Something magical happens during the drive past fields of sunflowers and acres of verdant farmland toward Still Waters Farm, the name former owners gave this property nestled near the tranquil headwaters of Hunting Creek in Easton.
“We used to own a getaway in Utah,” recalls Tom Frank, who shares the 265-acre property and its historic house with his wife, Lois. “But as our four kids grew up and we approached retirement, we decided we wanted a more local family compound, with easy access to outdoor activities.” The Easton spread not only replaced their vacation home, but also their permanent abode in Glen Arm, Maryland, where Tom worked as a marketing executive for his family’s retail packaging business.
The core of the stately Easton house was built in the late 1890s in classic Federal style, with a center hall and perfect symmetry. A major renovation by prior owners in 1992 added expansive wings on the left and right of the original home. During the 2000s, the five-bedroom, 5,500-square-foot home sat largely empty—until the Franks showed up and fell in love with it. “It was really perfect for us,” Tom enthuses. “We wanted plenty of land for privacy. I grew up hunting and fishing on the Eastern Shore and Lois grew up on a farm in Virginia.”
With the master suite on the ground floor, the layout also was ideal for aging in place. The upper floor boasts four ensuite bedrooms for when their children visit. “We often go from two to 12 on the weekends,” recounts Frank. “The house is roomy enough to accommodate everyone, but also comfortable and cozy.” Even the rear and side rooms boast stunning water views.
Once the Franks purchased the property in 2015, they hired Cappa Builders and Kitchen Creations, both based in Easton, for renovations and updates. Though rotting wood porches on the front and back of the house were replaced with hardier brick and composite versions, the structure was otherwise in good condition. The biggest remodel opened up the space between the kitchen, family and dining rooms, allowing for better flow and an open plan. The completely overhauled kitchen now boasts a nautical vibe conveyed via a beamed shiplap ceiling and built-in, L-shaped banquette and pedestal table reminiscent of a yacht.
When it was time to furnish the renovated interiors, the Franks happened into Bountiful Home, a home-goods emporium in Easton. They were having trouble finding the right paint color for their kitchen and asked for advice. “Some of our best ‘accidental’ design clients come into the shop because they’ve heard about us and then realize we offer interior-design services,” says Jamie Merida, who owns Bountiful and spearheads Jamie Merida Interiors, the design arm of the business.
The discussion not only helped the Franks select a grass-cloth finish for the kitchen walls, but ultimately led them to tap Merida and colleague Carol Wheeler to help them fully furnish—and finish—their forever waterfront home on the Eastern Shore. “I’m in and out of a lot of houses, and right away both Carol and I found this to be a very gracious home; it just feels calm, peaceful and happy,” Merida relates. “The clients are unpretentious. They like to entertain and have their kids visit. They wanted it to be elegant and welcoming but not stuffy.”
The Franks described their vision for the overall design as Eastern Shore transitional. With this ideal in mind, the designers suggested a palette built on the butter-yellow of some existing walls, with the addition of blues and whites. New furnishings are strong and classic, many made of mahogany, to stand up to the historical provenance of the residence. “We helped the Franks find timeless, classic pieces to complement their historic home,” says Merida. He and Wheeler also wove family heirlooms into the mix, including settees in the living room that were inherited from Tom’s mother and refreshed with Greek-key trim.
“The dining room décor is very much in our signature Tidewater style,” says Merida of the elegant space grounded by an expandable, round mahogany dining table paired with carved-back, Empire-style chairs. Wheeler selected a sisal rug and transitional chandelier to keep things fresh. Botanical prints add another layer of interest.
The owners’ bath received a major overhaul. Originally comprised of two his-and-her bathrooms off the couple’s bedroom, it’s now one expansive room with deep-blue walls and a double vanity. The space overlooks fields of sunflowers.
“I like that this house is not just any waterfront home. It’s a gracious, 19th-century farmhouse that could be anywhere—including Kentucky, where I grew up,” Merida notes. “It just happens to be situated here beside the water, where it is so peaceful and calm.”
Interior Design: Jamie Merida, principal, Carol Wheeler, lead designer, Jamie Merida Interiors, Easton, Maryland. Renovation Contractor: Cappa Builders & Company, Easton, Maryland. Kitchen Design: Kitchen Creations, Easton, Maryland. Landscape Design: Pinehurst Landscape, Glen Arm, Maryland.
A five-acre estate in Virginia’s Hunt Country proved irresistible to its owner, a Georgetown University alumnus and private-equity investor. “The approach is magical—a long drive up a curving hill past mature landscaping and formal gardens. I bought it on the spur of a moment,” he reveals. Subsequently married, he and his wife now split their time between the five-bedroom, 5,795-square-foot residence in Upperville and a home in Miami.
Architect Errol Adels—whose illustrious portfolio includes the Finnish Embassy in DC—designed the home in the late 1990s for his own use. The tripartite, one-and-a-half-story abode is composed of three interconnected structural masses. “It’s an unusual home, without traditionally compartmentalized rooms,” the current owner observes. “We loved the house, but the palette was Tuscan-inspired, its finishes and materials were dated and it needed an infrastructure overhaul. We wanted to modernize the layout and create a contemporary aesthetic such as you might see in a boutique hotel in London or Paris—still classic, but lighter.”
After living in the house for a year, the residents hired Middleburg architect Timothy Clites in 2015 to embark on a major renovation. No stranger to the area and its relatively conservative design sensibility, Clites orchestrated what turned out to be a three-year gut job with Duhring Construction.
“Our intent was to create an updated, comfortable residence, with interiors that harken back to a great urban apartment in terms of rooms, materials, details, scale and aesthetic,” Clites says. “It’s a classical building on a refined rural site, so the vision ultimately was to elevate the experience of both indoors and outdoors via this subtle contrast.”
The project began with the makeover of a guest house on the property, which turned out to be fortuitous as it provided a proving ground for what the main house could be. “Our team became clear about the scale and quality of the moldings and baseboards,” Clites relates. “We redid the flooring, refined our palette and experimented with custom cabinetry.”
While the Palladian-style façade and structure of the main house remained intact, the existing ochre Italian stucco and beige detailing went off-white. “Painting the exterior one consistent color gave us the sophisticated look we were going for, allowing the architecture to shine,” Clites explains. “High-contrast, black-framed doors and windows are currently trendy, but they’ll be timeless here because the architecture is strong and classic enough to take it.”
Inside, the central volume contains a 30-by-30-foot salon encompassing living, dining and kitchen areas; symmetrical volumes on either side house book-matched master suites. Directly above the latter, two additional en-suite bedrooms are accessed via twin staircases located in the hyphens that connect the salon with each master suite. While the upstairs bedrooms formerly overlooked the master suites via open balconies, Clites closed them off for privacy, installing cloister-vaulted ceilings in each master suite instead.
He also replaced all the home’s windows and doors—including eight-foot-tall French doors in the salon, which have been expanded to 10 feet tall with transoms; they open onto a pea-gravel terrace overlooking formal gardens, a swimming pool and a guest house. Terracotta floors throughout were replaced with quarter-sawn oak salvaged from a 140-year-old local barn, stained matte gray and sealed to create a more polished look.
“The aim was to elevate the interiors,” says Clites of spaces that went from Provençal to Parisian. “The 10-foot French doors help achieve that, as does the chic gray paint palette.” Thirty-inch plaster crown cove molding, designed and hand-applied on site, also draws attention to the grandeur of the salon, which was conceived in quadrants. The dual seating areas boast a light palette while the kitchen and dining area flanking the front door add contrast with custom, dark-wood cabinetry and built-in bookshelves fabricated by Atelier Fonteneau. “We created a ‘box within a box,’” Clites relates, “whereby you leave the moodier, dark side and step into the rear quadrants, which are all about light and the view.”
Though the kitchen retained its original footprint, sleek cabinets topped by expanses of honed, high-contrast, dark-gray marble convey a sexy, sophisticated vibe. State-of-the-art appliances include a custom powder-coated metal hood that matches the LaCanche range.
Clites and colleague John Barr also helped furnish the home, tapping into the owners’ collection of art photography and vintage posters. The Deco vibe of the latter inspired pops of primary color in the neutral palette, while existing furniture, including some Mid-Century Modern pieces, served as a jumping-off point for sourcing additional acquisitions.
“Our inspiration was luxury, glamour and tailored lines,” Clites says. “There’s a lot of leather, velvet, marble and unlacquered brass, as well as custom pieces, such as the chest of drawers and his-and-her cupboards in the master bedroom.”
The owners are thrilled with the results. “This is a magnificent house for entertaining and we’ve hosted up to 200 both inside and outside on the terrace and lawn,” the husband says. “Tim helped us transform it into a brand-new, contemporary version of itself.”
Renovation Architecture & Interior Design: Timothy L. Clites, AIA, principal; John Barr, project manager, Clites Architects PC, Middleburg, Virginia. Builder: Duhring Construction, Marshall, Virginia. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
RESOURCES
GENERAL
Doors & Windows- jeld-wen.com. Hardware: rockymountainhardware.com. Fireplace: earthcore.co/fireplaces. Custom Mantle Design: clitesarchitects.com. Custom Mantle Fabrication: easystonecenter.com.
LIVING ROOM
Sconces: remains.com. Paint Colors: Ammonite (walls) and Strong White (Trim) by farrow-ball.com. Rugs: starkcarpet.com. Seating, on right: Sofa & Chair Fabric: fschumacher.com. Seating, on left: Sofa & Chairs: Dunbar collectdunbar.com. Sofa & Chair Fabric: fschumacher.com. Art Above Blue Sofa: francescojodice.com.
DINING ROOM
Millwork Design: clitesarchitects.com. Millwork Fabrication: atelierfonteneau.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Chairs: fionamcdonald.com. Chari Leather: crestleather.com. Gricio Carnico Honed Countertop: fairfaxmarble.com.
KITCHEN
Gricio Carnico Honed Countertop: fairfaxmarble.com. Millwork Design: clitesarchitects.com. Millwork Fabrication: atelierfonteneau.com. Custom Hood: rangecraft.com. Range: lacanche.com. Faucet: rh.com. Hardware: rockymountainhardware.com. Refrigerator: subzero-wolf.com. Steam Oven: vikingrange.com. Lights on Island: remains.com.
EXTERIOR
Paint: benjaminmoore.com. Pool Renovation: duhringconstruction.com. Outdoor Furniture: kingsleybate.com. Planters: williams-sonoma.com. Table Near Fireplace: clubcu.com. Outdoor Lighting: santabarbaralighting.com.
MASTER BEDROOM
Bed: meridianfurnitureusa.com. Table: fontanaarte.com. Millwork & Custom Bureau Design: clitesarchitects.com. Millwork & Custom Bureau Fabrication: atelierfonteneau.com. Rug: revivalrugs.com. Paint Colors: Metro Gray by benjaminmoore.com.
GUEST BEDROOM
Custom Moldings: clitesarchitects.com. Bed: meridianfurnitureusa.com. Paint Colors: Ammonite (walls) & Strong White (trim): farrow-ball.com.
GUEST BATH
Sink & Toilet: kohler.com. Mirror: rejuvenation.com. Sconce: urbanarchaeology.com. Skylight: velux.com.
CLUB HOUSE INTERIOR
Furniture through jdireland.com. Billiards Table Restoration: billiardsbybrandt.com. Light Fixture: olampia.com. Paint Color: Blackberry Punch by benjaminmoore.com. Wine Area Design: clitesarchitects.com. Wine Area Fabrication: atelierfonteneau.com. Bar Stools & Tables: hinescompany.com. Bar Stool Leather, Recovered- Haute Fabrics; 703-961-0400. Rug: galerieshabab.com. Window: weathershield.com. Art: Owners’ collection.
When a couple with two kids purchased a traditional Forest Hills residence in 2016, they assumed that everything in the home would have to change except its recently upgraded kitchen.
The owners, a consultant and a fitness professional, wanted to transform and enlarge the 7,600- square-foot, center-hall home built in 1991. Their goal was to take the outdated, red-brick abode in a transitional direction, introducing a contemporary vibe while still embracing its established Washington, DC, neighborhood. Their wish list included a pool house in the backyard, which overlooks Rock Creek Park.
To help them realize their dreams, the duo tapped architects Patrick Cooke and Neal Thomson, interior designer Martha Vicas, landscape architect Kevin Campion and the contractor ThinkMakeBuild. The project would redesign the façade, adding triple dormers to the roofline and replacing and realigning windows and doors. It would also gut the interiors and add 300 square feet to the footprint with a new laundry room and expanded home gym. Above all, the redo would amplify rear views of the landscape. “A connection to the new rear garden and pool house was first and foremost the driving factor for our work,” says Thomson. “That—and planning a house that could work for entertaining on a large scale while also being a family home.”
