Home & Design

During a recent walk through Washington’s Union Station, the 96-foot ceiling of the Main Hall fairly gleamed. The ornately coffered plaster surface, now punctuated by 23-carat gold accents, has been restored to its original glory as part of a full-scale renovation. The effect is awe-inspiring.

Designed by Daniel Burnham in 1907 and previously renovated in the 1980s, Union Station was due for a facelift when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake damaged its ceiling in 2011. The Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), which manages the federally owned property, spearheaded the repairs. The first stage: refurbishing the Main Hall and ensuring its structural safety while keeping the station operational. “The process took three and a half years,” says USRC’s CEO Beverley Swaim-Staley. A rolling scaffold enabled workers to take on the mammoth project in sections.

The ceiling now conceals a seismically sound steel framework that anchors the coffers. “Threading the steel structure and new ductwork, heating and air-conditioning systems into that narrow space was a challenge,” says Swaim-Staley. A net at ceiling level caught falling plaster while the renovation progressed.

A grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation covered the work of ornamental plasterers Hayles & Howe, and the application by The Gilders’ Studio of more than 120,000 sheets of gold leaf. “The ceiling now has 75 to 100 years of life,“ Swaim-Staley says. “This was quite a feat of engineering.”

ARCHITECT OF RECORD: John Bowie Associates, Wallingford, Pennsylvania. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: McMullan & Associates, Inc., Reston, Virginia. DEVELOPER: Union Station Investco, Washington, DC. PHOTOGRAPHY: Colin Winterbottom.

Table Talk When designing his collection of coffee, console, and occasional tables for Salvations Architectural Furnishings, DC designer Michael Hampton took inspiration from the light, elegant profiles of pieces by mid-century French designers such as Jean Royère. “I thought of the collection as jewelry for the home,” Hampton says. “I worked to get the lightness and scale right.”

Each table’s metal base comes in a range of finishes. The tops are stone, clear glass or glass that’s been lacquered or painted in designs developed in collaboration with Lenore Winters Studio. Four customizable tables and two benches are available through AmericanEye in the Washington Design Center. The Greek Key Stools is also available as an ottoman with upholstered top. More designs are in the works. americaneyewdc.net

Now 87, Yayoi Kusama has been creating avant-garde art since the 1960s, when she staged her infamous underground polka dot “happenings” on the streets of New York. Opening at the Hirshhorn Museum on February 23, “Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors” celebrates her unique body of work with more than 60 paintings, vibrant sculptures, whimsical installations—polka dot and otherwise—and works on paper.

Six of Kusama’s iconic mirror rooms will be showcased. Among them, Infinity Mirror Room—Love Forever (1966) recreates Kusama’s Peep Show, a series of experimental group performances originally staged at the artist’s Manhattan studio. The finale of the exhibit is The Obliteration Room (2002), an all-white living room turned into participatory artwork in which visitors are invited to cover every surface with dot stickers.

These immersive installations are interspersed with surrealist works on paper, semi-abstract paintings and collages made after Kusama, who has mental-health issues, returned to Japan in the early 1970s. She has been there ever since, working all the while in her Tokyo studio. She continues to be prolific: Large-scale paintings and soft sculptures she created within the last year will also be on display at the Hirshhorn.

The exhibit runs through May 14. Since each installation is meant to be experienced by a limited number of people at a time, free timed passes will be offered. Visit hirshhorn.si.edu for details.

A recent addition to Bethesda’s ever-growing array of high-end condominiums, The Lauren is ideally situated on the (relatively) quiet corner of two one-way streets near Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues—home to Bethesda Row’s abundance of shops and restaurants.

This spot was exactly what developer 1788 Holdings was looking for when the company decided to build in Bethesda. “We wanted the property to raise the standard for high-end condos in the DC area,” says principal Larry Goodwin. The Lauren, he says, “is a cut above what is typical for DC’s high-end condominium market.”

Miami-based Robert M. Swedroe Architects & Planners designed the two-tone granite building, which was built by Davis Construction. Alexandria-based interiors firm Akseizer Design Group was responsible for all the public spaces as well as one of the models.

