A Capitol Hill couple—both with political careers—were in search of a home on the Chesapeake Bay that would serve as a tranquil weekend escape. They found just what they wanted in a four-bedroom Sherwood, Maryland, home set on six waterfront acres. “We fell in love with the location. It’s quiet, remote and truly feels like a getaway from DC,” says the wife. “The house, however, was standard builder-grade, so we hired Bountiful Interiors in 2015 to give it more character and a higher-quality design.”
Principal Jamie Merida and lead designer Denise Perkins collaborated on the makeover with kitchen designer Barc A. Upchurch and builder Kurt Hermann. The overall plan added character to the home with new architectural elements, a bold color palette, and chic furniture and art. The team also forged a better connection to the property’s coveted outdoor environment. “We wanted the design to improve the relationship between the land, water, and home,” explains Merida.
The quest for spatial definition began in the foyer, where beige drywall previously set the tone that existed throughout the house; the staircase was plain oak. “We added paneled moldings up to the second floor,” recalls Perkins, “then painted everything—walls, stairs, railings—a crisp white.”
The foyer opens to the sitting and dining rooms, both slightly more formal spaces that have their own distinct character. The eye-catching sitting room is a study in blue and white and incorporates patterns of stripes, trellises, and geometrics that evoke the movement of water outside.
The dining room also pops. A vinyl Thibaut wall covering, which reads like grasscloth but is more practical in a watery environment, provides a textured background. Dashes of red in the china cabinet, chair cushions, and pillows add contrast. “The dining room carries a fresh take on more traditional forms,” says Merida. “It’s coastal in feel but also sophisticated—our signature Tidewater style.”
Upchurch and the Bountiful designers took the kitchen—once closed-off with dark, cherry cabinets and granite counters—in a lighter direction. It now boasts a white-and-navy color scheme with nautically inspired chrome hardware. A widened, cased opening to the family room connects these two revamped spaces. “We created an enfilade of sorts by reorienting the kitchen. Its stovetop and island, and the fireplace in the family room, all lineup and have a sense of symmetry,” says Merida. Other special features in the kitchen include onyx countertops, a custom stainless-steel hood and an island with navy shiplap siding.
The palette of red, white and blue carries into the family room, where a red-and-white checked wool carpet grounds the furniture. Swivel chairs in navy with contrasting white piping sit in a bay window, while the homeowners’ existing white sofas were recast with a medley of red, white and blue pillows. Matched bookcases were also added during the redesign.
Two sets of French doors—in the kitchen and first-floor master bedroom—now lead onto a new screened porch that takes full advantage of the views and is perfect for entertaining. “The porch is divided into sitting and dining areas,” Perkins explains. “It’s furnished with a mix of teak and wicker as well as indoor-outdoor fabrics.” A coral-and-aqua palette prevails on the porch, while the designers introduced shades of tangerine and teal to enliven the bedrooms.
The large master bedroom also enjoys expansive views. “We wanted to make it more cozy and warm, so we chose interesting 3-D stacked-wood cladding for the headboard wall,” says Merida. The hue of the weathered-wood wall is echoed on a brown velvet-upholstered armchair and a side table with a petrified-wood top. He adds, “There are a nice yin and yang of rustic wood finishes and luxe materials like the leather-wrapped night tables.” In the guest room, orange chests flank the bed, providing storage for visiting guests and family.
The owners love escaping to their waterfront getaway. “Our design team did such a great job of bringing in coastal elements while making sure everything remained classic and timeless,” says the wife. “It’s become a wonderful retreat for us.”
Interior Design: Jamie Merida, principal; Denise Perkins, lead designer, Bountiful Interiors, Easton, Maryland. Kitchen Design: Barc A. Upchurch, Barclay Designs, Easton, Maryland. Renovation Contractor: Kurt Hermann, Shore Projects Custom Homes, Easton, Maryland.
Charlotte Safavi is an Alexandria-based writer and stylist. Robert Radifera is a photographer in Charlottesville.
Nothing is understated about the five-bedroom 12,000-square-foot French chateau-style residence that Asta Homes carefully designed with luxury and large-scale entertaining in mind.
“My clients—Bala Sundar, a prominent businessman, his wife Lakshmi Bala and their two sons—are all about family, friends, and colleagues,” says interior designer Paula Grace Halewski, who became involved in the project when construction began in 2014. “Overall, they wanted comfortable, livable grandeur to enjoy with guests, but they also wanted diverse entertainment spaces, with different moods.”
The designer worked with her clients to select furnishings and finishes that would reflect their aesthetic in every room of the house. The expansive, marble-tiled entry sets an elegant tone, starting with a pair of arched wood-and-glass doors featuring wrought-iron scrollwork. A circular custom carpet of Halewski’s design sits beneath a round foyer table with brass feet; the table’s rich, dark finish repeats in espresso-stained wood floors throughout the home. Large, arched openings on either side of the foyer lead into the formal living and dining rooms.
A pièce de résistance is the custom, double-pedestal dining table in high-gloss walnut with gold-leaf detailing. Made in Portugal and part of Halewski’s furniture collection, it comfortably seats 10 to 12 guests. “The dining room is all about shimmer and texture,” says the designer, who finished the space with a subtle metallic wall covering embellished with glistening sand crystals and a pearl-
escent sky-blue paint treatment on the ceiling. A pair of gold-leaf and crystal-beaded chandeliers, along with matching wall sconces, completes the picture.
“I use texture, pattern, and lighting to make neutral rooms come alive,” Halewski explains.
Sky-blue ceilings and floor-to-ceiling, champagne-hued silk curtains connect the living and dining rooms. The two formal spaces also share the same sophisticated, neutral palette of grays, creams, beiges, and taupes. The living room is furnished with a tufted-velvet sofa, clean-lined armchairs and side chairs upholstered in cut velvet.
“I wanted this intimate space, where people gather before a formal dinner, to have two seating arrangements,” Halewski explains. “A roundtable and a quartet of striped chairs also serve as spillover dining room seating when needed.”
By contrast, the family room is soaring and vast, with its double-height ceiling boasting a high-contrast trellis design by Halewski that echoes the diamond-patterned carpet beneath it. “The family room’s palette is deeper, with navy, red and yellow accents,” she says. “The colors are of the twilight and sunset they see in their backyard.” Espresso-hued custom cabinetry flanks the limestone fireplace; custom sofas and armchairs provide ample seating for large, casual gatherings.
Even the kitchen is a picture of elegance. A glass-topped dining table with a nickel-and-walnut base makes an unexpected statement. “It’s a modern, graphic piece that contrasts beautifully with the more traditional cabinetry,” says Halewski. The transitional-style chairs that surround it are upholstered in practical gray leather.
The designer went all out with kitchen lighting, installing John Richardson chandeliers embellished with silk shades over the dining area and island. “Lighting is a big feature for the homeowners,” she remarks. “The chandeliers bring a refined, sculptural element to space and aren’t what you’d typically expect in a kitchen.”
On the lower level, Halewski’s custom lighting design—comprised of illuminated ceiling cutouts that mirror the furniture layout below—also creates a sense of drama. This open space is set up as a stylish hotel lounge, complete with a built-in bar, a temperature-controlled wine tasting room and a pool table and gaming area.
“I designed the basement as a big gathering space with multiple conversation areas,” she says. “The walls are textured grass cloth, with vertical nail-head detail, drawing the eye up and adding interest to the room.”
Once the party is over and everyone has dispersed, the couple can relax and unwind in their serene master-bedroom retreat. With its spa-blue palette and luxurious materials, it’s all about calm and Zen. Still, even in this quiet space, Halewski adds intrigue with silver-finish sculptural lamp bases; mahogany-and-rosewood veneer bedside chests; and round cut-velvet ottoman that floats at the end of a bed paneled in buttery leather.
“This project was truly a team effort,” Halewski reflects on the collaborative process she and the homeowners enjoyed. “We went to High Point Market together. We went to New York together. My clients were really interested in the design process—and it shows.”
Interior Design: Paula Grace Halewski, Paula Grace Designs, Inc., Ashburn, Virginia. Builder: Asta Homes, Great Falls, Virginia.
RESOURCES
FOYER Doors: clarkhalldoors.com. Sideboard & Mirror: hickorychair.com. Sconces: fineartlamps.com. Center Table: centuryfurniture.com. Round Rug: paulagracedesigns.com. Lounge Chairs: johnrichard.com. Accessories: studioa-home.com.
DINING ROOM Table: paulagracedesigns.com. Dining Chairs: kristindrohancollection.com. Chair Back Fabric: kravet.com. Chandeliers: fineartlamps.com. Wallcovering: yorkwall.com. Area Rug: stantoncarpet.com. Candle Holders: studioa-home.com.