New landscaping extends an elegant welcome to the completed residence, with its original red brick painted a pale cream. “We wanted the front of the house to complement the context of the street; it’s not nearly as modern as the back,” explains Campion, who laid new bluestone pavers across the lawn leading up to the home’s front entry. “We specified hornbeams to define the garden’s edge and also screen the garage area. Boxwoods further shape the space and provide a clean edge to the front lawn.”
Inside the home, new white-oak flooring and clean-lined trim detail the foyer; the former boxy staircase was demolished and replaced by a graceful, curved one, allowing for clearer sight lines from the front to the back.
Formal living and dining rooms flank the entry hall. Vicas outfitted these spaces in spare, streamlined style. “The owners’ previous house was filled with more traditional furniture and carpets, but the artwork was modern,” she observes. “They definitely wanted to make this house a tad more contemporary, but without being cold.” The intimate living room, with a textured “tweed” wall covering and a tailored stone-and-steel fireplace, is anchored by a modern interpretation of a Chesterfield sofa upholstered in orange velvet. “The orange color makes it edgy, as does the bronze base,” the designer adds.
Across the way in the dining room, a sculptural light fixture made of hand-blown glass forms hung from individual filaments is a focal point. Vicas furnished the elegant room with an extra-long dining table that seats 12 for large gatherings. “The walls are also really special,” she comments. “With their four coats of lacquered-oil paint, I find it hard to resist touching them.”
The back of the main level encompasses the kitchen and family room. Though the kitchen was untouched, Vicas hung a whimsical, pretzel-like light fixture above the newly furnished eat-in area. The family room features an alcove ceiling with five halo light fixtures and a custom-designed, white-limestone fireplace sporting banded-bronze inlays. The effect is a stylish yet comfortable room where the family can gather to converse, play the piano or read.
Along the rear of the home, Thomson and Cooke replaced the paned windows with floor-to-ceiling ones, along with new sliding-glass doors, all facing the lush parkland. “We completely redesigned the large balcony outside the family room, adding a glass railing with unimpeded views to the backyard,” recounts Cooke of the space, which boasts an al fresco dining area.
The second floor houses three bedrooms (there are seven in total), including the reimagined master suite. Another alcove ceiling and an inset headboard wall define the owners’ bedroom, along with an abstract patterned carpet that Vicas designed. Thomson and Cooke also added a small balcony where the couple can enjoy coffee brewed in the master bathroom’s morning kitchen, which features a wet bar and built-in espresso machine. “We tiled the master bathroom walls in solid marble slabs and created a sense of being suspended above the park with floor-to-ceiling walls of glass around the vessel tub,” says Thomson.
The rear pool area was inspired by the verdant courtyard in New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Kevin Campion, along with colleagues Jordan Crabtree and Lacreisha Phillips, oversaw the transformation of the garden and its crisp hardscaping. “The negative-edge pool is dynamic and has several connected elements: a swimming pool, a hot tub, a paddling basin for the kids and a cold plunge spa,” he reveals.
The striking, 800-square-foot pool house is made of stone and steel; its indoor hearth is aligned with the swimming pool. “The pool house was designed to fold open to the terraced area with glass pocket doors,” says Cooke. The interior boasts two bar-height tables that can be moved outside if needed; they sit on either side of four armchairs and a concrete drum table.
Meanwhile, the backyard’s bluestone terrace matches the front’s bluestone pavers for continuity, and river birches grow in a steady line by the pool, creating a shade canopy that will improve with time. “A portion of the rear garden hangs on a fairly steep slope,” says Campion. “We call it the forest garden, where we employed a variety of native trees, shrubs and ground covers that will hopefully soon look like the richly planted woodland was never touched.”
Having remodeled a previous residence, the owners were savvy about the process and trusted the team to execute their dream home. Their wish list was met—and then some.
Architecture: Patrick Cooke, AIA; Neal Thomson, AIA, Thomson & Cooke Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Martha Vicas, M.S. Vicas Interiors, Washington, DC. Landscape Architecture: Kevin Campion, ASLA, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Renovation Contractor: ThinkMakeBuild, Washington, DC.
RESOURCES
Windows: loewen.com through thesanderscompany.com; and fleetwoodusa.com.
LIVING ROOM
Sofa & Chairs: hollyhunt.com. Fabrics: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Coffee Table: dmitriyco.com. Mirror over mantel: Owners’ collection. Wallcovering: phillipjeffries.com. Carpet: custom by juliedasherrugs.com. Limestone Fireplace mantel: chesneys.com. Drapery Fabric: pollackassociates.com. Drapery Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com. Fireplace screen: avrett.com.
DINING ROOM
Table: hollyhunt.com. Light: ochre.net. Lacquered Walls: carlospaintingllc.com. Chairs: davidedward.com. Chair Fabric: Kerry Joyce for hinescompany.com. Carpet: custom by juliedasherrugs.com. Drapery fabric: pierrefrey.com.
FAMILY ROOM
Sofa: Custom. Sofa Fabric: castelmaison.com. Carpet & Vintage Sculpture: Owners’ collection. Coffee Table & Curvy Chairs: hollyhunt.com. Chair Fabric: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Square Chairs: deccahome.com. Chair Fabric: pollackassociates.com. Light Fixtures: camerondesignhouse.com through illuminc.com.
MASTER BEDROOM
Bed: capertoncollection.com through hollyhunt.com. Sconces: hollyhunt.com. Mantel, Nightstands & Bench: Custom. Bench Fabric: Great Plains through hollyhunt.com. Carpet: custom by juliedasherrugs.com. Ceiling Fixture: urbanelectric.com. Chair and ottoman: dmitriyco.com. Side Table: arteriors.com.
MASTER BATH
Tub: waterworks.com. Domed Light: alliedmaker.com. Floor: marblesystems.com. Wall Covering: innovationsusa.com.
BREAKFAST NOOK
Drapery: blackeditions.com. Light: Foscarini through illuminc.com. Table: boffi.com. Chairs: davidedward.com.
FOYER
Carpet: starkcarpet.com. Bench: bernhardt.com.
DECK & POOL DECK
Table & Chairs: hollyhunt.com. Chaise Longues: Richard Schultz for knoll.com.
POOL HOUSE
Raised Tables: brownjordan.com. Stools: janusetcie.com. Four Chairs & Coffee Table: hollyhunt.com. Rug: rh.com.
When Jay Jenkins of Jenkins Baer Associates gets involved in a project, it inevitably grows branches and blooms. Such was the case when he was contacted in 2017 by the longtime owners of a Baltimore County estate.
“They originally reached out to me to remodel the kitchen; of course, this evolved into gutting the space,” Jenkins recalls. Before long, the existing floor plan had changed, with the new kitchen replacing the family room, and a new family room absorbing what had been a media room. “We went on to do an extensive addition, encompassing a home theater in the basement and a master suite above it,” says the designer, who ultimately ended up redecorating the entire house.
The 14,695-square-foot, French manor-style abode was originally designed for the family in 1993 by Jay Brown of Levin/Brown Architects. It presents symmetrically at the end of an allée of trees, opening onto a wide, bricked motor court. Its 11 landscaped acres overlook rolling fields.
Over the years, Brown spearheaded two renovations to the home as the family has grown (the couple now has four kids) and their needs have changed. The first addition resulted in more living space and created an outdoor area for summer entertaining. The most recent addition was a collaboration with Jenkins, who drew up plans that Brown refined and executed. “The challenge was to make the additions seamless, as if the resulting home had always been there,” says Brown. “The original house featured ivory brick and stucco, but by the time of the second addition, that brick was no longer available, so we custom-stained it to match.”
The foyer is central in the traditional floor plan, with rooms unfolding in flanking wings. The left wing contains the dining room and butler’s pantry while the right houses music and family rooms and the master suite. The kitchen is at the rear, facing the pool and gardens.
The entry sets a formal tone for the home, with such classic architectural elements as a sweeping, curved staircase and a two-story glass front door and window transom. However, Jenkins layered in elegant, transitional touches that truly reflect the sophisticated homeowners. “We added limestone floors laid diagonally with black-marble cabochons, a brass stair railing and an overscaled damask wall covering,” he recounts.
Equally striking is the armless, curved-back sofa that fits snugly along the staircase wall. A pen-and-ink drawing by Matisse effortlessly shares wall space with a large modern canvas. “It’s about mixing styles,” Jenkins notes. “The home’s neutral palette ties it together, though the neutrals flow into richer tones as you travel deeper into the house. The clients’ favorite color is blue and we used it in everyday areas like the kitchen and breakfast room.”
In the dining room, the table and chairs are among the few existing pieces the clients kept. Jenkins refreshed the chairs with gray-blue Pindler velvet; sitting atop an Oushak rug, the effect is timeless. The Paul Montgomery botanical wallpaper is a recent adornment, as is custom drapery combining trimmed curtain panels and ballooning Roman shades.
Just off the dining room, the butler’s pantry is a new space designed by Jenkins within the former kitchen’s footprint. Here, a black-and-white harlequin-patterned marble floor contrasts with moody, olive-green lacquered cabinets. Overhead, a contemporary fixture douses the room in shards of ambient light.
“The La Cornue range is a centerpiece,” says Jenkins of the blue-and-white kitchen, which feels more Provençal than formal. “We added white cabinets and dark-wood floors for sharp contrast, and there is a comfortable lounging area as well as an adjacent breakfast nook.”
The bold blue of the island travels through to the new family room in the form of a built-in bar bordering the short passageway. In the family room, Jenkins added warmth via a walnut fireplace mantel; a mix of styles and periods adds interest to the furniture, which includes a Venetian-style sofa upholstered in embroidered damask.
“The eclectic furnishings add to this room’s sense of comfort and ease,” Jenkins observes, “while modern artworks throughout strike a contemporary note.” A vestibule to the right of the fireplace leads to a spiral staircase that accesses the lower-level home theater; a vestibule to the left connects the wing containing the master suite.
Jenkins outfitted the master bedroom in traditional furnishings atop a custom carpet from Floors Etc.; opulent window treatments marry panels in a Schumacher botanical textile with Roman shades in plaid fabric by Robert Allen. Jenkins lacquered the barrel-vaulted ceiling to create a sheen that complements the luxe fabrics.
The master bathroom links the bedroom with expansive his-and-her closets featuring loads of customized storage. “We designed the luxurious bathroom to include differing, purposeful spaces,” Jenkins says. “Twin vanities with storage armoires are in one area, with a walk-in glass shower, soaking tub and WC in another.”
The refurbished home perfectly reflects its locale while adding its own fresh personality. “Baltimore County is generally traditional, but this house has a light, elegant feel,” Jenkins observes. “The interiors are deeply connected to its identity as an elegant manor house.”
Renovation Architecture: Jay Ira Brown, AIA, LEED AP, Levin/Brown Architects, Owings Mills, Maryland. Interior Design: Jay Jenkins, Jenkins Baer Associates, Baltimore, Maryland. Contractor: J. Paul Builders LLC, Pikesville, Maryland. Landscape Design: Bob Jackson Landscapes, Inc., Owings Mills, Maryland. Photo Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT
Home Automation: gramophone.com.
FOYER
Wallpaper: ole-and-son.com. Table: through jenkinsbaer.com. Curved Sofa: ibelloupholstery.com. Sofa Fabric: robertallendesign.com. Sofa Trim: samuelandsons.com. Modern Painting: merrittgallery.com.
DINING ROOM
Wallpaper: paulmontgomery.com. Chandelier: jones-lighting.com. Drapery Fabric: Kravet.com. Drapery Trim: houles.com. Drapery Fabrication: draperycontractors.com. Dining Table & Chairs: Owners’ collection. Chair Fabric: pindler.com. Rug: jdstaron.com. Faux Painting: valleycraftsmen.com.
BUTLER’S PANTRY
Cabinetry: lyndonheathcabinetry.com. Marble Countertops: Countertop Source: jeffresstone.com. Cabinet Paint: benjaminmoore.com. Flooring: floors-etc.com.
KITCHEN
Cabinetry: lyndonheathcabinetry.com. Cabinetry Paint Colors: benjaminmoore.com. Backsplash Tile: chesapeaketileandmarble.com. Stools: hickorychair.com. Stool Fabric: osborneandlittle.com. Flooring: wideplankflooring.com. Light Fixture: jones-lighting.com. Range & Hood: lacornueusa.com. Range Source: williams-sonoma.com.
BREAKFAST ROOM
Table: woodlandfurniture.com. Chairs: jonathancharlesfurniture.com. Chair Cushion Fabric: fschumacher.com. Drapery Fabric: Thom Filicia for vanguardfurniture.com. Drapery Fabrication: draperycontractors.com. Chandelier: jones-lighting.com.
KITCHEN SITTING ROOM
Chairs & Ottoman: hickorychair.com. Chair Fabric: leejofa.com. Ottoman Fabrics: fschumacher.com and hedesignconnection.us. Sisal: floors-etc.com. Table: centuryfurniture.com. Table Lamp: jones-lighting.com.
