is black and white,” she reveals. “I do like the drama of contrast.” Artwork and rugs bring in bits of color and tons of texture.

Amid whitewashed expanses, the dining room projects a moodier vibe. A charcoal-hued covering envelops the walls and a graphic paper adorns the ceiling. Meanwhile, a frosted-glass chandelier casts sexy shadows. “The room looks beautiful at night,” notes Vicas, who delights in hosting intimate dinners with “vegetable-forward” menus.

The designer deftly mixed old and new to furnish the elegant spaces. In the sitting room, two 1940s Italian chairs, purchased years ago and recently recovered in a creamy linen velvet, cozy up to a brand-new walnut coffee table. “For my personal style, I walk a fine line of transitional,” she reveals. “I like pieces to have somewhat clean lines but not be so contemporary that the result is cold.”

Still, her portfolio reflects a range of aesthetics. “I love to create something that hasn’t been done before, taking bits and pieces from things I’ve seen out there in the world,” Vicas explains. “I expand creatively with every project.”

Her own home testifies to that. “All the work I’ve been doing for the last 20 years,” she states, “has culminated in this house.”

Renovation Architecture: Chris Lyon, RA, NCARB, Lyon Architecture, Alexandria, Virginia. Interior Design: Martha Vicas, ASID, M.S. Vicas Interiors, Washington, DC. Renovation Contractor: WT Construction, Washington, DC. Landscape Architecture: Joseph Richardson, PLA, ASLA, Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture, Washington, DC.

RESOURCES

KITCHEN
Cabinetry & Island Base: okawvalleywoodworking.com. Countertop: marblesystems.com. Stools: francoiscollective.com. Stool Fabric: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Pendant Light: apparatusstudio.com. Window Shade Fabric: sahco.com. Window Shade Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com.

BUTLER’S PANTRY
Cabinetry: okawvalleywoodworking.com. Cabinetry Paint: Stonecutter by benjaminmoore.com. Shelving: palmerindustries.com. Glass on Shelving: riverglassdesigns.com. Shade Fabric: cowtan.com. Shade Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com. Art: loganledford.com through dimmittcontemporaryart.com.

DINING ROOM
Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Table: troscandesign.com. Chairs: arteriorshome.com. Chair Fabric: pierrefrey.com. Rug: juliedasherrugs.com. Chandelier: apparatusstudio.com. Console: studioliaigre.com. Console Lamp: Donghia through kravet.com. Glass-fronted Shelf: riverglassdesigns.com.

LIVING ROOM
Sofa: dmitriyco.com. Armchairs: Vintage. Coffee Table: eggcollective.com. Rug: Custom through juliedasherrugs.com. Fireplace Surround: gramaco.com through unitedstatesmarbleandgranite.com. Art: Monica Fierro through odaarte.com. Light Fixture: urbanelectric.com.

PATIO
Furniture: janusetcie.com. Coffee Table: sutherlandfurniture.com.

POWDER ROOM
Wallpaper: romo.com. Vanity: unitedstatesmarbleandgranite.com. Mirror: globalviews.com. Lamp: portaromana.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Bed: dmitriyco.com. Bedding: sferra.com. Draperies: markalexander.com through leangsinteriors.com. Shades: sahco.com. Bench: bernhardt.com. Bench Fabric: Great Plains by hollyhunt.com. Art: jerieisenberg.com.

PRIMARY BATH
Tub: admbathroom.com. Wall Treatment: brentanofabrics.com. Vanity: okawvalleywoodworking.com. Mirror: rh.com. Sconces: urbanelectric.com. Floor tile: annsacks.com. Stool: hollyhunt.com.

STAIR LANDING
Art: butterflypeople.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Sconce: alliedmaker.com.

Meandering up to an agrarian property in Centreville, Maryland, a pea-gravel driveway intentionally sets an even slower pace. Visitors are meant to savor the pastoral scene along the way, as a majestic, multi-structure estate and wraparound water views magically unfold.

David Williams, a business investor, had dreamed of owning such a place for decades. Securing a 150-acre point of land on the Eastern Shore’s Chester River provided a great start. David and wife Kathryn, who reside in nearby Annapolis, then enlisted architect Cathy Purple Cherry to conceive a grand yet welcoming getaway. “The vision was to create a generational compound that would consist of various functions to support their family and friends for years to come,” reveals the architect.

Under her site plan, the main house anchors nine thoughtfully positioned outbuildings—a gatehouse, guest house, garage, party barn, carriage house, pottery studio, sheep shed, pool house and boathouse. Additionally, there’s a bespoke playhouse for the couple’s eight-year-old daughter and a growing gaggle of grandchildren. (David has four adult children from a previous marriage.)

As the husband imagined it, the principal abode would sit on a gentle rise overlooking the river. One hitch: The terrain was flat. “First we had to create a knoll within the horseshoe of the shoreline,” recounts Purple Cherry. The team, which included builder GYC Group and Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, undertook a colossal grading effort to raise the construction site by five feet.

David Williams also had in mind a romantic design concept, focused on making the new house appear old. “He was committed to a traditional, Georgian-style home, with a center core and flanking pieces so it would look like it evolved over time and grew as a multi-century home,” Purple Cherry relates. “The massing is my response. It’s a symmetrical layering of structures.”

A mix of exterior building materials bolsters the Old World aesthetic while respecting rural vernacular. The core’s white-painted brick transitions to horizontal lap siding, which, in turn, segues to vertical board and batten. “As you come away from the formal house, siding on the appendages breaks down the mass,” explains the architect, who specified durable fiber-cement products from James Hardie. “We blended Georgian architecture with farmhouse style.”

At 24,000 square feet, the main dwelling indulges the owners’ every programmatic wish. A library lies to the right of the front center hall and the dining room sits opposite. Two seating areas in the rear center core constitute the social hub. A den, the husband’s office and a billiards room with a bar occupy the right appendage. The butler’s pantry, kitchen, casual-dining area and mudroom are situated on the left. Purple Cherry positioned a stair at each end.

And bedrooms abound. The second floor comprises the primary suite and five more ensuite roosts, while the third floor houses his-and-her bunk rooms along with two other guest quarters. The lower level’s pièce de résistance is a brick dining/wine room with a barrel-vaulted ceiling.

Oodles of glass usher in natural light and splendor. “This property has magnificent views, so we put glass in the right places to make those connections,” says Purple Cherry. Lining the main home’s core, transom-topped French doors also encourage al fresco living; they open onto a covered back veranda bookended by a pair of screened porches. Adds the architect, “There’s inside-outside engagement at all times.”

Campion Hruby developed a landscape plan to elevate that engagement while preserving much of the original tract, some of which is still farmed. “The idea was to ground the entire experience in the daily narrative of Eastern Shore living,” shares principal Kevin Campion, who collaborated with firm partner Meredith Beach on the project. “We created spaces where the agriculture and their lifestyle could exist in harmony. There are lots of places to gather, and that was really part and parcel to the overall theme of a family compound.”

Beach concurs, “Our goal was to connect the buildings through garden rooms and to create an experience as you move between those rooms. We wanted the garden to bleed out into the existing agricultural landscape.”

Linear brick pathways, lush lawn expanses and boxwood hedges provide structure to the waterfront’s formal upper garden. Other plantings, such as roses and Hameln fountain grass, soften the effect. The pool terrace rests a few steps below so as not to obstruct the scenic panorama.

Purple Cherry finished the interiors with cocooning architectural flourishes—from the living area’s coffered ceiling to the library’s built-in reading nooks. “Beautiful millwork and little delights were important to David,” she reveals. “We had this constant, symbiotic conversation that allowed us to create unique moments throughout. Layers of detail bring human scale and add texture to the big spaces.”

