SLEEK SEAT
Celebrity designer Michael Berman has teamed with Kravet on the Michael Berman Modern Furniture collection—a line of living and dining pieces inspired by curvilinear forms and a mid-century aesthetic. Pictured: Rounded brass legs and a tufted seat distinguish the Encanto bench. Available at Kravet in the Washington Design Center. kravet.com
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
Ligne Roset introduces Clam, an easy-to-use sofa bed conceived by French designers Léo Dubreil and Baptiste Pilato in chic, clean-lined style. The seat and back are filled with polyurethane mattress foam and the sofa back drops down into a bed. Available at Ligne Roset in Upper Georgetown in a variety of fabrics. ligneroset-dc.com
NIGHT AT THE LOUVRE
Inspired by the Louvre’s curved dormers, the Andre Nightstand is part of the Milling Road Originals collection for Baker. Boasting textured-bronze feet and a range of finishes, it’s available at Baker Furniture, which plans a move from Georgetown to the Washington Design Center in April. bakerfurniture.com
FLOWER POWER
Bold petals distinguish the eye-catching Antibodi, a whimsical armchair designed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso. Made of double-sided fabric in combinations of felt, baize and leather, the chair’s unpadded upholstery attaches to a stainless-steel frame and can be reversed so the petals face down. Available through Apartment Zero. moroso.it; apartmentzero.com
MODULAR MAGIC
Made in Italy, the Cloud sofa/sectional by Resource Furniture can be customized to suit any space via a variety of modular components and configurations. A range of fabric choices dresses up the sleek, low-profile arrangement. Available at Resource Furniture in Cady’s Alley. resourcefurniture.com
TABLE TALK
Designed by Paolo Catellan for Catellan Italia, the minimalist Yoda Keramik dining table pairs a metal base in a choice of finishes with a ceramic or glass top. Available at Theodores in Georgetown in a round, oval or rectangular shape with an optional Lazy Susan at its center. theodores.com
SITTING PRETTY
Versatility and sculptural simplicity combine in the NARA collection of stools and occasional tables designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Poliform. The pieces are handcrafted out of hickory walnut canaletto topped with black elm. Available at Poliform | sagartstudio in Georgetown. poliformdc.com
WONDERFUL WOOD
The Live Edge Waterfall Desk by Fairfield Chair showcases slabs of old-growth guanacaste—a tropical flowering shade tree—at the end of its life cycle. An acrylic side panel lightens the piece and keeps the focus on its striking wood grain. Available at Belfort Furniture in Sterling. belfortfurniture.com
LANDMARK DECISION
The New York Public Library hadn’t ordered new chairs since 1911—until the landmark institution tapped Thos. Moser to design them. Meant to last another 100 years, The NYPL Branch Chair is available at Thos. Moser in Cady’s Alley, handcrafted in cherry or walnut, with a padded seat. thosmoser.com
CLASSIC COOL
As its name suggests, the Coupé bed pays homage to the classic, padded elegance of great sports cars. Designed in streamlined style by GamFratesi for Poltrona Frau, it is covered in soft leather with slender metal feet. Available at Poltrona Frau in Georgetown. poltronafrau.com
From April 22 to 26, the National Building Museum will host the 38th Smithsonian Craft Show, a juried event spotlighting furniture, ceramics, fiber art, jewelry and work in wood, glass and metal by 119 artisans. Among this year’s highlights: a Q&A with ceramics artist Patti Warashina and Smithsonian American Art Museum director Stephanie Stebich.
Work by a number of local artists will be shown, including a sculpture by Takoma Park-based fiber artist Helen O’Connor; and knives crafted by Monolith Knives in Charlottesville. smithsoniancraftshow.org
Visitors to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery will experience art on a monumental scale—while lying on a printed-textile floor. The brainchild of multimedia artist Janet Echelman, “1.8 Renwick” examines the effect of changing light and wind movement on a floating, volumetric form made of knotted and braided fiber and suspended from the ceiling of the Rubenstein Grand Salon.
On view April 3 to August 14, 2022, this undulating installation was inspired by data recorded during a 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Pacific—a geological event so powerful it shifted the Earth on its axis and shortened that day by 1.8 millionths of a second. Says Echelman, “The work is an exploration of our interdependencies with these larger systems and cycles of time.” americanart.si.edu
Refined VibeHigh-end materials and finishes impart sophisticated style to a kitchen designed for entertaining.
Clean + SimpleA streamlined, modern kitchen is the centerpiece of a new Garrett Park home.
Splash of ColorClean lines and bright accents take a traditional kitchen from stodgy to stylish.
Modern PlanShawna Dillon transforms a problematic Woodley Park kitchen into an airy, open space.
Lively MixA design team revives a dated McLean kitchen in vibrant, transitional style.