FAMILY ROOM
Sofa: alfonsomarina.com. Sofa Fabric: fschumacher.com and romo.com. Painting: Owners’ collection. Window Treatment Fabric: duralee.com. Window Treatment Trim: samuelandsons.com. Window Treatment Fabrication: draperycontractors.com. Metal Table, Wood Table & Pillow Fabrics: through jenkinsbaer.com. Floor Lamp: jones-lighting.com.
MUSIC ROOM
Rug: jdstaron.com. Window Treatment Fabric: robertallendesign.com and fabricut.com. Window Treatment Fabrication & Table Skirt: draperycontractors.com. Ottoman: jlambeth.com. Ottoman Fabric: rodolph.com. Chair: through jenkinsbaer.com. Paint: benjaminmoore.com. Faux Treatment: valleycraftsmen.com. Skirted Table Fabric: fabricut.com and stylelibrary.com/zoffany.
MASTER BEDROOM
Bed: alfonsomarina.com. Linens: Penny Green; 410-484-0996. Drapery Fabric: fschumacher.com. Drapery Trim: houles.com. Plaid Shade Fabric: robertallendesign.com. Drapery Fabrication: draperycontractors.com. Wing Chairs & Writing Desk: mrandmrshoward.sherrillfurniture.com. Wing Chair & Ottoman Fabric: robertallendesign.com. Lounge Chairs: hickorychair.com. Lounge Chair Fabric: cowtan.com. Ottoman: jlambeth.com. Ottoman Trim: samuelandsons.com. Rug: floors-etc.com. Nightstands: mitchellyanosky.com. Chandelier & Table Lamps: jones-lighting.com. Art: merrittgallery.com. Side Chair: through jenkinsbaer.com. Side Chair Fabric: grovesbros.com. Side Chair Cushion Fabric: robertallendesign.com.
MASTER BATH
Marble Flooring: chesapeaketileandmarble.com. Tub: vandabaths.com. Window Shade Fabric: robertallendesign.com. Window Shade Fabrication: draperycontractors.com. Vanities: lyndonheathcabinetry.com. Custom Mirror: Ad-Lin Enterprises: 410-893-0703. Chair: alfonsomarina.com. Paint Color: benjaminmoore.com. Wallpaper: osborneandlittle.com. Ceiling Fixtures: jones-lighting.com.
When remodeling their tiny 1923 bungalow turned out to be problematic, a love for its quaint Palisades neighborhood prompted a DC couple to raze the abode and build a brand-new one in its place. “We’ve lived here since 2009,” says the wife. “We wanted this to be our forever DC home as our kids grow older.”
The original house was poorly structured with setback issues. However, as architect Richard Leggin, who was tapped for the job, recalls, “it had a charming street presence. Creating a new home that enhanced that neighborly spirit was an essential part of our initial planning.”
The wife agrees. “We live in a neighborhood where everyone loves to be on their front porch, watching the kids and dogs play. This was an element from our old house that we absolutely had to have in the rebuild.”
Leggin collaborated with interior designer Lori Anderson Wier and builder Tony Paulos on the project, which broke ground in 2017. The family moved into their new residence in 2019.
The finished four-bedroom, 5,108-square-foot home spans three floors plus a finished basement and garage. It’s built in timeless, classic style on a narrow, steep lot with a welcoming front porch.
Varying rooflines break up the mass of the vertical house clad in traditional shiplap siding with shingled eaves. “The goal was to create a comfortable, ‘not-so-big’ family home, with meaningful spaces and beautiful details inside and out, and to make it a perfect fit in the neighborhood,” notes Leggin.
When interior designer Lori Anderson Wier was retained in early 2017, she brought six years of experience working for DC design luminary Darryl Carter to the table. “We asked Lori to do almost everything when it came to the interiors, from millwork choices to bed linens—she took the interior blueprints and ran with them,” says the wife. “She also acted as a central point of communication between the architect, builder and us.”
Wier felt an immediate kinship with the clients and their vision. “They had spent years considering the kind of house they wanted to live in and had collected a hefty pile of aesthetic references,” she explains. “Like me, they were drawn to spaces with an abundance of light, a graphic sensibility and a combination of modern and traditional forms.”
The intimate entry vestibule sets the tone for the home, with its double-hung windows, wood-paneled ceiling and encaustic cement-tile floors in a graphic, quilt pattern. “The main rooms flow sequentially into one another through a series of cased openings, with glass transoms in dark frames,” says Leggin of the open, front-to-back floor plan. “A central staircase connects the house vertically, with windows at each landing. And a skylight above fills the stairwell with natural light.”
The foyer leads into a dining room distinguished by walls paneled in a picture-frame style with molding layered atop vertical planks. Applied moldings on the ceiling create a linear pattern that sounds a contemporary note, while a cast-stone fireplace features a soapstone surround. “The idea was to impart a modern point of view shaped by architectural precedent,” Wier relates.
This focus is further evident in the back of the house, where a series of reclaimed beams, posts and braces creates spatial definition in the open-plan breakfast nook/kitchen/living area. A wood-burning fireplace provides a focal point, set into a hand-applied plaster wall with window seats on either side.
The kitchen—a collaborative effort with kitchen designer Amy Collins—centers on a deep-blue island with chamfered, furniture-style legs and a quartzite countertop in a leathered finish. “I favor a subdued palette that’s drawn from nature yet feels somewhat complicated and moody,” observes Wier. “Therefore, the window and transom frames read black, but they’re actually an inky blue-black, and the kitchen’s peripheral cabinets are a chameleon-like color that changes with the light from cloudy gray to pale mint.” Lighting throughout the home conveys a modern, sculptural quality—including the opal glass and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures above the island.
New furnishings, including the living-room sofa, blend easily with older pieces such as a vintage rug that’s laid atop a sisal in the same space. “Many of the newer pieces were custom-made by artisans,” Wier says. “I was looking for pieces that told a story. I wanted to see evidence of nature and the human hand.” For example, the Saarinen-inspired dining table in the breakfast area has a forged-steel base, while a hand-woven seat adds interest to a bleached-oak bench in the master bedroom. Natural-fiber textiles prevail, including leather, suede, linen, wool, hemp, cotton and sisal.
The master bathroom is a standout. “Inspired by the homeowners’ stay in a luxury Chicago hotel,” Leggin recounts, “it features frosted-glass-paneled doors for privacy on either side of the his-and-her vanity.” Wier mounted custom mirrors above each basin. Herringbone-patterned marble tile floors and bricked-marble half-walls with a stone-ledge detail add elegance.
White-oak floors unify the spaces—including the third floor, which contains what Leggin describes as “one of the house’s surprises”—a light and airy home office with sloped ceilings and views across the Potomac. It contains built-in perimeter workspaces for the whole family and a raised table for special projects.
The couple are happy with their custom home, which captures a fresh, timeless sensibility. “We consider ourselves a pretty typical DC-area family—two working parents and kids constantly on-the-go,” says the wife. “When we come home to our new house, we can relax and refuel because of its clean aesthetic, natural materials and great spaces.”
Architecture: Richard A. Leggin, AIA, Richard Leggin Architects, P.C., Cabin John, Maryland. Interior Design: Lori Anderson Wier, Anderson Wier Studio, Takoma Park, Maryland. Kitchen Design: Amy Collins LLC, Glen Echo, Maryland. Builder: Tony Paulos, The Block Builders Group, Bethesda, Maryland. Landscape Design: Wheat’s Landscape, Vienna, Virginia.
Sources
EXTERIOR
Exterior Front Door: simpsondoor.com. Exterior Paint: ppgpaints.com. Windows: windsorwindows.com.
FRONT PORCH
Lantern: urbanelectric.com. Swing: woodstudio.com. Stool: scenariohome.com. Pillow Fabric: Vintage.
FOYER
Flooring: cletile.com. Rug & Console: Vintage. Console: Vintage. Table Lamp: chairish.com.
DINING ROOM
Lighting: lumifer.us. Dining Table: usonahome.com. Dining Chairs: Vintage. Dining Chair Fabric: maharam.com. Dining Chair Backs: optimaleathers.com. Custom Bench: fernnyc.com. Artwork: juliewolfe.net through hemphillfinearts.com.
BUTLER’S PANTRY
Cabinets: wood-mode.com through Amy Collins LLC. Pendant: workstead.com. Faucet: waterworks.com. Hardware: houseofantiquehardware.com. Quartzite Countertop:
Countertop: ewmarble.com.
KITCHEN
Cabinets: wood-mode.com through Amy Collins LLC. Dining Table: Custom. Dining Table Top: pacamahandmade.com. Dining Chairs, Island Pendants & Stools: rejuvenation.com. Custom Bench: brianpersico.com. Pendant Over Table: alliedmaker.com. Sconces: ninoshea.com. Faucet: kohler.com. Hardware: houseofantiquehardware.com. Quartzite Countertop: ewmarble.com. Backsplash: fireclaytile.com.
LIVING ROOM
Armchair: Vintage. Armchair & Window Seat Cushion Fabric: fschumacher.com. Sisal: crateandbarrel.com. Area Rug & Pouf: Vintage. Custom Coffee Table: olivrstudio.com. Sofa & Wing Chair: rh.com. Floor Lamp: roomandboard.com. Side Table Next To Wing Chair: madfurnituredesign.com. Cabinet: Vintage.
MASTER BEDROOM
Custom Bed: greatwindsorchairs.com. Bedding: rh.com. Bedside Tables: faithfulroots.com. Bedside Lamps: oluce.com. Pendant: lawsonfenning.com. Bench: pegwoodworking.com. Wool Rug: stantoncarpet.com through floorson14.com. Armchair: anthropologie.com. Side Table: abersonexhibits.com.
MASTER BATHROOM
Pendants: rejuvenation.com. Custom Mirrors & Steel Partitions: wellbornwright.com. Faucets: waterworks.com. Area Rug: Vintage. Carrara Marble Tile: through thebuilderdepot.com. Upper Wall Tile: annsacks.com. Marble Countertop: Countertop, Source: ashomeinteriors.com.
The concept of home-as-sanctuary was important to Old Town Alexandria residents Jerry Penso and Andrew Heinle, whose soaring, 3,140-square-foot penthouse comprises two conjoined condominiums. Both doctors who hail from California, they sought lots of natural light and outdoor spaces, as well as scenic views. “We’d owned our original condo for five years before we purchased the neighboring one in 2016,” says Penso. “Soon after that, we hired Runningdog Architects to help us combine the two units in a way that felt like one home.”
Architects Eric Carle and Warren Wick were tasked with figuring out the nuts and bolts of a tricky redesign in the Brutalist-style concrete high-rise, built in 1976. They drew up plans, obtained necessary permits and devised a way to combine the two units into a single, breathtaking penthouse.
The clients’ wish list included a modern, open plan with public spaces oriented toward Potomac River views; they also requested a large kitchen and walk-in master-bedroom closet. “This was a complex remodel,” relates Carle, describing the demolition and merger of the couple’s original three-bedroom condo and the adjacent one-bedroom corner unit. “The building had no as-built drawings documenting the units, so we had to manipulate the design when plumbing, electrical and structural elements could not be moved.”
The dramatic finished space features an open dining room, lounge and entertaining area lining the river-view wall. At one end, the kitchen accesses the dining room; on the other, a wet bar (once the smaller condo’s kitchen) serves the entertaining area. “A circulation spine connects the kitchen at one end to the wet bar at the other,” Carle explains of the hallway that separates public and private domains. From this hallway, corridors lead to a study, a guest suite and the master suite, where one entire bedroom was converted into a spacious dressing room. By combining the units’ two balconies, the project also created a 1,370-square-foot wraparound deck with 270-degree views of DC, Maryland and Virginia.
The owners decided to install new storefront windows throughout. “They not only reduce the visual clutter of the old windows and dramatically enhance the views—which flow from the MGM National Harbor to downtown DC—but they are also energy-efficient and sound-proof,” Carle points out. Ethereal, pooling floor-to-ceiling linen curtains bring warmth and softness to the expanses of glass.
Before construction began in 2017, architectural and interior designer Katie Otis joined the team to collaborate on the plans and help select everything from materials and finishes to furniture and lighting. To prevent the open public area from feeling like a hotel lobby with its 14-foot ceilings and rectangular form, the homeowners requested a degree of spatial definition based on function. “We discussed how to break up the space into dining, living and entertainment areas via furniture layout, lighting choices and special features,” Otis notes. “For example, there was already a dropped ceiling above the living area that cleverly concealed ductwork. I had it clad in white-washed wood to further define the area and create an interesting feature.” Otis also added a hot-rolled-steel fireplace to anchor the main living space. And a striking satin-brass chandelier by Pelle brings definition to the entertainment area.
Floor selections made in collaboration with the homeowners include engineered European white-oak flooring in nine-inch-wide planks. Meanwhile, all the baseboards and moldings were kept clean and minimalist.
While the breakfast bar on one side of the open kitchen has caned bar stools for casual meals, the dining area easily seats a crowd. Otis tapped Tennessee craftsman Caleb Woodard to design and build the oval-topped wooden dining table, with its sculptural organic-form base; he also built the kitchen and wet bar cabinetry to Otis’ specifications.
