 | Industrial LightTwo riverfront baths celebrate nature |
 | Getaway at HomeA modern bath rocks a hotel vibe |
 | Peaceful VibeJapandi style rules in a serene spa |
A hint of nature breezes through Sophia Belkin’s urban studio in a graffiti-bedecked warehouse in Baltimore’s Station North neighborhood. As overhead fans turn one end-of-summer day, Belkin’s fabric collages seem to drift across the all-white walls. Within these artworks, pools of pastel colors emerge as if seen through a fog. Appliquéd forms resemble water droplets or leaves buoyed in the air. Patterns flow along cascading or more precise paths. Bound together by embroidery, all parts coalesce in complex arrangements of lyrical balance and beauty.
“My inspiration has always come from nature,” says Belkin. Dressed in a white top and verdigris-turquoise jeans that echo the smoky palette of her compositions, she explains the specialized nature of her art: “I like that contrast between the fluidity of the water elements of painting that are unpredictable, and the tight, controlled embroidery parts.”
A recent exhibit of Belkin’s large-scale paintings at Washington’s Hemphill gallery presented several pieces produced during a six-week artist residency in New Orleans. Belkin reflects on that time in the city where she also lived for six years: “I think of things being so lush down there, and color feels more saturated. The humidity in the air actually changes the way things look; it creates an interesting lens that fundamentally alters the way light is absorbed and refracted.”
While there, the artist took digital photos of swamps and wetlands. Back in her Baltimore studio, those and a wealth of other source materials are transformed into photographic elements in her collages. After manipulating the images on a laptop, she sends them out to be printed on fabric. Later, without any plan or sketch heading in, the artist pulls intuitively from different piles of fabric, selecting pieces that might coordinate with others.
Among the piles are swaths of linen and denim that Belkin previously hand-painted. Treating the dyes as watercolors during that stage, she may have allowed them to spread and blend, perhaps throwing salt on the surface in one of several resist processes. Or, she might have applied a wide brush to the fabric in broad gestures, producing striated, wavy lines and bumps that resemble woodcuts or sedimentary layers.
Her cumulative techniques don’t end there. “It’s not really clear-cut,” the artist notes. “If I start with bigger pieces, I may decide to cut them up, or I might make the collage even bigger by adding smaller chunks.” Once the basic layout is decided—typically on the floor—Belkin moves to her computerized embroidery machine to attach the assembled parts.
In addition, she often takes photos of completed, hand-dyed paintings. Once those images are photoshopped and digitally transferred to fabric, Belkin cuts up and uses the snippets in new works, as the cycle begins again. If results prove unsatisfactory, she may decide to cut up the fabric and recycle it later, observing, “I’ll eventually find a place for every piece—whether in the first iteration or somewhere down the line.”
The studio, in fact, has become its own force in her work. “More and more I find that an ecosystem happens within the studio,” the artist explains. “I think of fabric pieces as having a life of their own—their own patterns and movements and relationships. So even though my inspiration comes from nature, right now I’m working with the nature of the world of fabrics within my studio.”
Over the years, Belkin’s art has evolved toward greater size and increased abstraction. The largest piece—70 inches high and 10 feet wide—suggests her fascination with different ways of viewing. “I like working at a bigger scale because there’s that impossibility of both seeing the big picture and picking out details. You can’t hold those visually at the same time,” she says. Comparing the experience to being in a landscape, Belkin recalls that while growing up in Gaithersburg, Maryland, she spent hours hiking and searching for mushrooms in the woods. “When you’re foraging for mushrooms, your vision is honed in a very different way from regular walking. That’s relevant to the work too—channeling your vision to be narrow or wide.”
The artist first encountered the textile world by chance. A few years after earning a degree in printmaking and drawing from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2012, she worked at a small yarn-dying shop. The owner offered her use of the premises as a studio after hours. Working more and more with the material, she took a digital-embroidery class in 2017 that soon hooked her on the technique.
Still, Belkin credits the main inspiration for her visual direction to her mother and father, both microbiologists. As she relates, “My parents always talked about science almost through the eyes of artists—the creative process within science, having a hypothesis and researching and testing it. It’s like the creative process in my studio, how I experiment with all the different fragments of fabric. I think if I hadn’t become an artist, I would definitely be involved in the sciences.”
For more information on the artist, visit sophiabelkin.com.
