OCTOBER 19, 2016—Home & Design celebrated the launch of its 2017 Sourcebook with a reception at The Lauren in Bethesda. A highlight of the evening was the announcement of the annual Designers’ Choice Awards, published in the Sourcebook and at homeanddesign.com. Winners were photographed receiving their awards with Sourcebook editor Julie Sanders and editor in chief Sharon Jaffe Dan.
How should homeowners infuse color throughout their interiors without going overboard?
For most homeowners, incorporating color to tie rooms together is a delicate balance, especially in open-concept homes. Ideally, spaces should flow effortlessly, while not feeling contrived or “matchy-matchy.” A few well-placed accessories or fabrics in an accent color can enhance the overall palette and furnishings. Throw pillows, accessories, books and art help to pull color through, yet can be easily replaced seasonally for a quick and less costly refresh. Colored accent furniture and mirrors make for great statement pieces and can always be custom-painted to achieve a specific hue, if necessary. I always like to have a variety of items to work with when accessorizing, to make sure there is balance from room to room. This way, color can be added or removed as spaces evolve. The key is to use color intentionally and strategically throughout your home to enhance your style—not overshadow it. —Julie Sweeney, Associate ASID, Coastal Haven Design, LLC, Easton and Annapolis, Maryland
What are your preferred methods for integrating a waterfront setting into a home’s interiors?
The rivers, bays, and creeks of the Eastern Shore form the backdrop for our daily lives, providing endless inspiration to our design team. We make every effort to integrate nature’s colors, shapes and shifting light into what we call our “Tidewater Traditions” designs.
One of our cardinal rules is to work with the view. We frame it by arranging seating areas so that they face the water. To enhance it, we maintain a light touch with window treatments, preferring billowing, light-colored fabrics to dark, heavy ones. Our coastal environment inspires a palette of blues from the water and sky and greens from the landscape. These colors offer a quiet continuity that visually expands interior spaces and integrates them with nature.
Art matters in our designs. We’re great fans of Nancy Hammond’s vibrant coastal scenes and Marcy Dunn Ramsey’s quiet, marshy vignettes. Well-placed sculptures can also be a focal point that draws the eye to the view.
—Jamie Merida, Bountiful Interiors, Easton, Maryland
Presented by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association and the Maryland Building Industry Association, the 2016 GALA (Great American Living Awards) celebrates achievements in categories ranging from architecture and interior design to sales and marketing. Candidates submitted portfolios that were split among three teams of judges, each including an architect, a builder, and a marketing professional.
The 2016 GALA ceremony was held on October 6 at the McLean Hilton Tysons Corner. Winners in the custom-builder categories are spotlighted on the following pages, while the remaining award-winners will be featured in the January/February 2017 issue of Home & Design.
CUSTOM HOME OF THE YEAR (selected from the winners of all categories) THE HIDEAWAY, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. OPaL, GPS Designs. Winner of Custom Home, Single Lot, Under 3,000 Square Feet.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM HOME, SINGLE LOT - 3,000 to 5,000 Square Feet WALHONDING POND, Bethesda, Maryland. Castlewood Custom Builders, James McDonald Associate Architects.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM HOME, SINGLE LOT - 5,001 to 7,000 Square Feet KENTBURY DRIVE RESIDENCE, Bethesda, Maryland. Sandy Spring Builders, Studio Z Design Concepts.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM HOME, SINGLE LOT - Over 7,000 Square Feet DOGWOOD RESIDENCE, McLean, Virginia. Joy Custom Design Build, James McDonald Associate Architects.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM OR CUSTOMIZED INFILL HOME - Under 3,000 Square Feet 1ST ROAD SOUTH RESIDENCE, Alexandria, Virginia. Stabuilt Design Build, James McDonald Associate Architects.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM OR CUSTOMIZED INFILL HOME - Over 7,000 Square Feet THE HARRISON, McLean, Virginia. Capital City Builders.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM OR CUSTOMIZED INFILL HOME - 5,001 to 7,001 Square Feet THE NEWPORT, McLean, Virginia. Artisan Builders, James McDonald Associate Architects.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM OR CUSTOMIZED INFILL HOME - 3,000 to 5,000 Square Feet ARBOR LANE RESIDENCE, McLean, Virginia. Artisan Builders, James McDonald Associate Architects.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM RENOVATIONS OR ADDITIONS - Over $1,000,000 OLD WATERFORD ROAD RENOVATION, Paeonian Springs, Virginia. BOWA.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM RENOVATIONS OR ADDITIONS - $500,000 to $1,000,000 FALLS RUN REMODEL, McLean, Virginia. Joy Custom Design Build, James McDonald Associate Architects.
DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE, CUSTOM RENOVATIONS OR ADDITIONS - Under $500,000 CAMMICK DRIVE RENOVATION, Bethesda, Maryland. BOWA.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016—Home & Design marked the launch of its September/October 2016 Architecture Issue with a celebration at Marble Systems in Fairfax. Guests mingled and toured the showroom, which features a wide range of high-end stone, tile and surface materials.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2016—ABW Appliances hosted the fourth annual Chopped for Charity event in its Silver Spring showroom. Guests watched four celebrity chefs cook in an “Iron Chef”-style competition using a range of high-end appliances. Home & Design publisher Tod Herbers, NARI Metro DC president Joe Normandy and Taste of DC CEO Steuart Martens served as judges. Proceeds benefitted No Kid Hungry.
OCTOBER 1, 2016—The 2016 DC Design House hosted a preview of its 21 redecorated spaces before opening them to the public through October 30. Proceeds benefit Children’s National Medical Center. Artwork by the Center’s young patients was displayed in an installation by artist Lisa Tureson. Home & Design, a media sponsor, will cover the show house in its January/February 2017 issue.
OCTOBER 6, 2016—Scavolini hosted a grand opening in its Georgetown showroom featuring new installations of the company’s sleek, Italian-made cabinetry. Guests enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres while viewing some of the brand’s latest kitchen and bath product lines. Home & Design sponsored the event.
Members of the Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) gathered on October 5, 2016, for their annual awards gala aboard The Spirit of Baltimore. Winners were announced during an elegant dinner cruise; Home & Design was a sponsor of the event. Photos of the first- and second-place professional and student award-winners are shown, along with a list of honorable mention awards.
2016 AWARD WINNERS
HEALTHCARE/LIFECARE DESIGN First Place: Heather Flannery, lead designer; Sean Hughes; Jim Albert, AIA, Hord Coplan Macht. Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt.
RESIDENTIAL DESIGN First Place: Corey Hamby, Allied ASID, Fitzsimmons Design Associates, Inc. Blue Serenity. Second Place: Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID, Fitzsimmons Design Associates, Inc. Assawoman Bay House.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN First Place: Leah Wettstein, ASID, lead designer; Laura Lumadue, LEED Green Associate, Hord Coplan Macht. Green Street Academy.
SHOWHOUSE/MODEL HOME First Place: Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID, Fitzsimmons Design Associates, Inc. Design/Religion.
RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN First Place: Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID, Fitzsimmons Design Associates, Inc. Susan’s Kitchen.
STUDENT, GROUP PROJECT First Place: Laura Kimball, ASID, interior design program coordinator; students Crystal Evans, Jason Fischer, Laura Fitzpatrick, Kate Gomprecht, Nodji Maouyo, Sherrie Rashid, Dee Rollins, Ashley Williams; Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville campus. Carroll County Mansion.
HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS Residential Design—Stephanie Simmons, Allied ASID, Karen Renee Interior Design, Inc. Commercial Design—Leah Wettstein, ASID, lead designer; Laura Lumadue; Scott Walters, AIA; Hord Coplan Macht. Hospitality Design—Rohrer Studio. Student, Healthcare/Lifecare— Nodji Maouyo, Student Member ASID. Student, Residential Design— Nodji Maouyo, Student Member ASID.