Any designer will tell you that trust is pivotal to a successful project. Nowhere is this important ingredient more evident than in a Logan Circle condo where the owner gave designer Dane Austin carte blanche. The eye-catching and ingenious results are a tribute to both the designer’s skill and his strong relationship with his client. “This was the third project we worked on together,” observes Austin. “There was a lot of trust between us.”
When the homeowner, a communications executive, purchased the two-bedroom unit in a vintage brownstone, he tapped Austin to overhaul the kitchen and bathrooms and make the space more livable, planning on an extensive redesign when he could afford it. However, fate played a hand when, shortly after the renovation in 2017, a fire in the building virtually destroyed the home.
“He was devastated at first, but then realized he’d have the opportunity to do a lot more,” recalls Austin. “He said, ‘Remember all those great ideas you had? Let’s go for it.’” During the subsequent gut renovation, they sought out unique details—from flooring and tile to hinges and trim—that would create a much more personalized space.
The renovation retained the unit’s original layout, where visitors enter on the ground floor. From the front door, a short hall leads to the living/dining area and kitchen while an adjacent staircase descends to the master bedroom and den on the lower level, partially below grade.
In the small kitchen, custom cabinetry was installed in lacquered white and stainless steel with frosted-glass doors, along with a wine fridge. The green-marble countertop and backsplash are a stand-out, picking up a subtle olive hue in the Schumacher vine-and-leaf wallpaper, which was a holdover from the kitchen’s previous iteration that the client loved and re-ordered.
“I always presented what I called vanilla, chocolate and strawberry options,” relates Austin. “Vanilla being safe; chocolate being rich and sophisticated; and strawberry being the ‘joyful verve’ option. He always went for the verve. He liked the wow factor—unexpected whimsy within a design.” Thus, white countertops (vanilla) and soft, blue-gray stone (chocolate) lost out to eye-catching green (strawberry).
The “joyful verve” option was applied throughout the home, coming across in playful mixes of materials, colors and textures that are surprising yet were carefully considered. In the living area, Austin explains, he made the builder-grade fireplace a focal point by cladding it in a faux three-dimensional veneer by Phillip Jeffries that “adds gravitas and gives it presence.” Wall coverings deliver pattern and interest, juxtaposed with disparate fabrics, rugs and art that somehow create a unified whole.
Color provides connectivity. “I think it’s very important to have threads that run through your spaces; these threads are always color in my designs,” Austin notes. “Any color can be neutral if it’s used often enough.” In the living area, moldings and trim painted china blue, a shade drawn from an Asian-inspired artwork hanging by the stairs, combine with robin’s egg blue shutters and a pale-blue Thibaut wall covering flecked with gold; these hues also appear in the powder room’s ikat wallpaper by Schumacher.
The same colors crop up downstairs, where the master bedroom’s Phillip Jeffries grass-cloth wall covering hints at a layer of light blue that Austin had back-painted under it, while olive-green molding trims the space.
The designer pulled out all the stops in the den, where a graphic Seabrook wall covering makes a surprisingly complementary backdrop for mid-century art in deep, primary hues. “The wallpaper has all the shades of blue found throughout the house in it,” he says. “It made an interesting pairing with the art.”
Furnishings and accessories in a mix of styles and eras invigorate every room. “We plan for about 80 percent of the furniture and let the other pieces show themselves,” Austin explains. “Things are collected from travels, shopping and markets. They can’t all come from one place at one time because it will feel that way.”
In the main living area, a vintage burlwood dining table and leather-upholstered chairs are tucked into an alcove by a chinoiserie commode; a custom Landry & Arcari rug anchors an adjacent seating area with an iron-and-stone coffee table and a velvet sofa. “The steel-and-bamboo light fixture by Ironies was a great find,” recounts the designer. “Encased in white resin, it feels like a digitized cloud. The client fell in love with it.”
The front entry also reflects his vision. He commissioned Stacey Tranter of Twin Diamond Studios to faux-paint the drab front door in vivid red and gold, shaded in a pattern that looks three-dimensional, then installed a colorful runner that echoes the door’s geometric motif. Three Urban Electric pendants introduce the olive-green hue, and gold-leaf accents adorn the nearby china-blue banister. Like everything else, it works—though Austin can’t quite explain why. “I wish I could say there’s a magic formula, but it’s instinct,” he comments. “I often think of what I do as conducting an orchestra. I pull all these different elements together in a way that looks cohesive and feels harmonious.”
Interior, Kitchen & Bath Design: Dane Austin, Dane Austin Design, Washington, DC, and Boston, Massachusetts. Contractor: Christina Klenk, Certified Construction Group, Inc., Chevy Chase, Maryland.
RESOURCES
LIVING ROOM
Sofa: boconcept.com. Barrel-Back Chair: mgbw.com. Leather Occasional Chair: roomandboard.com. Rug: landryandarcari.com. Coffee Table: globalviews.com. Chinoiserie Commode: chairish.com. Milo Baughman Dining Table: Spanish-Style Armchair: Vintage. Folding Screen: Custom. Screen Fabric: fortuny.com. Dining Chairs: henredon.com. Chair Leather: barbarabarry.com. Onyx Ceramic Lamps: bunnywilliamshome.com. Wall Covering: thibautdesign.com. Chandelier: ironies.com through hollyhunt.com. Art over Sofa: goodwooddc.com. Fireplace Veneer Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Trim Paint: ppgpaints.com.