An exquisite level of customization also sets off the kitchen, with its handcrafted cabinetry that includes homeowner-requested double islands. A tailor-made pot rack with integrated pendant lights from Ann-Morris crowns one island. What’s more, a coffee station precisely frames a particular painting of a silver cup from the couple’s existing trove.

Finally, Purple Cherry and her design crew outfitted the spaces with an eye toward instilling refined comfort. Their schemes combine classic upholstered pieces and unfussy antiques. “The interiors are traditional blended with a little bit of coastal, mostly in the blues of the palette and some fun fabric patterns,” she notes. “To me, this is an incredibly approachable home.”

The architect documents the five-year journey to complete this peerless retreat in her forthcoming book, The Design of a Country Estate, to be released by Gibbs Smith in July 2024. Just as the owners envisioned, the compound often bustles with activity. Other times, it’s a soothing sanctuary. “David and Kathryn love being here,” reports Purple Cherry. “I’m so happy that the home embraces them in the way it does.”

Architecture & Interior Design: Cathy Purple Cherry, AIA, LEED AP, principal, Purple Cherry Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Builder: GYC Group, Westminster, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Kevin Campion, ASLA, principal; Meredith Beach, PLA, ASLA, principal, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Contractor: Chester River Landscaping, Chestertown, Maryland; and Planted Earth Landscaping, Inc., Sykesville, Maryland.

A house should evolve and not stay stagnant,” maintains designer Joe Ireland, who has helped one like-minded couple put that belief into practice for the past 15 years. From an initial renovation to a recent refresh—and several artful acquisitions in between—he has guided the stylish progression of his clients’ McLean manse.

The now-empty-nest owners bought their ’80s-era, center-hall Colonial in 2000, when the wife’s two daughters were still at home. Years later, they were ready to address the functional gaps, character deficiency and decades-old décor that had become sore points. The duo started outside, hiring McHale Landscape Design to create a resort-like backyard oasis.

Enhancing the exterior, however, brought the interior’s shortcomings into sharper focus. “I was very frustrated with the house,” reveals the wife, a retired telecom exec whose husband recently hung up his hat from a career in technology. “It had little charm and didn’t reflect me.” She first enlisted Ireland in 2008 to overhaul the 8,500-square-foot abode, upgrade its original builder-grade detailing and finishes and remodel the kitchen.

The wife, who loves to cook for family gatherings, meticulously drafted the dual-island kitchen layout herself. An inspiration image torn from a catalog captured the clean, two-tone look she was after. Taking his cues from it, the designer wrapped white-painted perimeter cabinetry in dark-stained, quarter-sawn oak and repeated the charcoal-colored finish on the footed island bases, which are outlined in stainless steel.

Furniture planning came next. The wife sought to take the interiors in a “more contemporary but also warm and inviting” direction. She was eager to jettison the period reproductions she had picked out earlier. “When we bought this Colonial house, I thought I should buy Colonial things,” she discloses. “It really wasn’t about what I liked.”

A handful of pieces the owners had collected while living overseas, including the large living room sofa, made the cut. To supplement those, Ireland sourced new selections, designed several custom pieces to fit the spaces and scoured 1stDibs and antiques stores for special finds—many of which remain today. “The upgraded envelope pays homage to the home’s architecture, but everything else is a mix of styles,” he notes. “And it’s constantly evolving.”

Since the 2008 redo, Ireland and the owners have gradually added newfound treasures, particularly artwork. On a buying trip to Paris, for instance, he and the wife stumbled upon a century-old, gilded-plaster relief that now hangs over the dining room sideboard. The woodland scene it depicts is based on a drawing by Armand Albert Rateau, the late French interior designer who conjured the celebrated Parisian apartment of couturier Jeanne Lanvin, where a nearly identical tableau adorned a bathroom alcove.

By 2020, though, a larger-scale refresh was in order. The goal: to heighten the energy of the spaces. “With the first [design] round, there was a stopping point, a certain budget,” explains the designer. “This round was about taking some elements to the next level.”

The music room offers a prime example. Its original cherry millwork had never suited the wife’s fancy; lacquering it in a salmon hue proved just the answer. “We lacquered the room to give it a new life,” Ireland explains. “We wanted it to be livelier and become a destination.” Four vintage, floral chandeliers lend the space what he calls “a bit of a ballroom feel,” while a vivid, painterly rug provides an edgy counterpoint.

The bold combination expresses the owner’s newfound style assurance. “When I first started working with Joe, I was much more timid about how far to go,” she admits. “Over the years, I’ve become less afraid of color and pattern.”

The dining room bears witness to her burgeoning confidence as well. Initially, the walls were painted top to bottom in dark amethyst. “We started talking about how we could make this room feel even cozier,” recounts Ireland. “It was pretty before, but it needed more personality.” He remedied that shortcoming with flora-and-fauna wall covering from The Vale London, which now wraps around the upper portion. A glamorous, 1950s glass-and-brass chandelier ousted a conventional, candelabra-style fixture.

Spirited prints replaced more staid upholstery choices in places. For proof, look no further than the sunny Sanderson botanical fabric that now emboldens the living room’s Ebanista settee. “From the beginning, we’ve tried—and I think we’ve been successful—to purchase things that would remain relevant, then we tweaked them in this update,” says Ireland. “I really aim for longevity. That’s good design.”

The wife appreciates the element of surprise too. “When people see the house from the outside, they don’t expect to walk in and find something so fresh inside,” she says. “The interiors are a little more playful, not so conservative now. They reflect the evolution of my tastes.”

Nestled on a tree-lined street off Dupont Circle, a stately Beaux Arts townhouse captured the hearts of a couple looking to trade up from their nearby condo. The 1915 brick beauty—with impressive, arched windows gracing its front façade—offered the architectural character and traditional bones they were after, plus ample space to start and raise a family. “It just felt like a place we could be and grow in for a long time,” says the wife. “We loved the historic features. Those arched windows definitely drew us in.”

The aged abode needed an update, though. Purchasing it in 2020, the new owners—he’s an entrepreneur and she’s a journalist—wanted to tackle a host of improvements before moving in. They enlisted interior designer Zöe Feldman, who led them to architect Neal Thomson. The thoughtful, two-year renovation and redesign that followed would touch every inch of the now-four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home.

Protected under The L’Enfant Trust’s conservation program, the front elevation remained happily intact; the back benefited from the addition of new windows. Inside, the primary goals were to increase function for a growing family (the couple’s first child arrived mid-renovation and their second was due at press time) and to infuse a modern-classic style throughout. “The project was an effort to create a ‘new old’ house by today’s standards,” reveals Thomson. “Keeping the spirit of the old house alive was really important. It became a balancing act.”

Collaborating with Pyramid Builders, the team reconfigured the spaces, bringing cohesion and order to a plan that had suffered piecemeal changes over the years. They relocated a powder room that floated between the dining room and kitchen to the stair hall; combined the kitchen and adjoining breakfast room into one airy space; and flipped the positions of the second-floor primary bedroom and bath. A second bathroom was added on the third floor, where the two children’s bedrooms and the husband’s office sit; other bathrooms received sparkling makeovers.

A separate basement apartment (previously a rental unit) was reintegrated into the main residence, bringing its total square footage to about 5,000. Now, a back stair accesses that revamped level, which houses a playroom/TV hangout, guest room, full bath, gym and utility spaces.

The redo also included an overhaul of the HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems. Lead abatement was a key concern, too. “Great care was given to build a new life for this house,” says Bret Anderson, founder and president of Pyramid Builders. “All the things you don’t see really do add up to the home’s overall health and longevity.”

