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.
A few blocks from the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill stands a stately row house that once was home to Frederick Douglass. Its current owners hired Moody Graham to upgrade the small front garden and make the backyard functional for family living—but with an eye on respecting the site’s cultural heritage. “Material selections and design choices were made to complement the historic neighborhood while responding to a contemporary rear addition,” says landscape architect Ryan Moody. The property (now dubbed North Star Garden after a newspaper Douglass founded to help enslaved people find freedom) features a copper star on its wrought-iron entrance gate. In back, horizontal wood fencing conveys a modern feel around a patio with zones for grilling and entertaining.
Landscape Architecture: Ryan Moody, ASLA, PLA; Avantika Dalal, project designer, Moody Graham Landscape Architecture. Landscape Contractor: Oldetowne Landscape Architects.
At Blue Sky Hill, a five-acre family farm in Vienna, a circa-1800s log cabin sat incongruously beside a 1980s abode—until an extensive, whole-property redo preserved the vintage building, updated the residence and connected the two structures. Horn & Company was tasked with incorporating a host of additional site elements: barn, greenhouse, garden pavilion, cutting and vegetable gardens, chicken coop, pool terrace, sport court, dining terrace and paddocks for horses, sheep, goats and alpacas.
“The landscape feels interconnected and grounded in its pastoral setting,” notes landscape architect Jennifer Horn. Salvaged items found on site—including millstones and an antique water trough—are accented by plantings ranging from drifts of pollinators to a crab apple allée.
Landscape Architecture: Jennifer Horn, ASLA; Angela Koloszar, Horn & Company. Architecture: BarnesVanze Architects. Builder: Carrmichael Construction. Landscape Contractor: Planted Earth Landscaping.
After renovating their 17th-century Middleburg abode with a modern addition and building a pool house and pergola, the residents wished to create an expansive outdoor living environment that would bridge the gap between historic and modern elements. Landscape architect J.R. Peter’s sweeping plan entailed renovating the existing swimming pool, implementing a Japanese garden and adding masonry walls, steps and walkways throughout. “Our passion is creating resort-like spaces,” Peter observes. “So the concept of a personal oasis played a substantial role in the design.”
Landscape Architecture & Contracting: J.R. Peter, RLA, Colao & Peter.
June Shea turned the low-height basement of an 1812 Alexandria row house into a European-style wine cellar. “The owners wanted to accommodate 400 bottles and up to six people for tastings,” she recalls. “They also wanted space for a washer/dryer, an HVAC closet and a daybed.” Removing the drywall ceiling to expose beams and timbers added height and ambiance. PVC pipes were replaced by copper and a former well was encased in concrete and topped with granite to form a table. Custom pendants by an artisan found on Etsy are made from wine bottles.
Interior Design: June Shea; Bonnie Cowan, Shea Studio Interiors Inc. Contractor: N Time Design, LLC.
A bachelor with a home in Davidsonville, Maryland, envisioned his mundane basement as an Irish pub-style center for entertaining and watching sports. “I created an immersive experience with timeless appeal,” relates designer Lisa Tullai. Exposed brick, faux-plaster walls and wide-plank, wood-look flooring envelop a space that features a custom bar with a tin ceiling and Guinness on tap; a plush seating area; wine and bourbon storage for tastings; and a room for billiards and darts. Sports memorabilia adorns the walls.
Interior Design: Lisa Tullai, ASID, Annapolis Interiors. Contractor: TailorCraft Builders.
The foyer of a Bethesda home offered stunning architectural details— from its groin vaulted ceiling to extensive millwork lining the stair wall—yet felt disjointed, with a busy color palette and ill-fitting furniture. As part of a whole-house remodel, Bungalow 10 Interiors orchestrated deft changes that revamped the space. “We wanted a calm yet grand entrance that would highlight the ceiling and wall, as well as the reclaimed-wood floors,” recounts designer Kristin Harrison.
Her plan called for painting the walls, moldings and ceiling all white, “to allow the eye to focus on the most beautiful elements of the space,” she says. Statement-making pendants hang above a 48-inch round table accessorized with vintage pieces, books and fresh greens.
Interior Design: Kristin Harrison, Bungalow 10 Interiors. Styling: Kristen Alcorta.
An Oakton, Virginia, family turned to designer Kristen Bonney-James to impart a fresh aesthetic to their main-level spaces. “Up until then, the living room had been a sort of pass-by space,” Bonney-James explains. “The owners wanted it to be a comfortable, happy destination for conversation, reading and music.” The designer homed in on “a new-traditional feel with a touch of Southern charm,” she says. Her plan removed outmoded corbels, updated the lighting and painted the ceiling a soft blue reminiscent of a porch down South. Existing lounge chairs were reupholstered in powder-blue performance chenille. Custom draperies sport a blue-and-green ikat motif while a small-scale print in shades of pink covers the ottoman. Throw pillows adorned with Greek key trim complete the look.
Interior Design: Kristen Bonney-James, KBJ Interiors.
The owners of a cabin near Shenandoah National Forest in Amissville, Virginia, tapped Powell Brower Interiors to outfit their retreat for entertaining and weekend guests. “We added sleeping areas, game tables for both adults and children and enough lounge seating for a crowd,” principal Nancy Powell relates. “There’s also a basement theater and a custom bunkroom.”
Furnishings were arranged to maximize views; pieces highlight wood trim and organic materials. Says Powell, “It’s a refuge to let the clients recharge and soak up the scenery.”
Interior Design: Nancy Powell, lead designer; Bethany Brower, designer, Powell Brower Interiors. Contractor: JMR Contractor LLC.