Every year, Home & Design polls hundreds of industry professionals and consumers to discover their favorite local home-furnishings resources in the DC Metro area, from furniture and lighting to cabinetry, appliances, carpets and flooring, fabric and wallpaper and more. The results are in and here are the winners and runners-up of our 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards.
 | FABRIC + WALL COVERINGOsborne & LittleWashington, DC; osborneandlittle.comHonorable Mention: F. Schumacher & Co.; Thibaut |
 | CONTEMPORARY FURNITURELigne RosetWashington, DC; ligneroset-dc.comHonorable Mention: Poliform; Roche Bobois |
 | WINDOW TREATMENTSEverett DesignSilver Spring, MD; gretcheneverett.comHonorable Mention: Rockville Interiors Interior Design: Erica Burns Interiors. Photo: Jennifer Hughes |
 | KITCHEN + BATH FIXTURESKONST UnionBethesda, MD; konstunion.comHonorable Mention: GROF USA |
 | CUSTOM CABINETSJennifer Gilmer Kitchen & BathArea locations; gilmerkitchens.comHonorable Mention: Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, Lobkovich |
 | TRADITIONAL FURNITUREBelfort FurnitureSterling, VA; belfortfurniture.comHonorable Mention: Green Front Furniture; Room & Board |
 | TILE + STONEMMG Tile & StoneElkridge, MD; mmgmarble.comHonorable Mention: Architessa; Renaissance Tile & Bath; Best Tile |
 | ART SOURCEMerritt GalleryChevy Chase and Baltimore, MD; merrittgallery.comHonorable Mention: Torpedo Factory Art Center |
 | LIGHTINGVisual Comfort & Co.Timonium, MD, and Washington, DC; visualcomfort.comHonorable Mention: Dominion Lighting; Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting |
 | OUTDOOR FURNITUREYardbirdArea locations; yardbird.comHonorable Mention: JANUS et Cie |
 | APPLIANCE SOURCEAjMadisonTysons, VA; ajmadison.comHonorable Mention: ABW—Appliances a Better Way; ADU—Your Appliance Source |
 | CUSTOM CLOSETSCapitol Closet DesignAlexandria and Vienna, VA; capitolclosetdesign.netHonorable Mention: California Closets; Closets by Design |
 | PAINTFarrow & BallBethesda, MD; farrow-ball.comHonorable Mention: Benjamin Moore; Sherwin-Williams |
 | CARPET + FLOORINGFloor & DecorArea locations; flooranddecor.comHonorable Mention: Classic Floor Designs; Stark |
 | BEST NEW SHOWROOMBoss Design CenterBethesda, MD; bossdesigncenter.comHonorable Mention: LXRY; Poliform |
 | SMART HOMEINI Inc.Sterling, VA; iniav.comHonorable Mention: A.B.E. Networks; Integrated Media Systems |
The Maryland Building Industry Association’s Maryland Awards of Excellence (MAX+) recognize remodeling and custom-building projects in the greater DC area. The 2024 ceremony took place on April 11th at Martin’s West in Baltimore; a list of winners follows, along with photos from a number of winning projects.
Accessibility Feature
Accessibility Elevator, Lutherville, Maryland
Owings Brothers Contracting
Addition
Ultra-Modern Office Addition, Sykesville, Maryland
Owings Brothers Contracting
Bathroom Remodel over $100,000
Howard County Bathroom Extravagance, Sykesville, Maryland
Owings Brothers Contracting
Bathroom Remodel under $100,000
Old Oak Master Bath, Ellicott City, Maryland
Cornerstone Remodeling
Historic Restoration
The Hamlet Sisters, Chevy Chase, Maryland
Francis Development
Kitchen Remodel
Frederick, Frederick, Maryland
House to Home Solutions
Kitchen Remodel and Addition
Morningside Two-Story Addition, Ellicott City, Maryland
Cornerstone Remodeling
Kitchen Remodel and Interior Alteration
Charley Forest Kitchen, Olney, Maryland
Cornerstone Remodeling
Whole-House Remodel
Cedar Point, Severna Park, Maryland
Procopio Homes
Basement Apartment Remodel
Basement In-Law Apartment, Sykesville, Maryland
Owings Brothers Contracting
Whole-House Remodel, DC Market
The Hamilton Residence, Rockville, Maryland
Mitchell & Best Remodeling
Whole-House Remodel, Eastern Shore
Bayside Drive, Stevensville, Maryland
Procopio Homes
Small Volume Builder
Custom Home $600,000 to $699,999
Shore-Line Construction, Horney Custom Home
Essex, Maryland
Custom Home $700,000 to $799,999
Shore-Line Construction, Smith Custom Home
Essex, Maryland
Custom Home up to $1.5 Million
Triangle Homes LLC, Model: Sorrento Residence at Carriage Estates
Davidsonville, Maryland
Custom Home over $2 Million
Procopio Homes
Annapolis, Maryland
Large Volume Builder
Custom Home $900,000 to $999,999
Crosen Homes LLC, Model: Durigg at Offsite
Woodbine, Maryland
Product, Small Volume Builder
Custom Home over 1.5 Million
Shore-Line Construction, The Palski Home
Dundalk, Maryland
Home & Design announced the winners of its 2024 Excellence Awards on October 7th during a lively celebration at Bethesda’s Round House Theatre. The annual, juried competition recognizes outstanding work in residential architecture, interior design, custom-building, kitchen-and-bath design, landscape design and remodeling. Award-winning projects appear in Home & Design’s Idea Book and online at homeanddesign.com.
