Members of IFDA-DC gathered at Room & Board in DC to auction off custom chairs that were created by 15 local design teams. Home & Design was a sponsor of the event; proceeds benefited Team Red, White & Blue.
IFDA-DC held its second masquerade ball at Capitale DC. Home & Design was a sponsor of the event, which benefited Team Red, White & Blue.
ALL PHOTOS BY BOB NAROD AND MELODY RUSH
JANUARY 13, 2015
Home & Design launched its January/February issue in KONST-SieMatic’s spectacular new Bethesda showroom, which spotlights the company’s latest kitchen cabinetry in creative vignettes.
The 2014 DC Design House transformed a classic but dated 8,000-square-foot, stone center-hall Colonial located in Northwest DC’s picturesque Forest Hills neighborhood. The house and grounds showcased the work of 27 area design teams whose innovative ideas and creative execution imparted 21st-century style to the traditional 1929 home. Scroll through the following photographs for before and after views. After photography by Angie Seckinger; before photography by Jesse Snyder.
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DECEMBER 9, 2014
Home & Design celebrated the publication of the Fall issue of Chesapeake Views at a special reception at The Appliance Source in Annapolis. Guests mingled and explored the showroom’s numerous kitchen displays.Home & Design celebrated the launch of its November/December 2014 issue with a reception at ADU’s new showroom in Gaithersburg. Guests browsed displays showcasing the latest in kitchen appliances.
ALL PHOTOS BY BOB NAROD AND MELODY RUSH
When the level of client interaction and attention to detail is as important as the quality of the work performed, Great Falls Construction (GFC) is an invaluable project partner. We are dedicated to the art of custom-home building, acting as advocate and advisor to educate clients on the best materials, products and cost-effective processes to maximize the value of their investment.
What should prospective clients know about your firm?
Our custom-home building approach is focused on you—we listen to your needs, goals and desires, to tailor the appropriate levels of support and guidance throughout the entire project process.
What are your goals when embarking on a custom home?
Sharing our expertise so clients can make informed decisions with respect to cost, schedule and value; maintaining communication between team members, including the owner, architect, subcon-tractors, vendors and consultants; and building a client relationship that endures beyond delivery of the project.
What’s special about your approach to a custom-building project?
We assign a project manager in the design phase to define the overall scope of work, budget and schedule and to help the client navigate the process. A project superintendent oversees daily activities, efficiency of resources and quality of work. Every project benefits from the skills and experience of this dedicated team, combined with oversight from executive management.
What inspired you to become a custom builder?
Growing up, I was always intrigued by the building process but never considered making it my career. I started on the financial side of commercial construction and have experienced every project perspective: financial underwriter, general contractor, owners representative and subcontractor. Applying that experience to the more personal involvement of working with the homeowner to fulfill their vision has been incredibly rewarding.
Price Range of Finished Projects:
Renovations: $100,000 +
New Homes: $1 million +
Year Established: 1979
Employees in Firm: 10
Great Falls Construction
10132 Colvin Run Road, Suite G
Great Falls, Virginia 22066
703-759-6116
greatfallsconstruction.com
Now part of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland, the Hooper Strait Lighthouse was built in 1879 to guide ships through the treacherous shoals of Hooper Strait. Today, museum-goers are welcome to tour this traditional “screwpile” lighthouse, climb the hatch and stand watch for incoming vessels. © DAVE HARP/CHESAPEAKEPHOTOS.COM
What materials best withstand the elements in a waterfront setting?
Most traditional siding materials are suitable for waterfront homes, but the amount of maintenance varies. Natural wood requires much more upkeep than a concrete or synthetic product, while brick or stone will be more expensive initially but require less maintenance in the long run. Building science has changed dramatically. Houses are far more airtight than ever before, requiring the total wall package (insulation, sheathing, vapor barriers, etc.) to be designed very carefully. The installation of these materials is critical. Don’t cut costs on windows; spend extra money for a better window and you won’t regret it. For decks, synthetic products are popular for easy maintenance. For those who want a natural wood look, îpe is a durable, rot-resistant exotic hardwood harvested from well-managed forests. —Brad Lundberg, Lundberg Builders, Stevensville, Maryland
How do you protect a waterfront property from erosion and flooding while preserving its aesthetic appeal?
Protection against erosion and flooding usually starts at the shoreline. One of the options we use to protect a waterfront property is planting a living shoreline with native wetland plants, grasses, shrubs and trees along the tidal waterline. Another option is installing an armored shoreline using riprap stone—made from the rubble of granite, limestone or concrete—to protect against water where there is potential for storm damage and flooding.
When building a waterfront home, it’s important to ensure that the floor elevation of the house is above the 100-year floodplain map that’s been charted for the nearby water system. Because of rising sea levels and the damage caused by Hurricane Isabel in 2003, many jurisdictions have raised the required height of finished-floor elevations. —Steve McHale, McHale Landscape Design, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
How do you capitalize on a home’s waterfront setting in your work?
