The owners of a lot in McLean turned to James McDonald to create a comfortable home for them with a Nantucket vibe outside and clean, contemporary interiors. McDonald and his team turned the lot’s wide, shallow configuration to their advantage by designing a linear, open layout boasting views out the front and rear that worked perfectly for their clients.
An owners’ suite and kitchen/family room are connected via a central great room; opening up to views on both sides through walls of windows that flood them with light. The interiors are modern, with dark-stained box beams, a glass stair rail and a freestanding, linear fireplace that acts as a divider between rooms.
Company details.
JMAA is an 11-person residential firm, typically completing 10-12 custom homes a year.
What is your philosophy?
We bring design talent, construction know-how and understanding of the market and trends to each meeting with clients and builders. We translate space and lifestyle requirements into design solutions.
Most challenging aspect of your work?
How to maximize design impact and stay within budget. To do this, the builder, client and architect must work together.
James McDonald Associate Architects, PC • jamesmcdonaldarchitects.com
10135 Colvin Run Drive, Suite 200, Great Falls, Va 22066 703-757-0036
Falcon Construction recently completed the renovation and expansion—now totaling four finished levels—of a 1955 home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The extensive project updated the interiors with high ceilings, all-level hardwood floors and custom millwork. The home now boasts six en suite bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen with custom cabinetry, a library, a wine cellar and a master bedroom with a fireplace customized for the space. Special features of this home, soon to be on the market (questions – contact Kaz), include a steam shower, climate-controlled garage and elevator. The landscaped backyard encompasses a custom fireplace, grill, water feature and pergola.
What is your philosophy?
Our goal is exceptional client service. Our design and craftsmanship flourishes when we are satisfying the client’s vision. Our motto is “Perfectionists in Workmanship.”
What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
Providing client service requires patience and people skills. Clients remain loyal when they know you are working on their behalf.
Company details.
Founder Kaz Malachowski heads a staff of 30 on DC Metro-area projects. His family-owned company focuses on upscale new construction and renovations.
Falcon Construction • falconconstruction.us
15151-G Southlawn Lane, Rockville, MD 20850 • 301-294-3100
The following company is one of the top pros for remodeling projects in the DC/MD/VA region.
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The following companies are some of the top pros for landscaping projects in the DC/MD/VA region.
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The following companies are some of the top pros for interior design projects in the DC/MD/VA region.
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The following companies are some of the top pros for architecture and custom home design in the DC/MD/VA region.
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ABW Appliances moved its headquarters to Rockville, opening a flagship store—its fourth showroom in the region—in 2017. The 6,000-square-foot space displays a live Urban Cultivator, coffee and wine bars and a laundry center; live steam oven demonstrations are part of the mix. More than 350 major appliances are on view, from Wolf and Sub-Zero to Bertazzoni, BlueStar and Elica.
5214 Nicholson Lane. abwappliances.com
Best Tile, a go-to source in the DC area for stone and tile, showcases ceramic and porcelain, as well as metal, glass and mosaics. Its stable of East Coast showrooms now includes a 5,000-square-foot Frederick, Maryland, location with a 15,000-square-foot warehouse attached, opened in August 2018. A 6,000-square-foot showroom in Falls Church, Virginia, will open in early 2019. 5833 Urbana Pike, Frederick. besttile.com
Domain is the brainchild of interior designer Laura Hodges, whose 350-square-foot boutique in Catonsville, Maryland, debuted in June 2018. Locally and globally sourced home-décor items, original art and one-of-a-kind pieces share an emphasis on women artisans and sustainability. Live-edge wood furnishings, throw pillows and hand-poured candles are among the shop’s offerings.
710 Frederick Road. laurahodgesstudio.com/domain
Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery opened its doors in Friendship Heights in Spring 2018. The company’s first DC location, the 7,500-square-foot showroom offers inside-the-Beltway access to Ferguson’s wide range of lighting, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures and high-end appliances, including Gaggenau and DXV. A lighting lab is available for architect/client meetings.
5225 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. fergusonshowrooms.com
Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., an award-winning firm with a Chevy Chase showroom, launches a second location in Ashburn, Virginia, in October 2018. The 1,250-square-foot venue will feature products curated by Gilmer at a range of price points. Showplace Cabinetry joins the company’s roster, along with tile; hardware and fixtures; appliances by La Cornue, among many others; lighting; and furniture. 44050 Ashburn Shopping Plaza, Suite 175. gilmerkitchens.com
Ligne Roset increased its DC presence in October 2017 with an industrial-chic, 3,000-square foot showroom in the city’s trendy District Wharf. The French company partners with designers to create contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories—all made in Ligne Roset’s factory in Lyon. Visitors to both of the company’s Washington locations will find iconic pieces such as the 1973 TOGO sofa as well as new designs. 10 District Square, SW. ligneroset-dc.com
Patrick’s Fine Linens & Home Décor, formerly located in Alexandria, joined the line-up at District Wharf in June 2018, bringing a sumptuous assortment of linens, bedding, tableware, furniture, giftware and more to its new 900-square-foot location. Among the offerings: Steuben glass; Matouk bedding; silver by Michael Aram; and furniture by Ralph Lauren. In-store design services are available. 771 Wharf Street, SW. patricksdesigns.com
Roche Bobois collaborates with European designers—from luminaries like Sacha Lakic and Christophe Delcourt to haute-couture icons Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix—to produce furniture, accessories, lighting and more, in both contemporary and traditional styles. Its 4,500-square-foot Tysons Corner showroom, which debuted in September 2018, is located in Fairfax Square. Like its sister store in Friendship Heights, the showroom offers experienced design consultants to help plan your project. 8075 Leesburg Pike. roche-bobois.com
The Shade Store has expanded its presence in the DC area with a 1,000-square-foot location on 14th Street—opened in June 2018—and a 1,457-square-foot Bethesda showroom, opened in September 2018. Both stores showcase the brand’s 1,300-plus designer fabrics, along with handcrafted draperies, shades and exclusive new collections from Jonathan Adler, Nate Berkus, One Kings Lane and Sunbrella. 1522 14th Street, NW; 7116 Bethesda Lane. theshadestore.com
Cady’s Alley
This 120,000-square-foot enclave in the heart of Georgetown is mainly comprised of contemporary home-design showrooms sporting lofted ceilings, exposed brick and glass-and-steel stairways. Shops proffer everything from chic bath resources to sleek furnishings and stylish lighting, conveniently centered around a pedestrian-friendly cobblestone alley that makes one-stop shopping easy.
