The owners of a mundane 1960s split-level in Silver Spring hired architect Bruce Wentworth to refresh its uninspired front façade and introduce a modern look. A commanding front entry, new windows and an attractive two-car garage realized the changes his clients were looking for.
| Then | Now |
| A front entry with a small overhang and nondescript front door was easy to overlook. | A projecting front porch is delineated by stucco cladding and framed by the wood, brick and stone of the rest of the house. A bold red entry door and sidelite capture attention. |
| A ramshackle-looking carport was an unappealing appendage on the side of the house. | A two-car garage with cedar doors is a vast improvement. Wentworth balanced the garage visually by also cladding the other end of the home in cedar. |
| A small, dated picture window to the left of the front entry was flanked by double-hung windows. | Four large windows replaced the smaller original windows beside the door, conveying a modern vibe. All the window frames are now painted black. |
Renovation Architecture & Construction: Bruce Wentworth, AIA, Wentworth Studio, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Photography: Morgan Howarth.
The owners of a Georgetown condo wanted to brighten and modernize its dark spaces while adding functionality and efficient storage throughout. They hired Boffi Georgetown to overhaul the kitchen and bathrooms and to replace inadequate closets—including the one in the front hall.
| Then | Now |
| The hall closet was set into a drywall frame with doors that folded back. The design was inconvenient for accessing the closet’s contents. | The finished project features a streamlined closet system built without a drywall frame. The doors open easily, while interior shelving caters to the owners’ specific needs. |
| Traditional design elements like moldings and expanses of drywall looked stodgy. | The new closet system replaces moldings with reveals at the top and bottom of the closet, wrapping around the side at the top to create a decorative feature. |
| Dark-stained wood floors and red-painted closet doors made the front hall feel dark and dated. | White-painted cabinetry and off-white, cement-look porcelain-tile floors keep the convo light and bright with a sleek, contemporary aesthetic. |
Closet Design & Fabrication: Julia Walter, Boffi Georgetown, Washington, DC. Photography: Angie Seckinger.
Homeowners who purchased a dated split-level in Vienna tapped Gyan Manu of the design/build firm G. Manu & Associates to overhaul the interiors and create a visually appealing exterior using natural building materials and a clean, modern aesthetic.
| Then | Now |
| A nondescript brick façade and traditional windows and shutters made the house look faded and boring. | A porch area wide enough for a bench draws the eye to the new, modern front door, which is painted an eye-catching brick hue. |
| A ramshackle carport was an eyesore, offering little storage space and only accommodating a single car. | The brick has been covered in stucco, painted in two colors for contrast. Panels of Western red cedar accent the corners of the left volume. Sleek, modern windows add to the clean-lined look. |
| The house offered no sense of arrival, with a mundane front door that seemed to blend into the front façade. | A two-car garage with frosted-glass doors replaced the carport. The roofline is enlivened by the addition of a second-story master suite. |
Renovation Architecture & Contracting: Gyan Manu, Associate AIA, NCARB, G. Manu & Associates, Falls Church, Virginia. Photography: Jason Flakes.
Homeowners with a cramped, dated abode hired Broadhurst Architects to redesign the kitchen and add on a third floor to accommodate visiting family members. They also requested an exterior makeover so the home would blend in with its upscale, traditional neighborhood.
| Then | Now |
| The kitchen was too small and needed an overhaul. There was no side entry from the driveway, making it inconvenient to bring in groceries, etc. | An attractive addition enlarged the kitchen and created a side entry. It conveys the impression of an existing porch that was later enclosed—similar to other houses in the neighborhood. |
| The squat, gambrel roofline stuck out in a neighborhood of classic, colonial-style homes. | A third-floor addition replaced the dated roof. The new, gabled roofline harmonizes with its setting. |
| A nondescript front entry and dull brick façade meant the house had no street presence. | A front portico provides a commanding entry to the brick-and-clapboard home, which has been uniformly painted white with traditional dark-green shutters. |
Renovation Architecture: Jeffery Broadhurst, AIA, Broadhurst Architects, Rockville, Maryland. Builder: O’Neill Development, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Photography: Anice Hoachlander.
Each year, Home & Design polls hundreds of area professionals regarding their picks for leaders in the innovative, ever-evolving home-design industry—and requests their votes of confidence in rising stars on the local scene. We also ask architects and designers to choose their favorite industry resources, in categories ranging from audio/video and appliance showrooms to lighting dealers and art galleries. The following pages cover the complete survey results for 2018.