Fitzsimmons Design specializes in decorating the interiors of homes on the bay, ocean or various lakes in the region; 75 percent of our clients own homes on the water. In our practice, we emphasize the importance of working with the architecture of a space while framing the views with the interior components such as furniture and window treatments. Of course, it’s important to distinguish between obstructing and framing views: Large, floral draperies on your windows will really compete with the water views and be very distracting.
We also take care to design with a more relaxed vibe that suits the waterfront lifestyle. We use natural materials like wood, stone and glass, and keep interiors casual, comfortable, tailored and sophisticated. —Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID, Fitzsimmons Design Associates, Annapolis, Maryland
What should homeowners building on the water be aware of regarding critical area law?
Don’t assume anything. Critical area regulations are complicated and sometimes difficult to understand, particularly as they relate to waterfront construction. Before you embark on a waterfront project, be sure to research the regulations as they pertain to your circumstances.
Keep in mind that the rules will not be the same for all properties; they will change based on factors such as when shoreline improvements were put in place as well as the steepness of the slope, particularly along the water’s edge. If you are in a low-lying area, federal flood requirements can add another layer of complexity to the situation. It’s a good idea to invest in professional guidance early in the process to avoid disappointment and potentially costly mistakes. —Leo Wilson, AIA, LEED AP, Hammond Wilson, Annapolis, Maryland
The owners of a property on Maryland’s Sinepuxent Bay decided to replace their existing home with a new one better oriented towards water views. They tapped architect Jason Pearce to design a residence on the same footprint. “The house is much closer to the water’s edge than would have been allowed if we hadn’t kept the existing foundation,” Pearce explains. A turret housing a third-story observation tower affords picturesque views of the Barrier Islands and marsh grasses. Stained walnut floors and ceiling impart a nautical feel.
Architecture: Jason Pearce, AIA, Becker Morgan Group, Salisbury, Maryland. Contractor: Joseph T. Dashiell Builders, Ocean City, Maryland. Photography: Cheryl Nemazie.
Architect Wayne Good was asked to overhaul a 1930s Cape Cod on Round Bay near Annapolis. “The existing house put all its energy into fronting the street,” says Good. “It’s a spectacular site, so we opened it out in back.” Good raised the roof to move the master bedroom upstairs, adding a private balcony with a round, overscaled window that he “designed as a strong presence to stand up to the greater riverscape,” he explains. Only the bottom two window openings are glassed in to meet safety codes; the glassed sections create passive solar gain, allowing the owners to enjoy the space well into fall.
Renovation Architecture: Wayne Good, FAIA, Good Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. Photography: Celia Pearson.
On the grounds of a Gibson Island residence, interior designer Erin Paige Pitts worked with landscape architect Jay Graham to create an idyllic outdoor “room” overlooking the Magothy River. A pergola and travertine terrace “give a sense of scale to the outdoor setting,” says Pitts. With travertine pillars and blooming vines, the space conveys a Mediterranean vibe. All-weather Brown Jordan furniture, a Moroccan-inspired lantern and a batik tablecloth beckon guests for al fresco dining.
Design: Erin Paige Pitts, Erin Paige Pitts Interiors, Gibson Island, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Jay Graham, FASLA, Graham Landscape Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Maintenance: Mike Prokopchak, Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, Maryland. Photography: Geoffrey Hodgdon
CHRISTIAN A. VIVES, A.B.E. Networks
What is the most significant new development in smart-home technology?
Near field communication. This wireless technology opens the door to a whole host of proximity-based features and functions that just weren’t practical before. Moving about the home with a phone in your pocket or a wearable device allows the systems to know where you are and adjust to your local environment accordingly. For example, as you enter a room, the lighting turns on to a specific level based on the time of day and the natural light coming in, thereby consuming the minimum amount of energy to keep it at your desired level. As you move from room to room, the light follows you; it can be tailored to each member of the family. Imagine now that we apply HVAC, audio/video and other systems to that same model and the home becomes truly adaptive to each individual.
What are the top 10 features no system should be without?
I would say that the ideal system should include the following 10 components:
EDDIE SHAPIRO, SmartTouch USA
When is the best time during construction or renovation to engage a home-automation company?
For residential renovations, updating a home’s electronic control systems—from security cameras to ultra-accelerated whole-home Wi-Fi and automated window treatments—can optimize, simplify and even beautify interior and exterior spaces. The importance of electronic control systems in homes today really can’t be underestimated. Most of our systems already have multi-room audio with streaming Rhapsody, Pandora, Spotify and iTunes, for example. So it shouldn’t be surprising that timing when to introduce technology into the remodeling process is crucial. The earlier, the better. You want to bring in your technology consultant when you’re sitting down with your architect or builder and talking about what you want to do in terms of renovating. The sooner we are involved, the sooner we can help make important choices and give you ideas that you haven’t even thought of that could really change the outcome.
DAVE NEUMAIER, iHome Integration
What are the most exciting trends in home entertainment?
A study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University says home automation is predicted to be the number-two trend in residential remodeling over the next five to 10 years. Home entertainment today is style-driven, with custom-matched speakers, small aperture speakers and invisible speakers creating a seamless look. TVs are getting thinner and even curved. And 4K technology allows for larger