In keeping with the developer’s vision for the property, the design team selected luxurious materials and finishes throughout. “We mixed modern materials with organic textures for timeless appeal,” explains principal Jeff Akseizer. The two-story lobby is clad in limestone with ebony Macassar panels and illuminated by a custom chandelier with 300 hand-blown glass tubes. The wine lounge/screening room, with walnut panels and onyx accents, features individual wine lockers, custom furniture, and a large, flat-screen TV. The expansive roof deck offers “amenity zones” delineated by stone pavers and îpe flooring, with seating areas furnished by JANUS et Cie and Dedon.

The fitness lounge is a cardio-intensive space “designed to dress up fitness to a luxury level,“ says Akseizer. Anti-microbial carpet tiles and a walnut accent wall impart a high-end feel, while personalized cubbies, towels, and water are available.

The Lauren offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units starting at 1,440 square feet for a one-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath residence with a den and a private terrace. The top three floors house penthouse units, with the seventh-floor penthouse spanning 5,750 square feet with a 1,600-square-foot terrace.

Akseizer and his team created a transitional look for the model, which encompasses two bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and a den. It features an open-plan living/dining area and an adjoining kitchen with an island. Wide-plank walnut floors unify the rooms and a vented gas fireplace creates a focal point in the living area. In the kitchen, custom cabinetry is paired with Calacatta Gold marble countertops and backsplash, white appliances by Sub-Zero/Wolf are concealed behind panels. Calacatta Gold marble also clads the spa-like master bath, complementing a white custom vanity; alternatively, some units offer baths with dark-stained cabinetry and limestone. All bath fixtures are from Waterworks.

Other features in the units include floor-to-ceiling windows, home-automation systems, and automated shades. Some residences boast direct-access elevators. Twenty-four-hour concierge, valet parking, guest suites and a porter service are among the perks available to residents.

FACTS & STATS

The Lauren encompasses 29 units on seven floors. Floors five, six and seven house penthouse units with large private terraces. At press time, 14 of the building’s units had been sold. Prices begin at $1.475 million for a one-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath unit with a den and a terrace. The furnished model is available for $2.55 million and the top-floor penthouse is priced at $10 million.

1788 Holdings also developed The Estate Condominums at Quarry Springs, which is located on the border of Bethesda and Potomac.

INQUIRIES: The Lauren, 4901 Hampden Lane, Bethesda,
Maryland 20814 • 301-273-1164 • thelaurenresidences.com

Each year, a panel of building-industry professionals is selected to judge new homes and communities in the Mid-Atlantic region and to choose their nominees for the Great American Living Awards. Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, the Washington Metropolitan Sales & Marketing Council and the Maryland Building Industry Association, the GALA awards, held last fall at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, honor excellence in new home architecture, interior design, sales and marketing in our region. The 2016 entries filled 43 categories; those pertaining to architecture and design included single- and multi-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, and custom-home and remodeling projects.

Home & Design covered the winners in the custom-builder categories in the November/December issue; the photos above spotlight the remaining Grand award-winners in the architecture and design categories.

Rooms With a View Southern Exposure

Views of Easton’s scenic Peach Blossom Creek first attracted a couple looking to build a bay-area vacation home. Working with architect Scott L. Rand on the traditional abode, they specified a first-floor master suite with easy outdoor access and “maximum water views,” says Rand. French doors spill out onto a stone patio; transoms above the windows and doors ensure plenty of natural light.

The bedroom’s sitting area boasts a direct-vent gas fireplace between walls of windows. Designer Chris Gefucia kept the furniture and fabrics simple, so as not to compete with the vista. “The room faces due south,” says Rand. “So it gets beautiful afternoon sun.”

Architecture: Scott L. Rand, AIA, Scott Rand Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Interior Design: Chris Gefucia, Toronto, Canada. Contractor: West & Callahan, Inc., Easton, Maryland. Photography: Scott L. Rand.

Rooms With a View Horizon Line

“I grew up on the Eastern Shore,” says architect David Jameson. “One of the amazing things there is the way the horizon plays an important role in every space.”

