For years, a Maryland couple gathered inspiration for the abode they dreamed of building one day. From their outings to Potomac’s Glenstone museum and trips to the West Coast, certain themes started to emerge: open space, large windows, natural light and a strong connection to nature. In other words, the pair sought a total departure from the buttoned-up suburban manse they then called home. “Our vision was for the house to be calm and tranquil,” reveals the wife. “We are becoming more and more minimalistic as we age.”

Her husband, a real-estate investor who spends his free time creating artwork of all forms, certainly itched to shake up the status quo. “I’d always done primarily watercolors and a lot of very traditional, representational landscapes and portraits,” he shares. “I wanted, both in a house and in my art, to get outside my comfort zone, try new things and take a more modern direction.”

After inheriting a property in Bethesda’s Bradley Hills neighborhood from his parents, the couple assembled an expert team that included architect Mark Kaufman, landscape architect Joseph Richardson and Sandy Spring Builders to bring their dream to life. “They wanted something contemporary,” Kaufman relates, “with privacy from the street and a lot of transparency in the back.”

The artist’s need for a dedicated studio was factored in, but consideration of his creativity didn’t stop there. As Kaufman recounts, the husband “really wanted the house to be sculptural in its architecture, but also be a good backdrop for his art to be placed in strategic locations. He showed us certain pieces early on, and we needed to figure out a way to integrate them with the architecture and display them in their best light.”

An outmoded house on the half-acre-plus parcel was deconstructed to make way for a four-bedroom, 6,345-square-foot abode that would support everyday living and casual entertaining within a visually quiet, gallery-like setting. The team developed restrained material palettes, both inside and out, to keep the focus on artwork and the landscape. “The overall thesis was to use simple materials—stone, wood and concrete—but in an artful, aesthetic way,” explains the wife.

The sloping site, which falls from right to left, informed the home’s massing, organization and daylighting strategy. A limestone stair tower anchors the front elevation; white stucco-clad extensions branch off either side. To the left, a media room cantilevers over the dropping grade, exposing part of the basement and bringing sunlight into the gym and artist studio below; the primary suite sits atop and extends across the rear. To the tower’s right lies the charcoal-painted garage with three guest suites resting above. The great room and kitchen span the back of the house.

Continuity and cohesion became project bywords. For proof, look no further than the maple cladding that envelops the front corridor and continues into the stairwell. “The house is contemporary but still feels warm,” notes Kaufman. “All the natural wood makes it feel like home.”

The passageway culminates in a projecting window box, dubbed “the telephone booth” and intentionally designed to showcase a technicolor, wood-block sculpture crafted by the husband. At the other end of the hall, the opening to the media room visually frames another one of the owner’s masterpieces: an allegorical watercolor triptych. The meticulously detailed pocket doors blend in completely when closed.

Achieving such seamlessness, from the media room’s frameless corner windows to drywall reveal-bead detailing throughout, required precision. “Modern architecture like this really leaves no room for error,” states builder Tyler Abrams of Sandy Spring. “Everything has to align perfectly.”

The kitchen design underscores his point. It is a study in rift white oak, with all panels vertically grain-matched for a cohesive appearance. A fully paneled back wall conceals the refrigerator and freezer; it also incorporates hidden pocket doors, which open to reveal a coffee station and pantry, and provide access to utilitarian spaces. “I wanted a kitchen that didn’t look like a kitchen,” states the wife.

Opposite, a concrete-clad fireplace serves as a focal point in the great room. The wife, an interior-design aficionado, sourced the furniture and decorative lighting there and throughout. She established a clean look by mixing mid-century pieces, such as the dining area’s Knoll Saarinen Executive chairs, with sleek, fresh finds.

Stretches of glass wrap around the great room, ushering in natural light and expansive views. “The back of the house brings the outside in, which was important to us,” says the husband. Sliding doors open to a screened porch and the landscape beyond, where Joseph Richardson designed a multi-generational gathering and entertaining space. Visits from the couple’s three grown kids and grandchildren were top-of-mind.