KITCHEN
Wallpaper: fschumacher.com. Café Table & Bar Stools: chairish.com. Cabinetry: custom. Countertops: marble.
SITTING ROOM
Wallpaper: seabrookwallpaper.com. Sofa: Custom by daneaustindesign.com. Artwork, Coffee Table: Vintage. End Table: henredon.com. Eames Lounge Chair: dwr.com. Armchair on Wood Base: kravet.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com.
HALLWAY
Faux Finish on Door: twindiamonds.com. Art by Door: Steven Rector. Stair Runner: Kanecarpet.com through carpetimpressions.com
POWDER ROOM
Wallpaper: fschumacher.com. Mirror: goodwooddc.com.
MASTER BEDROOM
Bedstead: daneaustindesign.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com. Bench: robertallen.com. Nightstands: caracole.com. Bedside Lamps: charliewestlamps.com. Bedding: matouk.com.
Homeowners who were renovating their house worked with Colin Sonnenday of Sonnenday Custom Builders on an overhaul that included the drab, mushroom-colored kitchen. Sonnenday enlisted Cornerstone Kitchen & Bath for cabinetry and finishes. “The goal was to update the kitchen, improve its function and make it reflect their style,” notes Cornerstone’s Heather Blelloch, who worked on the project. “They wanted to give it personality.”
The first step was to establish a connection between the kitchen and adjacent family room by removing a peninsula that separated the spaces. Sonnenday and Blelloch replaced a walk-in pantry with oversized, easy-to-access cupboards and repositioned appliances to make the food-prep area more functional. A bank of cabinets housing a beverage bar was tucked into the breakfast area.
Against a backdrop of white cabinetry and walls covered in crisp-white subway tile, a cherry-stained wood hood and navy-blue island pop; the breakfast area cabinets are also stained cherry “to unify the kitchen spaces,” Blelloch explains. “The owners wanted a white kitchen but were not afraid to mix color in too.” Countertops in two types of Silestone create a marble look on the island and a soapstone look on the periphery.
Eye-catching Visual Comfort pendants over the island complement a favorite chandelier, also from Visual Comfort, that hangs in the breakfast area. Mullions and millwork surrounding the windows are painted the same Hale Navy paint color as the island; gleaming brass accents and hardware complete the look.
Kitchen Design: Heather Blelloch, Cornerstone Kitchen & Bath, Chantilly, Virginia. Contractor: Colin Sonnenday, Sonnenday Custom Builders, Purcellville, Virginia.
THE DETAILS
Countertops: silestoneusa.com through unitedgranite.us. Subway Tile: mosaictileco.com. Appliances: subzero-wolf.com, zephyronline.com through abwappliances.com. Cabinetry: greenfieldcabinetry.com through ckbva.com. Hardware: rh.com. Sinks: kohler.com. Faucets: newportbrass faucets.com. Lighting: visual comfortlightinglights.com. Blue Paint: benjaminmoore.com. Stools: cb2.com.
A client hailing from California purchased a circa-1920s home in Northwest DC’s Woodley Park—but craved the openness she was used to in her previous abode. Typical of its era, the DC house was choppy and compartmentalized; to make matters worse, an odd addition had appended a second kitchen space onto the existing kitchen, with a wall that obstructed views to the rest of the house.
While Adam McGraw of DC architecture firm StudioMB reimagined the first floor with an airy, modern aesthetic, Snaidero DC Metro collaborated on the kitchen redesign.
“The goal was to be able to see out and be part of the family activities,” explains Snaidero principal Shawna Dillon, who spearheaded the project. She and her team removed the wall separating the two kitchen areas to create a single open kitchen that flows into the dining room at one end and the family room at the other. Cabinetry and appliances line one side and the island houses the sink and cooktop, allowing the owner to face the family room while cooking. Frosted-glass doors enclose a convenient mudroom/closet as well as a pantry tucked behind the appliance wall.
High-gloss, cappuccino-hued cabinets complement durable melamine cabinetry in a warm, textured-wood finish. The soft, off-white countertops and backsplash are Caesarstone. “The kitchen is quiet and complements the architecture,” Dillon notes. “It’s in the middle of the house, so everything just flows together nicely.”
Kitchen Design: Shawna Dillon, ASID, NCIDQ, Snaidero DC Metro, Alexandria, Virginia. Renovation Architecture: Adam McGraw, AIA, StudioMB, Washington, DC. Contractor: GMG Services Corporation, Annandale, Virginia.