After purchasing a pied-à-terre in CityCenterDC, clients asked Ernesto Santalla to help them make the most of the space with better storage, improved finishes, and a contemporary look. Santalla’s master plan included the creation of a paneled wall that cleverly conceals storage and a media center.
| Then | Now |
| The wall dividing the living area from the bedroom had an awkward opening near the window. Its position made the bedroom too small. | The wall has been shifted to add space on the bedroom side. The awkward gap near the window has been closed off for privacy. |
| The long expanse of drywall in the living room was visually boring as well as useless. | The plain wall has been replaced with a paneled wall of gray-stained Tabu—a sustainable wood veneer—to create a sleek, modern focal point. |
| There was a dearth of storage space in the living area. | The paneled media center provides storage, a niche for the TV and a row of cabinets. Panels slide in front of the niche to maintain a clean-lined, uncluttered appearance. |
Interior Architecture & Design: Ernesto Santalla, AIA, LEED AP, Ernesto Santalla, Inc., Washington, DC. Contractor: Madden/CCI, LLC, Rockville, Maryland.
When they tapped Anthony Wilder Design/Build to renovate their Bethesda house, the owners requested that their unfinished attic is transformed into an inviting media room. Working within the existing pitched roof, the designers conceived a home theater that is stylish and sophisticated yet kid-friendly.
Since the original attic was only accessible via a trap door in the ceiling, “the first thing we had to do was figure out how to get up there,” says architect George Bott. They solved the dilemma by removing a linen closet on the floor below and creating a new stairway between two children’s rooms.
The new media room measures 14 by 25 feet, with a 110-inch screen and a projector that suspends unobtrusively from the ceiling. Storage is concealed on the periphery where the slant is too low to stand, and electronic equipment is hidden within the walls. A new HVAC system housed in the attic boasts insulated duct-work to minimize noise, and the floor is padded with sound-proofing rubber, two layers of sub-floor and a carpet.
Interior designer Keira St. Claire-Bowery reflected the client’s traditional aesthetic while “amping up the atmosphere,” she says. Dark-painted wood walls and moldings frame white acoustical panels while acoustical ceiling panels embedded with tiny lights create a twinkling night sky. Behind two banks of seating, cowhide stools by Arteriors pull up to a granite-topped bar. A beverage center on the back wall and a small fridge make entertaining easy. Art Deco-style sconces also contribute to the mood.
Renovation Architecture & Contracting: George Bott, AIA, LEED AP; Interior Design: Keira St. Claire-Bowery, Allied ASID, Anthony Wilder Design Build, Cabin John, Maryland. Home Automation: Strategic Home Media, Stevensville, Maryland.
George Bott’s Trade Secrets:
An Arlington couple hired design/build firm TriVistaUSA to convert their cluttered, dark and decrepit basement into a light, comfortable space for hanging out and watching TV. They also needed storage and space to display items they’d collected while traveling.
| Then | Now |
| Paneled in dark-stained wood, the basement had a dated look. A brick fireplace in one corner couldn't be used because gas lines were situated behind it. | The paneling was replaced with drywall. The fireplace is now electric, so proximity to gas lines is not an issue. |
| The floors were made of circa-1970s linoleum brick that was dingy and dark. | The floors are a seamless vinyl that is practical for basement use but looks like light-stained, wide-plank wood. |
| Haphazard, rickety shelves stored a mishmash of stuff. | Custom built-in shelving showcases the couple's possessions, including Civil War-era revolvers in a glass case. |
| Narrow, dimly lit stairs were closed off by a door. | The staircase has been opened up and the door removed to bring in light. |
Renovation Design & Construction: Michael Sauri, president, TriVistaUSA, Arlington, Virginia.
Fed up with the cramped bedroom closet in their Potomac home, designer Deborah Kalkstein and her husband were ready for an upgrade. As they considered their options, a simple plan took shape. Rather than renovate their bedroom to create extra storage space, they would convert an adjacent, unused office into a spacious new wardrobe for two.
The project required very little construction; Kalkstein installed double sliding doors that connect the master bedroom to the closet. Then, left with a blank slate, she took careful stock of their belongings so she could devise an effective layout. “It was a matter of understanding how we like to store our things,” she says. “For example, he likes to hang his belts; I like to roll mine.”
She configured freestanding closet units by Molteni—a company represented in Contemporaria, Kalkstein’s Georgetown showroom—in two side-by-side, his-and-her “U” configurations. Open shelves and hanging sections display everything in an organized fashion, from his T-shirts and sweaters stacked on shelves to her jeans, stored straight—not folded—on hangers. “We wanted everything ‘in your face’ so we can see it easily,” explains Kalkstein. “When you put things in the back of a closet, you forget about them.”