LIVING ROOM Sofa: kravet.com. Lamp Tables: paulagracedesigns.com. Table Lamps: johnrichard.com. Polished-Stainless-Steel-and-Stone Tables: swaim-inc.com. Lounge Chairs & Side Chairs: kravet.com. Side Chair Fabric: fabricut.com. Center Table & Horn Side Table: centuryfurniture.com. Center Table Chairs: hickorychair.com. Chandelier & Sconces: curreycodealers.com. Area Rug: millikencarpet.com. Accessories: studioa-home.com. Wall Art: wendoverart.com. Drape Silk: libassilk.com. Drape Hardware: unitedsupplyco.com. Pillow Fabrics: leejofa.com; vervain.com; fabricut.com. Custom Wood & Glass Door: atrium-interiors.com.
KITCHEN / BREAKFAST ROOM Custom Cabinets: cabinetsinlancaster.com. Stove/Oven: subzero-wolf.com. Pedestal Table, Dining Chairs & Chandeliers: johnrichard.com. Custom Backsplash Tile: conestogatile.com. Counter Stools: frontgate.com. Area Rug: stantoncarpet.com. Candle Holders: studioa-home.com. Organic Gold Bowl: phillipscollection.com.
FAMILY ROOM Sofas & Swivel Chair Ottomans: swaim-inc.com. Ottoman / Coffee Tables & Swivel Chairs (next to fireplace): hickorychair.com. Lounge Chairs: kristindrohancollection.com. Clover Side Table: studioa-home.com. Glass Side Tables: swaim-inc.com. Table and Floor Lamps: visualcomfort.com. Chandelier & Sconces: fineartlamps.com. Mirror: centuryfurniture.com. Accessories: studioa-home.com; phillipscollection.com; arteriorshome.com. Pillow Fabrics: leejofa.com; kravet.com.
MASTER BATH Air Tub, Vanity, Faucet: thesomervillebathandkitchenstore.com. Wall Art: wendoverart.com.
MASTER BEDROOM Bed & Glass-and-Steel Side Table: swaim-inc.com. Lamp Tables: centuryfurniture.com. Table Lamps: visualcomfort.com. Lounge Chairs: hickorychair.com. Ottoman, Pillow & Bolster Fabric: kravet.com. Drape Silk: libassilk.com. Drape Hardware: unitedsupplyco.com. Bedding: valerianne.com.
WINE ROOM Table and Chairs: paulagracedesigns.com. Pendant Light: corbettlighting.com. Bar Stools: worlds-away.com.
LOWER LEVEL Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Sofas & Lounge Chairs: swaim-inc.com. Round Bench: paulagracedesigns.com. Cocktail Tables: centuryfurniture.com. Metal Side Tables & Clover Puzzle Table: studioa-home.com. Glass-and-Metal Table & Console: worlds-away.com. Console Lamps: visualcomfort.com. Wall Mirror: cyandesign.biz. Accessories: studioa-home.com; phillipscollection.com. Fountain and Fountain Table: phillipscollection.com. Pendant: corbettlighting.com. Pillow Fabric: kravet; robertallendesign.com; fabricut.com.
Sometimes an address is more than just an address. Case in point: a two-bedroom condo at 3303 Water Street, a luxury residential building sandwiched between the Potomac River and the C&O Canal in the heart of Georgetown. For bi-coastal homeowners Karin and Scott Wheeler, their eastern zip code is all about embracing a new lifestyle.
“We love it here,” says Karin Wheeler. “You could be here for years and not have seen it all—and once you think you have, it changes up again.”
The Wheelers, who are empty nesters, came to DC in 2016 for Scott’s new job as CFO of the CoStar Group. Karin, who volunteers at non-profit organizations including the American World Adoption Agency, was up for the adventure. While shopping real estate, the couple quickly honed in on Georgetown.
“We chose it because of its rich history and urban lifestyle,” says Karin Wheeler, adding, “It has that nice balance of city living and natural beauty.”
They bought the 1,950-square-foot condo and turned to designer Kirsten Kaplan to help furnish it in a modern style, a contrast to their traditional, suburban Orange County house.
“They wanted a vibrant, urban pied-à-terre,” says Kaplan. “The building has an industrial architecture with grid windows and exposed support columns. My aim was to respect and enhance that vibe.”
Though the floor plan was mostly open, the Wheelers wanted to remove a wall separating the kitchen and living room, replacing it with a peninsula. Adrian Andreassi of Case Design/Remodeling reconfigured the kitchen, creating a completely open living area.
The openness meant that the home’s flow had to be carefully considered. “I wanted to reflect the spirit of being in a city,” says Kaplan, who developed “a high-contrast look with a mostly neutral cream background and color cues taken from the red-brick and slate-gray tones outside.”
Reds pop in cut-velvet sofa pillows and leather dining chairs. The bed boasts a slate-gray tufted headboard—the same hue as the matte finish on the structural column that anchors the living area.
“Furnishings were inspired by the lines of the windows—the exposed metal-frame armchairs, for example,” notes Kaplan. “We went with low-profile pieces so as not to block any views.”
Because the rectilinear grid windows dominate the space visually, Kaplan kept patterns to a minimum, with armchairs in a small-scale geometric chenille weave. The architecture-inspired materials including glass-and-iron coffee and dining tables and a concrete-and-wood side table. Silhouettes are clean and tailored. Fabrics are durable and practical.
The lighting conveys an industrial edge, with cylindrical triple-smoked-glass pendants over the island. An iron-and-glass chandelier defines the dining area, and an overhead fixture in the living area ties the spaces together while keeping views clear throughout.
The owners are enjoying Georgetown, which lies at their feet even as they work in their shared office. “We’re having fun,” Karin says of their new East Coast life. “And did I say I love this condo? It’s like living in our own boutique hotel.” v
Interior Design: Kirsten Kaplan, Haus Interior Design, Rockville, Maryland. Kitchen Design & Contracting: Case Design/Remodeling, Inc., Washington, DC.
When updating a dining room in historic Leesburg, Virginia, Sallie Kjos enhanced the old while embracing the new. Traditional architectural features, such as paneled wainscoting and dentil molding, provided a complementary backdrop to the homeowner’s antique china collection—including a blue-and-white set from the 1850s that inspired the color scheme.
Under Kjos’s direction, the dining room was painted in high-contrast navy and white, softened by rich creams and spa blues exemplified in a washed rug from Surya.
“The style is transitional,” explains Kjos. “I took the traditional look and gave it sharper edges with furniture that was cleaner-lined and more contemporary.”
Twin, glass-fronted Chippendale-style china cabinets with honeycomb trellis overlays were sourced at Z Gallerie. Painted white, they are classic yet crisp and fresh, adding symmetry to the room while showcasing the homeowner’s beloved collection of Chinoiserie.
Meanwhile, the traditional, dark-stained mahogany dining table from Ballard Designs, which seats up to 12 with added leaves, lends strong visual weight to the room. To counter its mass, Kjos selected a mix of seating, also from Ballard: open-backed chairs with velvet seats and host and hostess armchairs upholstered in a light-colored herringbone pattern.
A curvaceous Kichler chandelier hangs above the table, while a sleek, brass-and-glass Pottery Barn console holds serving pieces and dessertware as needed. A modern sunburst mirror in gold from Z Gallerie is striking against the walls painted in Naval from Sherwin Williams.
“As a designer, I like the mix of an eclectic, layered look,” Kjos reflects. “It’s more interesting when things are collected over time.”
Interior Design: Sallie Finney Kjos, GreyHunt Interiors, South Riding, Virginia. Text & Styling: Charlotte Safavi. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg.
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When an avid equestrian purchased acreage in a coveted Virginia Hunt Country location adjacent to the late Bunny Mellon’s estate, she hired architect Thomas Beach and landscape architect Barry W. Starke to design a 3,000-square-foot home and horse farm on the site, comprised of 500 acres of open pastureland.
“It was originally intended as a guesthouse,” says Beach. “The homeowner wanted a one-bedroom dwelling with stables beneath it, so I suggested a fresh interpretation of a historic bank barn, whereby you walk into the upper level, which would have been used for hay and grain storage, but can also walk around to the lower level where livestock would’ve been kept. So the main living space is for the homeowner’s use and beneath it stall for horses.”
Beach, who is deeply knowledgeable about the vernacular architecture of rural Virginia, carried his concept past the architectural plans and into the building materials, which are authentic to the old bank-barn look. Shiplap siding of painted fir and natural stone clad the exterior, while sliding track-and-pulley barn doors adorn the front entry and side window. Indigenous fieldstone was gathered on site and stacked to create low walls that flank the flagstone ramp leading up to the home’s entrance.
Inside, Beach combined rustic elements with more contemporary features such as a state-of-the-art kitchen and bathrooms. “The homeowner wanted an east-facing glass wall for ample light and to enjoy the views,” Beach notes. “But we also used vertical tongue-and-groove painted planks for the walls and salvaged reclaimed oak timber columns and beams throughout. The hardware is hand-crafted to emulate what would have been there historically.”