THE DETAILS
Cabinetry & Hardware: snaiderodcmetro.com. Sinks: franke.com. Faucets: dornbracht.com. Refrigerator & Dishwasher: subzero-wolf.com, mieleusa.com through snaiderodcmetro.com. Hood & Ovens: bestrangehoods.com; bosch-home.com through ajmadison.com. Countertops & Backsplash: rbratti.com. Frosted-Glass Doors: lualdiporte.com/en.
Wishing to add some pizzazz to their traditional home, an Arlington couple decided to redesign the staid kitchen, which did not reflect their youthful, modern sensibility. They contacted Meghan Browne of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath to help them orchestrate the job.
Though they retained the kitchen’s basic layout, Browne reorganized a few elements to improve functionality. The fridge and double ovens traded places while the cooktop moved from the island to the back wall, where a custom hood provides improved ventilation. “We extended the island to better fit the proportions of the room,” Browne recounts. “And by thoughtfully planning each cabinet, we were able to make a major impact on how the kitchen works for their needs.”
But the real transformation was aesthetic. Browne introduced a sleek, streamlined sensibility, contrasting horizontal-grain cabinets in a wood-look laminate with white upper cabinets and a white Caesarstone countertop to keep the space light. A Neolith backsplash that mimics Carrara marble ties the cabinetry colors together. “It’s very important that the cabinet wood grain matches for a clean, contemporary look,” the designer observes. “Especially with a strong grain like this one.”
The island sports a bold blue hue that the owners embraced. Extending the length of the island, the waterfall countertop in leathered granite shot through with gray and blue creates a novel bar for casual dining. Paired with the blue island, says Browne, “it stands out and adds a fun vibe to the space.”
Kitchen Design: Meghan Browne, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Contractor: Lappas Construction, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. Photography: Keith Miller, Keiana Photography.
THE DETAILS
Cabinetry: artcraftkitchens.com. Countertops: caesarstoneus.com through stoneandtileworld.com. Granite Counter: marblesystems.com. Granite Counter Fabrication: stoneandtileworld.com. Backsplash: neolith.com. Appliances: mieleusa.com, subzero-wolf.com through abwappliances.com. Custom Hood: amoredesignfactory.com. Hardware: emtek.com through pushpullhardware.com. Sinks: elkay.com. Faucets: rohlhome.com. Pendants: rejuvenation.com. Stools: roomandboard.com.
Empty-nesters building a custom home in Garrett Park, Maryland, envisioned minimalist, uncluttered rooms. With the kitchen occupying a central location in the layout, they tapped Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens to create a space that would reflect their needs as well as their aesthetic.
Working with Luke Olson of GTM Architects, designer Hedy Shashaani conjured a spare, contemporary kitchen with lots of storage. “The kitchen is open to the family room, so it was important that there be ways to stash clutter out of sight,” Shashaani relates.
A center island with an attached table is bordered on one side by a wall of cabinetry, double ovens and a cooktop with a hood hidden in a cabinet front. On another wall, a 60-inch paneled refrigerator is framed in shallow, easy-access, side-entry pantry cupboards with a TV above; to the left of the refrigerator wall, a built-in buffet is visible in the adjacent dining room.
The wife’s home office is conveniently tucked into a corner by the home’s side entrance; its low cabinets facing the breakfast table contain a beverage bar. Beside the office, a wall of closets takes the place of a mudroom while a spacious walk-in pantry behind the closets provides additional storage.
Shashaani kept the material palette minimal, with slab-front cabinets in a lightly glazed white finish offsetting dark, horizontal-grain engineered wood. The Caesarstone countertops and backsplash preserve the sophisticated yet simple look.
Kitchen Design: Hedy Shashaani, CKD, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, Rockville, Maryland. Architecture: Luke Olson, project manager, GTM Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Contractor: PKK Builders, Garrett Park, Maryland.
THE DETAILS
Countertops & Backsplash: caesarstoneus.com through abkausa.com. Appliances: subzero-wolf.com through abwappliances.com. Cabinetry: elmwoodkitchens.com through jackrosen.com. Hardware: pushpullhardware.com. Sink & Faucets: elkay.com, brizo.com through ackerandsonsinc.com.
A couple with a vintage colonial in Northwest DC wanted to replace their small, cramped kitchen and formal dining room with a spacious, modern kitchen suited for both casual meals and larger-scale entertaining. Working within the existing footprint, designer Sandra Meyer gutted the two rooms and borrowed part of an adjoining hallway to realize their vision. “They have lots of friends over and they do all their entertaining in the kitchen,” explains Meyer, who created a cantilevered banquette for the dining area. “The table expands to seat up to 12 people.”
The newly configured space was narrow, so Meyer placed most of the cabinetry and appliances along one wall; an island holds the sink and a bar for impromptu meals. The doorway leading from the kitchen to the family room—part of a previous addition—has been widened to create openness and flow between spaces. Pantry cupboards line one side of the passage while the other houses a coffee bar and fridge.
