A newly married couple settling in Washington, DC’s Palisades neighborhood engaged Barbara Noguera Interiors to decorate their home in playful, eclectic style. Having grown up in Lebanon with years spent in Paris, the duo desired spaces that would showcase treasured antiques and art collected abroad.
The design team developed a palette of rich colors and textures, building a layered aesthetic that nods to Middle Eastern and Art Deco motifs. Whimsical wall coverings and plush seating infuse the living and family rooms with glamour and easy elegance. The dining room, relocated to a double-height space near the foyer, is primed to host festive gatherings, from intimate to grand.
Interior Design: Barbara Noguera, Madeline Goodrich, Annie Bennett and Karla Rivera, Barbara Noguera Interiors.
For an editor and his partner, a 4,008-square-foot penthouse in Washington, DC’s West End presented a place to host salons and intimate gatherings for colleagues and friends. But first a significant remodel was needed to address the condo’s dated feel. More open spaces were created along with ample storage for beloved books. The main living areas, kitchen and new office were top priorities, but all spaces received new lighting, paneling, upgraded finishes and furnishings.
Interior designer Andrea Maaseide dressed the rooms in an “elegant, but not too precious” style. Clean lines and modern elements contrast with furnishings that evoke a hint of Old World charm. A neutral, texture-rich palette is punctuated by dollops of coral and red—the owner’s favorite colors—bringing added warmth to this convivial home.
Interior Design: Andrea Maaseide, principal, Casa Millie. Builder: Artisan Builders. Cabinetry: Lobkovich Kitchen Designs.
Hired to reimagine a dated DC condo in an historic Kalorama building, designer Skip Sroka took inspiration from the famed Saarinen House at Cranbrook Academy of Art. After stripping the home down to bare bones, he reconfigured and revived the interiors with elegant yet cozy style. Cerused, rift-cut white oak flooring, walnut accents and lacquer create a sophisticated backdrop for warm, contemporary furnishings and expertly curated, colorful works of art.
Renovation Architecture: Manion + Associates Architects. Interior Design: Skip Sroka, DLN, DTL, NCIDQ; Elizabeth Bausch, Sroka Design. Renovation Contractor: Square One Development Group.
A modern, 6,200-square-foot Coconut Grove, Florida, condo presented designers Jodi Macklin and Lauren Sparber with an expansive blank slate when the owners enlisted them to transform it into a personalized, grounded getaway home. “With high ceilings and a wide-open floor plan, the condo had the potential to feel cold and impersonal,” Macklin reflects. “We needed to bring in intimacy and a sense of place, making every room feel connected yet distinct.”
The designers focused on introducing layered textures, thoughtful lighting and custom furniture—elements that would deliver warmth and scale to the otherwise oversized shell. They established a consistent visual language through natural materials, soft tones and curated global elements.
Today the owners and their three grown children are thrilled with the reimagined retreat, a space where they can unwind, reconnect and entertain with ease.
Interior Design: Jodi Macklin and Lauren Sparber, principal designers, Jodi Macklin Interior Design.
This new, custom 5,500-square-foot home on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, was designed as a retirement retreat for longtime clients who wanted a space that felt both relaxed and refined. Interior designer Tracy Morris delivered a sophisticated, yet livable abode without any of the coastal clichés. Expansive windows frame the natural beauty of the Lowcountry, while the furniture plan encourages movement between indoor and outdoor spaces. Performance fabrics and natural textures, such as wood, linen and stone, instill a sense of ease and timelessness.
Architecture: McDonald Architects. Interior Design: Tracy Morris, principal; Maha Hartary, senior designer, Tracy Morris Design. Builder: Mangan Inc.
The music room in a family’s 10-year-old McLean home was ready for a refresh. The existing space was disjointed, split between a sitting area with a small rug on one side and the piano on the other. The owners called on Barbara Noguera Interiors to turn the room into a stylish, cohesive whole, where the mother, a piano teacher, could continue to teach and the whole family could gather to play and listen to music.
“Our clients have a deep appreciation for the intricate details found in patterns, textures and the rich, saturated colors they’ve encountered through their travels,” says Noguera. This gave the designer and her team the cues they needed to channel British design and elements of the unexpected in their approach.