Jameson had this fact in mind when he was designing a 22,000-square-foot vacation residence on Hooper’s Island near Maryland’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The design—a series of cabins—includes “the lodge,” a separate structure from which the owners can enjoy views of the Honga River. “The room celebrates elemental architecture as it connects to the water and horizon,” Jameson says. Natural building materials include poured-concrete floors and vertical-grain Douglas fir walls. Lead-coated copper clads the structures beyond the windows, which help frame the view.

Architecture: David Jameson, FAIA, David Jameson Architect, Washington, DC. 

Shore Style Fresh Catch TILE TIME  Koi Fish is a delicate, hand-cut addition to Sara Baldwin’s Delft Collection of mosaics for New Ravenna. Shown in Lapis Lazuli, Iolite, and Covellite, with an Absolute White glass background. Price on request. newravenna.com

SUR LA TABLE  A vibrant fish motif distinguishes the Sardina collection of earthenware dishes from Anthropologie, which are dishwasher- and microwave-safe. Prices start at $12 for a small plate. anthropologie.com

TIP THE SCALES  Jonathan Adler’s playful Fish Scales Shower Curtain is printed on cotton-duck canvas with grosgrain borders on top and bottom. Coordinating bath towels are available. $68. jonathanadler.com

WINSOME WALLPAPER  The Acquario pattern in Cole & Son’s Fornasetti II wallpaper series combines a soft, washed background with whimsical fish in neutral, charcoal and shades of deep-sea blue (pictured). $296 per roll. cole-and-son.com

Wetlands Idyll A Bethesda couple had fallen in love with Rehoboth Beach years before they decided to buy a vacation home there. Children in tow, they made the trek each summer to savor the wide, sandy beaches and quaint downtown strip.

When their four kids were grown, they finally purchased a property on the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal that held a cottage with a vista of pristine wetlands. They wanted something small enough for two, but large enough to keep the family coming back. “We lived there on our vacations for three years to see if it worked,” recounts the wife. “But there was just not enough space when the kids were visiting.” In fact, the abode was too small even for the husband and wife; a litigator and law professor respectively, they needed space to work.

So they contacted architect Amy Gardner, whose practice focuses on building sustainably—a major priority for the couple. The idea was to renovate, but it quickly became clear that tearing down the dated, uninsulated cottage and starting afresh made more sense.

Gardner and project architect Brittany Williams traveled to Rehoboth and spent time observing the couple’s lifestyle and the way their current house worked—and didn’t. The new home’s sustainable elements would “focus on passive strategies to decrease energy demands,” says Gardner. Geothermal heating and cooling, a high-performance building envelope and an energy-recovery ventilator would minimize costs, while operable windows and skylights—particularly in the open stairway—allowed for natural ventilation. Reclaimed and recycled materials and LED lighting were also part of the package.

“The first challenge was how to orient the house on the site,” Gardner recalls. “The water is to the west, and that is the hottest, least pleasant exposure.” She and Williams conceived an L-shaped abode that faces west to maximize views of the canal and wetlands but is buffered by a courtyard shaded beneath carefully preserved trees and sheltered from the wind.

Integrating the stunning natural scenery into the design was another challenge. “We wanted to ensure that the home would engage fully with the outdoors,” says Gardner, who designed a glassed-in entry foyer that connects the two wings of the house and opens out to the backyard. “It’s a continuous view from the street side through the foyer and out to the canal and marsh,” she explains. Walls of windows on the canal side frame views to the courtyard and beyond, and a boardwalk deck offers a transition from the house to the outdoors. The 3,600-square-foot house is sited as close to the canal as permitting would allow, making the water views more dramatic.

The owners tapped landscape architect Holt Jordan to enhance the connection between the house and its setting. “The idea was to celebrate the canal and the marsh,” Jordan says of his overall plan. “We used existing persimmon trees to tie the landscape to its location and floated a deck so the trees are coming out of it.”

In lieu of a traditional lawn, native grasses are planted all over the property, punctuated by ornamentals and framed by paths of crushed clam shells surrounding slabs of bluestone.