His recreational design includes a pool, spa, firepit, bocce court and putting green with a tee box. “We started to think about fun spaces and activities that the family could do together,” relays Richardson. Plantings provide all-season interest and a sense of seclusion. “These clients were passionate about the landscape,” he adds.

In concert, the house and yard provide a cohesive experience. The husband remarks, “The team worked to pull it all together so that it’s seamless.”

Amanda Chando believes in the power of interior design to sway our mood and stir our emotions. “It’s really important that every day you’re surrounded by pieces, colors and textures that make you happy,” asserts the designer, who operates an Annapolis-based studio and showroom.

She and husband Ben Chando, a builder who recently hung out his own shingle, have embraced that brief in the Severna Park, Maryland, home they share with their three young daughters. But it’s been a gradual process.

Having successfully overhauled their previous residence just down the street, the couple was ready for a new challenge. They purchased their current dwelling in 2019 with the intent to renovate it and move on to the next project before long. They started by reconfiguring the layout of the two-story, 1965 home, making it more livable by today’s standards. “We gutted the whole house,” recounts Ben. “It was a traditional Colonial, very compartmentalized.”

The existing galley kitchen was particularly tight. Eliminating a guest bedroom and bath at the front of the house allowed it to expand into an L shape. Off the kitchen, a two-story addition brought the home’s total square footage to 4,900. On the main level, it houses an in-law/au pair suite and mudroom; a new primary suite sits above.

The duo made many early decisions with resale in mind. “We emphasized the building quality—the trim, the door selections, the flooring material, the bathroom tile,” explains Amanda. “I wanted someone to walk in and see that we really cared—and would then want to buy the home.” The reclaimed, white oak floor planks they installed throughout the house illustrate that point.

“We redid everything but kept the character of the original house,” Ben reveals. “When we did the addition, we wanted it to look like it had always been there.”

Only better. “The goal was not just to maintain the house’s character but also to bring in additional character,” adds Amanda. “That’s always been our thing for any project we work on together.”

In an unexpected plot twist, the family settled into the revamped spaces and decided to stay put indefinitely. For Amanda, that meant it was time to rethink some of their safer choices and bring in more personality. “The house was beautifully built but it was not fully designed and decorated,” she discloses. “It needed to reflect us. So now I’ve been adding the finishing touches that make it a home.”

In this second phase, creamy walls have been repainted or papered. The foyer, for example, was treated to a wildflower-printed grasscloth. An aged-pink paint color was the designer’s revised choice for the living room walls. As she explains, “I leaned into mood.”

The kitchen’s dramatically veined quartzite countertops and backsplash were installed during the initial redo. Recently, though, a taupe-colored subway tile went up on the walls. The designer-homeowner channeled an English countryside spirit in the mudroom, wrapping the walls in a poppy-motif paper and jazzing up the built-in cabinetry with deep-blue paint. “We’ve gone all in at this point,” she says, laughing.

A collected mix of eclectic furnishings and vintage artwork fills the spaces. Upholstery and accent fabrics provide vibrant pops. “I’m very influenced by English design,” Amanda reveals. “I absolutely love mixing colors, patterns and layers.”

The rejiggered and expanded second floor houses the three girls’ bedrooms, as well as the new primary suite. An upstairs laundry room was added during the renovation; in the tricked-out space, a hexagonal floor-tile design whimsically spells “WASH.”

Work on her own homes, as it turned out, sparked Amanda’s interest in interiors. After stints in fashion and sales, she launched her firm, Details and Design, in 2018. Clients often are drawn to her knack for crafting moodier moments. The husband and wife frequently collaborate on client projects and recently expanded their reach to Sarasota, Florida.

They enjoy sharing their now-five-bedroom abode with appreciative family and friends. The best feedback they’ve received? “A friend came in and said “It feels so homey in here,’” recounts Amanda. “There you go.”