The kitchen features bleached-ash cabinets with integrated pulls. The warmth of the wood is countered by the cool gray-marble backsplash, countertops and hood; the walnut wet bar is embellished with the same marble.
Otis employed a neutral palette tending toward clean white with touches of green, gray and blue throughout. “We didn’t want to compete with the scenic views or art collection, but rather complement them,” she explains. Working closely with Penso and Heinle, the designer pulled what she calls “a refined and fresh take on Mid-Century Modern” with her furniture choices, which are mainly Scandinavian and include iconic pieces like Hans Wegner’s Ox Chair and dining chairs by Finn Juhl. More recent creations, such as the Isla coffee table from New York-based Egg Collective and a sofa by René Holten for Artifort, are also part of the mix. Upholstery throughout—whether bouclé, leather or velvet—has tactile, textural appeal, also harkening back to mid-century style.
The entertainment area showcases a 10-foot shuffleboard table custom-made by California artisan Sean Woolsey. “It had to be craned up by people working on the exterior of the building because it was too big to fit in the elevator,” Otis recalls.
Otis designed brass swivel doors with reeded glass to lend separation and intimacy to the master bedroom, which is a picture of serenity. Phillips Jeffries wall covering, along with floor-to-ceiling Holly Hunt drapery and a hand-woven rug from Timothy Paul, enhance the vibe.
The homeowners, who moved into their completed, three-bedroom penthouse in 2018, are thrilled with the results. “We’re lucky to have a comfortable, relaxing place to come home to every night,” says Penso. “We cook, listen to music, hang out on the balconies. And we can also easily entertain both small and large gatherings. It really meets all our needs.”
Renovation Architecture: Eric R. Carle, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP; Warren A. Wick, AIA, NCARB, Runningdog Architects, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Interior Design: Katie Otis, Katie Otis Design, LLC, Arlington, Virginia. Contractor: Clay Teagle, The Russell Gage Corporation, Alexandria, Virginia.
RESOURCES
GENERAL
Draperies: hollyhunt.com. Drapery Installation: rockvilleinteriors.com. Flooring: essexandco.com. Door Hardware: classic-brass.com.
KITCHEN/DINING AREA
Cabinetry & Dining Table: calebwoodardfurniture.com. Countertop: daltile.com. Marble Backsplash: stonesource.com. Sink, Faucet: Julien.ca, calfaucets.com through weaverhardware.com. Appliances: boschhome.com, subzero-wolf.com, mieleusa.com, vikingrange.com, gaggenau.com through abwappliances.com. Island Pendants: rollandhill.com. Counter Stools: cb2.com. Dining Chairs: furniturefromscandinavia.com. Chandelier: pelledesigns.com.
LIVING AREA
Fireplace: ecosmartfire.com. Hearth: stonesource.com. Fireplace Surround: metalspecialties.biz. Built-Ins & Hardware: calebwoodardfurniture.com. Dropped Ceiling: essexcoatings.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Coffee Table: eggcollective.com. Sectional, Sofa, Side Table, Ottoman: m2l.com. Side Table: goodcolony.com. Ox Chair: furniturefromscandinavia.com. Side Table: apartmentzero.com.
ENTERTAINMENT AREA/WET BAR
Wet Bar Cabinetry: calebwoodardfurniture.com. Countertop: daltile.com. Marble Countertop & Backsplash: stonesource.com. Sink, Faucets: Julien.ca, calfaucets.com through weaverhardware.com. Wine Fridge: subzero-wolf.com through abwappliances.com. Pendant over Countertop: rollandhill.com. Game Table & Chairs: furniturefromscandinavia.com. Chandelier over Game Table: pelledesigns.com. Shuffle Board: seanwoolsey.com. Rug: timothypaulcarpets.com.
POWDER ROOM
Vanity, Sink & Fixtures: weaverhardware.com. Stone Backsplash Behind Sink: stonesource.com. Tile Accent Wall: annsacks.com.
MASTER BEDROOM
Brass Partition: wellbornwright.com. Bedstead: tyfinefurniture.com. Nightstands: lawsonfenning.com. Reading Lights: workstead.com. Rug & Bedding: timothypaulcarpets.com. Chair: m2l.com. Occasional Table: westelm.com. Wallpaper: pillipjeffries.com through hollyhunt.com.
MASTER BATH
Floor, Wall & Shower Tile: architecturalceramics.com. Vanity: thefurnitureguild.com. Vanity Counter: stonesource.com. Arched Mirror: bower-studios.com. Sconces: apparatusstudio.com. Runner: timothypaulcarpets.com.
MASTER CLOSET
Closet System: Senzafine by poliformdc.com.
Robin Hood may be AWOL, but the Annapolis community of Sherwood Forest has been quietly prospering since it was first founded as a summer camp in 1915. Hilly and deeply wooded, the gated enclave sits on 470 acres of leafy peninsula, overlooking Round Bay and the Severn River and boasting idyllic summertime cottages and communal waterfront living.
Chevy Chase architect and designer Sarah Hayes was first introduced to the sleepy community through her husband, Burke, whose family has a long history in the place. “My mother-in-law’s family has been coming here for generations,” Hayes says. “She’s had a cottage since 1990 where her three kids, their spouses and the grandkids—there are 11—have summered every year.”
By 2016, Hayes and her husband and their four kids had begun to feel that they’d outgrown this shared vacation home. So they purchased a cottage nearby for its wooded hillside lot and easy walking distance to the “family cottage”—even though its foundation was beyond salvaging.
“We lived there a whole summer before tearing it down and rebuilding. I spent a lot of time thinking about how best to utilize the lot,” recalls Hayes, who was often spotted that year climbing the roof and feeling the breezes.
Building the new getaway commenced in 2017. For Hayes, the project presented an opportunity not only to design an ideal summer cottage for her own brood, but also to showcase her skills as an architect and designer. “It was very important to us that the home adhere to Sherwood Forest’s traditions, with a cottage-style exterior scaled appropriately to the street,” she notes. “The dark-green façade, which blends into the wooded environment, is also in keeping with the community’s code.”
The four-bedroom, 3,300-square-foot abode was completed in 2018. It features front and back porches that extend the width of the home; X-detailing—incorporated into porch railings, the staircase and the trim on the kitchen island—was borrowed from the Sherwood Forest Clubhouse, which is embellished with a similar motif. An attached shed stores a golf cart (the preferred mode of transport in these parts) and water-sports paraphernalia.
“I’m from Oregon, so there’s an element of West Coast meets East Coast, as well as a coastal, nautical theme,” Hayes remarks on the home’s overall design. For example, the wood-burning fireplace, with its river-rock surround and white-oak mantel, conveys a laid-back, organic Pacific Northwest feel, while the shiplap siding on the mudroom and stairwell walls is pure Annapolis. White oak crops up in the wide-plank flooring as well as in trim details throughout.
Interiors reflect the owners’ lifestyle. “When we’re here it’s about rest and relaxation, time spent with family and friends, a sense of community and togetherness,” Hayes reflects. An open floor plan on the main level contributes to this feeling; painted ceiling beams define the kitchen, dining, and living areas, as do sets of sliding French doors that open onto the screened back porch.
“Indoor-outdoor connectivity is a priority,” the architect notes. “Our large dining table and chairs are teak, so they can be used outside for large gatherings during the season.”
The lower level is the kids’ domain, with a hangout/playroom and direct access to the outdoor shower. The couple’s four children share two bedrooms—one with bunks and one with twin beds—connected by a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. “It’s dormitory-style here. I wanted the siblings to be fully engaged with each other, not isolated,” says Hayes who also incorporated a lower-level en suite guest room that can be sealed off for privacy. As one child was suffering from eczema so she used to treat eczema using organic remedies.
By contrast, the home’s upper level, which houses the master suite, is about sanctuary and calm. “This is where Burke and I go to decompress and get away from the hustle-bustle,” Hayes says. “I vaulted the ceiling for an airy feel and painted the walls blue, my favorite color.” The open landing contains an art studio for Hayes, who paints as a hobby.
In fact, the home’s palette is mostly blues and neutrals like white, gray and sand. While the colors are livelier on the kids’ lower level—denim blues, reds and greens—they grow softer and quieter as steps are mounted.
Hayes took subtle design cues from the home’s estuary habitat. “My inspiration was clean, crisp lines, uncluttered spaces with coastal flavor and occasional nautical touches—like the chrome pendants over the kitchen island, which were repurposed from an old ship,” she says. Cool-to-the-touch linen and cotton upholstery mixes with teak, painted wood and textured materials such as sisal, rope and seagrass.
From the Adirondack chairs on the front porch to the custom window seats flanking the fireplace, the home offers plenty of perches where friends and family can rest and relax. While the family is in residence, you never know when someone will drop in.
Architecture & Interior Design: Sarah Hayes, Sarah A. Hayes Architecture & Design, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Builder: Greg Lauer Custom Builders, LLC, Edgewater, Maryland.
There’s something plucky about a parakeet. When DC interior designer Colman Riddell chose to lacquer the front door of her Georgetown row house in Duron’s Parakeet green, she was definitely looking to have some fun.
“I tend toward a quieter, neutral palette, so it was a bit of a departure for me,” she says of the bold choice. “But the unexpected color makes me happy every time I see it. The number of cards and calls I’ve received from strangers requesting this paint color would not be believed!”
Riddell has shared this four-bedroom, 2,800-square-foot row house with her husband, Richard, a wine importer and former travel photographer, and their teenage son and daughter since 2015. They were lured to the 1916 home near Montrose Park and the Oak Hill Cemetery by its dark-stained hardwood floors, high ceilings and updated galley kitchen. But to Riddell, even greater appeal lay in the opportunity to re-envision and remake the home’s layout and interiors. “As a designer,” she says, “I find that my home is always a laboratory for experimenting.”
Riddell transformed the residence to reflect her family’s lifestyle and celebrate the many years she and her husband spent living abroad. “I wanted a light-filled, comfortable family home full of mementos of our adventures and travels,” she reflects. “We’ve lived and journeyed all over the world and the things we have are important to us because of the memories they evoke. Istanbul, Beijing, Marrakech, Hong Kong and Tunis are just some of the cities represented in our home,” says Riddell.
Richly textured furnishings and objects, on display against an unfussy, neutral backdrop, enliven every room. Case in point: the antique Chinese console table and distress-painted wood chandelier from Visual Comfort that set the tone in the foyer, where Riddell decided to go bold on the walls. “For the entry, I fell in love with a graphic Porter Teleo wallpaper, but wasn’t thrilled with its smaller scale in the space,” the designer explains. “I wanted something larger, more graphic, with a 1980s Keith Haring graffiti-art vibe.” So she hired decorative painter Deborah Weir to reimagine the wallpaper’s printed pattern in thick, large-scale brushstrokes—deep black on a crisp-white background. “Again, it was a big departure for me, but I love the result,” Riddell says. The geometric-patterned wool rug and runner that she selected for the entry and staircase repeat the high-contrast palette.
In terms of space planning, one of Riddell’s first moves was to dispense with the home’s dining room and integrate it with the front living room to create a double parlor. “We didn’t need a formal dining room; we don’t live like that,” she explains. “So I converted it into an additional living area where we can spend time as a family. I’d say the front living room is more for visiting with friends, while we use the back one for hanging out together, doing projects or watching TV.” As in many Georgetown homes, a fireplace separates the two spaces.
Both parlors are similarly furnished for aesthetics and flow, with comfortable velvet-upholstered sofas and occasional armchairs, cocktail and side tables—and, above all, treasures from many of the places the family has visited over the years. The palette is earthy and neutral, and texture is king.
“In any given home, I prefer traditional-style furnishings that can be accessorized in many ways in order to direct a final, very personal, feeling,” says Riddell. “I always love interesting antiques that add patina, texture and history to a space, that tell the story of the home and its inhabitants. Nowhere is this truer than in my own home.”
For example, the slant-top walnut writing desk in the back parlor, used for both correspondence and work, was one of the couple’s first purchases, made at the Oatlands antiques show near Leesburg more than 20 years ago. And the room’s wall décor includes an antique Chinese straw hat and Thai rice-cooling trays acquired during repeat visits to the Far East.
One of Riddell’s favorite spots is the kitchen’s dining area. It is simply furnished with a built-in banquette, a narrow, custom-fit table and a pair of antique Chinese chairs. Above hangs a deeply textured and sculptural metal-and-wood chandelier finished in chalky white. “To make a neutral home successful, it’s all about the mix of textures,” says Riddell. “I blend velvets, linens and antique textiles with a variety of materials, including wood, stone and metal. But perhaps most importantly, it’s about the presence of patina.”
Throughout her home, Riddell accentuates patina in weathered, aged and painted wood; in dark bronze, tarnished silver and antiqued brass; and in statuary or fossils. But in the end, it’s always the story behind the pieces that she cherishes the most.