Although preservation was a priority for the owners, many timeworn original materials couldn’t be salvaged. In some cases, historically accurate replacements—such as the narrow-plank, stained-oak floors installed throughout and the dining room’s plaster crown moldings—achieve comparable charm. Other dated elements gave way to simplified versions, as the living room’s bolection-style marble fireplace surround illustrates.

Encapsulating the project’s old-meets-new approach, steel-framed French doors now separate the front vestibule from the foyer. “We bifurcated that area,” explains Thomson. “It’s a moment you see in a lot of old houses, where there’s the initial front door and then an interior door. We brought back some of those elements that had been lost along the way, but played with updated materials.”

Feldman’s choices of a mosaic-flower tile for the vestibule floor and deep-purple paint for its walls and trim hint at what’s to come. “When you walk into this house, you know it’s been here forever, yet it feels relevant for today,” she offers.

The kitchen design, she explains, intentionally leans modern “to create a nice tension” within the historic setting; a fluted island plays the starring role and provides hidden storage. The breakfast area’s built-in banquette features drawers underneath for stashing linens and such.

As the renovation dust settled, Feldman worked closely with the wife to establish a balanced aesthetic. “She wanted a modern sensibility, but also for things to feel a little more formal,” the designer relays. “We wanted to honor the classic bones of this elegant townhouse,” referencing its 10-foot ceilings, among other grace notes. The dining room’s hand-painted wallpaper from de Gournay was an early selection that set the tone.

Room schemes combine colorful upholstery, vintage finds and statement lighting. A designer-client buying trip to New York yielded many selections that became stylish springboards. Case in point: An amethyst, cashmere-velvet fabric that caught the wife’s eye now adorns the family room sofa. This jewel-toned sectional serves as the pièce de résistance in an otherwise fairly quiet plan, with wool-clad walls and a bouclé-covered chaise. As Feldman explains, her client “wanted the spaces to be comfortable for family, but not at the expense of the design.”

The couple is thrilled with the harmony struck by their collaborative team. The wife notes, “Our home nods to history, yet it’s been modernized.”

Renovation Architecture: Neal Thomson, AIA, principal, Thomson & Cooke Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Zöe Feldman, principal; Tenley Masson, senior designer; Charis Fortunato, senior project manager, Zoe Feldman Design, Washington, DC. Renovation Contractor: Bret Anderson, Pyramid Builders, Annapolis, Maryland.

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT
Cabinetry: oldtownwoodworking.com; themasterswoodshop.com; trailstrim.com.

KITCHEN
Roller Shades: rockvilleinteriors.com. Dining Pendant: contardi-usa.com. Kitchen Pendant: rollandhill.com. Chairs: 1stdibs.com. Chair Fabric: arc-com.com. Banquette Fabrication: oldtownwoodworking.com. Banquette Fabric: perennialsandsutherland.com. Fluted Island Paint: Chantilly Lace by benjaminmoore.com. Island & Perimeter Countertops: petrastonegallery.com. Paint: Wevet by farrow-ball.com. Pillow Fabric: kravet.com. Footed Bowl: panoplie.com.

LIVING ROOM
Sofa: Finch Studio through nydc.com. Semi-Flush Mount Light: vaughandesigns.com. Window Treatments: rockvilleinteriors.com. Coffee Table: blendinteriors.com. Stools: guyregalnyc.com. Chair: lepereinc.com. Chair Fabric: rogersandgoffigon.com. Marble Side Table: etsy.com. Shelf & Cabinet: chairish.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Side Table: 1stdibs.com. Steel Doors: Custom through Metro Steel. Paint: Blackened by farrow-ball.com.

NURSERY
Wallpaper: pierrefrey.com through hinescompany.com. Carpet: starkcarpet.com. Poufs: lepereinc.com. Glider & Ottoman: montedesign.com. Dresser: crateandbarrel.com. Crib: maisonette.com. Shelves: stillfried.com. Roman Shades: europatex.com Roman Shade Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Paint: Great White by farrow-ball.com. Drapery: cowtan.com. Roman Shade: rockvilleinteriors.com. Bed Upholstery: gretcheneverett.com. Bed Fabric: pierrefrey.com through hinescompany.com. Chair: dennismiller.com. Chair Fabric: zimmer-rohde.com through ruefour.com. Black Lamp: vintage through allybanksinteriors.com. Pleated Lamp: vaughandesigns.com. Sconces: Latesda Studio through hollyhunt.com. Lumber: 1stdibs.com. Bedding: matouk.com. Light Fixture: gong.co.uk. Dresser: 1stdibs.com. Bedside Table: aerostudios.com. Marble Side Table: etsy.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Art: Tenley Masson.

ENTRY HALL
Art: benhunter.gallery. Art Framing: Frameworks; 202-333-3335. Paint: Wevet by farrow-ball.com. Console Table: 1stdibs.com. Lamp: David Bell Antiques; 202-965-2355. Bench: Sofie Osterby through kolkhoze.fr. Rug: mattcamron.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Wallpaper: phillipjeffries.com. Pillow: dedar.com through hollyhunt.com. Chaise: verellen.biz. Lamp: vaughandesigns.com. Drapes: cowtan.com. Sectional Sofa: americanleather.com. Sectional Sofa Fabric: usa.delecuona.com. Side Table: thibautdesign.com through hinescompany.com. Wood Side Table: lawsonfenning.com. Coffee Table: dirkvanderkooij.com. Carpet: starkcarpet.com.

STUDY
Paint: De Nimes by farrow-ball.com. Sconces: vaughandesigns.com. Rug: Vintage through elikorugs.com. Window Treatments Fabric: larsenfabrics.com through cowtan.com. Window Treatment Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Pillow Fabrics: clarencehouse.com through hollyhunt.com; pierrefrey.com through hinescompany.com. Daybed Fabric: jamesmalonefabrics.com through ruefour.com. Daybed Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Knobs: rejuvenation.com.

ENTRY/DINING
Paint: Wevet by farrow-ball.com. Wallpaper: degournay.com. Hanging Shade: visualcomfort.com. Chair: blendinteriors.com. Dining Chairs: 1stdibs.com. Dining Chair Fabric: zimmer-rohde.com through ruefour.com. Dining Chair Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Rug: chairish.com. Chandelier: vaughandesigns.com. Sconces: visualcomfort.com. Floating Console: vancollier.com. Dining Table: americaneyewdc.net.

PRIMARY BATH
Limewash: portolapaints.com. Side Table: lawsonfenning.com. Sconces: remains.com. Pendant: sheherazadehome.com through chairish.com. Runner: mattcamron.com. Plumbing: waterworks.com. Footed Bowl: panoplie.com. Vanity: themasterswoodshop.com. Marble Vanity Top & Tub Surround: petrastonegallery.com.

STUDY
Paint: De Nimes by farrow-ball.com. Desk & Desk Chair: julianchichester.com through americaneyewdc.net. Eames Chair & Ottoman Fabric: scalamandre.com. Eames Chair & Ottoman Fabric Upholstery: gretcheneverett.com. Sconces: visualcomfort.com. Rug: Vintage through elikorugs.com. Desk Lamp: Zach Stamatis for zoefeldmandesign.com. Desk Lamp Shade: hinescompany.com. Window Treatment Fabric: larsenfabrics.com through cowtan.com. Window Treatment Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Vase: Taiki Fujimori.

Nearing retirement, a California couple packed their bags for Maryland to be closer to family. It helped that the wife’s father had recently sold them a waterfront parcel on Kent Island, near the confluence of Tanner’s Creek and Eastern Bay. The existing house there had served as a happy gathering spot for decades. Yet its new owners envisioned something even better and decided to start from scratch.