Interior Design: Amanda Chando, Details and Design, Annapolis, Maryland, and Sarasota, Florida. Renovation Contractor: Benjamin Chando, Parker Wren, LLC, Severna Park, Maryland.

RESOURCES

LIVING ROOM

Paint: Dead Salmon & Jitney by farrow-ball.com. Jute Rug: momeni.com. Wooden Settee: wovenshop.com. Wooden Settee Fabric: schumacher.com. Beige Sofa & Sofa Fabric: leeindustries.com. Sofa Trim: temperleylondon.com; romo.com. Wooden Chest, Mirror, Small Stool & Desk: antique. Coffee Table: madegoods.com. Desk Chair: custom. Desk Chair Fabric: zakandfox.com. Roman Shades: theshadestore.com. Roman Shade Tape: schumacher.com.

FOYER

Wallpaper: papier.com. Entry Tile: msisurfaces.com. Console, Cupboard & Mirror: antique. Sconces: hueylightshop.com. Ceiling Fixtures: visualcomfort.com. Paint: Treron & Hopper Head by farrow-ball.com. Rug: stantoncarpet.com through annapoliscarpetandfloors.com. Trim: schumacher.com.

POWDER ROOM

Tile: tilebar.com. Light Fixture: hvlgroup.com. Mirror: antique. Sink: palmerindustries.com. Paint: Brinjal by farrow-ball.com. Plumbing Fixture: signaturehardware.net through walterworkshardware.com.

KITCHEN

Cabinets: medallioncabinetry.com. Countertop/Backsplash: marblemantelinc.com. Pendants: lostine.com. Sconces: hvlgroup.com. Center Table: antique. Stools: fourhands.com. Backsplash Tile: sonomatilemakers.com through architessa.com. Plumbing Fixtures: brizo.com through build.com. Ovens: Thermador.com. Hardware: lostine.com; dlvdesigns.com.

LAUNDRY

Tile: architessa.com. Washer & Dryer: electrolux.com through abwappliances.com. Wallpaper: scalamandre.com. Cabinets: medallioncabinetry.com. Curtain Fabric: Classic Cloth through wellstextiles.com. Sink: rejuvenation.com. Plumbing Fixtures: brizo.com through build.com.

MUDROOM

Flooring: cletile.com. Ceiling & Door Paint: Hay & Titmouse by farrow-ball.com. Wallpaper: coordonne.com. Millwork Design: D+D.

On a tree-lined street in Maryland’s idyllic Chevy Chase Village, a newly constructed residence sits comfortably among storied homes dating back to the early 1900s. It could easily be mistaken as one of the hamlet’s original architectural gems—and that was the goal, both inside and out.

The owners—she’s an attorney and he recently retired from a career in real estate—were searching for new digs to replace the nearby Colonial their family of four had outgrown. When a home that was deemed a “non-contributing resource” within the historic district came on the market, they seized the rare opportunity to tear down and build from scratch. The wife reveals, “We wanted a house that would fit in the neighborhood and look like it could have always been there.”

To define and execute their vision, they enlisted a collaborative team of experts, including designer-turned-friend Katy Anderson, architects Patrick Cooke and Suzie O’Brien, and builder Eric Zuckerman. “Their design brief was to find a way to bring a ‘new old house’ to the street,” relays Cooke. “We hit on the idea of looking to details from the American Shingle style as an influence.” An asymmetrical front elevation, meant to break down the mass a bit, became part and parcel of their plan. For the exterior, the team selected natural materials, including cedar shingles and a slate roof, that would age well.

Fitting a modern-day program into a footprint limited by the narrow, 7,500-square-foot lot—plus historic-district guidelines—took some effort. “From the very beginning, we wanted a house that was going to live like a house today,” says Cooke, citing a big entertaining kitchen that connects to the family room as one must-have. “We had to find a way to get that in a house that feels at scale with the rest of the neighborhood. We wanted to right-size all of the rooms for their function, and Katy really helped us with that.”

