Privacy was a priority for a couple in McLean who had been living with not one but two adjacent primary baths. The setup supplied the separation they liked, but it came at the expense of space and functionality. They tapped designer Christina Simon to rethink the problematic layout.
“We removed the wall between the bathrooms to create one spacious bath,” she explains. Relocating the plumbing made way for a wet room with soaking tub and shower and a wide double vanity flanked with storage towers. Two water closets satisfy privacy needs.
Custom cabinetry in a deep taupe hue is offset by elegant, marble-look porcelain floor and shower tile and an expansive accent wall of polished Arabescato marble tile in a quatrefoil motif.
Bathroom Design: Christina Simon, ASID, CKBD, c|s Design Studio LLC, Clifton, Virginia. Contractor: Metro Building & Remodeling Group, Ashburn, Virginia.
McLean homeowners with three daughters who swim competitively wanted to create an outdoor oasis complete with a pool and space where they could gather and entertain. A longtime friend of the family, Michael Winn of Winn Design + Build introduced the owners to landscape architect Joseph Richardson. He began a contemporary-style hardscape plan for the property and, together with the owners, discussed adding a pool house to the project. Winn Design + Build came in for the pool house design and build.
Winn and project architect Jimmy Finn got to work, conceiving and building a modern, 500-square-foot pool house that would complement the hardscape. The structure features a powder room, a board-formed concrete fireplace and radiant-heat flooring. Smart lighting controls and integrated audio and video systems, along with a beverage fridge, ice machine and grilling station, make entertaining a breeze.
Architecture & Construction: Michael Winn, project lead; Jimmy Finn, AIA, project architect; Jennifer Hall, project designer; Paul Walhout, project manager, Winn Design+Build. Landscape Architecture: Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture.
Recently completed by Classic Homes of Maryland, a custom residence in Potomac embraces modern California style. The project conceived by Carib Daniel Martin Architecture + Design and interior designer Myron Wolman is a single-level abode featuring soaring ceilings and wide-open vistas that forge a strong indoor-outdoor connection. A Zen garden graces the front yard while an expansive deck awaits in back.
“The clients envisioned a home that would allow them to age in place,” explains Dinesh Jain, president of Classic Homes. “They wanted to incorporate natural building materials throughout the exterior façade. They also wanted interiors that are filled with light and ample space to showcase an art collection they’ve gathered over a lifetime.”
Architecture: Carib Daniel Martin Architecture + Design. Interior Design: Myron Wolman Designs. Builder: Dinesh Jain; Howard Saslow, Classic Homes of Maryland. Styling: Kristen Alcorta.
The owners of a 30-acre property complete with a private lake in West Friendship, Maryland, tapped Anthony Wilder Design/Build to make their dream for a modern, farmhouse-style home a reality. Architect George Bott and team got to work designing a custom home that met the clients’ requirements for one-level living with second-story guest rooms, geothermal heating and cooling and state-of-the-art home automation.
The greatest challenge was orchestrating a special request: The owners wanted a silo incorporated into the design. It became an enclosure for a dramatic, winding staircase connecting the home’s two levels.
“The spiral staircase in the silo and trussed ceilings in the family room,” says Bott, “bring sophisticated elegance to farmhouse style.”
Architecture & Construction: George Bott, AIA, LEED AP, project architect; Anthony Wilder, founder; Sean Mullin, AIA; Rob Farrie, CRPM, CR, CLC, VP construction; Mike Marion, CRPM, CLC, production manager; Bob Rippeon, lead carpenter; Wade Rippeon, carpenter, Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc.
The owner of a 64-acre parcel in Virginia’s Rappahannock County wanted to build a sustainable retreat where she could focus on nature. She turned to Gardner Architects with a wish list that included separate living and sleeping wings, vegetable and flower gardens, a year-round pool and a bocce court. Inspired by local pastoral outbuildings, the team designed a home that nestles in the landscape with views of nearby meadows and distant mountains.
Architecture: Amy Gardner, FAIA, LEED AP, principal; Brittany Williams, AIA, LEED AP, Gardner Architects LLC. Kitchen Design: Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath. Landscape Architecture: Gregg Bleam Landscape Architect. Builder: Willoughby Construction and Consulting.