“The Ottoman textile above our bed is from Istanbul,” she says, pointing out the piece that hangs between two double-gilt mirrors mounted behind lamps with black shades. “I pulled its palette of cream, black and gold into the room. But mostly,” she adds, “it makes me happy to remember sipping tea with the shopkeeper and my family while negotiating its price on a hot summer afternoon.”
Interior Design: Colman Riddell, Colman Riddell Interiors, Washington, DC. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
ENTRY
Chandelier: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Console Table: Antique from China. Lamps: Custom by colmanriddell.com. Rug: georgetowncarpet.com. Wall Design: colmanriddell.com. Wall Treatment: deborahweir.net.
FRONT PARLOR
Lamp: Arteriors.com. Round Side Table: Antique gate-leg. Coffee Table: americaneyedc.net. Club Chair: tcsdesignsfurniture.com. Sofa: bernhardt.com. Spindle Chair: hickorywhite.com. Sisal Rug: georgetowncarpet.com. Ceiling Lantern: lillianaugust.com. Pillar: Antique from Thailand. Bone Prints: Gendron Jensen. Chair: jfchen.com through michaelclearyllc.com. Mirror: madegoods.com. Art: sunnygoode.com. Table: rh.com.
BACK PARLOR
Sofa: duralee.com. Concrete Round Table: elegantearth.com. Table Lamp: blissstudio.com. Coffee Table & Mirrors: rh.com. Skull Prints: Antique through ebay.com. Desk: Antique. Chair: lorts.com. Lamp: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Side Chair: barrydixon.com. Gray Side Chair: mcalpinehouse.com through leeindustries.com.
BREAKFAST NOOK
Table: Custom. Chairs: Antique from China. Chandelier: Arteriors.com. Banquette Cushion & Roman Shades: pindler.com. Shade Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com
MASTER BEDROOM
Bedside Chests: wisteria.com. Lamps: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Headboard Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com. Mirrors: mirrorimagehome.com. Bedding: legacylinens.com. Hanging over Bed: Turkish textile from Istanbul.
Sometimes hitting refresh is the best way to go. This Wesley Heights house had the right Northwest DC address as well as a surprising pedigree: George and Barbara Bush called it home during the early 1980s. However, it desperately needed an overhaul. After living in the home for nearly 20 years, owners Kelly and John Formant, principals of a real-estate brokerage and investment firm, were ready to embark on an extensive, yet respectful, renovation. “We raised our children here and have many memories,” says Kelly, “so it was very important to us to retain as much of the original house as possible.”
The couple enlisted a team that included GTM Architects, Pamela Harvey Interiors and Sandy Spring Builders to transform the 2,500-square-foot, three-bedroom abode into a fresh-faced, 5,000-square-foot jewel complete with five bedrooms and a finished attic and basement—all while keeping its 1924 roots intact.
“The Formants tasked us with improving and opening up the center-hall house without tearing it down,” says GTM project architect Tamara Gorodetzky. “Our philosophy is to design additions that make for seamless transitions between new and old.”
Interior spaces in the once-compartmentalized main level now relate to each other via arched openings, while the great-room addition extends the rear with a new master suite above it. Relocating the center staircase to one side created unimpeded views from the foyer to the backyard. New glass windows and doors were also integrated during the process.
“The flow changed completely,” Gorodetzky notes. “While the original house was tight and dark, the new one is well-lit, with tall ceilings and generous halls that draw you in.” Elaborate white-painted woodwork, favored by the owners, crops up in wainscoting, paneling and built-ins throughout.
Interior designer Pamela Harvey helped select materials and finishes and also furnished the home. For her, getting the entry right was the first important step in setting the tone and defining the design direction. “The homeowner would say, ‘I want to be wowed,’ so I designed the foyer to be elegant yet quaint, with the ‘wow factor’ being walls lacquered in a perfect icy blue offset by white wainscoting,” recounts Harvey. “That icy blue and crisp white became our palette for the house.”
The foyer now flows into a small, formal living room with a fireplace and bay window. Harvey used lighting to enhance the room’s symmetry, placing Circa Lighting sconces on either side of the fireplace mantel; matching table lamps flank the sofa in front of the bay window. “I never like to over-furnish, especially a smaller room,” she observes. “With benches and ottomans, a space can accommodate guests without visually compromising the aesthetic.”
Furnishings characterized by clean, classical lines are upholstered in practical white or blue performance fabrics. Skirted host chairs ground the narrow yet open dining room, where leopard-print wallpaper in ice-blue covers the backs of built-in cabinets. The same hue also crops up in a Roman shade finished with a feminine pom-pom fringe.
Dark-stained and white-painted pieces mingle. “We selected the mahogany dining table to complement the traditional vibe and make the overall décor flow with the homeowner’s existing antique pieces,” Harvey explains. “The mix also lends that evolved-over-time vibe.”
To add depth to the white woodwork in the great room, Harvey introduced deeper blues, punchier patterns and statement lighting. The great room faces the open kitchen, which features cabinetry from Stuart Kitchens and Cambria quartz countertops. A custom-designed oak table fits the small eat-in nook.
In the new master bedroom, Harvey enhanced the headboard wall with moldings and a Greek-key grass cloth laid on the diagonal; these elements break up the large, rectilinear space. “This room was all about introducing curves and concave forms,” she says. “The headboard, nightstands and chandelier all make the space softer, romantic and inviting.”
The master bathroom combines luxurious Waterworks tiles in a serene gray-and-white palette. It features a walk-in shower and freestanding tub.
Kelly Formant recalls the moment when she and her husband first laid eyes on the completed home. “After the reveal, we just kept walking through the house, drinking in each beautiful detail,” Kelly enthuses. “We couldn’t believe we live here!”
ARCHITECTURE: George T. Myers, AIA, principal; Tamara Gorodetzky, project architect, GTM Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: Pamela Harvey, Allied ASID, NKBA, Pamela Harvey Interiors, Herndon, Virginia. BUILDER: Sandy Spring Builders, Bethesda, Maryland. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Green Today Landscaping, Arlington, Virginia.
RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT
Styling: stylishproductions.net.
LIVING ROOM
Sofa & Blue Pillow Fabric: sherrillfurniture.com. Sofa Fabric: sunbrella.com. Stools & Side Tables: hickorychair.com. Bench, Stool Fabric & Pink Pillow Fabric: robertallen.com. Gustavian Tub Chair: wisteria.com. Mirror: modernhistoryhome.com. Table Lamps: eastenterprises.net. Sconces: circalighting.com. Coffee Table: Custom. Art Flanking Fireplace: Lisa Tureson; studioartistica.com through touchstonegallery.com. Chest of Drawers: Antique. Bench: hickorywhite.com.
FOYER
Light Fixture & Table Lamp: circalighting.com. Pedestals/Urns: globalviews.com. Acrylic Console Table & Stool: Custom. Stool Fabric: quadrillefabrics.com. Paint Color: farrow-ball.com.
DINING ROOM:
Dining Table: lillianaugust.com. Dining & Host Chairs: hickorychair.com. Dining-Chair Fabric: kravet.com. Chandelier: Circa Lighting. Roman Shade Fabric: schumacher.com. Trim: kasmirfabrics.com. Roman Shade Fabrication: Custom. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Wallpaper: Beacon Hill through robertallen.com.
FAMILY ROOM
Gray Armchairs: lillianaugust.com. Armchair Fabric: schumacher.com. Side Table: globalviews.com. Ottoman: Custom. Ottoman & Drapery Fabrics: johnrobshaw.com. Drapery Fabrication: Custom. Pillow Fabric: ryanstudio.com. Cream Armchair: crlaine.com. Cream Armchair Fabric: kravet.com. Wallpaper in Niche: thibaut.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com.
KITCHEN
Cabinets: stuartkitchens.com. Countertop & Backsplash: cambriausa.com. Faucets: kallista.com through ferguson.com. Flooring: classicfloordesigns.info. Barstools: hickorychair.com. Barstool Fabric: estout.com. Stove, Oven & Refrigerator: subzero-wolf.com. Pendants: circalighting.com.
BREAKFAST AREA
Chandelier: robertabbey.biz. Dining Table: Custom. Dining Chairs: hallmanfurniture.com. Bench: wayfair.com. Dining-Chair & Bench Fabric: sunbrella.com. Rug: surya.com. Drapery Fabric: johnrobshaw.com. Drapery Fabrication: Custom.
MASTER BEDROOM
Bed: bakerfurniture.com. Headboard Fabric: kravet.com. Chandelier: gabbyhome.com. Bedding: legacylinens.com. Bench: blissstudio.com. Bench Fabric: romo.com. Nightstands: Busbin Designs; 704-374-0501. Table Lamps & Pendant: circalighting.com. Mirrors: phillipsscott.com. Scott. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Arm Chair: lillianaugust.com. Armchair Fabric: romo.com. Table: bernhardt.com. Drapery Fabric: cowtan.com. Wall Covering: thibaut.com.
MASTER BATH
Bathtub & Floor Tile: waterworks.com. Vanity: ruttcabinetry.com. Countertop: cambriausa.com. Plumbing Fixtures: ferguson.com. Roman Shade Fabric: duralee.com. Ceiling Light & Side Table: wayfair.com. Sconces: circalighting.com.
Nestled on a hidden hill rising from the banks of the Potomac sat the perfect three-acre riverfront lot. “When visiting different locations with the homeowners and their agent, we went out on a limb for this particular property,” says Patrick Cooke, reflecting on what became the site of the five-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot contemporary house he and business partner Neal Thomson designed. “It has direct river access and a 180-degree view of the water. We felt it was ideal for what the homeowners wanted to build—a modern, naturally lit home deeply connected to the landscape—and we told them this site was the one.”
Being forthright about their vision paid off for the young DC-area architects, who launched their boutique firm in 2012. But they found themselves facing a super-tight deadline. The homeowners—a young couple moving to the area with their rescue animals and intentions to start a family—wanted their child- and pet-friendly home built fast. (The property was purchased in late 2015 and the home completed in late 2017.)
“We knew that to pull off the timeline and complexity of this project, we would need a very strong team,” says Neal Thomson. Seasoned builders Ted Peterson and George Collins and interior designer Martha Vicas were enlisted pronto, and when construction was underway, landscape architect Joseph Richardson joined the team.
The final result is a modern, three-story home clad in Carderock stone and mahogany rainscreen siding, punctuated by expansive glass walls. Situated on the slope leading down to the river, its grounds are terraced by Carderock stone retaining walls. “The home slowly reveals itself after a lengthy drive down a forested hill,” explains Richardson, who designed the private approach, “The river clearing is literally the light at the end of the tunnel.”
A custom, laser-cut bronze outer door admits guests from the motor court into a vestibule leading to the glass-paneled front door. Beyond, the dramatic foyer is defined by a floating staircase of steel and glass with access to all three levels. A collaborative effort, the staircase was fabricated by Gutierrez Studios. “We worked with structural engineers at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger to design the most visually ‘light’ staircase possible,” notes Thomson. A sculptural fixture, the Bocci 21 chandelier, spans three stories with clusters of porcelain lights positioned at each floor.
The interiors have riveting water views and indoor-outdoor connectivity on each level. The public core of the home incorporates what the team calls the River Room. This two-story living space features glass window walls facing the river on one side and a basalt fireplace and TV wall sandwiched by rift-oak built-ins on the other. The River Room also opens onto an ipe deck intended for large-scale entertaining. “The house needed to live large for the homeowners’ social and philanthropic needs and small for their family life,” observes Vicas.
“One of our goals was to capture the scale and view of the landscape while creating intimate spaces for everyday living,” Cooke adds. “For example, the dining room is cozier than the River Room, as are the sheltering bedrooms upstairs. This includes the master, which connects to a private, glass-railed balcony.”
Furnishings throughout are minimal, clean-lined and proportioned to the scale of the rooms. “Everything had to be pet- and-family friendly and environmentally sound,” says Vicas. “The homeowners didn’t want a lot of pattern, but liked dark, rich colors. We used lots of velvet, Ultrasuede and leather for upholstery (practical for dealing with dog odor) and wool carpets that can be easily cleaned.”
The designer relied on textural contrast for interest, emphasizing smooth and rough surfaces through architectural materials like stone, wood and metal. For example, the cocktail table in the River Room was custom-made of petrified wood, with iron legs forged in a Brooklyn workshop and a thick glass top. Linear custom furnishings, including a pair of walnut-wrapped armchairs, sport upholstery in shades of smoky gray, slate blue and soft beige.
The lower-level recreation room has a brighter palette and a poolside vibe. A full bar features touch-latch white cabinetry against a backdrop of three-dimensional travertine tile from Ann Sacks. Teal pillows on the plush sectional echo the hues of the infinity pool set at the far edge of a bluestone patio just outside. A living wall adds fresh, organic texture to the space.