Home & Design unveiled its September/October 2024 issue with a festive party at ADU—Your Appliance Source in Gaithersburg on September 5th. Guests mingled and perused the showroom’s sleek installations.
Guests donned summer whites for a jovial gathering on August 8th, hosted by KONST Union in Bethesda. Designers and industry experts mingled over drinks and nibbles. Home & Design was the media sponsor.
After revamping a 1920s, Spanish Revival home in Kalorama, BarnesVanze Architects designed a pool and pool house on the picturesque property. “The clients wanted to be able to entertain,” recalls architect Stephen Vanze, who teamed with colleague Melanie Giordano on the upgrade.
A 20-foot retaining wall separates the house from its side neighbors. In the backyard, the gently sloping lawn was terraced to accommodate the pool and pool house. “The pool is on axis with a family room addition we’d done previously,” Vanze says.
The home’s strong architectural identity dictated the building’s aesthetic. “It was an opportunity for the outside spaces to reflect the existing architecture,” Giordano notes, pointing to the pool house’s distinctive style. “The structures talk to each other.”
Architecture: Stephen J. Vanze, FAIA, LEED AP; Melanie Giordano, AIA, BarnesVanze Architects, Washington, DC.. Interior Design: Lisa Vandenburgh Ltd., Washington, DC. Builder: Abe Sari, Alliance Builders, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Amy Mills, ASLA, DCA Landscape Architects, Inc., Washington, DC.
 | RIGHT ANGLE Face à Face, a new tub by French architect Jean Nouvel for Agape, is distinguished by a natural marble surface and straight sides that appear to just meet, but are held together by invisible joints. A backrest on one side is angled for comfort. agapedesign.it |
 | CLASSIC COOL The Sawyer freestanding tub by Americh embraces a classic aesthetic, with deep sides and a polymer-composite or acrylic interior. The exterior shell comes in white acrylic, smooth or hammered nickel and smooth, unlacquered brass (shown). americh.com |
 | SHINY SURFACE A reflective, distressed surface characterizes the Bacifiore 24-inch Butler Sink, designed by Mick De Giulio for Kallista. Made of 16-gauge brushed stainless steel, the vessel is hand-polished to achieve its shimmery finish. Also offered with an apron front. kallista.com |
 | INDUSTRY FAVORITE Watermark’s Elan Vital 38 monoblock faucet and side spray conjure industrial style via components that resemble commercial ball valves and plumbing fittings. The fixture is available in a range of configurations and finishes; Pewter is pictured. watermark-designs.com |
 | TIMELESS STYLE Part of the Kohler X Studio McGee collection, the Edalyn two-hole bridge faucet with side sprayer combines classic and modern influences. Seen here in Vibrant Brushed Moderne Brass with the Ironridge Farmhouse sink, made of enameled cast iron. kohler.com |
 | FINE LINES Masterminded for Duravit by Danish designer Cecilie Manz, the Luv Bathtub is a graceful white oval with a slender rim. The freestanding vessel is made out of the company’s patented resin material, which feels like stone and is naturally slip-resistant. duravit.us |
 | LET IT FLOW The Catris Flexo Filter faucet from Blanco delivers filtered and unfiltered water at the touch of a dial on the base of the insulated, pull-down faucet. The fixture, which connects to most common filtration systems, comes in matte black (pictured), chrome and PDV steel finishes. blanco.com |
 | GOING GREEN Stone Forest’s popular Papillon Bathtub is a functional work of art, formed from solid blocks of stone, then refined and sculpted with a hammer and chisel. The company recently unveiled a new version in Verde Indio— a lush and distinctive green marble. stoneforest.com |
The owners of a McLean property purchased an adjacent lot on which to build an upscale, barn-like retreat for the wife’s use. Pondering what else to do with the one-acre site, they hired McHale Landscape Design to help formulate and carry out their vision while the building was under construction.
“We suggested a greenhouse and a sustainable garden for the family,” says McHale president Phil Kelly, who spearheaded the project. The clients embraced the idea, and a collaborative effort between the McHale team and Alabama-based Gothic Arch Greenhouses ensued. The result is an elegant, glassed-in structure sited at an angle from the wife’s “she shack.”
Using the retreat and greenhouse as reference points, McHale constructed an extensive, terraced vegetable garden close by, complete with quadrants separated by pathways. “The client challenged us to make a kitchen garden that’s super-functional yet enjoyable to look at,” Kelly says.