Kube Architecture
Washington, DC; kube-arch.com
Patrick Sutton
Baltimore, Maryland; patricksutton.com
Walnut Hill Landscape Company
Annapolis, Maryland; walnuthilllandscape.com
Custom Design Concepts Architecture + Design
McLean, Virginia; cdcarch.com and Neal Thomson, AIA, Patrick Cooke, AIA,
and
Washington, DC; thomsoncooke.com
Jon Hensley Architects, Arlington, Virginia; jonhensleyarchitects.com
Studio Q, Alexandria, Virginia; studioqdesigns.com Landscape FirM
McHale Landscape Design
Upper Marlboro, Maryland; mchalelandscape.com
Tysons Corner, Virginia; lobkovich.com
Alexandria and Warrenton; thorsenconstruction.us
McLean and Middleburg; bowa.com
Craftsman
Potomac Woodwork, LLC
Gaithersburg, Maryland; potomacwoodwork.com
Alexandria, Virginia; torpedofactory.org
Washington, DC; starkcarpet.com
Area locations; californiaclosets.com
Silver Spring, Maryland; gretcheneverett.com
Washington, DC; fschumacher.com
Washington, DC; roche-bobois.com
Silver Spring, Maryland; abenetworks.com
Area locations; ferguson.com
Washington, DC; circalighting.com
Area locations; architecturalceramics.com
A couple building a custom home on the James River in Williamsburg enlisted Atlanta-based kitchen-and-bath designer Shirley McFarlane, who had worked with them on previous projects, to collaborate on their sprawling new riverfront abode—which would include a luxurious master-bath retreat boasting a stunning river view.
“We spent a year in the planning stages,” McFarlane recounts. “They had a very strong vision for space.” At the top of the owners’ extensive wish list was contemporary hanging cabinetry with clean, spare lines; a sculptural statement tub sited in front of a window wall with the expansive water view beyond; and a light, airy feel.
“It was a fun challenge to figure out how to make space work,” says McFarlane, who designed glass enclosures for the shower and WC that enhance the sense of openness in the space. A passageway between the enclosures leads to the closet. For the sake of privacy, the glass surrounding the WC is frosted.
Cabinetry from Premier Custom Built is made of fumed, quartered eucalyptus wood with a high-gloss, exotic-wood veneer. It flanks the door to the bedroom, with open shelving and storage on one side and his-and-her sinks and a makeup table on the other.
Classic Calacatta Gold marble tile was used on the floors and in the shower to soften the bathroom’s contemporary lines. A mosaic pattern from New Ravenna on the floor mimics an area rug, while heavily veined marble distinguishes the shower enclosure. Calacatta Manhattan marble tops the cabinet surfaces.
Sinks by Lacava and a Victoria & Albert soaking tub are paired with sleek Dornbracht faucets. Sconces by Hudson Valley Lighting provide a transitional touch.
Architectural Design: Carroll W. Johnson, Residential Designs, Ltd., Chesapeake, Virginia. Bath Design: Shirley McFarlane, CKD, McFarlane Design, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia. Builder: Butch Palmer, Palmer & Co., Williamsburg, Virginia. Photography: Tony Giammarino.
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When designer Erika Bonnell was enlisted to overhaul the interiors of an Oakton, Virginia, home, her task included very specific instructions for the master bedroom. “The wife is obsessed with Lisa Vanderpump,” Bonnell recounts. She wanted a bedroom in the style of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”—one that would exude femininity and romance. Fortunately, the husband was on board with this directive. “He just wanted function and comfort,” observes the designer.
Bonnell started out by researching the popular TV personality’s home. At her client’s request, she selected soft rose for the walls—a Benjamin Moore hue called Pleasant Pink. A plush wall-to-wall carpet in pale gray serves as a neutral foil, while a shiny silver-leaf treatment by Twin Diamond Studios on the tray ceiling contributes a touch of glam.
Throughout the room, Bonnell employed mirrored surfaces, crystal pieces and soft, billowy fabrics in creamy white and light gray. A tufted Vanguard bedstead upholstered in white Kravet velvet sets the stage, with bedding by Matouk. At the foot of the bed, a Hickory Chair bench covered in Kravet fabric gives off a subtle sheen. Twin John-Richard nightstands with mirrored fronts hold Bradburn Gallery table lamps with pink ceramic bases. Above, a brass-and-crystal chandelier by Visual Comfort makes a grand statement.
A seating alcove, which opens out to a balcony, holds a pair of elegant armchairs from Oly drawn up to a Worlds Away coffee table. Existing built-ins painted lustrous white are adorned with decorative items and flank an inviting window seat. A busy mother of young kids, the wife “wanted an escape,” Bonnell notes. “She asked for space where she could go in and close the door, that would make her feel special and glamorous. So that’s what we gave her.”
Interior Design: Erika Bonnell, Erika Bonnell Interiors, Haymarket, Virginia. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg.
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A McLean family tapped architect Mark Sullenberger to design a home that would blend an Old World aesthetic with their modern lifestyle. Builder Patrick Latessa collaborated with designer Kristin Peake to bring the design to life—including a kitchen that beautifully reflects that special blend of old and new.