While the house was coming together, Richardson set about improving the surrounding property. He restored the overgrown, 100-foot environmental setback by the river to its original wetland state, while stabilizing eroded slopes and creeks. He also designed recreational spaces for the homeowners to enjoy, including the back lawn and tiered gardens with new plantings.
“Given the site’s location on the Potomac, we felt a certain obligation not only to limit the impact of new construction, but to restore the natural areas surrounding the home to a better condition than we found them in,” says Richardson.
In this spirit, native grasses and wild flowers replaced invasive species like Kudzu in the wetland zone, while native cultivars—hydrangea, magnolia and winterberry, to name a few—grace the gardens.
“One unique thing about this project is that we could make bold choices,” Vicas notes. “The homeowners were willing to let us work with such interesting materials, and a spirit of open idea-generation always led to the best final product.”
Thomson agrees. “Modern homes aren’t forgiving; everything had to be perfect,” he explains. “Our team was instrumental in ensuring this. We never sacrificed quality or aesthetics.”
Architecture: Patrick Cooke, AIA, and Neal Thomson, AIA, Thomson & Cooke Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Martha Vicas, M.S. Vicas Interiors, Washington, DC. Kitchen Design: KONST Union, Bethesda, Maryland. Contractor: Peterson and Collins, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Joseph Richardson, PLA, Joseph Richardson Landscape Architecture, Arlington, Virginia.
RESOURCES
UPPER DECK
Sectional & Chair: gloster.com. Pillow Fabric: elitis.fr. Corner Table: westelm.com. Fire Table: brownjordanfires.com through americaneyewdc.net.
POOLSIDE
Chaises: brownjordan.com.
STAIR
Staircase Fabrication: gutierrezstudios.com. Light Fixture: bocci.ca through illuminc.com.
MAIN LIVING AREA
Sofa: Cusom. Sofa & Pillow Fabric: donghia.com. Tables Flanking Sofa: hollyhunt.com. Slipper Chairs: kerryjoycetextiles.com. Slipper Chair Fabric: hollyhunt.com. Custom Coffee Table Fabrication: withersandgrain.com. Wood-Enclosed Chairs & Fabric: hollyhunt.com. Round Glass-Topped Tables: charlestonforge.com. Console: Custom. Art: artregistrydc.com. Stone Fireplace Source: waterworks.com. Custom Rug: juliedasherrugs.com. Poufs by Fireplace: robertallendesign.com. Pouf Fabric: hollyhunt.com. Corner Chair: Vintage. Chair & Ottoman Fabric: hollyhunt.com. Paint: benjaminmoore.com
KITCHEN
Cabinetry & Hood Design: konstsiematic.com. Round Bar Stools & End Stools: bolierco.com. Hood Fabrication: akmetalfab.com. Countertop & Backsplash: rbratti.com. Refrigerator & Stove: subzero-wolf.com. Appliance Source: abwappliances.com. Paint: benjaminmoore.com.
DINING ROOM
Table: bolierco.com. Chairs: davidedward.com. Custom Rug: juliedasherrugs.com. Art: artregistrydc.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Chandeliers: camerondesignhouse.com through illuminc.com.
DECK
Outdoor Dining Table: brownjordan.com. Chairs: danishdesignstore.com.
LOWER LEVEL
Kitchen Cabinets: konstsiematic.com. Countertops: caesarstoneus.com. Backsplash Tile: annsacks.com. Countertop & Backsplash Source: usgranitemarble.com. Stools: cb2.com. Art: artregistrydc.com. Sectional: Custom. Sectional & Ottoman Fabric: kravet.com. Pillow Fabric: pollackassociates.com and fabricut.com. Ottoman: lumifer.us. Klismos Chairs: hollyhunt.com. Chair Fabric: brentanofabrics.com. Custom Rug: juliedasherrugs.com. Ceiling Light Feature: flos.com through illuminc.com. Paint Color: benjaminmoore.com
MASTER BEDROOM
Bed & Night Tables: withersandgrain.com. Bedding: legacylinens.com. Bedside Lights: et marset.com. Custom Rug: juliedasherrugs.com.
Drapery Fabric: hollyhunt.com. Drapery Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com. Paint Color: farrow-ball.com. Art: Greg Minah through artregistrydc.com.
MASTER BATHROOM
Tub: waterworks.com. Slate Flooring & Pebble Wall Surface Source: mosaictileco.com. Shade Fabric: hollyhunt.com. Shade Fabrication: leangsinteriors.com.
When Jamie Merida, principal of Bountiful Interiors, and senior designer Denise Perkins first saw the six-bedroom, 12,000-square-foot estate in Chester, Maryland, they had to use their imaginations. “It was over-the-top ’80s, all rose-pink and forest green,” recalls Merida. “An explosion of color and excess—there was even a giant indoor pool and a hot tub in one wing.”
Bountiful was tapped to redesign the home’s extensive interiors and overhaul the dated kitchen. “The house had good bones, with trim, moldings and built-in, alcoved shelving,” says Perkins. The designers’ intention was to play up these assets while introducing a fresh, sophisticated aesthetic.
“We wanted to keep the design timeless and traditional—updated but not trendy,” Merida explains.
The duo started the process in the cavernous foyer, which desperately needed grounding and definition. They began with a daring selection: a distinctive, marble-and-limestone floor that combines black, white, gray and beige in a dramatic pattern reminiscent of a Burberry plaid, sourced through Bountiful Flooring. “It was inspired by flooring I’d seen at the Kravet showroom in DC and was similar to Brunschwig’s signature plaid,” Merida reveals.
As it turned out, the home’s entire palette evolved out of this bold flooring choice—which made sense as the double-height foyer adjoins most of the main-level spaces. It connects to the living and dining rooms via case openings on each side, and to the family room, with its views of the Eastern Bay, through a doorway beyond. Incorporating this color range, observes Perkins, was an unusual move. “People are often reluctant to mix warm and cool neutrals,” she says. “It was special to be able to combine cooler grays and taupes with warmer beiges and creams.”
In the dining room, an off-white carpet atop espresso-stained wood floors grounds the furniture, while tufted chairs in mid-gray flannel are paired with Hickory White host chairs in ivory leather. The European-style dining table is made of crotch mahogany with tapered legs and gold accents. Perkins painted the room’s walls and extensive millwork white and the ceiling a soft gray. And she papered the shelf niches with contrasting grass cloth by Thibaut. “We played a lot with textures because the palette is so neutral,” she explains. “High-contrast definition and finishes were used to create interest.”
Similar shelf niches appear in the more intimate living room, where the pink-marble fireplace surround has been replaced by one in white-veined black marble. The walls are painted the same gray as the dining room ceiling for spatial continuity, while a white ceiling provides a visual lift. “Because the ceiling wasn’t high, we kept the furnishings shapely but low,” Perkins notes.
She and her team embraced the living room’s intrinsic symmetry, employing two facing Lillian August sofas anchored by pairs of matching armchairs on either end. A glass-and-brass Lee Jofa cocktail table and glass-topped side tables by Chelsea House convey an airy, open feel.
The dramatic family room, with its 15-foot ceilings, spills out to the pillared brick terrace through triple-glass French doors topped by over-scaled, arched transoms. Perkins’ furniture arrangement keeps the central sightline clear from the foyer to the waterfront. Striped carpets and matching brass chandeliers define the two seating areas, while geometric, mirror-and-brass wall sconces by Visual Comfort bring the lighting to eye level. “The key to furnishing such a large space is to prevent it from looking like a commercial waiting room,” confides the designer. “I made sure I floated the furniture, chose large-scale pieces, and didn’t repeat fabrics, forms or specific layouts.” One seating area feels warm, with mahogany chests flanking a charcoal sofa and a steamer trunk doubling as a cocktail table. The other, by the fireplace, features sleek pieces in light-gray tones that communicate a cooler vibe.
French doors on one side of the fireplace lead to the kitchen. “It was a typical, dated kitchen broken up into disjointed areas that didn’t function well,” recounts Rich Johnson of Richwood Ltd., who collaborated with Capitol Homes on the makeover.
The functional new kitchen, with its paneled select-cherry cabinetry and double-thick quartzite counters, features a prep island near the cooktop and a raised breakfast bar close to the eat-in area. “The homeowners like to entertain, so we wanted to give them the opportunity for ample seating,” Johnson says. “It’s a rich, traditional kitchen that fits the elegance of the home.”
The wing that once housed the indoor pool and hot tub is now a spacious rec room with commanding water views, furnished with denim-blue sectionals and cocktail ottomans with tray insets. “This room is more in our signature Tidewater style,” Merida notes, pointing out such nautical and coastal accents as a crisp blue-and-white palette and porthole mirrors. The once-pink stone fireplace has been updated with a river rock surround.
“This project was a fun opportunity for us,” Perkins reflects. “We enjoyed being able to take a 1980s home and beautifully bring it up to date.”
Interior Design: Jamie Merida, principal; Denise Perkins, lead designer, Bountiful Interiors, Easton, Maryland. Renovation Contractor: Roger Black, Capitol Homes, Washington, DC. Kitchen Design: Richard Johnson, Richwood Ltd., Vienna, Maryland. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
RESOURCES
DINING ROOM
Table & Chairs: lillianaugust.com. Chair Fabric: wesleyhall.com. Host Chairs & China Cabinet: hickorywhite.com. Host Chair Fabric: kravet.com. Mirror & Pillow Fabric: jamiemerida.com. Chandelier: Clients’ collection. Niche Wall Covering: thibaut.com. Paint Colors: Decorator White, Wickham Gray by benjaminmoore.com. Rug: langhornecarpets.com.
FOYER
Floor: Bountiful Flooring through jamiemerida.com. Console: maitland-smith.com. Lamps: jamiemerida.com. Skirted Stools & Stool Fabric: wesleyhall.com. Paint Color: Manchester Tan by benjaminmoore.com. Bench & Bench Fabric: globalviews.com. Hide Rug: saddlemans.com
LIVING ROOM
Sofas, Sofa Fabric Wing Chairs, Wing Chair Fabric & Chest of Drawers: lillianaugust.com. Patterned Chairs & Patterned Chair Fabric: wesleyhall.com. Rug: loloirugs.com. Coffee Table: leejofa.com. Mirror: mirrorimagehome.com. Nesting Table: jamiemerida.com. Side Table: chelseahouseinc.com. Art over Fireplace & Painting over Chest: wendoverart.com. Paint Color: Wickham Gray by benjaminmoore.com.
FAMILY ROOM (LEFT ARRANGEMENT)
Rugs: langhornecarpets.com. Sconces: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Chandeliers: Owners’ collection. Paint Color: Gallery Buff by benjaminmoore.com. Chest/Coffee Table: gjstyles.com. Sofa, Facing Chairs & Chair Fabric: wesleyhall.com. Sofa Fabric: perennials.com. Pillow Fabric, Lamps & Drum Tables: jamiemerida.com. Chests: hickorychair.com. Photographs: trowbridgegallery.com.
FAMILY ROOM (RIGHT ARRANGEMENT)
Sofa, Chairs & Coffee Table: wesleyhall.com. Sofa Fabric: perennials.com. Chair Fabric: leejofa.com. Pillow Fabric, Center Table & Table Lamp: jamiemerida.com.
TERRACE
Table: elegantearth.com. Chairs & Chair Fabric: laneventure.com. Rug: dashandalbert.com.
KITCHEN
Cabinetry, Countertops & Backsplash: richwood.com. Pendants & Bar Stools: Owners’ collection. Range: lacanche.com.
GREAT ROOM
Sectional, Sectional Fabric, Pillow Fabric & Cube Seats: wesleyhall.com. Coffee Tables: hickorywhite.com. Sofa Table: curreyandcompany.com. Lamps on Sofa Table: elkgroupinternational.com. Side Table: stanleyfurniture.com. Rug: stantoncarpet.com. Paint Color: Great Beige by benjaminmoore.com.
MASTER BEDROOM
Bed, Nightstands, Rug & Outdoor Seating: Owners’ collection. Bedding: johnrobshaw.com, annieselke.com. Chaises: coxmfg.com. Chaise Fabric: estout.com. Floor Lamp: jamiemerida.com. Pillow Fabric: jffabrics.com. Art: trowbridgegallery.com. Table Lamps: uttermost.com. Paint Color: Manchester Tan by benjaminmoore.com.
When Sandra Meyer of Ella Scott Design revamped a center-hall colonial in Bethesda, they decided to combine age with beauty just like Face Natur. “My clients had a lot of heirlooms,” she recalls. “My job was to figure out how to incorporate them into a larger, more cohesive and aesthetically pleasing design.”
Caroline Friedman, who runs the stationery business Paper Becomes You, and her husband Peter, a lawyer, purchased their home more than a decade ago. With three kids, now ranging in age from nine to 17, they chose the neighborhood because, says Friedman, “It’s really central for getting to work and getting the kids to their schools, which are spread all over.”