Early in the project, the owner tapped designer Marlene Dennis to decorate the interiors. She worked in tandem with Beach on cabinetry design and the selection of kitchen and bath materials and other finishes. As a complementary backdrop to the reclaimed-oak timbers, Dennis chose white walls and trim, then contrasted them with rich, espresso-stained hickory flooring, wide-planked and laid on the diagonal. Sections of diagonal flooring are framed to delineate each area.
As the guest house came together, the owner fell in love with it and before long decided to make it the property’s main house—a retreat from her busy life and career in DC. Guest accommodations would be included in an additional barn on the site, also designed by Beach. He and Starke collaborated on this and other outbuildings—as well as an Olympic-sized riding ring, spring-fed lake and staff quarters—that would support the activities of the farm, home to about two dozen horses.
When the main house neared completion, Dennis had a timbered, two-story, open-plan space to furnish. “I wanted the furniture to be equal in strength to the architecture,” says the designer. “Big, solid pieces with details; nothing small or fussy. The fact that the homeowner is an equestrian also informed my design—as did the breathtaking views.”
Against the canvas of crisp white and rustic wood, Dennis explains, “I worked with shades of brown and select greens for furnishings. It’s about creating a peaceful, cohesive space that doesn’t compete with the outside. The deeper, darker browns also add a level of sophistication and speak to the contemporary nature of the home.”
Since the owner loves to host dinner parties, Dennis designed a custom, 14-foot-long dining table that seats 20. “The desk in the adjacent office is similar in width and height, and can be pulled in for even larger groups,” says the designer, who selected leather dining chairs and wingback host chairs upholstered in wool plaid. A huge, wrought-iron chandelier imparts a chic yet rugged vibe.
The living area is split into two seating arrangements. A trio of tailored-leather sofas gathers around a large X-motif coffee table, while four club chairs circle a drum table to accommodate more intimate gatherings. Accent pillows mix equestrian-inspired fabrics and patterns.
“Even in the kitchen, we wanted space for entertaining,” says Dennis. “The island, with its leather bar chairs and reclaimed-wood top, is the perfect place for a glass of wine and dinner for a small group.”
For days when the homeowner is looking to be quiet and cozy, sliding barn doors on both living levels can seal off space. “We added the sliding barn doors for privacy in either the office/den or the bedroom,” says Beach. “It’s just the kind of thing you’d see in an old bank barn—dividing the grain room from hay storage, for example.”
The homeowner, delighted with her weekend retreat, spends her time on site riding, relaxing in solitude and entertaining with the rolling countryside all around. Her thoughtfully designed second home turns out to be exactly what she wanted.
ARCHITECTURE: Thomas M. Beach, Jr., AIA, Upperville, Virginia. INTERIOR DESIGN: Marlene Dennis, Marlene Dennis Design, Middleburg, Virginia. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Barry W. Starke, FASLA, Earth Design Associates, Casanova, Virginia. BUILDER: Tom D. Rice, T.D. Rice Inc., Middleburg, Virginia. STYLING: Charlotte Safavi.
RESOURCES
THROUGHOUT Hickory Flooring: cochranslumber.com. Windows: marvin.com. Skylights: abundantenergyinc.com. Front Door Hardware: historichousefitters.com. Sliding Door & Stable Hardware: lucasequine.com. Custom Beams & Millwork: mikethomascarpentry.com.
FOYER Antique Chest: Owner’s Collection. Mirror: holyhunt.com. Antique Zebra Rug: Owner’s Collection.
OFFICE AREA Desk: marlenedennisdesign.com. Chair: hickorychair.com. Lamp: visualcomfortlightinglights.com.
DINING ROOM Dining Table & Leather Side Chairs: Custom by marlenedennisdesign.com. Chandelier: rosetarlow.com. Host Chairs: hickorychair.com. Wool Plaid on Host Chairs: fschumacher.com. Sideboard: chaddockhome.com.
KITCHEN Cabinetry: Custom. Island Countertop: Reclaimed Oak through shenandoahfarmtables.com. Leather Island Chairs: Custom bymarlenedennisdesign.com. Lantern: danacreath.com. Marble Countertops: marblesystems.com. Backsplash: marblesystems.com. Range & Fridge: subzero-wolf.com, subzero-wolf.com. Sink: rohlhome.com
LIVING ROOM Sofas: kravet.com. Sofa Leather: ralphlaurenhome.com. Cocktail Table: chaddockhome.com. Four Club Chairs: hickorychair.com. Round Cocktail Table: arteriorshome.com. Rug: dmikc.com. Throw Pillows on Sofas: hollandandsherry.com.
BEDROOM Bedstead: hollyhunt.com. Rug: elikorugs.com. Bedside Table: Owner’s Collection. Table Lamp: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Club Chair: hickorychair.com. Club Chair Fabric: room.com. Rug: elikorugs.com. Bench at Foot of Bed: Owner’s Collection.
We’d always hoped for a house on the water,” says the stay-at-home mom of four. Her kids, ages 11 to 18, delighted in waterside holidays, and with the eldest off to college, she explains, “the clock was ticking. We wanted to establish a vacation house that would keep them coming back home.”
In 2015, she and her husband, a financial advisor, purchased a five-bedroom, 5,800-square-foot home on the Tred Avon River in Easton, Maryland. Built in 1949, it had solid bones. Reclaimed heart-pine floors and bead-board paneling distinguish the main level, which boasts an open plan ideal for casual living. Banks of windows framed in natural wood take full advantage of the spectacular scenery.
Nonetheless, the place needed work. The kitchen had been updated in 1998 by Virginia architect Lori Arrasmith Quill, who added custom cabinets, a copper hood, and terracotta-tile countertops. But a heavy Tuscan palette of ochre with red accents made space feel dated, and the rest of the house was done in heavy-handed colonial style, with dark-painted walls and blue wall-to-wall carpets.
The couple hired interior designer Shannon Bieter, with whom they had worked before, for an overhaul. Bieter selected furniture, carpeting, lighting, window treatments and paint colors for the main house as well as a two-bedroom guest cottage, located close by on the three-and-a-half-acre property. “There are a lot of formal homes here,” says the designer, “but this family didn’t want anything formal. They wanted it to have a nice, casual lake-house feel—a place where family and friends could stay over weekends and take advantage of the water, whether boating, paddle boarding, water skiing or simply fishing or crabbing off the dock. There would be a lot of wet towels and damp swimsuits.”
Right off the bat, everything got a fresh coat of paint. Bieter crisped up the walls and beadboard in the main living spaces with Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. In the kitchen, she borrowed hues from the waterfront setting, repainting the ochre-colored shelf backs a pale blue. She traded dated pendants above the island for a clean-lined fixture and added hardy, practical pleather-seated bar chairs. A large trestle table for informal meals imparts fresh, farmhouse style to the room.
“The owner really wanted a huge table that could seat many people,” Bieter recalls. She selected one that, with its two extra leaves in place, can serve as many as 35. “I paired it with benches on one side so you wouldn’t lose much of the water view, and small X-back chairs on the other side,” she adds. In fact, water views take center stage throughout the house. “We made sure that the windows facing the water were unobstructed,” Bieter says.
“The layout is perfectly suited for our casual gatherings of friends and family,” enthuses the wife. “We wanted all the furnishings to be comfortable and durable, taking cues from the water as well as the farmland you see when driving here.”
The front door opens into the large living area, where Bieter created a sense of arrival via a custom, iron-based console table with a resilient travertine top. “All the occasional tables, including the glass coffee table, were given tops that wouldn’t require coasters for drinks and wouldn’t stain,” the designer explains of the practical choices.
The designer and her client took a similar approach to furniture throughout the rest of the open-plan space. The sofa is covered in a virtually indestructible gray Crypton fabric, while the rattan armchairs sport a medallion pattern that doesn’t show dirt. A chaise, strategically positioned by a bank of windows, is also upholstered in Crypton—this one with a subtle, textured pattern.
Though the home’s palette is neutral with touches of blue, red accents in the living area complement an existing Oriental carpet. The reds also carry over into the guest cottage, where Bieter painted the Dutch door and porch swing a bright, welcoming red and created a fun bedroom with twin red headboards.
But the most popular spot is the covered veranda, overlooking the river behind the main house. “The kids really love it,” says Bieter. “They hang out there and read or chat. We furnished it with a custom swing and Adirondack chairs in a blue that complements the water.”
As the homeowner observes, “It’s truly the perfect getaway. If we’re not on the water, we’re playing lawn games and taking advantage of the porch to hang out and watch the weekend go by.”
Charlotte Safavi is an Alexandria-based writer and stylist. Robert Radifera is a photographer in Charlottesville.