“We wanted to build a destination home that would continue to be a focal point in our family—a place where we could do most of the entertaining,” reveals the wife, who recently hung up her hat from the e-commerce industry. “But there were also things that really mattered to us, and there was a certain way we wanted to live.” They hired Hammond Wilson to conjure up their permanent dream digs. Interior designer Erin Paige Pitts, Focus Construction and Campion Hruby Landscape Architects soon joined the team.

Architects Leo Wilson and Marshall Harris devised a plan that caters to owners and guests alike. They sited the house along the water to capitalize on the spectacular Stevensville setting. The main living spaces flow in a linear, one-room-deep fashion via a spine that runs from end to end across the front. On the first floor, the foyer gives way to open living and dining spaces. The kitchen/breakfast area sits to the right; a wine room lies to the left. The second floor—accessed by two sets of stairs and an elevator—houses the primary suite and an office for the husband, who’s newly retired from a career in IT, at one end, followed by two guest suites and a bunk room. A gym and theater rest above the three-car garage, positioned at a right angle to the main volume.

“The arrangement allowed us to orient almost every room along that axis to the water views,” Wilson explains. “Then we opened up the waterfront side with a lot of windows and doors.” Transom windows above those swaths of glass invite additional sunlight into the spaces.

A tower was among the owners’ requests. The architects responded with a three-and-a-half-story element that houses the main stair and leads up to an all-weather observation room as well as an outdoor platform. Wilson points out that the couple “wanted to take advantage of the long view out to the bay, so the tower provides that.”

For the two oenophiles who came to the Eastern Shore by way of Napa Valley, a wine storage and tasting room was non-negotiable. They sought both a cave-like aura and a sightline to the creek. A domed ceiling and Venetian plaster walls capture the desired feel. Meanwhile, double doors frame a picturesque view and open onto an al fresco seating area, also accessible from the living room.

Several other spaces strengthen the indoor-outdoor connection. A patio off the dining room steps down to the lawn and water beyond. Adjacent to the kitchen, a screened porch links to the main outdoor-entertainment area, which features a new swimming pool and stone fireplace plus a terrace with zones for gathering, lounging and dining. The owners’ bedroom boasts a private balcony offering an impressive panorama.

Campion Hruby’s planting plan enhances and preserves the bay landscape. “We used a palette of mostly native trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses,” says principal Bob Hruby. “It’s ornamental, but it also fulfills our mitigation requirements in terms of construction disturbance.”

Embodying a coastal Shingle style, the home’s exterior meshes with its surroundings too. Engineered NuCedar shingles replicate traditional cedar shakes. Detailing—such as the series of gabled dormers across the back—“is intended to make you think about historic architecture, things of the past,” Wilson suggests.

Inside, Pitts answered her clients’ call for comfort and approachability without sacrificing style. “They asked for a hybrid look, California-meets-the-Chesapeake,” the designer recounts. Her translation: a gray-and-taupe color scheme with a smattering of blue and just enough interest. “It’s tonal, soothing and quiet, which feels good,” she notes. “At the same time, I wanted it to have a lot of depth, so I brought in texture and some pattern.”

Her schemes combine upholstery clad in nubby indoor-outdoor fabrics, woven goods, natural-fiber rugs and tactile wallpaper. Lighting selections bring the drama. The dining room, for instance, showcases a chevron-inlay wall covering made from genuine wood veneer and a statement chandelier featuring abaca rope.

Pitts threw “a wild card” into her design proposal: two platform swings that would hang from the living room ceiling to savor the view. Her clients were all in. “I presented two options—one with settees in front of the window and the other with swings,” she recalls. “They wanted the swings, no hesitation.”

A pizza oven and a large island topped the kitchen’s must-haves list. “We both love to cook, but like to keep it really casual,” discloses the wife. “That’s how we entertain.” A pizza-sauce-proof quartz from Cambria tops the cabinetry.

In the primary suite, Pitts created what she describes as “a restful retreat,” again marrying neutrals with texture; the fireplace’s silver-travertine surround is a shining example. The luxurious bathroom teems with marble, from its flooring to its shower tile.

The completed 7,200-square-foot abode works well for two—or a crowd. “While it’s a large house, it doesn’t feel overwhelming,” notes the wife. “We use and enjoy all the spaces.”

It was a beautiful blank slate,” reflects Mary Douglas Drysdale, describing the spare interior of a modernist home in Ashburn, Virginia—before she set to work. With 12-foot ceilings and glass expanses celebrating a scenic landscape, the spaces held promise. “But there was an emptiness to the house,” the designer continues, “and it did not reflect the welcoming and generous spirit of the owners.” Over the next two years, she curated a collection of furniture, fittings, art and artisan-made objects to help achieve the home’s full potential.

Drysdale’s clients—he’s a CEO and she’s a retired business executive—purchased the residence brand new in 2015. Crediting her Dutch heritage, the wife says she was drawn to the “clean, sleek and modern European” model conceived by the Netherlands-based Studio Piet Boon and developed by K. Hovnanian Homes. Their lot backs up to protected woodlands within Willowsford, a farm-to-table community or agrihood. 

Back then, the couple had recently wed (a second marriage for each) and combined households. Their blended furniture, along with bare walls, left much to be desired. “Our space lacked personality and didn’t feel well-utilized, and our furnishings were not of the right scale or really suited for the home,” recounts the wife. “We wanted an interior that would be synergistic with the design of the house itself and integrated across each room.” 

They enlisted Drysdale after the wife observed her talent at a 2020 show house. Early on, the designer decided to preserve the home’s black-painted door and window frames. “I started by asking, ‘What have we got here, what can we work with,’” she recalls. “The black trim was a jumping-off point for me.”

Taking cues from that trim, she transformed the fireplace wall in the living room. Before, the television had been mounted over the linear firebox, where it stood out in stark relief against an expanse of white-washed drywall. Drysdale clad the area in dark-stained, rift-sawn oak and recessed the TV within, attaining a chic, integrated look. “I think about creating useful beauty,” reveals the design doyenne. “That wall is so dramatic now and grounds everything.”

Drysdale then drafted furniture and decorative plans with the goal of establishing a “soft, modern” aesthetic throughout. She sourced transitional-style furnishings and conjured several bespoke pieces, including a dining table, for the project. Airy glass lighting bows to the scenery outside. The breakfast area and kitchen, which join the living room at the home’s rear, feature prime examples.

A cohesive palette of black and white prevails. “I like there to be relationships between the rooms,” the designer says. “As you go through these spaces, you’re still connected.”

That simple scheme allows the creativity of numerous artists and artisans to shine. And it dovetails nicely with the wife’s affinity for elements that express a tribal quality. Take the dining room, for instance, where a graphic rug woven in Afghanistan lays the foundation. Black-and-white pottery by Oregon-based ceramist Sam Scott graces the tabletop. Drysdale notes, “The primitive, the handmade are a strong subtext in the story that’s being told here.”

Bold artwork also delivers a resounding message; it was part of the plan from the get-go. “Exploring the house, I felt immediately that colorful modern art on a grand scale would bring enormous interest and excitement to the experience of each room and the views from room to room,” says the designer. A trip with her clients to Washington’s Hemphill Artworks yielded the first three pieces in what is now a goodly trove. 

Those selections received prominent placements. A painting by DC artist Steven Cushner commands the wide hall linking the front and back of the house. An abstract work by the late Jacob Kainen adds verve to the dining room and offers the wife an inspiring vista from her office across the foyer. Likewise, dinner guests enjoy a clear sightline to the vibrant, multi-media creation of another local artist, Julie Wolfe, positioned behind the desk. 