Landscape Design, Installation & Maintenance: McHale Landscape Design, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Photo: Erin B. Bogan
It was a real find,” enthuses Julie Geyer, referring to a spacious, 100-year-old Capitol Hill row house her clients recently acquired. The newly renovated abode lacked character, so the owners tapped her to inject personality and a fresh, clean-lined sensibility into the main-floor spaces. “They wanted to honor the home’s history while making it feel new,” the designer recounts. “And they wanted to be pushed a little.”
Geyer embraced a palette of strong and distinctive colors—from the saturated blue of the dining room to accents of rust that embellish the bright and airy living room and foyer. Among the details that elevate each space: picture frame moldings, Black Edition wallpaper on the foyer ceiling and a moody, evocative mural on the dining room wall.
Interior Design: Julie Geyer, Julie Geyer Studio, Bethesda, Maryland.
Shawna Dillon, ASID, NCIDQ, Snaidero DC Metro | Taha Gursoy, Boss Design Center | Madison Scanlon, LXRY | Hedy Shashaani, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens
“Brands like Fotile and XO make hoods that are concealed
above the range but lower at the touch of a button to suck up fumes.
They’re great in an open-concept kitchen.”
—Madison Scanlon
“We’re seeing a lot of plaster and hand-finished looks.
The hood is still a focal point but not in a contrasting
material, so it looks more architectural.”
—Taha Gursoy
“I’m doing housings around a box-shaped hood
covered by marble or stone. We’re really not seeing
chimney hoods anymore.”
—Hedy Shashaani
-
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
-
“Tulip Cooking has an induction cooktop that is invisible,
sitting under a counter of three-quarter-inch porcelain
and natural stone. It works with particular pots and pans
via magnetic heat.”
—Taha Gursoy
“Soil-sensor, auto-dose (DOS) technology in Miele
dishwashers senses the right level of cleaning.
Sub-Zero fridges can adjust humidity to keep foods
fresh while eliminating waste.”
—Shawna Dillon
“There’s a move in open-concept spaces toward
concealing appliances with paneling and
using push- doors instead of handles.”
—Madison Scanlon
-
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡
-
“Limit selections to two or three kinds of tile—maybe
the same one in different sizes. Large-format tiles provide
fewer visual breaks and allow you to add other elements
without the look getting too busy.”
—Taha Gursoy
“Our motto is less is more. If you are mixing stone, wood
or metal, stay with the same hues and finishes. We use
wood-grain marble without much veining for a clean look.”
—Madison Scanlon
“Bathrooms are a great place to be creative with tile.
When it comes to metals, stay purposeful if
throwing finishes together—select lighting all in
one finish, fixtures all in another.”
—Shawna Dillon
“In a modern bath, keep it simple and clean.
I like a large slab of stone or engineered stone
as a focal point on a shower wall and large-format tiles
with narrow grout lines.”
—Hedy Shashaani
Phil Leibovitz, Sandy Spring Builders | Brad Pryor, Horizon Builders | Maryam Tabrizchi, AIA, NCARB, Elie Ben Architecture, LLC | Greg Wiedemann, FAIA, Wiedemann Architects
“A thermally controlled, wood-clad or aluminum product
is best for our region. Ideally, there will be a
screened area outside so that you can control insects.”
—Maryam Tabrizchi
“The advantage of pocket doors is that they can
disappear visually. Robust hardware and a system
that controls water are musts; pocket doors can bring
water inside the wall. Folding doors tend to be more expensive
because the mechanism is complicated.”
—Greg Wiedemann
“It used to be only NanaWall made expansive,
glass folding doors, but now all manufacturers make them.
Sierra Pacific and Western Window Systems do a modern,
minimal look; aluminum profiles may be thinner than wood ones.”
—Phil Leibovitz
“We’re using a lot of Accoya, a wood-siding product
that’s treated for rot-resistance and has unique coloration—
a silvery tint that gives it a weathered, beachy feel
but looks a bit modern.”
—Brad Pryor
“We predominantly work with Hardie siding—shiplap,
battens, nickel gap. We also like real stucco
and painted brick with stone accents.”
—Phil Leibovitz
“Less costly than Accoya is Boral, a poly-ash material
that creates custom looks on siding and trim.
We’re using Boral nickel-gap siding on two new homes now.”
—Greg Wiedemann
“The building envelope; an initial outlay will return investment
over time. I prioritize quality windows and good insulation.
Next would be an upgrade to the home’s mechanical systems.”
—Greg Wiedemann
“The kitchen, because it’s the heart of the home.
People are also spending heavily on indoor-outdoor flex spaces.”
—Brad Pryor
“Splurge on getting a good architect who can make you
a beautiful and efficient design. Builders and subcontractors
are also very important; some say ‘spend
on the finishes,’ but I believe in getting it all installed correctly.”
—Maryam Tabrizchi