The two-story main wing houses the open-plan kitchen/living/dining room with the master suite above. The other wing—christened “the bunkhouse”—holds two bedrooms (one double as the husband’s office) with a shared bath. The name “bunkhouse” derives from the fact that the bedrooms are open on one side, facing glass doors leading to the courtyard with only heavy canvas curtains for privacy. “It drove my kids crazy when they were here last,” remarks the wife, laughing, “but I love the openness.”

While sustainability was a given, the couple was less sure about the direction they wanted the house to take in terms of style. After poring over pictures online, the wife “focused on a ‘rustic modern’ look,” she says. “I like simplicity, so we tried to keep it simple.” Cedar shingles and siding on the exterior convey a farmhouse sensibility, while expanses of glass keep it modern. A cedar-and-steel pergola covers the boardwalk, which is made of a durable hardwood called machichi. Motorized rollout shades on the pergola can be lowered to shield the interiors from the sun, and slatted cedar barn doors slide over the glass doors to the bunkhouse. “We were looking for elements that move, to change the light in the space,” Gardner explains.

Inside, a natural material palette combines rugged reclaimed-oak floors with spare, stainless-steel stair railings and Douglas fir woodwork. Gardner and Williams collaborated with Jennifer Gilmer on a kitchen design that perfectly reflects the wife’s “rustic modern” preference. Two cabinet styles—one resembling textured barn wood and the other a sleek, gray wood surface—are framed in hot-rolled steel that conveys the look of industrial-style furniture. Expenses of exposed ductwork and open shelving unify the kitchen and sitting area, while beyond the dining area, a spacious screened porch beckons.

Upstairs, the airy master suite is accessed via a passageway with a built-in, reclaimed-oak desk 16 feet long that easily accommodates several workspaces. Overlooking the canal on two sides, the master bedroom boasts a vaulted ceiling embellished by Douglas fir beams suspended on steel rods. For continuity, all the baths feature marble-look porcelain-tile surfaces and Douglas fir vanities topped with quartz countertops and basin sinks by Scarabeo.

The architects helped the wife outfit the house with clean-lined furniture from Ligne Roset, keeping the rooms spare so as not to detract from the view. “I love the wetland,” says the wife. “It’s spectacular and changes all the time. The sunsets are incredible.”

Photographer John Cole is based in Silver Spring.

ARCHITECTURE: AMY E. GARDNER, FAIA, LEED AP, principal; BRITTANY WILLIAMS, AIA, LEED AP, project architect; Gardner Architects LLC, Silver Spring, Maryland. KITCHEN DESIGN: JENNIFER GILMER, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. BUILDER: ROBERT PURCELL, Beachwood, Inc., Showell, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: HOLT JORDAN, ASLA, PLA, Jordan Honeyman, Washington, DC. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: 1200 Architectural Engineers; 12ae.com.

 

RESOURCES

GENERAL  Flooring: Random width and length white and red oak. Woodwork: Douglas fir. Deck: Machiche. Cable Rails on Stairs: agsstainless.com. Metalwork on Beams and Porch & Barn Door Hardware: ashtonwelding.com. Windows: Integrity by Marvin; marvin.com. Doors: loewen.com. Barn Doors: Alan Wierengo through beachwoodinc.com.

KITCHEN  Cabinetry: artcraftkitchens.com. Countertops & Backsplash: inhomestone.com. Appliances: mieleusa.com; rangecraft.com. Dining Table & Chairs: ligne-roset.com. Pendants over Island: kichler.com. Pendants over Table: rh.com.

LIVING AREA  Sofa, Matching Chairs, Geometric Occasional Tables: ligne-roset.com. Wood-Burning Stove: us.rais.com. Fan: minkagroup.net.

BATHROOM  Gray Tile in Master Bath: daltile.com through inhomestone.com. Light Tile in Master and Other Baths: anatoliatile.com through inhomestone.com. Sinks: scarabeoceramica.com. Tub in Master Bath: kohler.com. Bath Fixtures: totousa.com; grohe.com; kohler.com; americanstandard.com.