O’Brien adds, “We knew what the necessities were and so it was a question of how do we space-plan the house and maximize what we have.” The result is a six-bedroom, roughly 5,600-square-foot abode that fulfills the owners’ every wish.

The foyer opens on the left to a study, which flows into the dining room. The adjacent butler’s pantry connects to the kitchen, with a breakfast area behind it, plus a mudroom resting off to one side and a compact office off the other. The family room sits in the rear and accesses the backyard through a French door. The second floor houses the primary suite, the daughters’ two, equal-sized bedrooms, which share a bath, and a guest suite. The third floor comprises additional guest quarters earmarked for nieces who visit often, a library/home office and hall bath. The lower level boasts a recreation area, movie room, gym and mother-in-law/au pair suite.

Exquisite architectural details imbue the spaces with a sense of history. A delicate stair with a continuous rail serves as a focal point as guests enter the home. White oak paneling imparts visual warmth to the cozy study, which stands in for a living room. “Our main goal was to make this house look lived-in,” states Anderson. “The white oak gives the room that Old World feeling. We wanted it to be somewhat formal, but not fussy-formal.”

The designer wove a traditional-yet-not-stodgy aesthetic, as well as a cohesive palette of blues and greens, from space to space. Case in point: The boldly patterned, lotus-adorned wallpaper she selected for the dining room is a far cry from the saccharine floral wallpapers of yesteryear. The furnishings throughout are updated classics as well.

“This home is a fresh take on traditional, a fresh take on what a historic home could be today,” she notes. “It still has a lot of the features you’d find in an older house, but it doesn’t feel dated when you come in. I think it’s timeless.”

That classic approach carries into the kitchen, which pairs a large, white oak island with creamy painted cabinets, all covered in marble countertops. The island light fixtures are reinterpreted versions of time-honored tole lanterns, while the breakfast-area chandelier—with its cascading, hand-blown glass disks—leans modern.

Upstairs in the primary bedroom, Anderson established a spa-like atmosphere per the wife’s request. A blossom-motif rug served as her starting point for the soothing, dusty blue-and-gray scheme.

Meanwhile, the third-floor library conveys a nostalgic English sensibility, thanks to berries-and-leaves paper from Morris & Co. covering its walls and sloped ceiling. “Wrapping a room in wallpaper is my favorite thing,” declares Anderson. “There’s charm here.”

The owners relish the heritage feel of their newly completed abode, as well as its modern amenities. “We are such homebodies now,” avows the wife. “We’re just happy in the house and want to be here all the time.”

Architecture: Patrick Cooke, RA, NCARB, principal; Suzie O’Brien, RA, AIA, project architect, Thomson & Cooke Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Katy Anderson, Katy Anderson Interiors, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Builder: Eric Zuckerman, Zuckerman Builders, Bethesda, Maryland. Landscape Design: Kevin Campion, PLA, ASLA, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Contractor: McHale Landscape Design, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Styling: Kristi Hunter.

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“This house is a fresh take on what a historic home could be today.” —Katy Anderson

Craving more space to raise their young sons, Charlotte and Nick Ivancic traded a tight DC townhouse for a center-hall Colonial in the city’s Wesley Heights neighborhood ten years ago. The ’20s-era abode, set high on a leafy lot with a picturesque stream running below, came fully renovated, another big plus back then. Recently, though, the couple—she’s a healthcare lobbyist and he’s a renewable-energy lawyer—decided to upgrade function and style on the main floor. Having an interior designer in the family provided a leg up.

Nick’s sister, Rachael Rosenblum, who operates a Brooklyn-based design and furniture-restoration studio, understood the mission for an active household with three boisterous boys, now ages 16, 14 and 11, and a dog. The goal: Camouflage the chaos. “They wanted the interiors to reflect the energy they bring into the house,” she recounts. “You can just imagine the boys storming through. They wanted to emulate that with color and pattern but also transform the home to feel more sophisticated.”