Interior Design: Shannon Bieter, ASID, Interiors By Shannon Bieter, LLC, Washington, DC. Landscape Design & Maintenance: Kerry Blockley, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Downsizing can be a good thing—especially when the transition is seamless, as it was for a McLean, Virginia, homeowner and her five-year-old son. It helped that her interior designer, Liza Jones, had once lived in a similar 1950s tract house on an adjacent street and was familiar with both the home’s layout and its neighborhood.
“My client was moving from a much larger house in Maryland that was furnished with big, over-scale pieces that simply wouldn’t fit in this home,” Jones recalls.
Instead of trying to cram her existing furniture into the new 1,400-square-foot house, the owner decided to start over. Her design mandate was pretty simple. She said she wanted a “happy home” that would be fun and kid-friendly—and mentioned that her favorite color is orange.
Certain changes were needed straight away to update and refresh the three-bedroom, circa-1959 house. Jones had the oak floors stained a darker brown, removed the dated brass light fixtures, repainted the walls and trim and took a good, hard look at the kitchen.
“We decided to keep the overall footprint of the original kitchen, but completely reconfigured its layout, eliminating an unnecessary door to the backyard in favor of a whole new bank of much-needed cabinets,” says Jones, who worked with Chantilly-based Virginia Marble & Granite on the space.
The sink was relocated beneath an existing window that was enlarged for additional light and centered for visual balance. The opening between the kitchen and dining room was also expanded.
“We chose clean-lined taupe cabinets by Kemper and installed a tall, built-in pantry to one side,” Jones says. Glass-fronted cabinets open up the space and showcase the homeowner’s collection of dishes and glassware. Countertops of practical engineered quartz by Cosentino are paired with a ceramic-tile backsplash laid horizontally rather than vertically for an unusual look.
All the appliances are stainless steel, and a mix of pulls and knobs in brushed nickel lends a cottage-like vibe. Jones counteracted the room’s neutral simplicity with a lively botanical print by Kravet for the window treatment—a relaxed Roman shade that introduces vibrant color into the space.
A neutral, pale-gray palette took shape throughout the rest of the main floor, which encompasses the airy, open-plan foyer, living and dining areas. The brick fireplace surround received a coat of black paint, and the old hearth was replaced with one of Carrara marble.
Soft, gray tone-on-tone linen curtains from Restoration Hardware blend with the wall color to create a monochromatic backdrop for strong accents of orange and turquoise. “Because we planned to use vibrant pops of color, I wanted to ensure some areas were quieter and more toned down,” Jones explains.
With the home’s facelift complete, the designer and her client tackled the task of furnishing the space. One of the first purchases was a living room rug in orange and cream that inspired their furniture selections—casual pieces appropriately scaled to the house.
“We didn’t want anything with a high profile because the front door opens right into the main room and you see everything at once,” Jones notes. “But we did want everything to be super-comfortable and user-friendly.”
In the living area, a tufted-velvet Ethan Allen sofa in taupe and a plush, low-backed armchair in white chenille pull up to a round leather ottoman/coffee table. The wingback chair, also from Ethan Allen, has a higher back that works in the space because it stands against the fireplace wall.
“Creating a sense of foyer was challenging,” observes Jones. “So we picked out a couple of statement pieces—a round mirror with a pieced edge and a faux-leather console on a chrome base—to create presence within the open floor plan.”
Twin velvet ottomans with contrasting orange piping tuck beneath the console and serve as extra seating. The homeowner, a sales executive in the defense industry, uses the main living area as her “woman cave,” popping her feet up on the ottoman to watch TVafter work. All the furniture on the main floor is safely treated for stain-resistance in case of spills. However, her son has the run of a playroom on the lower level, which also contains a guest suite.
But the owner’s biggest design move was the addition of a screened porch and deck on the back of the house, which afforded extra living and dining space. Architects Cathy Purple Cherry and Alan Cook of Annapolis-based Purple Cherry Architects designed the addition, which entailed removing a dining room wall and installing sliding-glass doors. Complete with inviting wrought-iron furniture and durable indoor-outdoor fabrics, the porch has become one of the owner’s favorite perches in the home. As Jones explains, “She wanted the extra space for entertaining or hanging out when her son is playing in the yard, but she’s out there all the time now. It’s cozy, pretty and fun.”
Writer and stylist Charlotte Safavi lives in Alexandria. Stacy Zarin Goldberg is an Olney, Maryland, photographer.
ADDITION ARCHITECTURE: CATHY PURPLE CHERRY, AIA, principal; ALAN COOK, LEED AP, project architect, Purple Cherry Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: LIZA JONES, Liza Jane Interiors, Sterling, Virginia. BUILDER: Clemens Builders, Bethesda, Maryland.
Once their kids had flown the coop, Liz and Jim Underhill decided to sell their perch in Bethesda and start anew in DC’s Foxhall neighborhood. “Our former home was very traditional,” says Liz Underhill, who now shares a newly built, four-bedroom house with her husband, CEO of a commercial real estate firm. “We really enjoyed our old place, but over the years, our taste has changed. We wanted a cheerful-looking home with lighter and brighter colors. We’re also drawn to Southern style.”
Building and designing a house from scratch went smoothly for the couple, who started with an able team that included George Myers and Luke Olson of GTM Architects, Fine Earth Landscape and Sandy Spring Builders. As the project broke ground, the owners hired Bethesda interior designer Erica Burns to help them select everything from cabinetry design, trim, and millwork to paint colors and floor stains, while also creating an overall decorating plan.
Special details set the colonial-style house with a whitewashed red-brick exterior apart from its neighbors. “They wanted a Southern plantation feel,” says GTM project manager Luke Olson. “So in lieu of a standard front-porch roof, we designed a decorative Chippendale-style balustrade. We also paired up the porch columns to allow for a more open feel, as well as a through-view to the shuttered French doors.”
Inside, arched case openings instead of square ones lead from the foyer into the dining room and library, which can be sealed off by way of a glass-paned pocket door. “The homeowners requested a cozy library at the front of the house—not a formal living room—so we paneled the entire space and finished it off in a high-gloss lacquer,” says Burns.
Unlike the typical wood tones found in most libraries, this one is paneled in turquoise. In fact, shades of turquoise drove the color palette for the entire home, along with complementary hues of blush and chartreuse, set against a neutral white backdrop. “Turquoise is a tricky color,” Burns attests. “It has to be the right shade and used in the right way. While turquoise is a common thread in the main living spaces, it’s expressed in different mediums and doses.” For example, the library’s glossy, saturated turquoise softens as it travels via a matte turquoise-and-cream wallpaper in the foyer to the dining room, where chairs are upholstered in linen of the same powdery-pale turquoise hue.
“The front spaces—foyer, library and dining room—play off each other, so all three had to work together,” explains Burns.
This is true not only of the color palette but also of the furnishings. Burns blended new and existing pieces throughout the home, giving some of the older furniture—mostly antiques—a renewed finish or purpose. “The old dining table previously had red tones, so we stained it a chic, dark ebony and paired it with freshly upholstered dining chairs,” says the designer. “In the foyer, I repurposed an antique French chest as a table, but added a sense of whimsy to it with a sculpted-leaf table lamp in gold.” The brass-and-gold accents in the more formal front rooms are also a nod to Old World—and Southern—aesthetics, but like the airy, newly sourced light fixtures, they have an updated vibe.
Though the overhead lighting and kitchen hardware turn to a dark, oil-rubbed bronze in the more casual back of the house, turquoise brightens up the kitchen’s hand-painted backsplash tiles. Other kitchen features include an extended marble-topped island, part of which is raised to function as a built-in breakfast bar/table paired with tall Chippendale-backed chairs. Countertops are white marble and, as in the rest of the house, flooring is bleached white oak. On one side, a bar is ready for entertaining.
The open-plan kitchen connects to an eat-in dining nook and a family room, where a coffered ceiling lends definition. Neutral furnishings in these adjacent spaces are enlivened with accents of turquoise and chartreuse.
The family room celebrates the property’s gardens. “Bi-fold patio doors allow you to open up the wall between the family room and back terrace, extending the space outdoors for entertaining,” says Luke Olson.
Though chartreuse is picked up in the upstairs master bedroom in a mohair-velvet bolster, turquoise hues are ever-present in accents, as are gold and glossy wood finishes. For example, the white-lacquered nightstands have shiny gold keyholes and custom turquoise tassels. One of the smaller bedrooms was repurposed as Liz’s dressing room, which picks up blush hues in a lacquered island with a marble top.
“The master bathroom has a pretty quatrefoil border and café curtains, letting in light while maintaining privacy,” says Burns of the marble-clad space.
Now that the home is complete, the designer reflects, “It was a great process to be involved in this project from the ground up, as we were able to do a lot of things to make the home cohesive.”
Liz Underhill agrees, “It’s fun and fresh, while classic and timeless. Erica was able to translate our wishes into the design.”