A few drawer units, as well as Molteni dressers under the window, store belts, scarves, and lingerie. And carefully selected LED lights accurately illuminate colors.
When the bedroom doors are open, the couple looks in at a clean “wall” of wood where the two closet units meet. “We don’t see all these shoes and clothes in there at once,” says the designer. “It’s a very pleasurable space.”
Closet Design & Renovation: Deborah Kalkstein, Contemporaria, Washington, DC.
Deborah Kalkstein's Trade Secrets:
Skip Sroka was tapped to design the interiors of Norton Manor, a newly constructed estate in Potomac. He and the owners decided to embellish the interiors with decorative faux finishes and murals; Sroka worked with Lenore Winters Studio to create a trellised conservatory that feels like an extension of the garden.
| Then | Now |
| In the newly built house, the room was a mundane space overlooking the yard through bay windows. There was nothing distinctive about it. | Sirocco designed a mural with a trellis at its center as a focal point to the room. Lenore Winters embellished it with clouds, flowers, and vines to create a sense of the outdoors coming in. |
| The moldings and trim were unremarkable. | Winters incorporated the trim into her mural to make the art part of the architectural space. |
| Bare windows and a lack of furniture made the room feel small. | A handmade carpet from Nepal in a classical style, custom furniture, and custom window treatments impart a sense of expansiveness and light. |
Interior Architecture & Design: Skip Sroka, CID, ASID, Sroka Design Inc., Washington, DC. Contractor: Jim Gibson, Gibson Builders, Washington, DC. Decorative Painting: Lenore Winters Studio, Bethesda, Maryland.
When the owner of a condo in Shirlington walked into Tchoupitoulas Furnishings in Old Town Alexandria, she took a look around and hired the shop’s owner, designer Alexandria Davenport, on the spot. Davenport—whose store’s motto is “tradition with a twist”—specializes in “balancing fun new finishes with Grandma’s sideboard,” the designer says. The condo featured industrial elements such as exposed concrete and ductwork, and the homeowner, who has a traditional sensibility, needed help melding the two aesthetics.
“I was given carte blanche,” Davenport recalls. “And I got to start from scratch with the furnishings—the only thing my client kept was a wine service.” Davenport honed in on a look that she terms “elegant but with a touch of modern.” She sourced furniture through her shop, starting in the living room with a customized sofa and tufted chairs by Theodore Alexander. Pieces blending wood and metal connect to the industrial elements in the room.
For example, a desk by Niermann Weeks, which doubles as a dining table when the owner has company, is made of wood with a curved metal base, while a modern metal coffee table by Amanda Nisbet for Niermann Weeks is finished in gold. And Davenport juxtaposed a traditional sideboard with an abstract canvas by Gretchen Fuss.
In a corner of the living area, the Pike Occasional Table by Niermann Weeks sounds a distinctive note with its playful pairing of a jagged design and a sumptuous, gold-leaf finish. “I try to create fun mixes,” Davenport says. “I take timeless pieces and add a little whimsy.”
Interior Design: Alexandria Davenport, Tchoupitoulas Furnishings, Alexandria, Virginia.
Alexandria Davenport’s Trade Secrets:
The owners of a 1970s house in Arlington with a run-down, unattractive exterior contacted architect Matthew Guenther and builder David Merrill to improve its curb appeal. The exterior renovation also addressed problems with accessibility to visitors via the front entry.
| Then | Now |
| The house was clad in vertical plywood siding that looked dingy and dated. | HardiePlank lap siding and HardiePlank panels clad the house, making it both attractive and environmentally friendly. |
| A combination shed and carport created an unsightly structure on one side of the house. An unused balcony added nothing to the overall look. | An oversized one-car garage replaced the carport; opaque glass garage-door windows framed in metal convey a modern feel. |
| The front door was not visible from the street and was only accessible through the carport. | The roofline was extended to create an overhang. Beneath it, an L-shaped porch lined with pillars enhances the home's appearance. The porch connects the driveway to the home's entry, now front and center. |
Renovation Architecture: Matthew G. Guenther, AIA, GC/a Architecture, Arlington, Virginia. Builder: David Merrill, Merrill Contracting & Remodeling, Inc., Arlington, Virginia.