Later additions include photographs by Anna Beeke and John Cole, which animate the main-floor primary bedroom. “I feel that one of the great obligations of a home is to delight and engage the viewer,” Drysdale offers. “Everywhere you turn or sit or gaze, there’s something interesting to see in this house. It’s a living museum, a stimulating—but not over-stimulating—visual experience that is comfortable.” 

Not only do the well-appointed spaces please the eye, they also support the couple’s relaxed yet social lifestyle. For example, the main hall is no longer just a utilitarian passageway; it now functions as “another beautiful room where they entertain,” says Drysdale. “They’re using their house in better and more complete ways.”

The wife concurs, sharing that the covered porch off the living room has become a destination too. “This area was nothing more than a transition to the backyard. With Mary’s redesign, the space is now used for intimate dinners with friends, as a gathering spot when hosting large groups—or merely for having a cool drink on a hot summer afternoon.”

Interior Design: Mary Douglas Drysdale, Drysdale Design Associates, Washington, DC.

RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT
Drapery & Upholstery Fabrication: myatelierva.com.

LIVING ROOM
Fireplace: kossaridesign.com. Diptych Art: ruriyi.com. Sofas: Owners’ collection. Sofa Fabric: kravet.com. Small Stool: jomofurniture.com. Side Tables: janusetcie.com. Coffee Table: marydouglasdrysdaleinteriordesign.com. Armchair & Ottoman: leeindustries.com. Armchair Fabric: kravet.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Leather Chair: allmodern.com. Pillow Fabric: williams-sonoma.com. Paint: sherwin-williams.com.

COVERED PORCH
Table & Sofa: janusetcie.com. Art: Kaiser Suidan. Pillow Fabrics: aliciaadamsalpaca.com.

ENTRANCE HALL
Art: Steven Cushner through hemphillfinearts.com. Photographs: annabeeke.com. Small Paintings: juliewolfe.net through hemphillfinearts.com. Chandelier: julieneill.com. Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Paint: sherwin-williams.com.

DINING ROOM
Painting: jacobkainen.com through hemphillfinearts.com. Table: marydouglasdrysdaleinteriordesign.com. Chairs & Chair Fabric: bakerfurniture.com. Pottery: samscottpottery.com. Rug: amadicarpets.com. Lighting: ochre.net. Drapery Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Drapery Banding & Pouf: marydouglasdrysdaleinteriordesign.com.

KITCHEN
Rug: loloirugs.com. Island Pendants: kellywearstler.com through visualcomfort.com.

CASUAL DINING AREA
Table: Owners’ collection. Striped Chair Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Chandelier: reginaandrew.com. Artwork: Owners’ collection. Chairs: rh.com.

WIFE’S OFFICE
Painting: juliewolfe.net through hemphillfinearts.com. Table: Owners’ collection. Desk Chair & Poufs: marydouglasdrysdaleinteriordesign.com. Glass Orb: nickleonoff.com. Rug: carpetcreationsandflooring.com. Paint: sherwin-williams.com.

OWNERS’ BEDROOM
Photographs over Bed: johncolephoto.com. Grouping of Photos: annabeeke.com. Art on Left Wall & Poufs: marydouglasdrysdaleinteriordesign.com. Bed: roveconcepts.com. Coverlet & Bolster Fabric: fabricut.com. Rug: carpetcreationsandflooring.com. Drapery Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Paint: sherwin-williams.com.

Set on five leafy acres in Great Falls, the 11,000-square-foot, red-brick Colonial had much to recommend it. A couple with four children swooped up the ’80s-era manse in 2011—overlooking its somewhat dated interiors. They lived with the outmoded spaces for 10 years before deciding to tackle a major renovation. By then, their initial, Tuscan-inspired décor choices also felt a bit passé. “There were so many things that were old and tired,” recalls the wife, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in creative writing. “The house needed a facelift, for sure.”

Enter designer Erika Bonnell, tapped by the owners to mastermind a makeover that would enhance both form and function. A collaboration with building contractor SugarOak Corporation, the project overhauled the kitchen, butler’s pantry and six bathrooms, among many other improvements. “We gave the interiors an updated-traditional vibe,” says Bonnell. “Our goal was to honor the home’s traditional bones but keep everything very approachable. We also made some functional changes to support their lifestyle.”

While most of the floor plan remained intact, the designer repurposed existing spaces to better suit her clients’ needs. For example, the husband, retired from the insurance industry, wanted a place to read and display his books. So Bonnell transformed the rarely used living room off the foyer into what she describes as “a cool, masculine, English library that looks like it’s been there forever.” Floor-to-ceiling, built-in shelves now line the back wall and wrap around the corner to join the right side of the fireplace. 

For the kitchen redo, a layout that would accommodate multiple cooks topped the owners’ wish list. Although some of the kids have flown the nest, the brood prepares and enjoys meals together whenever they can. “We’re a family of bakers and cooks,” the wife reveals. “We needed the kitchen to work for all of us. Cooking together is a part of our family culture, and it’s so much more fun to do that in a nice environment.”

Before, a cooktop located in the island limited prep space. Bonnell reconfigured the plan, installing a professional-style Thermador range along one wall. Aesthetics in the previously dark, uninspiring space vastly improved too, thanks in large part to white-painted custom cabinetry from Cornerstone Kitchen & Bath.

Since increasing the kitchen’s footprint wasn’t an option, the designer further eased congestion by establishing a separate, bistro-style baking station in what she characterized as a weird pass-through space that connects the butler’s pantry and breakfast room. She also added a walk-in pantry, accessed through a hidden door in the butler’s pantry, by borrowing 50 square feet from the garage. 

Bonnell then cast her designer’s eye on the interior architecture. In the entry hall, she complemented the existing plaster crown molding by applying trim to the drywall below. “We had this beautiful, heavy plaster molding, but then the walls fell flat,” she recalls. “We really wanted to elevate the space by adding more architectural detail with the applied molding.” The existing marble floors stayed put but the previously deep-gold walls were repainted an off-white hue.

When it came to defining a new look, as Bonnell relates, the wife requested “something happy and fresh.” The reimagined dining room certainly fits the bill. There, a scenic paper from Schumacher replaced red paint on the walls. And tasseled swags made way for simple, raw-silk draperies at the windows. 

Bonnell sourced new furnishings with the aim of establishing “a collected, lived-in, comfortable feel,” she says. For the family room, she designed an outsized sectional, as well as a coffee table that allows two leather-covered ottomans to tuck under opposite corners when not in use. As she explains, “This is the family hangout, so we wanted to create a central seating area that would accommodate everybody.”

Thoughtfully chosen touches make her schemes sing without overpowering, as the first-floor primary suite illustrates. Painterly Schumacher wallpaper graces the bedroom, while floral mosaic tile embellishes the bathroom’s two arched vanity niches. “We enjoy contrast and interest, but always in a supportive, non-competing way,” states Bonnell. “The layers of details come together to create pleasing, non-jarring spaces.” 

The wife marvels at her designer’s creative flair—and at the completed project. “It really is artistry,” she enthuses. “There’s no way we could have done it on our own. Erika changed our life for the better.”

With their then-toddler and six-month-old in tow, a young couple set out to find a more accommodating replacement for the Capitol Hill row house they’d outgrown. “We were busting at the seams in our old place,” recalls the wife, a health-policy professional. “We had kids’ toys everywhere.” A newly built home within a quiet enclave in Northwest DC offered the space and family-friendly amenities they craved. Its big kitchen, basement with playroom potential and private backyard where their children could play sealed the deal in 2020.