Charlotte Safavi is a writer in Alexandria. Photographer Stacy Zarin Goldberg is based in Olney, Maryland.
ARCHITECTURE: GEORGE T. MYERS, AIA, principal; LUKE OLSON, project manager, GTM Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: ERICA BURNS, Erica Burns Interiors, Bethesda, Maryland. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Fine Earth Landscape, Poolesville, Maryland. BUILDER: Sandy Spring Builders, Bethesda, Maryland.
RESOURCES
Architecture: GTM Architects, gtmarchitects.com. Builder: Sandy Spring Builders; sandyspringbuilders.com. Interior Design: Erica Burns Interiors; ericaburns.com. Landscape Architecture: Fine Earth Landscaping; fineearth.com. Kitchen & Bath Design: Amy Collins, LLC; Potomac, Maryland.
THROUGHOUT Window Treatment Fabrication: Gretchen Everett; gretcheneverett.com. Windows: jeld-wen.com through tntservicesgroup.com.
FAMILY ROOM Round Table: Owners’ Collection. Green Table Lamp: stephengerould.com through johnrosselli.com. Art above Fireplace: karensmidth.com. Rug: galbraithandpaul.com. Sofas: leeindustries.com. Sofa Fabric: janechurchill.com. Chair: crlaine.com. Chair Fabric: manuelcanovas.com. Coffee Table: lillianaugust.com. Lucite Console: Custom through ericaburns.com. Benches below Console: randomharvesthome.com. Bench Fabric: sisterparishdesign.com. Pillows on Sofa: lacefielddesigns.com (blue solids) and quadrillefabrics.com (pattern). Grass Cloth in Bookcases: thibautdesign.com.
ENTRY Wallpaper: cowtan.com. French commode: Antique. Lamp: worlds-away.com. Pendant: visualcomfort.com.
LIBRARY Mirror: Oliver Dunn; 202-338-7410. Wall Color: Mill Springs Blue by benjaminmoore.com. Sofa & Wing Chairs: leeindustries.com. Sofa Fabric: manuelcanovas.com. Wing Chair Fabric: cowtan.com. Drapery: rogersandgoffigon.com. Lamp & Sconce: visualcomfort.com. Lampshade Fabric: fortuny.com. Chest, Art & Coffee Table: Owners’ Collection. Pink Chair Fabric: fschumacher.com. Rug: fibreworks.com.
KITCHEN Cabinetry: Brookhaven (wood-mode.com) through Amy Collins. Marble Countertops: marblesystems.com. Hood & Ovens: thermador.com. Custom Backsplash: tabarkastudio.com. Roman Shade Fabric: galbraithandpaul.com. Barstools: davidfrancisfurniture.com. Pendants: visualcomfort.com.
BREAKFAST NOOK Rug: fibreworks.com. Chairs: rh.com. Chair Fabric: colefax.com. Lantern: johnrosselli.com. Table: customfurniturela.com. Drapery Fabric: galbraithandpaul.com.
DINING ROOM Table: Owners’ Collection. Chairs: rh.com. Chair Fabric: janechurchill.com. Rug: fibreworks.com. Chandelier: fort.com. Painting by Chris Shands: artfulliving-gallery.com.
MASTER BEDROOM Headboard & Bedframe: Already Covered Interiors & Upholstery; 703-204-1040. Headboard Fabric: duralee.com. Bedside Chests & Tassels: oomphonline.com. Rug: fowlercarpet.com. Roman Shade Fabric: christopherfarr.com. Lamps: arteriorshome.com. Bedding with Custom Monogram: juliab.com. Lumbar: rogersandgoffigon.com. Lumbar Trim: samuelandsons.com.
MASTER BATHROOM Vanity: Brookhaven (wood-mode.com) through Amy Collins. Countertop: marblesystems.com. Tile: architecturalceramics.com. Sconces: ro-sham-beaux.com.
CLOSET Closet Design & Fabrication: sandyspringbuilders.com. Countertop: marblesystems.com. Pendant & Sconce: visualcomfort.com. Wall Covering: fschumacher.com. Bench: mossstudio.com.
Emily Henderson put a lot of thought into the five-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot home she and her husband purchased in 2012. The couple and their two daughters, who had recently relocated to DC from Denver, were transitioning from a historic Craftsman house to a 1930s colonial-style home. “The challenge,” Henderson recalls, “was to transform the décor using furnishings from our old house in our new home.”
First, she made some simple updates throughout the residence. She had the wood floors stained dark ebony, replaced the hardware with unlacquered brass and covered the sunroom’s brick walls with drywall and fresh millwork. In the kitchen, double islands were removed to create an open dining space.
Initially, Henderson worked with her Denver-based interior designer, Mikhail Dantes, to establish a neutral palette of black, gray and gold in the Washington home. But she soon decided that working with a local design team would be more practical and tapped Julia Overton, a senior designer at Kathryn Ivey Interiors, and Lenore Winters, a decorative painter and paint specialist, to complete the project.
“My job was to figure out how to merge the Hendersons’ Western backgrounds with an East Coast sensibility via furniture, fabrics, and accessories,” says Overton. “I quickly learned that because they come from the West, they wanted a comfortable, relaxed décor.” In helping to furnish and decorate the home, she integrated favorite Denver pieces with new furnishings to create the fresh, eclectic vibe her clients envisioned.
Meanwhile, Winters oversaw all of the paintworks. As Henderson explains, “Getting the right gray was really important to me. It had to be a true neutral—nothing too green, too blue or too purple.” In addition to achieving the right shade of gray, Winters painted doors throughout the home a deep black and added faux bois finish to the chimney breast and fireplace surround in the living room.
Overton started her work in the family room, located just off the kitchen. “It’s the heart of the home where everyone lives,” she says. The designer furnished the space with a large Duralee sectional in a cotton-linen blend and a square-shaped ottoman. “It instantly became a focal point with the family gathered around it,” she adds of the Hickory Chair piece.
Overton also played with dashes of warm color to balance the cool neutrals. In the family room, she interjected canary yellow accents in throw pillows, artwork, and a Lucite-and-leather desk chair; in the adjacent foyer, she favored touches of crisp apple green.
In the sunroom, a vintage wingback chair—white-lacquered and reupholstered—was paired with a cream linen sofa. “My clients love the natural feel of linen,” Overton observes. “They also love the fact that it looks comfortable and relaxing—again bringing in that Western ease to the décor.” Azure Murano table lamps appear to float on the sunroom’s glass side tables.
The adjacent living room balances the sunroom’s lightness and brightness with a moodier, sophisticated palette of layered grays, including a charcoal-hued velvet loveseat. Space is home to a curved 1930s armchair that belonged to Emily Henderson’s grandmother. Overton had the piece duplicated by Richmond-based Harrison Higgins to create a pair, then covered both in Fortuny silk, resulting in instant heirlooms. The silk’s petite geometric pattern, along with gold accents, lends the room a Deco vibe.
“I love the Deco era,” says Henderson. “All the black and gold, the glass and the curvy furniture. In a house like this, you can do a nod to Deco.”
Overton also believes that Deco works well with the home’s décor. “The style is sharp, the palette sophisticated and there’s a great mix of vintage and newer pieces,” she says.
In the dining room, an existing ebonized table and chairs from the clients’ Denver house have been integrated with recently purchased pieces, such as a low-pile, woven-wool carpet in light gray. The gauzy linen curtains are similarly pale and run on unfussy pewter rods.
“The juxtaposition of light and dark is important in the overall design,” says Overton. “We paid attention to this in our use of woods, as well as in our upholstery selections.”
In the master bedroom, Overton reupholstered existing armchairs in dove-gray linen. The new ottoman is dressed in a Chanel-like bouclé fabric. “I wanted to give the bedroom a calm, inviting feel, so we went with creamy colors and softer grays to add warmth,” she says.
By contrast, the library is filled with some of the homeowners’ darker furnishings, including a pair of antique Biedermeier armchairs in brown velvet. Still, Overton kept the space light with a pale-hued Oushak and Roman shades of sheer woven grass.
The family’s finished home is truly the best of both worlds. “Our old home was all autumnal colors, suede and clean, modern lines. Now, our décor feels transitional, lighter in the palette and a bit more refined and layered,” says Henderson. “This house definitely reflects our new sense of space.”
Writer and stylist Charlotte Safavi is based in Alexandria. Emily Minton Redfield is a photographer in Denver.
INTERIOR DESIGN: JULIA OVERTON, Kathryn Ivey Interiors, Alexandria, Virginia. INTERIOR & DECORATIVE PAINT: LENORE WINTERS, Lenore Winters Studio, Bethesda, Maryland. STYLING: CHARLOTTE SAFAVI.
A family relocating from New York to Washington decided to keep their Manhattan apartment. So when they moved into their 1940s colonial-style home in Georgetown with very few furnishings, their intent was to start anew.