In 2015, Friedman hired Gilday Renovations to remodel the kitchen, which now boasts a waterfall-edge marble island and gray-stained oak cabinets. Once that was accomplished, it was time to give the main floor of the five-bedroom, 3,000-square-foot house a refresh. “I found Sandra online,” recalls Friedman of enlisting Bethesda-based Meyer. “She understood what I wanted: a modern, sophisticated and neutral home that would also be warm and textured.”
Nowhere is this sensibility more apparent than in the dining room. Meyer had the existing table, a family heirloom, refinished, then turned her attention to the couple’s treasured, chrome-framed Mies van der Rohe chairs.
“They’re super-cool and highly collectible,” Meyer says. “We removed the old caning and gave them seats and backs in leather from Holly Hunt with a lacquered finish.” To counteract their boldly curved lines, she embraced geometric patterns elsewhere—for example, in a multi-faceted, blackened-steel light fixture that, she says, adds “strong sculptural presence and spatial definition.”
As a backdrop, the designer selected wood-veneer wall covering in a chevron pattern and a ridged-wood sideboard with a silvered finish. “I wanted the room to feel polished, but I didn’t want anything to compete with the movement in the chairs or chandelier,” she explains.
Across the center hall from the dining room via wide archways is the living room, which leads through French doors to the family room. The living room contains the clients’ piano and vintage armchairs, now reupholstered in chevron-striped viscose.
“Given that the living room is next to the family room, I wanted something a bit more formal and grown-up in there,” says Meyer, who covered the walls in grass cloth and added a contemporary-style sofa with sloped arms and a boxy side chair—a contrast to the clients’ antique chairs, which have a curvaceous profile.
The room also features a rectilinear, Lucite-based cocktail table with a gold top and a circular ottoman that slips beneath the piano when not in use. A double-arm sconce with mid-century lines replaced traditional standing and table lamps.
In the family room, Meyer sealed off a window by the TV and clad the wall with custom shelving and cabinetry for display and storage. The French doors are lacquered black while a bay window on one wall is delineated by frames painted dark blue.
Reproduction Arne Jacobsen Swan chairs are unexpectedly paired with a minimalist sofa and an antique settee reupholstered in velvet. By the bay window, Meyer created a niche for an existing game table and chairs from CB2. “It’s not a ‘matchy’ home,” the designer observes. “Instead, it feels—and has been—collected over time.”
Interior Design: Sandra Meyer, Ella Scott Design, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland.
People say the third time’s a charm but for designer Sallie Finney Kjos, her second go-round designing the interiors of a Great Falls home proved to be the winning ticket. Pops of lucky green woven throughout also didn’t hurt.
“I’d originally done the house a decade ago. The previous palette was all warm tones—olives, oranges, golds and browns—and the style was Tuscan with lots of layers and knickknacks,” recalls the designer. She embraced the opportunity to rework the five-bedroom, 5,600-square-foot abode for her clients, Kenny and Sejin Kim, owners of the hair-care products company, Bonfi Natural.
The Kims, who have three college-age children, had been living elsewhere and renting out their Great Falls home. When they decided to return, they asked Kjos to give its traditional interiors a new lease on life. “They wanted to reclaim the house and make it theirs again,” says Kjos. “But more importantly, they wanted it to be a reflection of who they are now.”
Sejin Kim likes to keep up with design trends and over the years, her tastes have evolved. This time, she was looking for a more streamlined, minimalist vibe. “My wish was to make a traditional colonial house into a contemporary one,” she explains. “I used to live in Seoul and have always loved city life. I wanted Sallie to create that modern look in our home.”
The inspiration for the design direction and color palette originated with an Instagram post by Kjos spotlighting her own foyer, which boasts a graphic, black-and-white feature wall stenciled by Virginia-based decorative painter Lynn Whiteley.
“Sejin called me right away and said, ‘I want that,’” recounts Kjos. “So black and white became our base palette. I’d been dying to work with emerald green, and Sejin, who already had a beautiful Valentino silk clutch in that color, was up for it too.”
Though the home’s footprint remained unchanged, Kjos repainted; redid finishes, materials, and surfaces; and refurbished the interiors from scratch. “I wanted to create a cohesive flow throughout the home,” reflects the designer on the color palette. “But I also wanted to use the colors in different ways in each room. That way, every space has a distinct personality.”
A version of the inspirational black-and-white stencil appears as a creative kitchen backsplash in the redesign, with custom-cut plexiglass added to protect the range wall. Distressed-cream lower cabinets were lacquered black and the upper cabinets white, with new, polished-nickel hardware. But it’s the stencil—a version of it in a custom green hue embellishes the powder room—that gives the room pizzazz. “We could’ve used wallpaper, but that has a more manufactured feel,” Kjos notes. “The stencil feels like art. It has texture and interest as well as natural imperfections.”
Adjacent to the kitchen, the former home office has been repurposed as a casual breakfast room, with reclaimed-timber shelves and vinyl café chairs in graphic black and white. Opening onto a courtyard, this room full of natural light is painted a striking black. “There was a typical eat-in nook in the kitchen,” Kjos observes. “But we decided to do something different and created a lounge area in the bay window with a couple of chaises. The homeowner loves to have coffee there, and the kids put their feet up and work on their laptops when they’re home, while Sejin is cooking.”
The family room is also a popular hangout, with its comfortable sectional, existing stone fireplace and ceiling coffers that Kjos lacquered black for dramatic effect. A rug from Varick Gallery and black-and-white drapes add further contrast.
The formal living and dining rooms are reached via cased openings off the central foyer hall. Like the breakfast room, the dining room is cloaked in black, which imbues it with a sense of intimacy.
By contrast, the two-story living room is crisp white, with a green accent wall above the fireplace. Wide-plank oak floors stained driftwood gray run throughout the house and luxurious silk curtains in vibrant emerald connect the two spaces.
When it came to furniture, Kjos selected pieces in clean-lined, mid-century style, then added touches of glamour via lighting—the dramatic Rainfall crystal chandelier by James R. Moder in the living room, for example. In her lighting selections, Kjos played with a simple theme—combinations of crystal or glass, and black-metal or silver finishes—but varied it room by room.
Light fixtures also define the spaces. A drum chandelier with crystal teardrops sets the tone in the green-walled master bedroom, where—between the tribal-inspired ikat curtains and marble-patterned carpet—Kjos particularly showed off her deft designer’s eye. “It’s important to layer textures and vary patterns, making it all more interesting,” she advises. “Especially when you’re working with a high-contrast, black-and-white palette.”
Her measured approach, coupled with the choice of fresh emerald green for the accents, lend this house the distinction of a true gem.
Interior Design: Sallie Finney Kjos, ASID, IDS, GreyHunt Interiors, LLC, South Riding, Virginia. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
RESOURCES
DINING AREA
Dining Table, Sideboard, wayfair.com. Sunburst Mirror: zgallerie.com. Art: Naomi McCavitt through worldartgroup.com. Frame: hallofframes.com. Chandelier & Curtain Rod: westelm.com. Dining Chairs: eugadesign.it. Leather Side Chairs: cb2.com. Lamps on Sideboard: Mercer41.com. Drapes: ZylstraArtandDesign through etsy.com. Rug: Surya.com.
LIVING ROOM
Coffee Table & Chairs: westelm.com. Mirror above Fireplace: Brayden Studio through allmodern.com. Chandelier: jamesrmoder.com. Rug: Owners’ Collection.
KITCHEN & BREAKFAST ROOM
Stools, Chaises, Bench, Throw wayfair.com. Fixture above Chaises: shadesoflight.com. Table & Chairs: cb2.com. Drapes: westelm.com. Bench Fabric: katespade.com. Pendants: ballarddesigns.com. Backsplash Stencil: whiteleydesignstudio.com. Kitchen Cabinet Paint: sherwinwilliams.com. Counters: quartz.
FAMILY ROOM
Sectional: Owners’ collection. Rug: wayfair.com. Drapes: potterybarn.com. Swivel Chair: allmodern.com. Ottomans: casablancamarket.com. TV Console: westelm.com. Coffee table: cb2.com
PATIO
Dining Table, Chairs & Umbrella: cb2.com
FOYER
Chandelier: wayfair.com
POWDER ROOM
Vanity: zgallerie.com. Wall Stencil: whiteleydesignstudio.com.
MASTER BEDROOM
Headboard & Vanity: zgallerie.com. Nightstands: madegoods.com. Art over Headboard: theworldartgroup.com. Frame: hallofframes.com. Bedding: serenaandlily.com. Drapes: westelm.com. Vanity chair: arhaus.com. Rug: Surya.com.
Good old-fashioned snail mail can still get the job done. When Christopher Schriever, owner of a boutique marketing company, and Edward Palmieri, a director at Facebook, were having trouble finding a property in DC’s trendy Shaw neighborhood, they staged a letter-writing campaign to the potential sellers of homes that caught their eye—and snagged the perfect house.
“We used to live in a Logan Circle condo,” says Schriever, “but we were expecting twins and needed a larger home. Proximity to downtown and Metro were important to us, as was lot size. This place had great potential.”
However, the existing circa-1900 row house was problematic for the couple, who anticipated the needs of their growing family. They enlisted architect Patrick Brian Jones, with whom they had worked before, to mastermind a renovation that would give them their dream home. On the wish list: better flow and functionality, improved storage and an airy, open floor plan with plenty of room for hosting friends and accommodating family. “We wanted spaces that were as naturally lit, expansive and family-friendly as could be achieved in a row house,” says Schriever.
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In order to gain square footage, Jones absorbed a dogleg at the back of the property—a typical row-house feature—into the floor plan. “I was able to square off the interior to go from property line to property line,” he explains. This alteration added 315 square feet to both stories of the house—including a bump-out that accommodates a mudroom on the first floor and a sitting area off what is now the twins’ bedroom above it. The renovated, 3,000-square-foot home comprises three bedrooms and three-and-a-half-baths.
When Schriever and Palmieri bought the house, the kitchen was closed off in the back and there was no family room. In his renovation plan, Jones removed the wall separating the kitchen, and installed a wall of fixed and operable Jeld-Wen windows at the back of the house to flood the interiors with light. “This created a strong visual connection from inside to out,” the architect notes.
A new glass-and-steel stair rail adds to the home’s open feel.The powder room was moved from its location under the stairs to make way for additional storage. “Having plenty of storage was key, especially with twins,” Schriever observes. “Our aesthetic is clutter-free and it’s important for us to be able to put toys away when needed.”
In the reworked layout, a new kitchen connects the living and dining areas, with a family room area located at the back of the house. The kitchen boasts Ikea cabinets in white laminate and walnut, a waterfall-edge island topped with quartz and stainless-steel GE Monogram appliances. A wall of freestanding cabinets separates the kitchen from a butler’s pantry featuring ample storage and a wet bar. The powder room, now tucked in beside the pantry, opens inconspicuously into a pass-through created by the wall of cabinetry.
“The butler’s pantry is great because it offers a place to stash dirty dishes when entertaining,” says Jones. “The kitchen is very functional, but it’s also in the center of the house. It’s the first thing you see when you walk in.”
In a custom touch, Jones clad the base of the island on the barstool side in hot-rolled steel—a durable and aesthetic choice. “I love hot-rolled steel,” he enthuses. “Though it’s a cold material, it has a lot of organic movement and warmth to it. I also used it as a privacy panel to screen the pantry from the dining room and as a fireplace mantel in the living room. And it wraps the banquette in the eat-in nook.”
French milled-oak floors in a rich honey color and plenty of exposed brick—revealed in select spots such as the fireplace and kitchen accent wall—add warmth to the cool, contemporary look and crisp, white palette. “Though we mostly wanted a calming, all-white house,” Schriever explains, “we also wanted to retain a hint of the historic row house.”
Jones, who also designed the interiors, completed the furniture layout during the schematic phase. “I like to ensure how a space will function with furniture from the start, taking into account what homeowners own and what they might need,” he explains. He and his clients selected pieces in a range of price points—and in a comfortable, chic and minimalist style inspired by the clean Mid-Century Modern vibe that Schriever and Palmieri favor.
“The kitchen and family room are our daily hangouts, so we chose durable, practical pieces, like the plastic Drop chairs in the eating area,” says Schriever. “The front of the house is more adult. There, we sourced interesting, sophisticated pieces like the Mayor sofa.”
The couple chose other iconic modern pieces as well, such as the whimsical Wegner cowhide chair by the fireplace and the acrylic Philippe Starck Ghost chairs in the dining area, which keep the views open to back of the house. The Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams ottoman/coffee table in the living room is upholstered in child-proof Perennials fabric.
The palette is mostly neutral, with color coming from the couple’s extensive collection of contemporary art. Stylish, strategically placed light fixtures bring spatial definition to the open-plan space, with a linear LED fixture above the island and pendants defining both the dining and eat-in areas. Recessed LEDs throughout the house provide overall lighting when needed.
The couple are thrilled with the finished home. “It’s extremely livable and comfortable,” Schriever says. “We love how everything turned out."