The couple first tackled a short list of physical improvements on the 4,400-square-foot home. Having worked with architect Patrick Welsh on an earlier exterior revamp, they re-engaged him to design a screened porch off the living room.

They also tapped the team at Fajen & Brown to help select some finishes and execute several interior-architecture enhancements. Widening the arched room openings and encasing them in white oak added airiness and interest to the first-floor plan. The living room gained bespoke built-ins crafted to conceal the television.

The designer and the owners then began refining their exuberant, yet elevated vision. “They were looking for eclectic interior design,” Rosenblum reveals, “to have modern elegance sprinkled with unexpected notes.” It was a given from the get-go that vintage furnishings, reupholstered in expressive textiles, would figure prominently in the schemes.

“Rachael’s business focuses on exactly what we like—breathing new life into old pieces,” Nick shares.

In the long living room to the foyer’s right, four vintage swivel chairs form one seating area. They sport a vibrant, painterly print from Pierre Frey that spoke to Charlotte and ultimately inspired the space’s bold look. “I would live in a crayon box if I could,” the wife quips. Beyond that grouping, a new, bouclé-covered sofa faces two circa-1970 slipper chairs, recovered in a jacquard velvet based on Tibetan carpet motifs.

As Rosenblum says, “The clients’ passion for vintage finds helped create a layered, livable space that feels timeless and expresses their personal tastes.”

The dining room’s mid-century table and chairs tell a particularly meaningful story. Recently released from storage and refinished, the set once belonged to Nick’s great-grandparents. To turn the handed-down collection into a “super heirloom,” Rosenblum commissioned needlepoint seat cushions with an offbeat twist. The ombre, geometric design incorporates an eye—meant as a phonetic monogram for the initial letter “I” of the owners’ last name. The iris color on each cushion corresponds to a specific family member’s eye; the sixth chair bears a brown eye for Sunny, their golden retriever.

“My great-grandparents had Passover Seders on this set in the ’60s,” recounts Nick. “Now our kids do their homework and eat here. It’s very cool.”

Other spaces received practical and pretty enhancements, too. The foyer’s new curved, built-in bench combines mudroom-type storage drawers with a top cushion dressed in a chic French jacquard. In the kitchen, Rosenblum improved the existing breakfast-area banquette, removing its unforgiving beadboard back and installing cushions done in a lively print. “We wanted a space where you could hang out and have a glass of wine while someone is cooking,” says Charlotte.

The reimagined first floor now offers the livable luxury the couple was after. “We enjoy the space more now,” reports the wife.

“And that’s the main function of your house, right?” adds Nick. “You've got to enjoy it.”

Homebuyers typically fall into one of two camps. Some are searching for move-in-ready conditions, while others seek a fixer-upper they can mold to suit their own needs and tastes. A Bethesda couple, hunting for new digs for themselves and their then-seven-year-old twin daughters, belonged to the latter group.

They saw possibilities in a 1936 red-brick, side-hall Colonial nestled within the leafy enclave of Greenwich Forest, a mile away from where they were living. Short on space and devoid of present-day amenities, the outmoded dwelling was ripe for a redo. And, happily, its quarter-acre-plus lot offered room to grow. “From the beginning, we knew we’d completely gut the house and change the footprint,” shares the husband, an attorney.

“Buying this house was an opportunity to start fresh and create something just for our family,” adds the wife, a nonprofit director. They quickly assembled a team—which included architect Luke Olson, designer Anne Pulliam and Structure builders—to orchestrate a large-scale renovation and expansion.

Thanks to local historic-district regulations, the front façade remained substantially intact; the preservation board approved a sensitive refresh and three new dormer windows. Olson also got the green light for a two-story, nearly 4,000-square-foot addition with a screened-porch extension and a detached, one-car garage.