One of the owners met DC-based interior decorator Colman Riddell at a dinner party and invited her to have a look at their three-bedroom house. Along with its good architectural bones, it had plenty of natural light via French doors and large windows, tall ceilings, simple but elegant trim work and a big backyard. The spacious side patio, with its flagstone paving and lacquered black gate, also struck Riddell as charming and full of potential.
Inside, the wood floors had already been stained dark, and all the walls, trim and moldings had been painted matte white, providing Riddell with a perfect canvas on which to design the home her clients wanted.
“The homeowner was looking for a minimalist feel and neutral palette, but with lots of textures and layers. Above all, she wanted everything to be comfortable for her young family,” says Riddell, who was soon hired for the job. “She and her husband often host informal gatherings, so rooms suitable for easy entertaining were also important.”
On the main level, Riddell began the design process by selecting two sizable Stark carpets—one for the dining room and one for the living room. Both are textured sisals with narrow twill banding; the one in the dining room has a subtle geometric pattern.
“I didn’t want the carpets to be exactly the same but to be compatible; I wanted to give the separate rooms different personalities right away,” explains Riddell. The two rooms lie across from each other, divided by a narrow center hall with a staircase leading up to the bedrooms.
The long living room proved a challenge. The rectangular space is anchored at one end by a fireplace sandwiched between built-in alcoves. To add symmetry, Riddell designed a wall of bookcases at the opposite end of the room; they house the well-traveled homeowners’ global collections and art books. “I wallpapered both the bookshelves and the alcove backs in a textured grasscloth,” says Riddell, who then layered in accessories sparingly.
“My approach for that—and for the rest of the design—was to integrate negative space balanced with solid blocks of interest,” the designer explains. “You can’t appreciate the accents unless you have a place for the eye to rest.”
In the living room, Riddell made the decision to split the floor plan into two separate seating arrangements that flow together as needed—ideal for hosting large groups. An eight-foot-long sofa slipcovered in Belgian linen grounds the fireplace end of the room, along with a pair of plush, velvet-upholstered armchairs. “I wanted it to be comfortable and cozy,” says Riddell. “On the opposite side, I used a six-foot-long matching sofa. The two seating areas are bridged by a couple of stools that can be pulled up to either side.”
Though the home’s overall palette is neutral, the spaces are far from boring. “To make neutral interesting you need layers of texture—not just in fabrics and textiles, but in furnishings and colors,” Riddell observes. In the living room, for example, she selected throw pillows in chocolate velvet mohair, ivory boiled wool and beige Belgian linen with contrasting coral tape. Materials are also highly varied, from a honed-travertine coffee table with wrought iron legs to a cerused oak side table.
“I find you can add a lot of character and individuality via side tables,” says Riddell, referring especially to a repurposed cylindrical gear block in its original wood finish that sits between the armchairs in the living room.
In the dining room, Riddell selected a repurposed trestle base and paired it with a new pine top to create a one-of-a-kind table. “For lighting, I wanted a moody atmosphere in the dining room,” she says. “The double metal chandeliers shed light up and down. They also have an industrial vibe,” she continues. “I find punches of black also add interest to a neutral space.”
On the patio, landscape architect Leslie Gignoux of Fritz & Gignoux designed a contemporary yet classic wrought-iron pergola above the teak dining table. During the warm months, the pergola is lush with wisteria, giving shade during the day and dispensing ambiance at night by way of pierced, canned lighting.
Riddell decorated this outdoor room with a mix of neutral materials ranging from wicker to concrete and also worked in global accents. The result is yet another textured and layered space for the homeowners to enjoy.
Charlotte Safavi is a writer and stylist based in Alexandria. Robert Radifera is a Charlottesville photographer.
INTERIOR DESIGN: COLMAN RIDDELL, Colman Riddell Interiors, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: LESLIE GIGNOUX, Fritz & Gignoux, Washington, DC.
RESOURCES
LIVING ROOM Sofas: rh.com. Matching Armchairs: leeindustries.com. Armchair Fabric: duralee.com. Wingback Chair: henredon.com. Wingback Chair Fabric: glant.com. Round Table by Wingback Chair: kravet.com. Coffee Table: Custom. Twin Ottomans & Upholstered Bench: bungalowclassic.com. Sisal Carpet: starkcarpet.com. Picture over Mantel: Mary Page Evans through addisonripleyfineart.com. Mirror over Sofa: Owners’ collection. Sconces over Sofa: Moss & Co.; 202-337-0540. Sculptures in Niches: luckettstore.com. Round Occasional Table between Chairs & Covered Woven Basket: palecek.com. Table Lamps: arteriorshome.com. Round Occasional Table by Sofa: centuryfurniture.com. Art between Windows: christousimis.com. Drapery Fabric: graylinelinen.com. Drapery Fabricator: Leang’s Interior & Distributor; 301-477-3065.
DINING ROOM Dining Table & Sideboard: Owners’ collection. Chairs: rh.com. Pendants over Table: urbanelectric.com. Lamp on Sideboard: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Art above Sideboard: douglasdavid.com. Art to Left of French Door: christousimis.com. Draperies: graylinelinen.com. Drapery Fabricator: Leang’s Interior & Distributor; 301-477-3065. Carpet: starkcarpet.com.
ENTRY Console Table & Decorative Planter: elegantearthatthearbor.com. Mirror above Console: luckettstore.com.
GUEST BEDROOM Bedstead & Bedding: rh.com. Nightstand on Wall: Corbel through wisteria.com. Bedside Lamp: aidangrayhome.com.
MASTER BEDROOM Bedstead & Night Tables: rh.com. Bedding & Window Treatment: graylinelinen.com. Fabricator: Leang’s Interior & Distributor; 301-477-3065. Bedside Lamps: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Art over Bedstead: callowayart.com.
COURTYARD Dining Table, Chairs & Server: janusetcie.com.
When describing the home he designed for a pair of empty nesters, Ben Ames speaks of the Japanese principle of Shinrin-yoku, meaning “forest bathing.” The house “opens up to the adjacent C&O Canal, allowing the forest to envelop it,” he explains. “It’s also built for a couple who loves to entertain.”
Conceived as a narrow, trapezoidal form, the house occupies a quarter-acre lot. The exterior blends sustainable materials: Prodema, a wood surface encased in thermoplastic film, and Viroc, panels made of compressed pine particles and cement. L-shaped, coated-steel forms frame each volume. The result is a textural structure that exudes organic warmth.
Inside, an open floor plan encompasses a foyer, kitchen and living and dining areas where guests can congregate. “We warmed the great room with natural elements evocative of the forest,” says Ames. Tongue-in-groove bamboo clads the ceiling and walnut accents unify the spaces. A wall of glass brings nature indoors.
The living area and master suite open onto a back deck that spans the length of the house. Upstairs, two guest rooms, a bath, and a den are accessible via a glass-and-steel balcony overlooking the living area.
An open staircase with walnut treads and a laser-cut guardrail encapsulates the home’s connection to nature, creating a mesh pattern resembling branches in winter. “The staircase bathes the interiors,” says Ames. “Its filtered light is directly related to the filtered light of the forest.”
Architecture: Benjamin Ames, Aia, Amestudio, Arlington, Virginia. Interior Design: Jamie Merida, Denise Perkins, Bountiful Interiors, Easton, Maryland. Contractor: Karl Voglmayr, Washington Landmark Construction, Washington, DC. Landscape Design: Shannon Russell, A New Leaf Garden Design and Restoration, Bethesda, Maryland.
Ben Ames’s Trade Secrets:
Pamela Harvey understands traditional design, but she also knows how to make it feel fresh and new. When clients purchased a center-hall colonial in Oakton, Virginia, Harvey’s directive for the dining room was to create a simple, updated space where they could easily entertain.
She took color cues from her client, who hails from Florida and misses the blue hues of the ocean and sky. “Blue was a good choice,” reflects Harvey. “Sky blue, especially, is bright and cheerful yet subdued enough for classicists.”
Whites and shades of greige temper the color choice. The ceiling, moldings, and wainscoting are crisply painted in Benjamin Moore’s Simply White, which perfectly complements the wallpaper above the chair rail, giving it maximum impact. Farrow & Ball’s Lotus Flower pattern in blue and white provides a striking backdrop to the room.
A double pedestal dining table by Somerset Bay, also in white, fills the space. It pairs well with upholstered host and hostess chairs in a pretty Schumacher print. Blue linen fabric covers the seats of the clients’ existing Queen Anne chairs, which were also refreshed with white paint.
Meanwhile, floor-to-ceiling windows with decorative transoms sport unfussy, white cotton-duck panels. Modern Lucite rods keep things light, creating a visual connection to the crystal chandelier from Circa Lighting. Overscaled, glazed-ceramic lamps on a half-moon console add visual weight and help ground the room.