Gray-washed, rift-oak cabinets are accented by a charcoal-hued island; glass-fronted display cabinets are suspended from a long panel of rift-oak trim. While radiant-heated limestone floors add interest, Carrara marble countertops offset the dark cabinetry and open shelving. So does the white, glass-tile backsplash. “The kitchen is pretty masculine, so we picked a backsplash that feels delicate,” observes Meyer. “It’s a nice, soft touch. We liked the juxtaposition.”
Kitchen Design: Sandra Meyer, Ella Scott Design, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland. Contractor: Bonilla Construction, LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland.
THE DETAILS
Cabinetry: custom. Hardware: rh.com. Backsplash: artistictile.com through architecturalceramics.com. Countertops: marblexinc.com. Appliances: subzero-wolf.com through ferguson.com. Sinks: kohler.com through build.com. Flooring: waterworks.com. Lighting: visualcomfort lightinglights.com. Stools: menudesignshop.com. Chairs: danishmodern.com. Dining Table: roomandboard.com.
ORGANIC TOUCH
Tommy Bahama’s Kapa collection of handcrafted concrete tiles for Lunada Bay Tile conjures an organic feel, with three-dimensional, wallpaper-like leaf patterns and embossed, textural surfaces. Pictured here: Shangri La Fauna, which comes in eight colors that coordinate with the brand’s Tommy Bahama glass tiles. lunadabaytile.com
FABULOUS FIXTURE
Graceful curves define the Studio S Kitchen Faucet Collection from American Standard. The minimalist design features a magnet that keeps the spray head in place and a one-and-a-half-gallon per minute flow rate. The fixtures come in matte black, polished chrome and stainless steel; the Semi-Professional Pull-Down Faucet is pictured. americanstandard.com
LIVING COLOR
Virginia-based Alison Giese Interiors has teamed with Baltimore’s Unique Kitchens and Baths to create a new line of cabinetry called AGI Color Selects. The collection boasts a palette of complementary colors and stains curated by Giese. An Ashburn project by the designer (opposite) features the cabinetry in Candlewick, a warm white, and Peppercorn, a deep blue-black; the textured subway-tile backsplash and aged brass, bronze and wood tones add coziness and warmth. uniquekitchensandbaths.net
EXOTIC CHOICE
Snaidero USA’s Elegante Bespoke cabinetry collection presents homeowners with five exotic-wood options and a range of finishes including lacquer, ceramic, glass, melamine or laminate. Pictured, left: A kitchen currently on view at Snaidero DC Metro’s showroom in Alexandria contrasts minimalist white cabinets with the Elegante collection’s sumptuous High Gloss Fumé Eucalyptus accents. snaiderodcmetro.com
RIGHT ANGLE
A recent addition to The Tile Shop’s offerings, geometric Doree mosaic tile combines wood-look porcelain and Carrara and Black Marquina marble in a graphic and vibrant combination. Suitable for floor and wall applications, the pattern complements both classic and contemporary environments. Available at area locations. tileshop.com
BELLS & WHISTLES
French door refrigerators in GE’s Café line come with a bottom freezer, icemaker, water dispenser and LED interior lighting. Options include custom door handles and smart-appliance features such as WiFi connectivity and on-demand Keurig K-Cup brewing to ensure your coffee will be ready when you are. Pictured here in matte black. Available at area ADU—Your Appliance Source locations. adu.com
STRONG STATEMENT
Blue Note Circles, a glossy glass mosaic, makes a statement above the range in a Falls Church kitchen by Case Design/Remodeling (below). It’s framed by hand-glazed ceramic subway tile that ties the room together. Part of Artistic Tile’s Jazz Glass collection, the mosaic pattern is available at area Architectural Ceramics locations. architecturalceramics.com
LIMITED EDITION
A chic, limited-edition version of the restaurant-style Viking 7 Series range comes in cast black with rose-gold accents. With a production run of only 110 units, it boasts the series’ usual features: a convection oven; 23,000 BTU elevated burners; a chrome griddle with grease containment; and an LED-backlit control panel. Available at A.J. Madison in Tysons Corner. ajmadison.com
STAY COOL
The new Monolith column collection by Liebherr features 84-inch-high refrigerator and freezer units, each measuring 18- or 36-inches in width. Bells and whistles include a 3.5-inch, full-color touchscreen display integrated into the interior, LED side-wall lighting and an app-controlled SmartDeviceBox that allows you to activate settings and features while on the go. liebherr.com
PLAY IN CONTRASTS
George Myers and Mark Kaufman of GTM Architects teamed with Margery Berringer-Schuran of Berringer Design & Consulting to deliver a chic, open-plan kitchen to Bethesda clients looking for functionality and a modern aesthetic. A play in contrasts, the space marries white-painted cabinetry on one wall with plain-sawn, matching vertical-grain walnut cabinets on another. “This look is a popular trend right now,” says Kaufman. “It adds warmth and beauty with a contemporary feel.” Cabinets by Crystal Cabinetry; crystalcabinets.com
MOD MOTIF