MASTER SUITE DESK AREA  Desk Fabrication: Alan Wierengo through beachwoodinc.com; ashtonwelding.com. Chairs: hermanmiller.com.

 

Creative Spirit Beginning October 27, a stroll through Atrium Interiors’ showroom in Tysons Galleria will reveal four chic new room vignettes. They will showcase individual custom furniture collections masterminded by established DC-area interior designers Paula Grace Halewski, Skip Sroka, Marlene Weiss-Alexander and Lisa Bartolomei. The pieces are handcrafted for Atrium Interiors, which carries traditional and contemporary custom furniture, lighting and accessories. “The craftsmanship is unique,” says Halewski of the store’s wares. “The furnishings—including our collections—are all made in a small town in Portugal where each craftsman has their specialization.”

The vignettes will occupy 200-square-foot spaces in the 2,600-square-foot showroom. New collections will be introduced every six months, and the designers will rotate rooms.

Grace Notes  A sophisticated dining room vignette by Paula Grace Halewski of Paula Grace Designs will highlight her Away Dining Table, which will be paired with Ode to Thomas O chairs upholstered in Kravet leather. Halewski also designed the wool-and-silk Link Rug for the collection. Sculpted-glass chandeliers by Fine Art Lamps will be on display.

Approachable Luxury  Lisa Bartolomei of Bartolomei & Co. defines her collection as “luxury-minded items built at an approachable price.” Her living room vignette will feature case goods: a rosewood bar cabinet with a laser-cut brass front; a chest of drawers in Macassar ebony with brass accents; a marble-and-brass coffee table; and an end table of anigre and ebony. Upholstered pieces will include a slipper chair inspired by a 1940s French design, as well as a contemporary sofa.

Design Synergy  Skip Sroka of Sroka Design, Inc., designed his collection in response to a growing trend: clients requesting spaces that serve more than one function. Sroka’s library vignette “combines work and dining—it’s a synergy with what is happening to our homes,” he says. A buffet opens into a desk with storage beneath it and an étagère offers storage and display space. The Corey Chair—named for Sroka’s late, beloved pet—boasts whimsical dog legs that harken back to early Egyptian and Greek designs. All of the pieces are finished in lacquered mahogany.

Mother of Pearl  Marlene Weiss-Alexander of Weiss Alexander Design Group took inspiration for her bedroom vignette from a mirror she had designed for a client using a mother-of-pearl wall covering by Innovations. The iridescent surface now accents nightstands and a headboard covered in fabric from Great Plains by Holly Hunt. A dresser is made of pau ferro wood with wenge ebony accents and a bench of wenge ebony is upholstered in Romo fabric.

Atrium Interiors, 2001 International Drive, McLean, Virginia; 703-883-1134; atrium-interiors.com

With its classic brick exterior, slate roof and stately presence, a center-hall colonial built in 1926 is a perfect fit for its southern Virginia locale. The owners, who moved in 19 years ago with a blended family of six children, only recently decided it was time for a thorough makeover. Though the kids are now grown, 11 grandchildren have entered the scene and the couple felt the need for more functional space to accommodate their visits.

They tapped architect Robert Paxton to expand the home’s cramped, dated kitchen and family room, bring in more light and integrate the indoor and outdoor spaces. “We needed a nice kitchen/sitting area for the kids,” says the wife. “We wanted the whole family to be comfortable when they’re here, and to have more usable space inside and out.”

Paxton and his team got to work sketching ideas for opening up the floor plan to the outdoors. “It was like a lot of these houses, built in the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s,” the architect observes. “I call them introverted—built with service kitchens and minimal closet space and little connection to the landscape.”

Achieving better flow from the inside out meant also making the outdoors more accessible. The house is sited so that the driveway leads to the rear of the property, where a back door serves as the main entry. Paxton and his team replaced the uninviting back door with one of glass flanked by sidelites, then added a wide portico over it to impart a sense of scale. The driveway—formerly paved in asphalt that “looked like a road,” as Paxton recalls—is now cobblestone, connected by a picturesque, curved stone stairway.