“We added touches of gold for understated glamour,” says Harvey. “Gold accents the lamp bases, drapery hardware and nailhead trim on the chairs, as well as the chandelier.”
Interior Design: Pamela Harvey, Allied ASID, Pamela Harvey Interiors, Oakton, Virginia.
In the design of a compact home in Cabin John, Maryland, architect Ben Ames proved that economy of space does not have to mean the economy of style or luxury. Case in point: the 150-square-foot master bathroom. The client’s desire for a dressing table and makeup area integrated with a vanity drove Ames’s design of the narrow space.
In the finished room, an 11-foot-long double vanity with Pure White Thassos marble countertops and richly grained walnut cabinetry lines one wall, with a makeup station centered between the two sinks. Directly opposite the vanity, a sculptural Victoria & Albert Napoli bathtub adds visual balance. It’s flanked by two full-height, IKEA cabinets in a glossy white laminate finish. But what showcases the statement-making tub and defines its niche within the bathroom is a contrasting custom tongue-in-groove inset walnut feature wall, which is reflected in the vanity’s triple mirrors.
“I designed the bathroom using the same overall principles I used in the whole house: a reduced palette of soothing, natural materials,” explains Ames, who worked with Bountiful Interiors on the project.
Striated Athens Silver Cream marble clads the opposite vanity wall and covers the floors in a textured, bricked pattern, traveling back to a frosted picture window that lets in plenty of filtered light. To the right, the W.C. is discreetly tucked away behind a partial wall, and to the left is the shower, where another large window and glass doors wash the bathroom in the more natural light.
“In the shower, I put in a built-in white marble bench, as well as a six-foot-long linear drain, allowing for a curb-less transition into the shower,” says Ames.
Even the views reflect nature: The shower window looks out on the wooded edge of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Park.
ARCHITECTURE: Benjamin Ames, AIA, Ames Studio, Arlington, Virginia. INTERIOR DESIGN: Jamie Merida and Denise Perkins, Bountiful Interiors, Easton, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Karl Voglmayr, Washington Landmark Construction, Washington, DC. TEXT & STYLING: Charlotte Safavi. PHOTOGRAPHY: Robert Radifera.
RESOURCES
Architecture: amestudio.com. Interior Design: bountifuldecor.com. Contractor: washingtonlandmark.com. Floor & Wall Tile: daltile.com through bountifuldecor.com. Vanity Counter & Shower Bench: atlasstonefabricators.com through bountifuldecor.com. Cabinetry: ikea.com. Pendants: lbllighting.com. Tub: vandabaths.com. Sinks: kohler.com. Sink & Tub Faucets: lacava.com. Shower Set: hansgrohe-usa.com.
For more baths also see:
- Bathed in Light
- Ode to DC
- Touch of Glamour
When DC-based interior designer Christopher Boutlier first saw his clients’ Ocean City condo, he felt like he was walking into a time capsule. “There was wall-to-wall shag carpeting, popcorn ceilings and bamboo furniture with pink-and-teal fabric,” he recalls. “It was frozen sometime in the mid-’80s.” The kitchen and two bathrooms were also hopelessly dated, with Formica countertops and plastic tubs. Given the condo’s location in a 1960s building, Boutlier knew working within its architectural confines would present a challenge.
However, there was also good news. First, the designer had previously worked with the owners, a couple with a child in college, so he understood their aesthetic and lifestyle. Second, the 1,200-square-foot, two-bedroom condominium sat above the boardwalk with stunning beach and water views. So he immediately saw the project’s potential. “My clients, one of whom has family history in the area, wanted me to resurrect the integrity of the condo,” he explains. “To update the space, clean it up and revive it for the family’s use.”
Boutlier started by stripping the interiors down to bare bones, then spent time musing over the wonderful beach houses he had been lucky enough to spend time in over the years. “The ones I really loved were clean and simple. They made you feel like you were in a hotel where there weren’t a lot of extra parts and there wasn’t a lot going on,” he says.
“Clean and simple” became his mantra as the design began to materialize. Another goal was to keep the job affordable. To this end, Boutlier says, “I wanted to take high design and do it on a budget, with materials that were easily available at local stores. I kept my sources limited and basic, but executed an interesting design.”
He selected charcoal-hued porcelain tile flooring (more affordable than stone) in a 12-by-24-inch format with a thinner grout line that presented a sharp finish and uninterrupted sight lines. The walls were painted in Benjamin Moore’s Bright White, a shade Boutlier favors because it’s the closest to a true gallery white. “The charcoal flooring is a bit dramatic,” he says. “The space had these odd ceiling heights that I couldn’t change, so I kept the walls and ceilings white, crisp and clean, giving me license to punch up the floors.” Popcorn ceilings were stripped to the concrete slab, scored and painted, imparting an interesting twist on coastal-style beadboard with a contemporary vibe. The kitchen—formerly sealed off with a wall—was opened up to the main living space by way of a Carrara marble-topped breakfast bar. Appliances were replaced, though for practical and economical reasons their locations stayed the same. Cabinetry in both kitchen and bathrooms is natural maple from Kraftmaid.
Most of the furniture was acquired at Room & Board; choosing a single vendor would meet the clients’ directive to streamline deliveries to the busy Ocean City location. “It was a question of one or two deliveries to get things in and out,” says Boutlier.
The main living space, which flows onto an oceanfront balcony, is loosely divided into dining and sitting areas. “Because of the proximity of the beach, our selections were about finding pieces that would hold the least amount of sand possible,” says Boutlier. For example, the pale gray sofa is covered in an indoor-outdoor fabric with a single, simple-to-shake-out seat cushion, and the pair of leather loungers can simply be wiped clean of sand.
The dining niche has a glass-topped table on a stainless-steel base that’s easy to maneuver around; the designer selected armless chairs for the same reason since they take up minimal space.
“When working on a budget, the easiest way to make something a bit more unique or special is by adding custom pillows,” says Boutlier, who upped the design quotient by ordering pillows from Timothy Paul. “You can pull in textures and fabrics not seen everywhere.”
In addition to luxe bedding and pillows, Boutlier also splurged on lamps—what he calls the “earrings in a room.” He placed block crystal-based lamps in the master bedroom, and selected a beautiful alabaster lamp from Visual Comfort for the living area. “I also added warmth to the bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling curtains,” he says.
The homeowners are delighted with the results. “We succeeded in creating an updated space to bring the family together,” Boutlier reflects. “My clients get to enjoy their time at the beach without worrying about a high-maintenance home.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: CHRISTOPHER BOUTLIER, Allied ASID, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: JAMIE LOPEZ, AJ & Lopez Services, LLC, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Writer and stylist Charlotte Safavi is based in Alexandria. Stacy Zarin Goldberg is an Olney, Maryland, photographer.
A river ran through it—and how. The temptation of owning a second home on the lush banks of Little Hunting Creek—a tributary of the Potomac River in Mount Vernon, Virginia—was too great for a cosmopolitan, Manhattan-based couple.
“We found it while surfing the Internet,” says one of the homeowners, describing the four-bedroom, 4,400-square-foot abode. “It spoke to us right away. The waterfront location was a big draw, and the house had great potential for entertaining. We have lots of family and friends who come to stay. We also love to kayak and canoe, and just got a boat. It felt like the right place for a retreat.”
Shortly after purchasing the residence in 2014, the owners met Alexandria Davenport, a decorator and the owner of Tchoupitoulas Furnishings, a home store and interior-design studio in Old Town Alexandria.
“They invited me to tour the property,” says Davenport, who was hired to execute a complete makeover of the home. “It had a nice, open layout and was very livable, but definitely needed a redesign. The wall paints were bright, with colors like lime-green, and there were no window treatments. There was also no landscaping, just scrub and mud, and poor indoor-outdoor connectivity.”
The homeowners’ wish list was simple but specific. They wanted a comfortable, low-key getaway conducive to entertaining, both indoors and out. In terms of décor, they sought a rustic elegance in spaces that would forge a natural connection to the riverfront setting without, in Davenport’s words, “being kitschy.”
“The first room we worked on was the dining room,” she recalls. “The thing that turned it around and ultimately affected the whole redesign was the lighting choice. The owners picked these cool triple pendants made of steel wire with exposed bulbs that look like little crab pots.”
Davenport covered the dining-room walls in textured grasscloth and selected a rustic wood dining table with a wrought-iron base. A wool-blend rug defined the space, which is bordered by an open hall running from the foyer to the great room on one side and a full bank of French doors on another. In lieu of a bulky china cabinet, the designer cleverly created stylish storage with charcoal chests by Vanguard on either side of the fireplace.
Meanwhile, Landscape Associates, Inc., worked with the homeowners to design a deck—accessible from either side of the house—that leads to a central limestone terrace out back overlooking the river. This arrangement allows guests to walk out of the dining room or great room and meet on the terrace, which is also accessible from the kitchen area. Plantings and boulders now embellish new raised beds that, along with walking paths, wind down the hillside to the dock below.