A high-contrast, black-and-white motif characterizes the Heritage Collection from Portugal. Mimicking the look of encaustic cement, the glazed porcelain tiles come in an eight-by-eight-inch format and in four patterns: Infinite, Nostalgia, Timeless and Tradition (pictured above). Low-maintenance, durable and suited to floor and wall applications, it’s available at area Best Tile locations. besttile.com
EUROPEAN STYLE
Showplace Cabinetry’s EVO line of custom, European-style cabinets conveys a contemporary aesthetic with its simple lines and geometric forms. Crafted of hardwood, with solid- or engineered-wood doors, the cabinet line features adjustable soft-close hinges and drawer glides. Available at area USA Cabinet Store, LLC, locations including a new showroom in Chantilly. usacabinetstore.com
CHEF'S KITCHEN
Scavolini has teamed with Italian chef and TV personality Carlo Cracco to create MIA by Carlo Cracco, a sleek, modular cabinetry and shelving system. Pictured above in gray steel with a stainless-steel combination cooking-and-washing zone, the collection also features hidden options such as a wood chopping board (above, left and right) that conceals rolling pins and a magnetic knife rack. scavoliniusa.com
BY HAND
The clean and contemporary Boswell line of decorative cabinet pulls is the latest collection from Jeffrey Alexander by Hardware Resources. Angled to add visual interest, the pulls allow easy hand clearance. They are available in brushed pewter, brushed oil-rubbed bronze, matte black, polished chrome or satin nickel. hardwareresources.com
JUST DISHY
Crystal Cabinet Works now offers drawers with adjustable pegs to accommodate stackable dishes in a range of sizes. Situated at waist height, the drawers are ergonomically designed—a perfect solution for homeowners who wish to age in place. The Crystal Cabinet Works line is available locally through Bowers Design Build. bowersdesignbuild.com, crystalcabinets.com
MARBLE LOOK
Atlas Plan’s Calacatta Antique countertops are fabricated from large porcelain slabs that mimic the look of Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble. Distinguished by creamy white with strong veining that varies from gold to light gray, the expansive slabs make a striking statement in the kitchen. Available locally through Gramaco Stone Solutions. gramaco.com
The Beaux Arts Flagg Building, which once housed Washington’s beloved Corcoran Gallery of Art and its art school, just got a new lease on life. Now home to George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts & Design, the 1897 gem designed by Ernest Flagg has been reimagined as a state-of-the-art facility for arts education and exhibition—the first phase of a multi-tiered project spearheaded by the Washington office of architecture firm Leo A Daly.
The renovation preserves the interiors—many of which have historic designation—while creating classrooms, studios and small exhibition spaces. “The needs of training emerging 21st-century artists bear little in common with the needs of 19th-century art exhibitions,” explains senior project architect Jess Kim. “Our challenge was to reimagine these epic-scale exhibition spaces as intimate learning environments without altering the historic fabric.”
The new design elevates classrooms, most of which were housed in the basement, to the upper floors, separating them with walls that stop short of the ceiling to protect existing finishes and ensure easy removal. The building envelope has been reinforced and new mechanical and electrical systems tucked away to minimize visual impact, while pipes follow the curves of coves and moldings to blend with the architecture.
The restored second-floor rotunda remains a gallery space; it recently showcased “Forever in Your Debt,”
a massive pottery installation (pictured above) by Kelli Rae Adams that explored the cost of education in America.
Future phases will restore the building’s stone façade, lay lights and skylights.
Renovation Architecture: Leo A Daly, Washington, DC. Renovation Contractor: Whiting-Turner, Baltimore, Maryland.
CHECKMATE
When designer Tracey Morris of Gillis Interiors and her family bought their house in Potomac, it had been a rental property for 12 years. “Absolutely nothing had been done to it,” Morris recalls, “but I was excited because I wanted to implement my own ideas.” Among the changes she envisioned: replacing the laundry room—then the first room guests saw when entering the frequently used side entry—with a mudroom.
Morris removed the washer and dryer and circa-1980s cabinetry from one wall, installing a built-in bench enhanced by millwork in their place. She opted for hooks over cubbies. “Seeing other mudrooms, I realized that open-plan organization would work better for us, since the kids’ stuff often doesn’t make it into the cubbies anyway,” she explains. Lower shelves house the family’s shoes.
After living with white walls and scuff marks for a while, Morris came across a buffalo-check wallpaper by Caitlin Wilson Design and fell in love with it. “The kitchen has a large, freestanding black cupboard near the entrance to the mudroom, so the pattern in black and white lent itself to the space,” notes the designer, who painted the exterior and closet doors in the mudroom black for continuity. A concrete-look, porcelain-tile floor complements the scheme. Says Morris of the final result, “Mudrooms and powder rooms are spaces you can have fun with.”
Interior Design: Tracey Morris, Gillis Interiors, Potomac, Maryland.