An Italianate-style portico housing a wide front porch adds a dose of charm to a Northern Virginia bungalow designed by Moore Architects. A carefully proportioned façade envelops interiors boasting lofty, 10-foot ceilings. Designed for aging in place, the floor plan includes a spacious kitchen, a convenient, ground-level owners’ suite and two ensuite bedrooms on the second floor. A lower-level gym and wine cellar complete the picture.
Architecture: Charles Moore, AIA, principal architect; Shamual Choudhury, project manager; Jordan Campbell, interior designer, Moore Architects, PC. Kitchen Design: Lobkovich. Builder: Metro Green, LLC. Landscape Architecture: Horn & Company Landscape Architecture.
A simple, gabled façade in white-painted Boral siding welcomes visitors to a new Arlington home designed by Moore Architects. Despite its traditional street presence, a streamlined approach lands the 4,800-square-foot residence very much in the 21st century. Modern elements, from porch overhangs to a tower form on the left, deliver pared-down appeal. A rear deck and covered passageway connect to a detached garage. Soft landscaping by Horn & Company enhances the crisp architecture.
Thoughtfully detailed interiors celebrate clean lines and a simple material palette. Custom cabinetry in solid white oak anchors the kitchen, which boasts an island clad in soapstone. The same material frames the living room’s wood-burning fireplace for continuity.
Architecture: Charles Moore, AIA, principal architect; Aren Knudsen, Associate AIA, project manager; Jordan Campbell, interior designer, Moore Architects, PC. Builder: Metro Green, LLC. Landscape Architecture: Horn & Company Landscape Architecture.
When challenged to transform a defunct dairy farm into a single-family home, McInturff Architects rose to the occasion. Mark McInturff and team repurposed existing structures on the Fauquier County, Virginia, site, creating a modern residence that salutes its agrarian past. The living and dining areas and the kitchen took shape in former cattle pens while bedrooms are located in one-time feed lofts. A previous pasture now houses an inviting courtyard and pool.
Architecture: Mark McInturff, FAIA; Peter Noonan, AIA, McInturff Architects. Interior Design: Pamela Bakos, NCIDQ, ASID, Bakos Interiors. Builder: Added Dimensions. Pool: Don Gwiz, Lewis Aquatech.
Bethesda residents enlisted Mode4 Architecture to mastermind an ambitious renovation that would update their modern Bethesda home with a new carport, garage, art studio and Japanese moss garden. Led by architect Christopher Tucker, the project reorganized existing spaces while creating new ones. The sheltered carport that doubles as an outdoor entertaining space replaced a gravel driveway; the former garage became a sleek, new dining room.
A material palette of corrugated metal, wood and steel respects the composition of the main residence. Says Tucker, “We sought a harmonious blend between the new additions and the existing structure, with the moss garden acting as a central element connecting different spaces.” Large cedar doors in the carport wall pivot to usher visitors into this one-of-a-kind retreat.
Architecture: Christopher Tucker, AIA, Mode4 Architecture, PLLC. Landscape Architecture: Scott Pitner, SPD Landscape Studio, LLC. Builder: Square One Development Group, LLC.
The owners of a Capitol Hill row house approached Studio Upwall Architects with a renovation in mind. They wanted to open up the back of their home to create a stronger connection to the rear yard. A clean, contemporary aesthetic that maximized natural light was also high on the list. The design team’s plan blurs the lines between interior and exterior spaces with floor-to-ceiling glazing on three levels and an open-air light well that brings daylight and natural ventilation into the interiors. A new, clean-lined kitchen preserves sight lines to the rear deck and yard. “The open design on the first floor creates uninterrupted living space,” says principal architect Greg Upwall. “It sets the stage for the clients’ own personal use and for entertaining guests.”
Architecture: Greg Upwall, principal; Bryson Iacoboni and Phooko Phooko, job captains, Studio Upwall Architects. Contractor: Impact Construction.