Inside, the overarching aims were to establish extra breathing room and to forge a more family-friendly environment. “The existing house wasn’t functional for modern living,” relays Olson. “We completely reworked its floor plan, top to bottom, provided a rear and right-side addition, and expanded the basement. The challenge was creating a cohesive plan that tied the new and old together.”

On the first floor, the living room remained to the right of the foyer, but everything else was fair game. Walls shifted and the stairs were relocated to improve flow and carve out space for a powder room. To the left of the entryway, the existing attached garage was converted to an office. The addition allowed the dining room to expand and introduced an enlarged kitchen/breakfast area, a family room, butler’s pantry and mudroom. The architect explains, “The plan ties into how people use their spaces and live now, versus the formality of the previous design.”

As the envelope took shape, Anne Pulliam and her clients fleshed out a vision for the interiors. “They wanted a transitional style, but something a little different,” recounts the designer. “That meant injecting unexpected colors and patterns, as well as some architectural moments.”

Pulliam brought in frequent collaborator Alexander Smith of Mortar & Thatch to conjure architectural details that would capture the spirit of the old yet veer slightly more modern. Case in point: the streamlined staircase that now connects all four levels. Other millwork and new flooring they selected in tandem provide a clean base for the next layers.

With healthy doses of blue and green, the color palette borrows from the scenery outside—and a particular Liberty floral-print fabric. “We love nature and Anne was sensitive to that,” reveals the husband. “She was really good about bringing in the outdoors, both in the colors and the overall aesthetic.” The wife concurs, adding, “We wanted the interior to feel peaceful and calm, but we also wanted it to be fun.”

The inspiration textile (which now encases four pillows adorning the family room’s green sofas) combined the couple’s favorite hues and served as a springboard. “We designed the whole house off that one fabric and wove a cohesive feel throughout,” discloses Pulliam. A deep-blue tone pulled from the flowery print cloaks the living room; a lively green shade repeats in the dining room’s drapery panels. Mulberry and mustard accents are a common thread.

Pulliam employed wallpaper to multiply organic interest and bring an element of the unexpected. Her woodsy choice for the foyer sets the tone, while the powder room’s surprising selection, which depicts dinosaurs roaming through a verdant habitat, ignites conversation. Clouds, marigolds and stars can be spotted on other wall coverings throughout the home.

Kitchen designer Amy Collins developed cabinetry plans for the kitchen, butler’s pantry and mudroom, while Pulliam added panache to each space. A blue-and-white, hand-painted backsplash tile stands out against the white-painted cabinets in the kitchen and spattered wallpaper jazzes up the butler’s pantry.

Pulliam started virtually from scratch as she layered in furnishings, blending comfortable upholstered pieces with vintage finds and playful lighting. “We talked about the functional and aesthetic goals for each space and got to be creative,” she offers. “Nothing is too precious in this home, and every room can be enjoyed.” Performance fabrics, forgiving leathers, wipeable vinyl and natural-fiber rugs all make appearances in the livable tableaux.

One of the couple’s must-haves was a spacious primary suite, which the upper level of the addition allowed. To create a “happy and cheery” oasis, Pulliam washed the walls and vaulted ceiling in white paint and added touches of color for continuity. The reconfigured and expanded second floor harbors three additional ensuite bedrooms.

During the overhaul, the existing attic became a magical hideout for the now-tweeners. The basement excavation made way for a rec room (with a kitchenette), wine closet, gym and guest quarters.

Is the now-five-bedroom, 6,600-square-foot abode—with its airy, well-appointed spaces—the family’s forever home? Both owners respond affirmatively. The husband enthuses, “We’re so happy with how everything turned out.”

Boathouses on the Chesapeake Bay are true treasures. Given environmental concerns, state law allows for the maintenance and reconstruction of existing structures but prohibits the building of new ones. The visionaries behind the following two boathouse resurrections share insights on the delicate dance of balancing
stewardship, history and function.