Also appealing was the clean-lined architecture of the center-hall abode. “This is a well-done update of a traditional style,” observes the husband, who works in real-estate investment. But the interior, while beautifully finished with imposing marble accents, felt stark. 

“There’s a lot of black and white and big slabs of stone,” notes the wife. “We wanted to warm it up.”

Envisioning what the husband calls “contemporary, colorful and comfortable” spaces, the owners enlisted designer Catherine Ebert to bring them to life. The brief was clear: Don’t play it too safe. 

“They wanted something bold, with a little bit of drama,” recounts Ebert. “The architecture is sort of substantial—with high ceilings and chunky moldings. The house has a strong personality, so I sought out elements that would meet that moment.”

First, the designer addressed “a sea of drywall.” A plaster-like, decorative-paint finish awakens the living room walls while wall coverings animate several other spaces. A textured-vinyl selection from Phillip Jeffries, for instance, lends the powder room off the foyer a “glam-pow” presence, says Ebert. “Wallpaper is a wonderful way to differentiate spaces and add personality. It takes walls from blah to fabulous really quickly.”

New furniture was a must, given that few of the owners’ existing pieces measured up in scale. Ebert sourced unusual finds to amplify the interest. For evidence, look no further than the foyer’s black-and-gray console, which sports a malachite faux finish. The designer explains, “I was looking for a wide variety of ways to introduce special materials, textures and finishes throughout to give the house the substance and richness that it needed.” 

When Ebert had trouble finding the perfect piece for a space, she designed one herself. The living room’s sculptural coffee tables—with lacquered bases and smoked-glass tops—serve as illustration. “That room is really rectilinear,” she notes. “I wanted to add a layer of movement and organic shape.” For the husband’s home office, which lies just off the living room, she conjured a desk that cleverly conceals electrical outlets and wires in its base cabinet.

The owners’ preference for vivid hues dictated many selections. Take, for example, the green-velvet chaise resting on a custom-colored, splatter-print rug in the living room. “Whenever there was a choice between a safer option and a stronger option,” the designer reveals, “they always went for the stronger one.”

Ebert also curated a collection of art to bring in more color. “We had some big walls to fill,” she says. “I helped identify those places that needed robust artwork.” Hanging in the dining room, a powerful abstract painting by April Midkiff “energizes the vista down the entry hall.” The family room’s happy Hunt Slonem piece, depicting multi-hued finches, “provides a perfect segue to the outdoors,” accessible through steel-framed sliding doors.

In that family hangout space, which opens to the kitchen and breakfast nook, the designer balanced the couple’s request for a grown-up feel with practical considerations. A teal-toned performance fabric from Lark Fontaine clads the sofa. The Tulip table and indestructible chairs in the casual dining area can be wiped with a sponge. “We plan on raising our kids here,” states the husband. “We didn’t want stuff that we would feel uncomfortable having a two-year-old sit on.”

Upstairs, the primary suite serves as a soothing escape for the parents. Ebert encased the bedroom in monochromatic shades of dusty blue, starting with faux-silk wall covering from Phillip
Jeffries. “The clients are very well-traveled,” says the designer. “I was trying to call up that luxurious hotel-bedroom vibe.” 

Wallpaper bedecks the en-suite kids’ bedrooms too. The quirky Shattered pattern by Abnormals Anonymous enlivens the daughter’s pad. And a starry covering lines the ceiling of the son’s nursery. As fun as these spaces are, the lower level is, perhaps, the ultimate kids’ zone; its rope swing and climbing wall are popular neighborhood attractions. The basement also comprises a TV-viewing area, kitchenette and guest suite.

The owners appreciated the parental point of view that Ebert, who has children a little older than theirs, brought to the project. “I really wanted a home that felt elegant but was functional,” reveals the wife. “Without Catherine’s perspective, we might have ended up with a house that was really beautiful but hard to live in. This house strikes the right balance and works for our daily living.”

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT
Windows & Exterior Doors: marvin.com.

FOYER
Flooring: petradevelopment.co. Stairs & Railing Fabrication: Century Stair Company; 703-754-4163. Stool: kravet.com. Console: bradleyusa.com. Paint: Snowbound Vases by sherwin-wiliams.com.

LIVING ROOM
Fireplace Surround: petrastonegallery.com. Chaise: modshop1.com. Chase Fabric: Sahco through kvadrat.dk/en. Coffee tables: Custom by catherineebertinteriors.com. Rug: artandloom.com. Game Chairs: arteriorshome.com. Lounge Chairs: vintage Marco Zanuso. Game Chair fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Lounge Chair Fabric: zimmer-rohde.com. Center Table: m2l.com. Roman Shades: conradshades.com. Art: Owners’ collection. Wall Treatment: twindiamonds.com.

KITCHEN
Cabinets: binovamilano.com through petradevelopment.co. Island & Backsplash: petrastonegallery.com. Pendants: rh.com. Range & Refrigerator: mieleusa.com. Pot Filler: waterworks.com. Countertop & Sink: petrastonegallery.com. Bar Stools: m2l.com.

BREAKFAST ROOM
Chandelier: rh.com. Table: dwr.com. Chairs: m2l.com. Art: Owners’ collection.

DINING ROOM
Art: April Midkiff through merrittgallery.com. Table: hellman-chang.com. Chairs: gubi.com. Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Chandelier: gabriel-scott.com. Sideboard: bethanygray.com. Mirror: arteriorshome.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Sofa: hickorychair.com. Sofa Fabric: larkfontaine.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com. Coffee Table: Owners’ collection. Pedestal Table: westelm.com. Leather Chair & Ottoman: hermanmiller.com. Frame TV Art: Hunt Slonem through merrittgallery.com. Paint: Snowbound by sherwin-williams.com.

POWDER ROOM
Sconce & Vanity: rh.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Fixtures: waterworks.com.

OFFICE
Desk: Custom by catherineebertinteriors.com. Chair: dwr.com. Desk Lamp: circalighting.com. Shades: conradshades.com. Drapery Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Drapery Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Paint: Snowbound by sherwin-williams.com.

OWNERS’ BEDROOM
Bed: aneesupholstery.com. Bedding: matouk.com. Night Table: madegoods.com. Table Lamp: kravet.com. Drapery Fabric: romo.com. Drapery Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Chair & Ottoman: dwr.com. Pedestal: westelm.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Bureau: centuryfurniture.com. Art by Bureau: Owners’ collection. Art above Bed: Amy Donaldson through  merrittgallery.com.

CHILD’S ROOM
Bed, Night Table & Hutch: newportcottages.com. Bedding: craneandcanopy.com. Chair: vintage. Chair Fabric: janechurchill.com. Table Lamp: westelm.com. Wallpaper: abnormalsanonymous.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com. Shade Fabric: larkfontaine.com; samuelandsons.com. Shade Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com.

NURSERY
Crib & Chair: Owners’ collection. Rug: romo.com. Shade Fabric: fschumacher.com; samuelandsons.com. Shade Fabrication: rockvilleinteriors.com. Wall Paint: Pale Smoke by benjaminmoore.com. Wallpaper: hyggeandwest.com. Shelf: newportcottages.com.

BASEMENT
Storage Unit: us.usm.com through m2l.com. Art: Amber Goldhammer through merrittgallery.com. Paint: Snowbound by sherwin-williams.com.

Starting a new chapter in life together spurred Timothy Price and Jerry Sealy to make over their Adams Morgan apartment. In 2016, Sealy sold his nearby loft and contemporary furnishings to move into the digs his now-husband had called home for more than two decades. The pair loved the conveniently located co-op building, a pre-War gem conceived by renowned DC architect Joseph Younger, and the character-filled bones of their completely renovated unit. Still, a change was in order.
“We wanted to make a space that was both of ours, that we each had input into, and elevate the design of the apartment at the same time,” reveals Price, a physician.