14th Street
Once a shabby neighborhood of warehouses and body shops, this vibrant stretch between Thomas Circle and U Street, NW, is now home to industrial-chic abodes and a hip design district that culminates on L Street at the Washington Design Center. Home-décor showrooms along 14th Street range from a four-story Room & Board to quirky Miss Pixie’s Furnishings & Whatnot—interspersed with trendy restaurants. The Design Center, in the iconic Franklin Court building, is home to 24 designer showrooms, some of which are to-the-trade only.
Bethesda Area
A construction boom has transformed Bethesda, Maryland, from suburban sprawl to urban metropolis. In Fall 2018, a new Anthropologie with a home-design center will join Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma on Bethesda Avenue; they keep pace with fixtures such as Urban Country and Random Harvest. Nearby Kensington still lures visitors to its Antique Row, a bastion of antiques dealers, galleries and more—just as it has for decades.
Old Town
A shopping excursion to Virginia’s Old Town Alexandria is a chance to soak up the atmosphere as well as the deals. Located on the Potomac River, this historic district of brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets was founded in 1749 and is lined with locally owned boutiques, galleries, antiques stores and national retailers—many in vintage row houses an easy stroll from one another.
Tysons Corner
Virginia’s bustling Tysons Corner encompasses three major shopping areas: Fairfax Square, with select, upscale boutiques; and Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria—both sprawling, multi-level indoor malls chock-full of fashion and home-design showrooms. Stand-alone stores abound, from Crate & Barrel to The Container Store, plus specialty shops tucked away in smaller shopping strips.
Located in Cady’s Alley design district, Thos. Moser’s two-story, 5,500-square-foot Washington location displays a wide range of furniture crafted by hand in the company’s Maine workshop. Thos. Moser collections include furniture for every room in the house. Made of North American hardwood, finished pieces celebrate the natural beauty of solid wood with their simple, unadorned and graceful lines. Also on display in the showroom are joinery models and design jigs that reveal the time-honored methodology and construction process employed by Thos. Moser artisans.
1028 33rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-793-2606; thosmoser.com
Experts at Rockville Interiors guide customers through the showroom’s extensive gallery of fashion-forward fabrics, which represent the most exclusive mills from around the world. Once fabrics are selected, staff members help clients design custom window treatments, reupholstery, slipcovers, pillows and headboards to complement their homes. When plans are in place, technicians make on-site measurements and artisans craft every project by hand, using the most luxurious linings and sturdiest stitching. Finally, finished designs are professionally installed, ensuring a perfect fit.
5414 Randolph Road, Rockville, Maryland 20852; 301-424-1900; rockvilleinteriors.com
Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams launched their brand in 1989 with a simple ethos: comfort for all. “As we quickly grew, that principle has guided and united us in everything we stand—and sit—for,” says Gold.
The company’s two Washington-area locations, in DC’s bustling 14th Street Corridor and in Virginia’s Tysons Galleria, each offer more than 7,400 square feet of display space showcasing a full range of stylish home furnishings, including eco-friendly upholstery, tables and storage, lighting, rugs, bed linens, accessories, window treatments and art. Design services are available.
1526 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005; 202-332-3433; Tysons Galleria, 2001 International Drive, McLean, VA 22102; 703-962-9310; mgbwhome.com
Collaborating with both established and up-and-coming designers, Ligne Roset produces furniture, lighting and accessories for the entire home at its factory near Lyon, France. Homeowners can peruse the company’s unique contemporary collections at its two Washington, DC, showrooms, located in District Wharf and Upper Georgetown.
The showrooms spotlight such iconic pieces as the 1973 TOGO sofa, along with striking new designs including the PLOUM and PRADO sofas—both known for their sleek lines and high level of comfort. In addition, experienced staff members provide full design services.
2201 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 202-248-3112; 10 District Square, SW; 202-758-2624; Washington, DC; ligneroset-dc.com
In 1923, Antonio Calligaris launched a workshop in Friuli, Italy, building wooden chairs. Over the years, the company expanded into an international brand selling all types of furniture in a range of materials—in 90 countries.
The two Washington-area showrooms, located in Georgetown’s Cady’s Alley and Tysons Galleria in Virginia, showcase the latest and most iconic Calligaris designs. The company emphasizes products that are not only beautiful, but also ergonomic and versatile. In-home design services are available.
3328 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-244-5544; Tysons Galleria; calligaris.us
BoConcept’s 6,500-square-foot, three-story Georgetown emporium showcases the Danish company’s innovative, modern furnishings suited for every room in the home. Five in-house designers help clients uncover their functional and aesthetic needs and devise ideal solutions for their interiors. In a recent project (pictured here), the team married the husband’s urban, edgy style with the wife’s sense of artistic whimsy. Furniture selections delineate “rooms” in the open floor plan. In 2019, BoConcept will open a second local showroom in Tysons Galleria.
3342 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-333-5656. Coming to Tysons Galleria in 2019; boconcept.com