Latessa added charm and character by embellishing the vaulted ceiling above the kitchen and the dome over the breakfast area with salvaged-oak beams. “They are hand-hewn, rough-cut wood with a rustic sensibility,” observes Peake. “They connect the two areas of the kitchen visually.” The floor, made of reclaimed antique limestone sourced from France, contributes to the Old World feel.
Peake worked with Lobkovich Kitchens to select custom white cabinetry and a massive furniture-style island. Counters are of Calacatta marble hand-selected at a quarry in Italy, and a Visual Comfort chandelier made of distressed wood and iron hangs above the island. “It’s elegant without being ostentatious,” Peake explains. “And it’s huge, to complement the island.”
In the octagonal breakfast area, chairs from JANUS et Cie with indoor/outdoor fabric and a custom banquette pull up to a Lillian August table made of wood and metal. A carved-wood chandelier from Currey & Company matches the light-hued furniture.
The wife stressed the importance of hiding clutter, so Latessa created a walk-in pantry for additional storage. Sub-Zero refrigerators, flanking a Rohl sink beneath the window, are paneled, while the Wolf range is paired with a paneled hood to match the cabinets. An adjoining mudroom even keeps the pets’ clutter at bay: Custom cabinets conceal a cat litter box as well as the dog’s water and food bowls.
Architecture: Mark R. Sullenberger, AIA, Custom Design Concepts, McLean, Virginia. Interior Design: Kristin Peake, Kristin Peake Interiors, LLC, Rockville, Maryland. Kitchen Design: J. Paul Lobkovich, Lobkovich Kitchen Designs, Tysons Corner, Virginia. Builder: Patrick Latessa, The Galileo Group, McLean, Virginia. Photography: Geoffrey Hodgdon.
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The son of Congressman Jennings Randolph, Frank Babb Randolph grew up in an era when he could jump on a streetcar and explore Washington’s treasures alone. “I haunted the National Gallery,” he recalls, “and had the opportunity to see some of the best houses in Georgetown.”
Decades later, the seasoned designer would express his classicist eye in the design of his own 1959 Georgetown residence. Though he loved the generous proportions of its living room, Randolph “enhanced the woodwork and added tall windows and a center window like Jefferson did at Monticello,” he explains.
Pale gray walls and a muted Odegard carpet created a serene backdrop for a collected-over-time mix of antiques, accessories and modern pieces of Randolph’s design, including a banquette sofa that will be part of a forthcoming collection for David Iatesta. A 19th-century Zuber screen made a bold statement behind the seating arrangement, which Randolph kept “mobilier,” so pieces such as the antique French center table could be moved around as company enjoyed the space.
On one wall, a Niermann Weeks console was flanked by Louis XV chairs covered in eye-catching coral fabric. Niermann Weeks sconces and a David Iatesta mirror hung above.
Randolph, who moved to Kalorama in spring 2017, reminisces about his former living room. “People who visited would say ‘I’d live in this room all the time if I were you.’ Well, I did. It made an impact, despite its subtlety.”
Interior Design: Frank Babb Randolph, Frank Babb Randolph Interiors, Washington, DC. Photography: Max Kim-Bee.
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For a McLean project currently in the works, AV Architects envisioned a contemporary abode (rendered here) with the retreat-like feel of a vacation home. The 8,000-square-foot structure is sited on a sloping half-acre. “It was a challenge to design on this location with functional, picturesque outdoor spaces in mind,” relates principal Francisca Alonso. Sliding-glass doors will connect the dining room to the front porch, while the stair tower will feature expanses of glass bringing in natural light.
Gray, fiber-cement panels will clad the exterior, with cedar accents on the stair tower and front entrance. “At the base of the house, we’ll use ledger stone,” Alonso says. “We’ll incorporate the same stone in the landscaping and walkways.”
FACTS + STATS
Husband and wife team Francisca Alonso, Associate AIA, and Antonio Alonso, AIA, (above) launched their firm in 2001. Their staff of seven completes between four and eight projects a year. Major renovations start at $400,000 while custom homes start at $1 million.
AV Architects + Builders
9903 Georgetown Pike, Suite 201
Great Falls, VA 22066
A young family with two small children needed more space but didn’t want their home to feel vast or impersonal. Bucking the trend towards demolishing older, smaller homes in favor of new over-scaled “farmhouses,” they hired EL Studio to expand their one-story bungalow with an appropriately scaled addition. A carport and efficiency apartment on the first floor made way for an addition containing a first-floor playroom and a partial second story with side-by-side kids’ bedrooms with a connecting bath and a new master suite. The playroom accesses the garden through a covered porch tucked under the master suite. South-facing roof apertures capture and direct daylight deep into the north-facing playroom and porch. Expansive windows frame views to the yard.