A recent overhaul by Amestudio transformed a one-story 1960s home into a retreat that architect Ben Ames and the retired homeowners envisioned as a portal to nature. The redo repurposed the original, rectangular volume as a home office and movie lounge. Meanwhile, Ames created a new entry along the structure’s southern edge, with a hallway leading to an addition housing the kitchen, living/dining area and owners’ suite. Topping the addition is a butterfly roof, with openings that improve views of the property’s mature trees and integrate a decorative Japanese maple between the dining area and screened porch. “This project was inspired by the Mid-Century Modern legacy of nearby Hollin Hills,” explains Ames. “The result is a home that embraces the garden, seeking balance and harmony.”
Architecture: Benjamin Ames, AIA, Amestudio, Inc. Contractor: Trevor Voglmayr, Washington Landmark Construction LLC.
Owners of an outdated Cleveland Park home tapped architecture firm Fowlkes Studio and Falcon Construction to spearhead a renovation and addition. The latter would include a double-height kitchen and living/dining area, a second-story owners’ suite—and a library for 3,500 books. The team completed the project with a focus on sustainable materials. “We maintained the vision of an open space,” says Falcon CEO Kaz Malachowski, “without sacrificing the comforts of a modern home.”
Architecture: Fowlkes Studio. Contractor: Kaz Malachowski, CEO; KJ Malachowski, project manager; Andrew Patyk, superintendent, Falcon Construction. Landscape Architecture: Moody Graham Landscape Architecture.
A sloped property in McLean had experienced severe flooding from stormwater runoff. A French drain did not adequately solve the issue—and left an ugly cleft in the earth to boot. Looking for a balance between functional infrastructure and beautiful design, the homeowners turned to Moody Graham. “They envisioned a garden that would embrace wabi-sabi—the Japanese mindset of finding beauty in life’s imperfections,” relates landscape architect Mila Antova.
The eventual plan utilized underground pipes to channel runoff down into a series of rain gardens. “The focal point of the landscape is a curvilinear Corten steel runnel that resembles a mountain stream,” says Antova. “The runnel weaves between the plants and the ground, drawing your eye through the garden.”
Landscape Architecture: Mila Antova, ASLA; Avantika Dalal and Allison Fields, project designers, Moody Graham Landscape Architecture. Landscape Contractor: Oldetowne Landscape Architects.
Reimagining a 1960s-era penthouse in Northwest DC came with a particular dilemma: A glass-enclosed, open-air atrium in the middle of the apartment interrupted flow between the kitchen and living/dining area. Enlisted for a complete redo, architect Colleen Healey reclaimed the atrium as interior space. In her plan, a single-pitched roof with a central skylight and clerestory windows now crowns a sunroom that establishes open sightlines throughout the home.
“Our client desired a warm, modern palette with ample book display and dedicated places for work and reading,” notes the architect. The renovation upgraded the existing kitchen and outfitted the home with clean-lined, white oak millwork. The unit’s concrete ceilings dictated that most of the lighting was wall-mounted. New wood flooring grounds the interiors.
Architecture: Colleen Healey, AIA; Casey Meyer, Colleen Healey Architecture. Millwork: Mersoa Woodwork and Design.
Ed Ball Landscape Architecture transformed a blank-canvas backyard in Vienna into a luxurious outdoor living area. “The clients envisioned an extension of their home,” relates landscape designer and principal Ed Ball. “They wanted a transformation.” His plan added a raised deck and lower patio to the rear of the house; both overlook a 40-by-20-foot pool graced by a spa and a sheer-descent water feature. A covered pavilion with a fireplace anchors the far end of the pool. Mature plantings and extensive hardscape complete the scene.
Landscape Design: Ed Ball, Ed Ball Landscape Architecture. Landscape Contractor: Ed Ball Designs.
On completing construction of a modern custom home in Vienna, the owners asked Pristine Acres to create a backyard haven on their small lot. With careful planning, the design team was able to accommodate a 35-by-18-foot pool and an adjacent, flat-roofed pavilion housing a kitchen with a bar counter and lounge area. A fire feature borders the pool on one side. “Our solution weaves all the project elements together in a compact footprint that leaves only one square foot of buildable area untouched,” notes landscape architect Kevin Kurdziolek. A waterfall feature rains into the pool from the cantilevering roof of the custom shelter; the steel structure’s sleek lines complement the contemporary architecture of the dwelling.
Landscape Architecture: Steve Waldron, president; Kevin Kurdziolek, PLA, ASLA, Pristine Acres.