Miles River Refuge

The owners of a 250-acre farm bordering the Miles River in Maryland’s Talbot County tapped Bethesda-based Wiedemann Architects to replace a ramshackle boathouse on the family compound that serves as their primary residence. For design inspiration, founder Gregory Wiedemann looked to the past. “It was our desire to respect the vernacular traditions,” he reveals. “We wanted to recall the simple gable form of the original. We also wanted to honor the craft of earlier boathouses by utilizing a heavy timber structure, left exposed on the gable ends and within the boathouse itself.”

Securing the necessary federal, state and local approvals proved a bit challenging.

Wiedemann succeeded with a plan that worked with what was already there. “The existing boat shed, connecting dock and boathouse, were rebuilt over their original footprints,” he explains.

Materials were selected to stand the test of time and survive the harsh elements. White-painted, tongue-and-groove cedar siding clads the boathouse’s exterior; a terne-coated, stainless-steel roof crowns the structure. The dockside sports navy-blue barn doors, an element repeated on many of the estate’s agrarian structures. “The boathouse was designed and built to withstand future floods,” the architect discloses, “while maintaining a coherence with the material palette of the entire farm.”

Throughout the reconstruction process, the goal was to minimize impact on the tidal water and surrounding land. Wiedemann asserts, “Respect for the environment was paramount, as evidenced by the living shoreline and care with which the boathouse was built.”

The completed, 1,000-square-foot structure with a 15-by-38-foot berth accommodates a single vessel. Wiedemann’s advice to others fortunate enough to be planning a similar reconstruction: “Honor the traditions of Eastern Shore boathouses.”

St. Leonard Creek Revival

The owners of a sizable parcel situated on St. Leonard Creek in Maryland’s Calvert County enlisted Bethesda-based McInturff Architects to conjure a replacement for their crumbling shelter.

In his plan for a gable structure with exposed framing, architect Mark McInturff embraced convention along with a few updates. “Traditionally, boathouses are simple structures whose architecture comes from the visible carpentry of their making,” he explains. “We saw no reason to break from tradition here.”

Rather than leaving just one end open for a boat to enter, however, the architect added barn doors on the other end and both sides. “This is a much more open, convertible structure,” he notes. What’s more, a cupola brings in light from above and showcases the yellow-pine interior. “A boathouse can be gloomy and we didn’t want that,” McInturff reveals. “The cupola also lights up all the carpentry that went into the framing of the roof. If you do it carefully, as we did here, the framing can be beautiful.”

The exterior marries cedar shingles with fiber-cement board and batten, painted a dark-green hue. A copper roof offers staying power. “We wanted to use really long-lasting materials that would weather well,” states the architect. “I think this boathouse is evocative, inside and out. It looks like something that could’ve been built 100 years ago.”

McInturff suggests researching area boathouse regulations before starting any reconstruction project. In this case, the team’s due diligence clearly paid off. The thoughtful result is a 640-square-foot homage, built on the pilings of its predecessor. Outfitted with a motorized lift, it stores a center-console boat, which the owners enjoy taking out on weekends at their waterfront retreat.

On a sylvan property in Sparks Glencoe, Maryland, bordering woods create a verdant cocoon, while a neighbor’s cattle graze off to one side. Amid such surroundings, it’s easy to forget that the city of Baltimore is only a stone’s throw away. And that was the whole idea when designer Stephanie Bradshaw and her partner, builder Brett Bernard, chose the one-and-a-half-acre parcel as the site for the custom hilltop home they now share with their eight-year-old son, Dallas.

“We were living in Baltimore but really wanted more space and quiet,” reveals Bradshaw. “We wanted a place where Dallas would feel safe, where we could create memories with friends and family, and where we’d be very connected with nature.”