They found a style that resonated while touring the now-defunct DC Design House in 2016. To the couple, Josh Hildreth’s sumptuously layered library stood out. “It was a juxtaposition of colorful visual surprises in a traditional setting,” explains Sealy, a graphic designer. A year later, they were ready to launch their transformation and enlisted Hildreth, who in turn invited fellow designer Vivian Braunohler to assist.

Taking a “nonlinear” path, Hildreth began gathering special finds right away—before finalizing furniture plans. “I often describe my design process as soup-making,” he explains. “You go to the farmers’ market and you buy what’s good, even if you don’t know how you’re going to use it. You come upon something that wasn’t on the list but then it sort of organizes the whole meal.”

An early buying trip produced several too-good-to-pass-up pieces, including a deer-antler plant stand that, as the story goes, once graced Hearst Castle. It now sits in the couple’s dining room. “We didn’t have a sofa or a dining room table and chairs yet, so the plant stand was pretty esoteric,” Hildreth admits. “I sent Tim and Jerry pictures of things as I shopped and said, ‘Don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense now; focus on what’s appealing, because it’s those things that are going to get you to that feeling you described.’”

Throughout, the designers blended eras and styles with aplomb. The foyer’s collected vignette offers what Hildreth describes as “a good haiku” of their approach. It combines a 19th-century Chinese screen with a 300-year-old Flemish commode and a pair of vintage Brutalist lamps. As Vivian Braunohler points out, “There needs to be some sort of dynamic tension between objects in a pleasing way.”

A neutral backdrop, enhanced with decorative paint finishes in several spaces, showcases the curated trove as well as meaningful artwork. The clients’ shared love of photography is evident at every turn. For example, an arresting portrait by Danish photographer Trine Søndergaard punctuates a stippled, milk tea-toned wall in the living room. Artist Kyle Meyer wove strips of African textiles into a hand-shredded portrait to create the dining room’s mixed-media piece; his Interwoven series explores the challenges of homosexuality for men in Swaziland (now the Kingdom of Eswatini).

The design duo was careful to leave a little breathing room in their layered schemes. “We prioritized negative space around the varied collection,” explains Hildreth. “As much as we mixed things up, it never came at the cost of serenity and calm.”

Or livability, for that matter. Comfortable and practical new furnishings join the aged selections. Tailored upholstery, for instance, anchors the living room and spare-bedroom-turned-den. The couple’s bed and nightstands represent modern interpretations of 19th-century Aesthetic Movement designs.

The couple took refuge at their Delaware beach house for three weeks during minor construction work (a door leading directly from the den to the hall bathroom was closed off), painting and installation. They got their first look at the reimagined apartment during a big reveal orchestrated by the designers. “We walked through the door and were blown away by how beautiful it was and how reflected we were,” recounts Price. “It came together in ways that we could not have imagined.”

To thank their team, the pair hosted a dinner party. It was Josh Hildreth’s “greatest reward” to witness his clients in their element. “As a guest, I got to observe them living happily and comfortably together in the space,” he says. “Great design isn’t just beautiful—it also serves a purpose. It lifts up and celebrates living.”

Interior Design: Josh Hildreth, principal, Robert Cox, design director, Josh Hildreth Interiors, Washington, DC; Vivian Braunohler, Braunohler Design Associates, Washington, DC. Contractor: Ken Tarter, International Wall Designs, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

RESOURCES

LIVING AREA
Sofa: Lee Jofa through kravet.com. Sofa Fabric: pierrefrey.com. Small Table: vintage. Pillow Fabrics: vintage; janeshelton.com. Cocktail Table: Guiseppe Scapinelli. Skirted Chairs: billybaldwinstudio.com. Skirted Chair Fabric: pierrefrey.com. Chair Pillow Fabric: fschumacher.com. Pedestal Table: design by joshhildrethinteriors.com. Wooden Stool: vintage through jfchen.com. Cane-Backed Chair: quintushome.com. Corner Chest: vintage. Lamp on Chest: vintage through David Bell Antiques; 202-965-2355. Drapery Fabric: hollandandsherry.com. Roman Shade: conradshades.com. Drapery Fabrication: Pilchard Designs; 202-362-4395. Floor Lamp: vintage. Rug: Custom by dorisleslieblau.com. Sisal: starkcarpet.com. Shelf Units & Bench: Custom design by joshhildrethinteriors.com. Art above Bench: Trine Sondergaard. Screen: 19^th Century Chinese Paper Hand Printed Screen. Chest of Drawers: 18^th Century Flemish Commode through marstonluce.com. Wooden Chair: 18^th Century Swedish through dienstanddotter.com. Paint: Mahogany by farrow-ball.com. Lamp: vintage Harry Balmer. Silk Lamp Shades: jimthompsonfabrics.com.

DINING AREA
Rug: custom by dorisleslieblau.com. Chairs: quintushome.com. Chair Fabric: us.loropiana.com. Chandelier: jonathanburden.com. Sconces: ironwareinternational.com. Art between Sconces: Kyle Meyer. Drapery Fabric: lisafinetextiles.com. Drapery Fabrication: Pilchard Designs; 202-362-4395.

FAMILY ROOM
Drapery Fabric: jimthompsonfabrics.com. Drapery Fabrication: Pilchard Designs; 202-362-4395. Ottoman: ferrellmittman.com. Ottoman Fabric: mooreandgiles.com. Sofa: ohenryhouseltd.com. Sofa Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Sofa Pillow Fabric: lewisandwood.com. Chest by Sofa: antique. Art above Sofa: Elger Esser. Mirror: Owners’ collection. Table under Mirror: vintage. Armchair Fabric: Brunschwig & Fils through kravet.com. Wooden Pedestal table: us.julianchichester.com. Upholstered Chairs: arudin.com. Upholstered Chair Fabric: hollandandsherry.com. Console: vintage. Rug: starkcarpet.com.

BEDROOM
Bed: aestheticdecor.com. Bedding: peacockalley.com. Table Lamps: vintage. Art above Bed: Karl Blosfeldt. Chair & Drum Table: vintage. Window Seat Design: joshhildrethinteriors.com. Window Seat Fabric: brentanofabrics.com. Window Seat Pillow Fabrics: cec-milano.us; us.loropiana.com; Hodsoll & McKenzie. Wall Paint: Slipper Satin: farrow-ball.com. Roman Shade Fabric: rogersandgoffigon.com. Roman Shade Fabrication: Pilchard Designs; 202-362-4395. Bureau: owners’ collection; restored by greenconservation.com. Lamp on Bureau: marstonluce.com. Sconce: vintage. Bottom Rug: starkcarpet.com. Top Rug: antique through abchome.com.

Craving a cleaner aesthetic, homeowners enlisted Studio 360 and BOWA to rethink their kitchen and adjoining spaces. First, the team remedied a choppy layout, removing a wall between the kitchen and breakfast room to make way for a sitting area. “We opened up the whole thing so it would flow,” says BOWA founding principal Josh Baker. “It has a more informal feel now.” A steel column, adorned with antiqued-mirror tiles, resolves structural concerns.

An existing pantry and closet merged to create a kitchen annex. Enclosed by a steel-framed glass door, that storage space (far left) houses a wall oven, a built-in coffee system and a microwave drawer. A pass-through window in the lounge area (left) folds open to the back patio and eases outdoor entertaining.