Around the corner near the kitchen, an unused side yard sloped up awkwardly from the house. Collaborating with landscape architect Rachel Lilly, Paxton devised a way to dig out the slope and create an outdoor room in its place. They installed a slate patio complete with a fountain and a brick retaining wall; lush landscaping finished the new al fresco living area.

Meanwhile, the plan for the kitchen makeover moved forward. Extending out 10 feet from the original kitchen and spanning 32 feet in width, the addition creates ample room for an updated, functional kitchen and family room. Along with the glassed-in back entry, three sets of French doors, which spill out to the patio from this spacious new area, bring the outdoors into the open-plan space. “I could sit there all day long; you don’t even feel like you’re inside,” the wife says. “And the patio is fabulous.”

A breakfast nook with a built-in banquette is tucked beneath the back stairway. A French limestone fireplace from Chesney’s of London in the sitting area creates a focal point. Reclaimed heart-pine ceiling beams delineate the kitchen, with its white-painted cabinetry, limestone countertops, and backsplash. Antique, wide-plank European oak floors are stained light and distressed.

As is often the case, a small renovation project soon grew in scope. “Once [the owners] saw our ideas, they wanted us to do more,” Paxton says. An overhaul of the master suite, including a poorly designed dressing room and bath, created a more functional layout. The new dressing room shares space with adjoining his-and-her baths—one feminine with Venetian plaster walls and cream-colored millwork; the other masculine, with dark-wood cabinets and ceramic wall tiles. Limestone floors and counters unify the spaces. On the second floor of the addition, a bath was added along with an improved laundry room containing plenty of storage.

The husband’s study received a facelift, with a fireplace and built-ins, while Paxton updated the wife’s home office with another French limestone fireplace from Chesney’s of London, paneled walls, a stone floor, and new built-in shelving. Windows with fewer mullions in all the remodeled spaces admit more light.

The wife, a retired interior designer, worked with designer R. David Craig on the home’s interiors. “We wanted to lighten the house up,” she says. “The prominent colors are lime green, soft blue, khaki, and off-white. We have Oushak carpets and vibrant art, so we needed a soft, neutral palette to make them pop.”

The couple “had lived there so long, nothing really flowed,” Craig says. “They needed a plan that would make the interiors feel cohesive.” He reupholstered the furniture to fit the new, lighter décor, with notable additions like a round dining room table and antique dining chairs, and a new sofa with matching armchairs in the living room. Dining room millwork was freshly painted and soft linen now covers the living room walls. The family room addition was furnished from scratch, beginning with an antique carpet and textured-plaster walls that provide the backdrop for a comfortable sofa and armchairs gathered around an antique coffee table.

At the husband’s suggestion, the design team brought in Boston-based Lam Partners, a lighting firm, to install museum-quality lighting that would enhance the owners’ extensive art collection. Craig combined that lighting plan with one of his own, creating layers of light that now beautifully illuminate the refurbished home. “Lighting is always big,” he observes, adding that this house was no exception. “When you walk into one of the well-lit rooms, you know it’s right—even when you don’t know why.”

The late Philip Beaurline was an architectural photographer in Charlottesville.

RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN: ROBERT L. PAXTON, AIA, principal; SHAWN A. MULLIGAN, AIA, project architect; R. DAVID CRAIG, director of interior design, Dalgliesh Gilpin Paxton Architects, Charlottesville, Virginia. CONTRACTOR: Worth, Inc., Roanoke, Virginia. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: RACHEL M. LILLY, Rachel Lilly Landscape, Port Republic, Virginia.

Carrington Homes specialize in building high-end projects in the regions of Fairfax and Loudoun Counties—but according to marketing manager Kristen Brittingham, that is as far afield as the company plans to go. “We prefer to keep the scope of the business small,” she explains. “This is our niche, right here.”

Carrington Homes builds 40 to 50 houses a year—usually, in communities, it owns, but also in established, multi-builder developments. The firm has a portfolio of about 20 architectural plans, ranging in style from French Country and Craftsman to Shingle and Colonial Revival—all designed by architect James McDonald of James McDonald Associate Architects. Once a buyer has decided on a particular style, McDonald will customize it in a collaborative process to accommodate the clients’ wishes.