They selected a large rug to unify the space and installed an oversized light fixture in the center. Vibrant wallpaper and glamorous drapes add a dose of sophistication.
Interior Design: Barbara Noguera, Madeline Goodrich, Annie Bennett, Barbara Noguera Interiors. Contractor: MMD Construction.
A hardworking couple dreamed of a primary bedroom that felt like a luxurious escape, but carving out more storage would be the key. Interior designer Laura Fox had the solution: “I knew immediately that I wanted to wrap this room in spectacular millwork and use a deep color,” she explains. A leather-upholstered niche envelops the bed; freestanding dressers provide a perch for nightly necessities. Built-ins keep everything tidy and out-of-sight, creating a clutter-free space primed for unplugging and relaxing.
Interior Design: Laura Fox, Laura Fox Interior Design, LLC. Builder: Allegheny Builders. Carpentry: Art Trim. Automation: A.B.E. Networks.
The oddly shaped, disjointed kitchen in their Falls Church, Virginia, home left much to be desired, so the owners turned to Premier Home Center for a makeover. Th e team reconfigured the space to form an open-concept layout. Designer Shereen Farahani evoked a modern aesthetic with quartz countertops, stainless-steel fixtures and matte finishes. Warm wooden floors and custom cabinets add a natural touch. A window ledge displaying potted plants doubles as a bench.
The plan created efficient workspace and added extra storage via a large island with drawers, open shelving and a pantry system. Special attention was devoted to lighting design; above the breakfast bar, a linear Eurofase chandelier makes a sculptural statement.
Premier Home Center KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen Design & Contracting: Shereen Farahani, lead designer; Jonathan Contreras, lead carpenter; Daniel Aragon, project manager, Premier Home Center. Lighting & Furniture: Elysian Studios
For this compact Washington, DC, kitchen, designer Joy Williams optimized workflow and storage with custom cabinetry, a full-height pantry and an appliance garage. A repositioned window brings in more daylight, while tactile materials like Dekton countertops and a walnut console add durability and warmth, respectively. Oversized pendants provide island illumination and brass hardware lends a touch of glam.
Bold geometric wallpaper, in a wipeable vinyl, sets the stage for a gallery wall with art honoring the Black diaspora, infusing the space with a rich narrative that reflects its vibrant city. Notes Williams, “We believe that the kitchen— so oft en the soul of the home—should also be a place where identity and culture are celebrated.”
Joyful Designs Studio KITCHEN DESIGN Interior Design: Joy Williams, Joyful Designs Studio. Architecture & Cabinetry: Val Wilson.
An Upper Marlboro homeowner was tired of her cramped primary bath, once dominated by an oversized, step-in Jacuzzi tub. Tapped to reimagine the space, designer Ann Gottlieb developed a roadmap to transform the layout and increase functionality while conjuring a luxurious, one-of-a-kind retreat.
The streamlined, open plan accommodates a soaking tub, a curbless shower, a vanity and a linen closet, plus a separate WC. Glazed Japanese tile drenches the spa-like space in a saturated blue; the lower walls feature a textural mix of eight varied motifs.
As Gottlieb reflects, “By thoughtfully reconfiguring the bathroom and integrating smart storage solutions, we created a space that feels open, indulgent and tailored.”
Bath Design: Ann Gottlieb, principal, Ann Gottlieb Design. Contractor: Beautiful Home Services. Styling: Kristi Hunter.
For a family in Severna Park, Maryland, designer Melissa McLay transformed a lackluster primary bathroom into a coastal-inspired retreat. First, she enlarged the space to improve function, then cloaked the room in vertical nickel-gap paneling for a nautical vibe. A dormer window alcove with a vaulted ceiling was added to give it a bright, airy feel, providing the perfect spot for a freestanding soaking tub. A double vanity addressed storage concerns and a spacious shower replaced a cramped corner model. The creation of a separate water closet improved the bathroom’s overall flow.
Luxury finishes include broken-joint Calacatta Gold mosaic tile and Taj Mahal quartzite. Heated towel bars and floors ensure a cozy start or end to the day.