Renovation & Interior Design: Patrick Brian Jones, AIA, Patrick Brian Jones PLLC, Washington, DC. Contractor: J. Allen Smith Design/Build, Ijamsville, Maryland.
RESOURCES
GENERAL
Contractor- jasdesign-build.com. Flooring- Wire-Brushed European French Oak. Stair Railing: ar2designstudios.com. Rolled Steel: metalspecialties.biz.
LIVING AREA
Ottoman/coffee table: mgbw.com. Risom Chair: knoll.com. Arne Jacobsen Mayor Sofa: andtradition.com. Leather Easy Chair & Hans Wegner Shell Chair: dwr.com. Rug: matthebasics.com. Floor Lamp with Acrylic Base: pablodesigns.com through dwr.com.: dwr.com. Side Table & Lamp: westelm.com. Mirror Wall Art: cb2.com. Console by Door: theodores.com. Tryptic over Console: mike-weber.com through longviewgallerydc.com. Art by Fireplace: lourdesanchez through searspeyton.com.
DINING AREA
Table: West Elm. Art by Dining Area: Christopher Schriever. Chest beneath Art: Hans Wegner through dwr.com. Bar Cart: Vintage from former General Motors Factory
KITCHEN
Cabinetry: ikea.com. Countertops & Backsplash: caesarstone-usa.com. Appliances: monogram.com through adu.com. Table in Breakfast Nook: lievorealtherrmolina.com. Arne Jacobsen Drop Chairs: dwr.com. Fixture above Table: rh.com
FAMILY ROOM
Sectional: westelm.com. Canvases behind Sectional: michellepetersonalbandoz.com through longviewgallerydc.com. George Nelson Coffee Tables: hermanmiller.com. Mudroom Chest: Giulio Lazzotti for dwr.com. Pillows on Sectional: westelm.com, crateandbarrel.com.
KIDS’ ROOM
Toddler beds: babyletto.com. Loveseat: mgbw.com. Light fixture: Herman Miller through dwr.com. Shelf: westelm.com
MASTER BEDROOM
Bedstead: Custom design by patrickbrianjones.com. Round Night Table: dwr.com. Square Night Stand: westelm.com. Eero Saarinen Womb Chair and Ottoman: knoll.com. Upholstered Chest: owners’ collection. Upholstery: knoll.com. Brass beds of virginia. Art over Bed: Newton K. Malvessi.
MASTER BATH
Soaking Tub: signaturehardware.com. Floor Tile: daltile.com. Shower Enclosure: ar2designstudios.com.
When interior designer Charles Krewson, a DC native, returned to Washington after 30 years in Manhattan, The Presidential—one of the city’s oldest apartment buildings, built in 1922 by architect Appleton P. Clark, Jr.—proved irresistible. Krewson and his spouse, financial analyst Richard Feuring, purchased a 1,700-square-foot residence in the building. “I was excited to customize it for us the same way I do for clients,” says the designer about his update of their two-bedroom abode, which had not been touched since the 1990s.
Other than opening up the kitchen to the dining room and remodeling the bathrooms, his changes were largely aesthetic rather than structural. Still, there was much to be done.
“The old wood floors were a mess, with nail heads poking through an aged polyurethane finish,” recalls Krewson, who replaced them with wide-plank, bleached oak. For architectural polish, he added new baseboards that balanced the original ceiling moldings and gave the latter a glazed, antiqued finish so they would stand out.
But it’s the foyer that really packs a punch, with its new, black-and-white checked marble floors. Due to a lack of natural light and ductwork that had been concealed behind awkward ceiling beams, space was definitely a challenge. Krewson solved these dilemmas by painting the whole space in Benjamin Moore’s Fairmont Green. “Making it all the same rich color visually erased the messy beams,“ explains the designer, who added large-scale navy polka dots on the walls for a “wow” factor. “Now, the light bounces off the floors when you walk in and the dots make up for the lack of windows.”
Indeed, paint became Krewson’s best friend as he covered over a dowdy lavender hue that had previously adorned all of the apartment’s walls. He painted the kitchen, dining and living rooms—which connect via open door casements-—in Benjamin Moore’s Marlboro Blue. And for the den, located adjacent to the living room, he selected a bright canary yellow.
“I’m a color person—not a beige person,” he notes. “I am especially partial to yellow. It’s bright and cheerful during the day, and it deepens to create a golden ambience at night.”
In the small master bedroom, Krewson embraced a cozy vibe with a soft-gray ceiling and coral-toned walls—the latter enhanced with a faux-bois stenciled pattern. The effect is warm and textural at the same time.
“After living for years in a tiny New York apartment, this was the first time Richard and I were able to pull all our furnishings out of storage and integrate them,” says Krewson. “We have a mix of inherited pieces from our families and others that we have brought together over the years.”
In addition to other collections—including an impressive array of contemporary art—the designer has long been fascinated by textiles and has amassed many that came in handy during this project. “I reupholstered everything,” he recounts. “We have Otto (a wirehaired dachshund), so our furniture needed a refresh; the move was the perfect excuse.”
While Krewson used resilient indoor-outdoor fabrics like the blue sofa’s shagreen-textured blend, he also pulled from textiles he already owned. A vintage Stephen Sprouse cotton with Declaration of Independence wording serves as both a window valance and armchair upholstery in the living room. The dining room’s host chairs are covered in cut-velvet damask that used to hang as curtains in the couple’s New York City home.
“I love mixing weaves, colors, and patterns,” Krewson observes. “One of my favorite pieces is the one-arm Victorian fainting couch in yellow felt.” The same yellow felt also trims out the back of a stenciled, cowhide-upholstered Mid-Century Modern chair in the living room.
Despite the eclectic nature of the furnishings, which span different styles and time periods, everything is harmonious—a tribute to Krewson’s vibrant palette and clever design approach. “Everything has to be a piece of sculpture in your mind,” he says. “I like to leave breathing room between things, so nothing is too clustered. It’s important to be able to move, have flow and be comfortable.”
The couple also chose the apartment for its open layout, as they love to entertain. In addition to formal meals around the dining table—which expands to seat 10 comfortably—they host cocktail parties for larger numbers. One thing is certain: There is never a shortage of design topics for guests to mull over in this richly curated home.
Interior Design: Charles Krewson, Krewson Design, Washington, DC.
RESOURCES
FOYER
Paint: Benjamin Moore’s Fairmont Green. Decorative Paint: stevenhammel.com. Chest of Drawers: Family heirloom, 19th-century American. Round-Backed Wood-Frame Chair: Vintage. Upholstery: Stephen Sprouse for knoll.com/textiles. Art above Chest: elisabethkley.com. Lamp on Chest: Circa 1970s, josephrichterinc.com. Dog Sculpture: Terracotta, 18th-century French. Abstract above Round-Backed Chair: christopherbrooks101.com. Marble Floor: architecturalceramics.com.
LIVING ROOM
Sofa & Club Chair: Through Guido DeAngelis (516-723-3101). Fabric: durlee.com. Coffee Table: Vintage American, circa 1940s. Ru: Owners’ collection. Metal-Framed Chair: Circa 1970s Canadian. Fabric: knoll.com/textiles. Occasional Chair: French Art Deco. Fabric: dualoy.com, designtex.com. Valance Fabrication: bureaudecoration.com. Chrome Side Table: Vintage Florence Knoll through knoll.com. Lamp on Side Table: Vintage through barovier.com. Figurative Paintings Flanking Windows: Craig Coleman, circa 1984. Yellow Settee. 19th-century American fainting couch. Fabric: designtex.com. Glass-Topped Console: sirmos.com. Finish on Console: stevenhammel.com. Architectural Print above Console: Ink and gouache, circa 1881. Lamp on Console. French, circa 1920s. Foot Sculpture: fornasetti.com.
DINING ROOM
Table, Rug & Chandelier: Owner’s collection. Dining Chairs: Scottish Arts & Crafts period. Fabric: Vintage African Kuba cloth. Host Chairs: Samuel Marx, American, circa 1940. Fabric: Vintage cut-velvet. Paper Screen: Jack Beal. Sideboard: French Art Deco. Table, Rug, Chandelier: Owner’s collection. Drapes & Fabrication: bureaudecoration.com. Drapery Hardware: onadrapery.com. Botanical Prints: 18th & 19th-century, hand-colored. Lamp on Sideboard: Chinese Ceramic, circa 1920s.
BEDROOM
Wall Treatment: stevenhammel.com. Bedding: craneandcanopy.com. Occasional Table to Right of Bed: 1940s American Revolving Bookcase, circa 1940s. Chair by Window: Scottish, circa 1930s. Fabric: brunschwig.com.
BATH
Sink: duravit.com. Faucets: grohe.com. Floor & Tub Surround: architecturalceramics.com
The opportunity to mastermind the interiors of a sprawling, contemporary house by TDI Homes in Arlington was a challenge designer Suzanne Manlove welcomed.
“The homeowners used to live in Miami, so they have a more modern aesthetic that is common in this area,” she says. “They specifically wanted a streamlined, sophisticated space with an open floor plan that would be suitable for entertaining adults, yet satisfying for the daily comfort of their three elementary school-aged children.”
As design plans for the five-bedroom, 9,000-square-foot residence came together, Manlove selected finishes, materials, and furniture that could withstand the rigors of active family life while being stylish enough for social media marketing events.
Though the furnishings are sleek and modern, Manlove paired them with fabrics that are warm and tactile, from buttery leather and faux Mongolian fur to smooth velvet and textured weaves. Organic wood and stone elements also travel from room to room, ensuring that spaces feel interconnected and not too stark.
“It was important to the family that the house be modern but not cold,” Manlove says. “We achieved our goal.”
ASK SUZANNE
What made this project unique for you?
It was a nice opportunity to do a very contemporary family home, not a transitional or traditional one which is more typical for me. The homeowners were hands-on in the design process, so it was a truly collaborative experience.
How did you create a calm vibe in an active household?
I think the palette had a lot to do with it. I went with neutral, monochromatic hues with gray as the primary color. To keep things interesting, I did accents in touches of soft teal and blush. The furniture is also clean-lined and minimalist, not cluttered and busy. There are almost no patterns except in the carpeting; everything is textural and tonal.
Did you have a specific spatial challenge?
The main living area in the open floor plan is a rectangle, both large and long. I wanted a furniture layout that would make it more intimate in feel. It needed to be a space that could seat many people for entertaining, yet also provide an inviting environment where the family could cuddle up and watch TV.
How did you solve that issue?
I broke up the seating area into two connected zones. One section has two deep-seated, 10-foot-long custom sofas upholstered in a durable textured blend; they sit on either side of a tufted ottoman wrapped in leather. The second section has a pair of roomy swivel chairs set about a Platner cocktail table; the swivel function allows the chairs to face the TV and be part of that setup, or to face the adjacent kitchen area. A custom wool rug with a subtle Moroccan-inspired pattern unites the two zones, as does the coffered ceiling detail.
What’s special about the kitchen design?
The homeowners wanted two large kitchen islands: one for entertaining, with enough space for the kids to do their homework or have a snack, and the other for food preparation, with double sinks facing each other. For the islands, I selected different streamlined light fixtures for spatial definition, but the same charcoal-stained cabinetry bases and white quartzite tops.
Talk about a “wow” feature you integrated into the décor.
I love the dining room light fixture, which is a beautiful, custom-designed, hand-blown glass piece composed of 20 globes in different scales and neutral hues. It is so beautiful that we chose a dark blue-gray accent wall for high contrast and to showcase it. That room’s furnishings are also minimal, so the light fixture really is the showstopper. It’s also the first room you see when you enter the home.
How did you bring warmth to the home’s modern aesthetic?
Adding coziness made sense to me. I used warm wood finishes throughout. Stone elements, like the bricked hearth in the living area or the taupe marble in the master bathroom, also added organic warmth. My intention was to bring nature indoors.
How did you create continuity between rooms?
I like to repeat elements. For example, I used a driftwood look on certain pieces like the Crate & Barrel foyer console. The floating cabinetry in the living room also has that finish. I achieved an overall sense of continuity through palette, pattern, and fabric.
What’s your design philosophy?
I believe art is very important to complete a space in a personal way. We love the hunt for original art pieces that make a room sing.
How do you create intimate spaces in a big home?
When you break up a larger room into smaller “conversation” areas, it becomes cozier and more functional.
Describe your personal style.
I love to layer neutral textures and bring nature indoors via color, pattern, and finish. I’m excited about the Maker Movement; I constantly seek new craftspeople to create one-of-a-kind pieces for clients.
Design pet peeves?
When folks use precious fabrics in family spaces. I am practical at heart and can’t help but worry about stains and longevity.
Your favorite trend?
I love the faux shearling trend for accent pieces. Every time I see a fur-covered chair I want to sit in it!
Architecture & Contracting: TDI Homes, Arlington, Virginia. Interior Design: Suzanne Manlove, Arlington Home Interiors, Arlington, Virginia.