Eric Lieberknecht Design contributed to the kitchen plan. Glossy white cabinets and marble surfaces brighten the space; mahogany millwork and a herringbone oak floor offer contrast.

Renovation Architecture: Sarah Armstrong, AIA, Studio 360, Clifton, Virginia. Renovation Contractor: BOWA, McLean, Virginia. Kitchen Design & Custom Cabinetry: Eric Lieberknecht, Eric Lieberknecht Design, Washington, DC.

After inheriting an oceanfront double lot in Bethany Beach, Delaware, the new owner soon concluded that the 1980s dwelling on site didn’t quite pass muster. In its place, she envisioned a relaxed retreat with ample space to host her big brood, which includes two college-age kids and a married son with a baby now on the way. “I was looking for a family gathering place and needed more bedrooms than that house had,” says the real estate developer and philanthropist. “I needed a place that would almost be like a camp. That’s why I decided to tear down and build from scratch.”

The Potomac resident tapped architect Anne Decker, interior designer Jodi Macklin and Cottage Construction to bring her vision to fruition. Decker’s plan maximizes the substantial site. It integrates a new 7,900-square-foot house, a 2,500-square-foot guest house/garage and a pool area with an existing studio-apartment structure that stayed put. Bedrooms are now in abundant supply: the three-level main abode boasts four on its top story and two on the above-ground lower level, while the new guest quarters offer a couple more.

In the main digs, the architect positioned the open living/dining area along the rear of the first floor. Three sets of French doors open to a wide deck; the dining space spills out to a screened porch thanks to NanaWall folding doors. “We were trying to capture the ocean views in the hang-out areas,” she explains. “That run-on sentence of glass addresses the view. We really wanted to create a strong connection to the water.”

A Delaware native, the owner spent many childhood summers near the shore—and developed a lasting soft spot for “simple, wood-shingled beach houses.” Lending a sense of nostalgia, red cedar shingles stained a mid-toned gray clad the exterior of her new escape. The twin-gable roof strikes a classic note, yet other architectural choices, such as the cable railings on the deck and dune crossover, lean slightly more contemporary.

“This house references traditional, Shingle-style homes, but we wanted to add a modern twist,” states Decker. “You can see it in the details, in the very clean lines. Everything is a little over-scaled—the ceilings are a little higher, the windows are a little taller —to pull the outside in.”

Bowing to the peerless panorama, Decker bathed the interior walls in Benjamin Moore’s White Dove and specified white oak for most floors. “It’s a light and airy, beach-like feel,” she observes. “With a neutral palette, your eye isn’t distracted and goes to the view outside. It was more about the textural quality of things.”

Myriad textures and materials converge in the kitchen, which flows off the dining area, forming an L shape. Placed diagonally from each other, two custom-designed pantries project what the architect describes as “a commercial vibe.” One showcases steel-framed glass doors; the other exhibits chalkboard-covered doors. The subway-tile backsplash and stainless-steel appliances and accents reinforce the restaurant-inspired aesthetic.

The design does more than look the part, however. “Food is a big thing for my family,” the homeowner reveals. “The kitchen had to be really functional around multiple people cooking at once.” Two large islands, featuring marble tops with waterfall edges, provide the requisite elbow room. Double sinks also come in handy.

Picking up the airy thread, Jodi Macklin created “comfortable, informal” interiors that not only honor the surroundings but family life as well. She framed the first floor’s glass expanses with operable white sheers. “It was important to keep the drapery light and not interrupt that gorgeous ocean view,” she explains. “We kept all the furniture light too.”

The owner’s trove of treasured heirlooms jumpstarted the furniture plans. “She wanted to include pieces that were really important to her,” the designer discloses. “We started working with everything she had and then added on from there. We repainted and reupholstered and brought a lot of the furniture back to life.”

Take, for example, the passed-down console that sits in the foyer; it previously bore a red-painted finish and now sports a dark one. An easy-to-clean, white fabric from Perennials gives the heirloom McGuire dining chairs a fresh look. Perennials fabric also covers the living room seating. “We always try to incorporate indoor-outdoor fabrics at the beach,” says Macklin. “These spaces are heavily trafficked; the family uses every inch of this house.”

The outdoor spaces see lots of action, too. The ground-level rec room flows onto a covered loggia, which steps down to the limestone deck and pool designed by landscape architect Lila Fendrick. Cloistered between the house and the original 1980s guest quarters, “the pool is really a magical spot,” she proclaims.

Newly installed plants relate to the seaside surroundings. For instance, Fendrick interspersed sea lavender and woolly beach heather among the existing grasses on the dune. “It’s a soft, feathery look,” she notes. “It’s low-key and meant to look very simple.”

The owner cherishes her summers at the shore, but also enjoys her new retreat year-round. “This is kind of the designated house for my family,” she reports. “We eat here together on Sundays and might have a table set for 20 or 30 on the deck, out by the ocean. This house is about sharing meals and sharing time together. It’s really conducive to that.”

Architecture: Anne Decker, AIA, principal; Jon Reinhard, AIA, project manager, Anne Decker Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Interior Design: Jodi Macklin, principal; Lauren Sparber, senior designer, Jodi Macklin Interior Design, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Builder: Cottage Construction, Bethany Beach, Delaware. Landscape Design: Lila Fendrick, ASLA, Lila Fendrick Landscape Architects, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Landscape Contractor: Michael Prokopchak, ASLA, Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, Maryland.

RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT
Exterior Paint: Chelsea Gray by benjaminmoore.com. Interior Paint: White Dove by benjaminmoore.com.
OUTDOOR
Chaises: gloster.com. Chairs: teakwarehouse.com. Pillows on Bench: serenaandlily.com. Rockers: Owners’ collection.
LIVING ROOM
French Doors: andersenwindows.com. Folding Doors: nanawall.com. Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Drapery Fabric: romo.com; villanova.co.uk. Drapery Fabrication: everettdesign.com. Chandelier & Wood-Armed Chairs: palecek.com. Wood-Armed Chairs Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Sofa: Owners’ collection. Sofa Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Pillow Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Coffee Table: Owners’ collection. Bar Cabinet: Custom by potomacvalleybuilders.com. Dining Table: Custom by oldtownwoodworking.com. Dining Chairs: vintage. Dining Chair Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com.
LANDING
Dining Chandelier: palecek.com. Drapery Fabric: romo.com; villanova.co.uk. Drapery Fabrication: everettdesign.com. Console: Owners’ collection. Drum Chandelier: bonesimple.com.
KITCHEN
Cabinetry: Custom by potomacvalleybuilders.com. Perimeter Cabinet Paint: Ammonite by farrow-ball.com. Island Base Paint: Off-Black by farrow-ball.com. Marble Countertops: unitedstatesmarbleandgranite.com. Island Pendants: alexallenstudio.com. Hood: Custom by annedeckerarchitects.com. Tile Backsplash: waterworks.com. Glass Pantry Cabinet: Custom by potomacvalleybuilders.com. Glass Pantry Fabrication: akmetalfab.com. Bar Stools: palecek.com.
DINING ROOM
Table: Custom by oldtownwoodworking.com. Chairs: vintage. Chair Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Console: salvationsaf.com. Chandelier: palecek.com. Cabinet Design: annedeckerarchitects.com.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
Bed: sonderliving.com. Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Chair & Chair Fabric: kravet.com. Bedding: matouk.com. Ottoman: kravet.com. Ottoman Fabric: mokumtextiles.com. Night Tables: lawsonfenning.com. Table Lamps: Owners’ collection. Cabinet Design: annedeckerarchitects.com.
PRIMARY BATHROOM
Vanities, Tub & Washbowl: duravit.us. Hardware: houseofrohl.com.