Architecture: J. Gallaher Architect, P.C. Interior Design: Melissa McLay Interiors. Builder: Nielsen Development Group LLC.
For a pair of busy professionals eyeing retirement, a five-acre former horse field on a hilltop in Fairfax County provided the ideal opportunity. Starting with the curved gravel drive, landscape architect Joseph Richardson brought a rustic formality to the property.
On the front hillside, an orchard bears fruit and nut trees, while the side kitchen garden has over 200 square feet of raised beds for vegetables with a border of pollinators and herbs.
Behind the new house sits a reflecting pool with a fountain and a patio planted with boxwood and ferns enclosed by a stone wall that steps up to the lawn terrace. Beyond, an outdoor pavilion with a fireplace is set among a native array of grasses and flowering shrubs, blending into the bordering woodlands.
Architecture: Thomson & Cooke Architects. Interior Design: Melissa Colgan Interiors. Builder: Thorsen Construction. Landscape Architecture: Joseph Richardson, PLA, ASLA, principal, Richardson & Associates. Landscape Contractor: Lucas & Clark Grounds Company.
This family compound in Alexandria, Virginia, formerly the historic Collingwood Mansion, was reimagined as a waterfront oasis. Bordered by dense woods on either side, the river-facing rear of the 1859 property is defined by a Lautner edge pool and detached pool house, leading to a 300-foot-long dock in the distance. Throughout, Pennsylvania bluestone, Indiana limestone and cobbles provide hardscape contrast to perennial gardens and a diverse plant palette.
Architecture: Rill Architects. Builder: Thorsen Construction. Landscape Architecture: Joseph Richardson, PLA, ASLA, principal; Richardson & Associates. Landscape Contractor: Black Pearl Management.
Once the dust settled on the renovation of a bungalow in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood, the owners enlisted FORM Garden Design to transform their urban lot into a functional, private and visually engaging outdoor retreat. The landscape architects elevated the compact site with a bluestone dining terrace, a fire pit with built-in seating and a sculptural water feature. Mitigating poor soil drainage, the team also orchestrated sunken rain gardens to manage runoff.
Layered plantings, from ferns and grasses to flowering perennials, offer texture, movement and seasonal color all year. Fencing, a hornbeam hedge and raised steel planters filled with bamboo screen views while contributing to the garden’s structure and rhythm.
Renovation Architecture: MODE4 Architecture. Builder: EET Construction. Landscape Architecture: Kevin Gaughan, ASLA, PLA, principal; Thomas Haley, landscape architect, FORM Garden Design. Landscape Contractor: Planted Earth Landscaping.
CLINTON+RIES Landscape Architects was tapped to integrate two adjacent Chevy Chase, Maryland, properties—one harboring a family’s main home and the other a guest house. The ambitious master plan creates a “mosaic” that weaves the parcels together via travertine and granite terraces, carving out verdant spaces that revolve around entertaining and relaxation. A mahogany-and-steel arbor anchors the main house terrace. And lush plantings envelop the curving patio of the guest house, which contains a pottery studio.
Landscape Architecture: Kate Ries, ASLA, PLA; Dan Cook, ASLA; Emma Kerr, CLINTON+RIES Landscape Architects. Landscape Contractor: Rasevic Landscape Company.
Over the years, the owner of this home in McLean made improvements to the existing structure, which inspired the addition of an infinity pool, dining patio, secluded shower, fire pit and newly planted landscape. To complete the client’s vision, landscape architect Joseph Richardson extended the horizontality of the house, incorporating a geometric hardscape contrasted with lush plantings. Custom ipe screens frame the walkway to the backyard where a smoker, surrounded by herb planters, provides one cooking area, with another created around a fire pit that overlooks the pool and its large spa. With nearly 50 species, the mostly native plant palette features bold foliage and flowers throughout the year.
Architecture: STEHLIK design. Builder: Jose Pimenta Construction Co. Landscape Architecture: Joseph Richardson, PLA, ASLA, principal; Richardson & Associates. Landscape Contractor: Lucas & Clark Grounds Company. Lighting Design: Outdoor Illumination.