In addition to the houses Carrington Homes builds in Loudoun and Fairfax communities, the company has also launched a build-on-your-lot program for buyers who already own their properties. Homes in this program are currently poised for construction in Vienna, Oakton, McLean, Great Falls and Clifton. “These are true custom homes designed by James MacDonald, and they can be built on lots in a wide range of sizes,” explains Brittingham. Available home styles include Craftsman, French and English Country and American Farmhouse.

Carrington works with buyers to customize elevations, making changes to doors, porches and front entries as well as floor plans. A wide range of square footage options is available. Kitchen, bath and interior design services are also on offer; designers on staff help with interior paint colors, furniture placement, flooring selections, lighting, finishes and more.

When it comes to construction, the company places a premium on high-quality construction materials. Exteriors showcase metal and copper accents, mahogany front doors, HardiePlank siding, Cushwa molded brick and quarried stone. Distinctive architectural flourishes like gable and hip roofs, dormers, porches, porticos and window and door details impart character to each home. Inside, custom millwork and built-ins abound. “We are passionate about architectural details,” Brittingham explains. “So all interiors feature extensive woodwork throughout.”

Recent Carrington properties have also featured a smaller, detached structure termed an accessory house, with a full kitchen and bath, one to three bedrooms and an option for its own one-car garage. Designed with the extended family in mind, it visually complements the main structure.

Model homes on display at any given time represent all the classical styles Carrington Homes offers. Houses start in the $600s for a 3,000-square-foot residence in Loudoun County, and in the $800s for a 3,500-square-foot residence in Fairfax County.

 

FACTS & STATS

Carrington Homes has a staff of 16, including project supervisors, purchasers, and a designer. The company employs a stable of sub-contractors on a nearly full-time basis.

Specialties—The company has homes in six communities in Loudoun County and three communities in Fairfax County. Homes in the build-on-your-own-lot program may be in other locations.

Inquiries—Kristen Brittingham, marketing coordinator; Christina Sanders, executive vice president, Carrington Homes; 703-665-6701; [email protected]; carringtonbuilder.com

Rooms We Love Outdoor Room When clients in the Northern Virginia suburbs asked Jay Graham to landscape their small, undeveloped property, they opted for a swimming pool with a sheltered seating area beside it. To complement the traditional house with its stone façade, Graham conceived a plan for a pool bordered by a stately stone structure. “The owners have a view of it from the house, so we wanted it to be pleasing to the eye,” he explains. “We decided to create a classical structure that would be architecturally correct.”

In the completed project, stone columns supporting a cedar pergola are classically proportioned, narrowing gently towards the top in an architectural device that harkens back to Greek and Roman times. They sit directly on the Pennsylvania bluestone coping that surrounds the adjacent pool. At the far end, a fountain empties into a concrete urn—meant to evoke an ancient olive oil jar—by Lunaform. Between stone pilasters in the wall, stucco panels frame decorative limestone openings while shade-loving plants line the wall at its base.

Graham met the grading challenges on the property with three levels of terracing; about half the height of the pergola’s back wall doubles as a retaining wall. The pergola is sited to provide views of the ground as it falls away below the pool; one of its walls also conceals a neighboring house. “It was a tight solution for an urban garden,” Graham comments.

A strategic lighting plan by Bethesda-based Outdoor Illumination serves the pergola’s interior. It also lights the area behind the wall so that in the evening, the decorative limestone openings glow.

Landscape Architecture: Jay Graham, FASLA, Moody Graham, Washington, DC. Landscape Contractor: Rob Tilson, Tilson Group, Fairfax, Virginia. Photography: Allen Russ.

Rooms We Love Bathroom A couple renovating a home in Potomac tapped Nestor Santa-Cruz to redesign the interiors. On their wish list was “a master bath that feels like a high-end hotel,” recalls Santa-Cruz, who set about creating this luxurious space for his clients.