COLOR ME COOL
While updating a home in Potomac’s Avenel neighborhood, designer Annie Elliott tackled the boring mudroom, which needed to accommodate laundry, plus paraphernalia belonging to both kids and the family dog.
Formerly an empty shell, the room now contains a wall of built-ins holding storage and a utility sink. The original side-by-side washer and dryer were replaced by stacked versions that tuck into the built-in wall. “We stopped the cabinets short of the ceiling because that gap makes the small space feel more expansive,” explains Elliott.
The room’s playful, vibrant design grew out of a whimsical wallpaper pattern by Jane Churchill for Cowtan & Tout. “At first, the client said the mudroom was a throw-away space and wanted us to just put some tile in there,” relates the designer. “But when I was looking at other wallpapers, I came across this cheerful dog pattern and thought, ‘We can make this room a lot more fun.’”
The owners—who adore their dog—quickly concurred. Elliott had already discovered bright-red Waterworks penny tile for the floor; she selected high-gloss, handmade glass backsplash tile in the same hue, also from Waterworks, to complete the look. A Moravian star pendant illuminates the space. “We didn’t want the room to look juvenile,” Elliott insists. ”Just lifted up to be fun and festive.”
Interior Design: Annie Elliott, Annie Elliott Design, Washington, DC. Contractor: Natelli Homes, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
STAR POWER
New York designer Celerie Kemble elevates luxe window treatments with her own collection of finials and rods created for Kravet. Made of wood in a choice of seven hand-painted, gold- or silver-leaf finishes, the sculptural finials come in five styles and the rods in two; coordinating rings and brackets are available. Pictured above: Star Finials are finished in silver and gold leaf. kravet.com
SUBTLE STATEMENT
A slim silhouette characterizes this one-inch rod, part of Fabricut’s Trend Metal collection. The line includes glass and metal finial options, while poles come in acrylic or metal. Pieces are available in a wide range of styles, sizes and finishes. Pictured above: rod and rings in black, with Fabricut’s Hermitage fabric. fabricut.com
FINE PATINA
Lighting designer Louise Gaskill deconstructs vintage lamps and chandeliers in her Raleigh, North Carolina, workroom, reimagining them as modern designs with a patina of age. Her drapery hardware collection follows the same model, with a sensibility both classic and fresh. A hand-applied gilt finish in silver or gold enhances Gaskill’s many finial designs; matching rods are available in Lucite and wood. louisegaskill.com
CASUAL SOPHISTICATION— A new line of drapery hardware by celebrity designer Thom Filicia for Kravet introduces leather accents to finials and rods made of wood or metal. Intended to complement Filicia’s fabric and furniture collections, the mix-and-match hardware conveys a transitional, sophisticated-yet-casual look. Available in three wood and four metal finishes; six wood and four metal finial styles; and three ring styles. kravet.com
JEWEL IN THE CROWN
Silver Spring-based drapery fabricator Gretchen Everett likens her distinctive hardware designs to pieces of jewelry. Combining smooth acrylic imported from Argentina and English brass that’s polished or plated in nickel, rose-gold copper or a custom finish, the streamlined creations are “pure and clean with some heft,” Everett says. A second collection, Loftline Iron, features flat iron rods and elongated, rectangular rings, conjuring an industrial edge. Both collections are handcrafted and custom made in the U.S. gretcheneverett.com
UNDER GLASS
Poliform’s 2020 wardrobe collection marries glass cupboards, wireless lighting and refined finishes. Pictured: A vitrine display closet with glass doors designed by Rodolfo Dordoni takes center stage in a Senzafine dressing room. Cabinets clad in hand-stitched leather line walls, while shelving niches are paneled in black elmwood. poliformdc.com
LUXE LINE
Lobkovich Kitchen Designs is expanding its offerings with Lobkovich Wardrobes, a line of custom wood cabinetry. These high-end built-ins are finished in luxe materials such as leather, shagreen, animal hide, fabric, metal, mirror and glass. They are available in virtually any wood species or finish. lobkovich.com/wardrobes
OFFICE SPACE
Black-stained oak topped with marble-look Formica conveys a contemporary aesthetic in a custom home office-cum-bar by Closet Factory. Flat-fronted, horizontal-grain cabinet doors in light gray add interest, while crown moldings and chrome hardware create a finished look. Open shelving holds glassware and glass-and-stainless-steel doors frame a wine rack. closetfactory.com
IN THE ATTIC
The owners of an older home in Alexandria tapped Closets by Design to convert a quirky attic room into a stylish, functional master closet. Slanted ceilings of varying heights presented a challenge for designer Cathy Kling, who installed back-to-back units under the eaves in a stepped design to optimize the space. The layout allows for deep wardrobes; open shelving and niches for hanging items line the walls. Kling selected the Brio closet system, which comes in three-quarter-inch-thick textured wood-grain melamine, in a Driftwood finish. The modern sensibility complements a traditional dresser that anchors the space. closetsbydesign.com
EASY ACCESS
The Container Store’s Laren closet system is enhanced by the company’s Home Edit line of clear, stackable storage drawers and S-hooks. Containers and organizers for pantry, home-office and bathroom use are part of the collection. containerstore.com
KID CENTRAL Robert Meyers of Chantilly, Virginia-based More Space Place designed a kids’ room with playtime in mind. He selected a Murphy bed system to accommodate two twin beds, with integrated shelving. “Murphy beds in a kids’ room create an instant play space once the beds are folded—and they always look neater,” Meyers says. “There’s also space for additional shelving and storage, or a desk or media center.” Murphy bed systems come in a range of colors, doors and cabinetry styles; counterbalanced, spring-assisted mechanisms make them easy to handle. Pictured: a white melamine laminate with raised-panel doors. morespaceplace.com
“The house was a rambler that had rambled a little too far,” says architect Mark McInturff, who was called in to remedy the shortcomings of a sprawling, waterfront abode in Easton. Owners Hugh Panero and Mary Beth Durkin were empty-nesters who had decided to make their weekend getaway a full-time residence. They asked McInturff and his team to enhance and enlarge the dated house, located on a flat, sweeping lot.