FACTS + STATS
Elizabeth Emerson and Mark Lawrence launched EL Studio 10 years ago with the goal of creating innovative, contemporary architecture. With a staff of five, they execute 10 to 15 projects a year starting at $500,000. The firm has offices in New York City as well as DC.
1319 Naylor Court, NW
Washington, DC, 20001
202-365-5798
elstudioarch.com
In the hands of architect Jim Rill, a 1960s ranch house became a light-filled English Country-style home with a connection to the outdoors. The clients also specified an open floor plan to accommodate their entertaining needs.
“The biggest challenge was the exterior,” Rill recalls. “We converted the plain façade by adding dormers and gables and a graceful portico that enhances the front entry.” Inside, an expanded kitchen leads to a new family room, while the former family room is now a cozy library.
Rill and his team capitalized on the heavily wooded site by adding multi-paned windows throughout both old and new spaces. Natural light pours into the house, creating an airy and tranquil vibe.
FACTS + STATS
With a staff of eight, Rill Architects has been designing homes in a wide variety of styles for 30 years; project prices range from $100,000 to $10 million.
Rill Architects
4833 Rugby Avenue, Suite 501
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-656-4166
rillarchitects.com
Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects was asked to design a Palladian villa in Albemarle County that would capitalize on bucolic views while incorporating energy efficiency, sustainability and modern technologies into the mix. Because of its sloping site, “we were able to design a home that feels much smaller than it is,” says principal Robert Paxton, who worked on the project. “Three buildings are joined by curved colonnades and extensive use of side walls creates a multi-level progression.”
The home’s classical proportions and details are executed in stone, while reclaimed materials in the interiors, including stonework, beams and barn timbers, provide rich texture and warmth throughout. “The home has been built to last 300 years,” says Paxton.
FACTS + STATS
Since its inception in 1933, Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects has worked in a variety of architectural styles and building types. A staff of 15 handles eight to ten projects a year, at prices ranging from $200,000 to $30 million.
Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects
206 Fifth Street NE
Charlottesville, VA 22902
434-977-4480
dgparchitects.com
Architect Thomas Manion, AIA, designed a house in Bethesda’s Glen Echo Heights neighborhood that reinterprets Craftsman design with a modern sensibility. The 6,000-square-foot abode boasts an exterior of stucco, board-and-batten, and stone, embellished with a distinctive custom railing of recycled mahogany and redwood.
“The design employs natural light and openness as an interior theme,” explains Manion. Views from the entry through the two-story dining room reach to the rear, while a beech-and-iron stair centered on the open-plan main floor creates efficient flow.
Manion and his team nestled the house into the sloped landscape to de-emphasize its scale and integrate it into the neighborhood. “The site presented a big opportunity as well as big challenges,” Manion says.
FACTS + STATS
Launched in 1980, the firm’s staff of six completes 30 to 40 projects a year, from minor additions to new homes, at prices ranging from $50,000 to more than $1 million. Homes are modern, Craftsman and traditional.
Manion + Associates | Architects, P.C.
7307 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 216
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-7000
manionandassociates.com
The owners of an outdated home turned to John F. Heltzel AIA, PC Architects to design new guest quarters, a pavilion overlooking an existing pool and a garage to house their vintage automobile collection. Heltzel’s plan accomplished these goals in a language that is compatible with the original home’s Mediterranean style.
Despite the property’s narrow footprint, the renovation was cleverly maneuvered to create a private, courtyard feels on the exterior. The inviting pavilion boasts a ceiling of dark-stained pine, travertine flooring and a linear gas fireplace with a hand-painted mosaic surround.
The completed guest room harbors a feature wall of reclaimed oak and a built-in Murphy bed that can easily retract to create additional floor space.
FACTS + STATS
John F. Heltzel AIA, PC Architects has been in business for 26 years. The 10-person firm handles about 50 projects a year with budgets ranging from $200,000 to $5,000,000.
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
703-748-8801
heltzelaia.com
The owners of a waterfront property near Annapolis approached Alt Breeding Schwarz Architects with a unique proposition: Design a residence and adjacent guesthouse while they inhabited an original cottage on site.
The architects created a master plan for a large shingle-style home connected to the guesthouse via an enclosed bridge. Once the main house was complete, the cottage was removed and the guesthouse built in its place.
Today, the family and their guests enjoy all aspects of this one-of-a-kind, classically styled residence. Among the highlights is a family gathering room off the kitchen that acts as a hub to the office, homework room and family dining area. The home also embraces 360-degree views of the surrounding waters.
FACTS + STATS
Founded 30 years ago, Alt Breeding Schwarz specializes in designing and permitting complex waterfront properties in the Chesapeake Bay region. Its 13-person staff includes architects, planners and kitchen designers.
209 Main Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-268-1213
absarchitects.com