Indeed, nature served as a muse every step of the way as the pair conjured their new nest, starting with the architectural style. “‘Modern Mountain’ was the look we were going for,” the designer explains. “We wanted the house to be part of the landscape and to feel very grounded.” Fiber-cement siding painted dark gray went a long way; warm cedar accents reinforce the alpine aesthetic. Bernard, who now operates his construction company from the basement of the property, oversaw the building process.

When it came to the home’s function and flow, the couple envisioned designated spaces rather than open ones. They asked architect Chester Bartels to synthesize their ideas and develop a blueprint. (Then a managing principal of a Missouri firm, he has since relocated and launched Steam Collaborative LLC, with offices in Annapolis and Alexandria.)

The 7,000-square-foot house consists of three volumes that form a horseshoe in the back. The main living core is flanked by the primary-suite wing on one end and the garage, with Bradshaw’s design studio above, on the other. On the first floor, a hallway with a series of parading arches stretches across the rear of the house, connecting the foyer to the kitchen/breakfast nook, dining room, great room and primary suite. Upstairs, Dallas’ bedroom and a guest room share a Jack-and-Jill bath. A playroom joins Bernard’s office/workshop on the lower level.

Sizable stretches of glass throughout capture the natural splendor outside. In the great room, a custom wall of windows follows the 25-foot pitch of the ceiling and lends a conservatory feel. It intentionally centers on existing oak and cherry trees. In fact, this desired view dictated the precise building location. “We positioned the house exactly in this spot so we would get the line of these trees coming this way through the window,” explains Bradshaw, replicating the graceful arc of the branches with her arm.

Along the way, the owners sought both to preserve and improve their scenic surroundings. They collaborated with landscape architect Kevin Gaughan to develop a master plan and create a four-season garden that would lean heavily on native perennials and grasses. “The site is gorgeous, so the key was to let nature be nature,” explains Gaughan. “We wanted the plantings to feel wild, but at the same time to be curated. There was a lot of discussion about forms, textures and colors that spoke to Stephanie’s aesthetic.”

Inside, the designer also stayed true to her style. She kept the architectural details spare, eschewing crown moldings and window casings for a cleaner look. “My vibe is a little more California than Maryland,” she acknowledges.

Nature, once again, came into play as Bradshaw selected finishes and furnishings. “Everything I chose—every surface, shape, fabric and piece of art—is meant to enhance, not fight with, what’s happening outside,” she affirms. For instance, she notes, the kitchen’s textured backsplash mimics tree bark.

In her thoughtful schemes, she mixed new with vintage, modern with organic. “I wanted the house to feel designed, elevated and sophisticated but also very approachable,” she reveals. A rattan chandelier hangs over the breakfast area’s mid-century-style, white-laminate table from IKEA. The dining room’s Wishbone chairs surround a vintage table that made the move from Bradshaw’s previous office. That space’s French doors open onto a covered porch that extends the entertaining area for the couple who host regular soirées.

The designer often channels a sophisticated-yet-not-stuffy spirit for client projects as well. Celebrating nature is a frequent through line. “A lot of our work is about bringing the outside in,” she discloses. “We design usable spaces for families, where the parents can be grown-ups and entertain, but there’s nothing too precious that the kids can’t jump on.”

Bradshaw started her namesake firm in 2008. She originally focused on wedding and event planning, while completing interior design projects on the side. In 2019, the entrepreneur decided to pivot to full-service interiors. Today, another side of her business provides brand development to commercial clients.

No doubt, Bradshaw and Bernard made an incomparable team as they crafted their new abode. Mulling over a suitable moniker for it, they ultimately landed on Wild Pines. The name nods to evergreens that line the property and encapsulates the duo’s dreams for Dallas’ childhood home—and their own adult roost. “It suggests a sense of adventure,” notes the designer, “but also feels strong and sturdy.”

The completed home and garden realize those dreams, providing the calm and contentment the couple was after. “None of it is lost on me,” says Bradshaw. “I’m so grateful for all of it.”

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.