Davenport and her clients selected a neutral color scheme that would not distract from the outdoor scenery. “Our palette became a natural linen, as opposed to a stark white, along with pops of gray, gray-blue and yellow,” she says.
In the great room, where the kitchen and living area meet, the challenge was to fill the large space while maintaining a flexible layout that could work for a large party. “We picked two matching, custom English roll-arm sofas instead of a sectional. They allow for better movement when you remove the round side table between them,” explains Davenport. Two coffee tables, positioned side by side, can be separated if needed. Throughout the home, the designer varied stains on the wood furniture. “We wanted everything in the house to look collected—not like it was bought all at once,” she explains. “We also wanted to create the air of a multigenerational, family holiday home.”
Since frequent visitors occupy the home’s three guest bedrooms, the designer created a master suite that serves as a private retreat for her clients. “I wanted it to be a cozy place for the owners to go and rest,” she adds. She painted the walls a deep gray-blue shade and selected a beautiful recumbent chaise with nail-head trim for lounging or reading by the window. The windows are dressed in minimalist linen panels on the same wrought-iron curtain rods used elsewhere in the house.
“We love how it turned out,” concludes the homeowner. “The contrast between our Manhattan lifestyle—all those skyscrapers and the cold—and this is amazing. It’s so special to come down to this house, have friends and family over and unwind in a completely different place.”
Writer and stylist Charlotte Safavi is based in Alexandria. Robert Radifera is a photographer in Charlottesville.
INTERIOR DESIGN: ALEXANDRIA DAVENPORT, Tchoupitoulas Furnishings, Alexandria, Virginia. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: David Adams and Joseph Condie, RLA, Landscape Associates, Inc. Aldie, Virginia.
It’s hard to put a finger on what is most extraordinary about The Rest, a historic Tidewater property in Easton, Maryland, dating back to the pre-Civil War era. Until you see it, of course. The four-acre site on the Miles River is complete with an allée of sycamores and a Colonial-style residence built in place of an original home that burned down in the 19th century.
“The first impression is one of casual beauty, but once you open the front door, the Jeffersonian-style architecture knocks your socks off,” says Jamie Merida, owner of Bountiful Interiors, who most recently worked on the home with lead designer Amanda Friend. “The foyer has a barrel-vaulted ceiling with arched Palladian windows and there are two sets of enfilades.”
The homeowners, Andy Hess, CEO of a construction management company, and his wife Susan, a pilates instructor, were also smitten with the property at first sight. They had downsized from a Potomac house to a DC condo and were looking for a second home where they could spend quality time with their grown children, close family and friends on weekends and holidays.
“This was the 13th house we’d seen,” recalls Susan Hess of the fortuitous day in 2009 when they discovered the property. “The French doors in the back on the river were open. There was all this light and a breeze coming in. The architecture took our breath away and we knew this was the one.”
They purchased the property knowing that the house—built by a Philadelphia architect in the 1960s—would require a lot of work. Exterior elements needed repair and the infrastructure needed an upgrade. The kitchen, last renovated in the 1970s, cried out for a total overhaul. The Hesses brought in Jennifer Gilmer to update the kitchen, and worked with Fiona Weeks of Easton-based Dwelling & Design on the dining room. They also focused their attention on converting the unused attic into a master suite.
As their plans took shape, the couple discovered Bountiful Interiors, Merida’s Easton home-furnishings store and design studio. “Susan was especially drawn to our signature Tidewater style, which is a fresh, clean take on traditional,” says Merida. “Some of the earliest Colonial homes were located in the Tidewater region, stretching from South Carolina to Delaware. We’re smack in the middle here. It’s an area and lifestyle that’s rich with tradition, but doesn’t have the stiff formality of the inland cities. What we consider Tidewater style is a relaxed, refreshed version of traditional forms and furnishings, with the use of painted wood finishes, bold patterns and a brighter palette.”
The Hesses turned to Merida and his team to help with the overall redesign of the home. The couple’s mandate was simple. While their former Potomac home had been formal and traditional with a darker palette, they wanted their Eastern Shore escape to capture a look that was “pretty, crisp and bright,” in Susan’s words, but also “livable” enough to accommodate casual get-togethers as well as their dogs and grandchildren.
From the foyer, with its patterned rug in striated shades of blue, to the dining room, with its alternating chartreuse and turquoise upholstered chairs, the décor is awash in vibrant colors that stand out against white millwork. Upstairs in the master suite, the blues and greens soften to restful seaglass hues.
Patterned textiles, with contemporary interpretations of traditional motifs, further define the décor. These include stripes, chevrons, botanicals, geometrics and paisleys. Chinoiserie also works its way into the skillful pattern play, as well as into small furniture and home accessories such as garden stools and ginger jars.
In the kitchen makeover, done in conjunction with Gilmer, Merida and Friend modified an antique counter that now serves as a breakfast bar and island lined with French café stools. An existing cupboard, custom-painted in celadon, takes up an entire wall to provide aesthetically pleasing storage.
“One of the homeowners’ favorite spaces,” says Friend, “is the screened porch in the back, where the ceiling is painted sky blue in traditional Eastern Shore style.” The porch is deftly divided into seating and dining areas, focused on weather-
resistant furnishings and Sunbrella fabrics. The distressed pine dining table is eight feet long and the hub of many a casual meal. Just outside, the lush lawn dips down to the river.
Last year, Merida and Friend put the finishing touches on the living room. Among the updated transitional elements are a geometric wool rug and a painted sideboard, as well as a variety of occasional tables, standing lamps and art.
Reflecting on the completed project, Merida enthuses, “It was so refreshing for us to use saturated colors and bold patterns with abandon—and end up with a house like this.”
He commends his clients for taking their time and getting to know the house gradually during the design process. “Decorating over time can be enjoyable,” says the designer. “You and your client develop a special relationship and can take your time finding the perfect item for a particular spot. Above all, it allows you to be more creative.”
Writer and stylist Charlotte Safavi is based in Alexandria. Robert Radifera is a photographer in Charlottesville.
INTERIOR DESIGN: JAMIE MERIDA, principal; AMANDA FRIEND, lead designer, Bountiful Interiors, Easton, Maryland.
RESOURCES
DINING ROOM—pages 152, 153: Dining Table: stanleyfurniture.com. Dining Chairs: leeindustries.com through dwellinganddesign.com. Wall Color: dwellinganddesign.com. Chair Upholstery: sunbrella.com. Chandelier: olystudio.com. Lamp on Sideboard: curreycodealers.com. Rug: dmikc.com. Sunburst Mirror: chelseahouseinc.com. Sideboard: vanguardfurniture.com. Painting over Mantel: nancyhammondeditions.com. Blue & White Jars: gjstyles.com.
LIVING ROOM—pages 154, 155: Draperies: ralphlaurenhome.com. Sofas, Club Chairs, Bar Cart & Art above Bar Cart: Owners’ collection. Lamp on Bar Cart: curreycodealers.com. Console: stanleyfurniture.com through brookscollection.com. Matching Green Lamps on Console: pacificcoastlighting.com. Art above Console: screened prints, custom for bountifuldecor.com. Rug: dashandalbert.annieselke.com. Coffee Table: modernhistoryhome.com.
FOYER—page 154: Console: Custom, made in England using reclaimed wood. Ottomans: Custom. Art above Console: Vintage Louis Vuitton poster.
KITCHEN—page 156: Kitchen & Custom Hood Design: Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, and Meghan Brown, gilmerkitchens.com. Cabinetry: greenfieldcabinetry.com. Island: sarreid.com. Range: subzero-wolf.com. Pendants: visualcomfort.com. Window Treatment Fabric: stroheim.com. Window Treatment Fabrication: draperiesetcinc.com.
SCREENED PORCH—page 157: Furniture: laneventure.com. Cushion Fabric: sunbrella.com. Light over Dining Table: curreycodealers.com. Rug: dashandalbert.annieselke.com.
POOL AREA—pages 156,157: Chaises: Owners’ collection.
MASTER BEDROOM—page 158: Upholstered Bedstead: Design by bountifuldecor.com. Nightstands: modernhistoryhome.com. Bedside Lamps: lampworks.com. Bedding: Custom by bountifuldecor.com. Bench: globalviews.com. Rug: helioscarpet.com.
DRESSING ROOM—page 159: Mirrored Vanity & Chair: Owners’ collection. Rug: helioscarpet.com.
MASTER BATH—page 159: Tile: Carrara marble. Tub: waterworks.com. Fixture above Tub: curreycodealers.com. Window Treatment & Seat Fabric: kravet.com. Fabrication: draperiesetcinc.com. Cushion & Pillow Fabrication: bountifuldecor.com. Sconces above Sinks: visualcomfort.com.