“We figured, if we were going to give up the home in Chevy Chase where we raised our kids for 20 years, we wanted to make this house special,” explains Panero, the retired founder and CEO of XM Satellite Radio. “We’d had it for about eight years and besides adding a swimming pool, we had only made small changes.”
For the house to work as a permanent roost, Panero and his wife, an award-winning producer and documentary filmmaker who focuses on food journalism, both needed dedicated office space. They also wanted the existing rooms to be more functional, with a better connection to the outdoors. And in a departure from their former home’s Tudor style, the duo was looking for a contemporary sensibility this time around.
Panero and Durkin were drawn to McInturff, who is nationally known for his portfolio of dynamic, modern architecture. And, as Panero points out, “Mark has a home nearby that he’s renovated, so he knows the Chesapeake area.” For the same reason, the couple enlisted Darren Kornas of locally based thinkmakebuild for construction.
Since the house was already 200 feet long, McInturff opted not to expand it horizontally. Instead, he suggested building a tower that would stack two offices atop each other with a roof deck above. “Getting up 15, 25 or ultimately 40 feet above ground is a powerful way to experience the landscape of the Eastern Shore,” he explains. This restrained plan, he continues, would “make a big difference in one surgically located place” without the need for a whole-house renovation.
McInturff placed the tower above the home’s original foyer, which was torn down and replaced by a spacious, light-filled entry. On one side, a two-story staircase leads up to both offices; encased in drywall, it creates an airy, sculptural effect. “Making a stair that goes all the way up is a fun way to move around and to bring in light,” the architect observes. On the other side of the entry, he stacked closets in a column that can easily become an elevator shaft in the future.
The offices are duplicates of one another, each boasting a waterfront window wall, balcony and bath. On the third-floor landing, a door opposite Durkin’s office opens to an exterior, steel-and-cable stair that hugs the tower wall and leads to the roof deck. Installing the stairs was an engineering feat requiring a crane. “It was the thing to see in the neighborhood that day,” recalls Panero. Clad in durable Azek decking, the rooftop perch is a favorite spot for the owners, who enjoy cocktails and vistas there with friends.
The makeover also upgraded most of the existing interiors. Along with the new entry, the home’s center volume comprises the living room and kitchen; it’s flanked by the master bedroom on one side and on the other, a sunroom with a bedroom over it. During the renovation, the living room ceiling was raised and larger windows replaced smaller ones in this space and the nearby breakfast room and sunroom. The kitchen was remodeled by Chevy Chase-based Kitchen & Bath Studios to complement the rest of the house. “Once you open spaces up to one another, finishes like cabinetry have to be unified,” McInturff notes.
The master suite was reconfigured to include a new walk-in closet and an enlarged master bath; an existing guest bedroom in that wing now boasts an en suite bath. Wide-plank white-oak flooring throughout the house marries old and new. The same white-oak planks accent walls in the revamped living room.
In the backyard, a rundown deck spanning the width of the house was rebuilt with Azek planks. It connects the house to a big, stand-alone screened porch. McInturff took cues from the porch’s weathered shingles for the home’s exterior, which is now clad in cedar shakes that conjure a coastal feel and will fade over time to match the porch.
Seen from the front, the new tower is distinguished by soft lines and expanses of glass and shingle, while the back presents a more rigorously angled wall of windows and balconies. “The geometry of the house changes from different perspectives,” observes Panero. “The front is great—but in a house on the water, it’s always going to be about what’s in back.”
Renovation Architecture: Mark McInturff, FAIA, principal; Christopher Boyd, AIA, projectarchitect; Jeff McInturff, project designer, McInturff Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Builder: Darren Kornas, thinkmakebuild, Easton, Maryland.