He conceived a symmetrical layout with glass enclosures at either end of the room—one house a two-person shower and the other, behind frosted glass, houses a W.C. Between the two, the tub is positioned beneath a large window. Twin vanities on the opposite wall flank storage cabinets.

The couple wanted a contemporary look, so Santa-Cruz sourced modern, Italian-made materials at Boffi in Georgetown. Sleek, floating vanities in high-gloss white lacquer are balanced by a squared-off acrylic tub with a lacquered surround and built-in shelving. In lieu of sconces above the vanities, he selected mirrors by Boffi boasting integrated lighting. The tall cabinets between the vanities, made of an eco-friendly ebony veneer, keep clutter at bay.

To counteract the minimalism, Santa-Cruz incorporated the clients’ belongings, including an African stool that anchors one end of the room. “Even in the bath, it’s important to add personal elements,” he says. “They give personality to space.” Wallpaper from Elitis in a mother-of-pearl pattern reminiscent of mosaic tile covers the walls. Above the tub, the window is partially concealed by shades from IKEA that slide like Shoji screens, while IKEA Flokati rugs soften the walnut floor. “Combining high and low is fun,” Santa-Cruz explains. “But the trick is that no one should ever know what’s low.”

Bath Design: Nestor Santa-Cruz, IIDA, Nestor Santa-Cruz Decoration, Washington, DC. Renovation Architecture: David Knudson, AIA, Ely, Minnesota. Bath Installation: Boffi Georgetown, Washington, DC. Contractor: Jason Levinson, Maryland Heritage Custom Builders, Frederick, Maryland. Photography: Jamie Cobel.

Rooms We Love Bedroom A couple with a new home in McLean envisioned their master bedroom as a pleasing refuge where they would be able to comfortably read or watch TV. Designer Jennifer Wagner Schmidt—who was hired to decorate the interiors—suggested a “light and bright,” all-white sanctuary; since their only child is nearly grown, she felt her clients’ lifestyle could support the pristine décor. The chic concept appealed to the wife, who requested all new furniture to fill the reimagined space.

The bedroom is large enough to accommodate separate sleeping and lounging areas, so Wagner Schmidt positioned cozy seating at the foot of the bed facing a TV on the opposite wall. Chenille-covered swivel chairs from Calico Corners are grouped around a coffee table from Candelabra with custom X benches by California-based Liven Up, also upholstered in chenille. The linen-clad Crate & Barrel bedstead is flanked by nightstands from Made Goods that combine light-hued wood frames and mirrored drawers. A sideboard found online at One Kings Lane occupies one wall.

Adhering to her tone-on-tone theme, Wagner Schmidt started with a custom, textured-white rug over which she layered fabrics and finishes in shades of ivory and white. Limed and whitewashed wood pieces keep the space light, while accents of gold in the picture frames and accessories add a touch of glamour. So does a faux fur throw that adorns the bed. “My clients are sophisticated and I think we achieved that with our approach,” says the designer. “It’s a beautiful yet relaxed, comfortable space to live and rest in.”

Interior Design: Jennifer Wagner Schmidt, JWS Interiors, Ashburn, Virginia. Styling: Charlotte Safavi. 

Rooms We Love Kitchen A couple with a property in Emmitsburg, Maryland, tapped Jim Rill to design a rustic home for them that would fit into its rural, lakeside location. Rill conceived a log cabin-style structure outfitted on the inside with hand-hewn wood columns and beams.

Within two years of the home’s completion, the owners were ready to enlarge the kitchen and called on Rill to devise an addition that would house an expansive new one. The goal was to combine top-of-the-line features with a warm, rustic look.

“The kitchen is supposed to look like it’s always been there,” Rill explains. He employed rough-hewn fir columns and beams to convey a timeworn vibe. Doors and windows trimmed in light-stained fir impart warmth, as does the ceiling made of V-groove fir panels.

Open to the adjacent family room, the kitchen is delineated by varied ceiling heights and an island that the owner uses as a baking station. A larger central island offers a prep sink and plenty of workspaces. Custom cabinetry from Quality Cabinets has been painted, distressed and glazed for an Old World look. The peripheral cabinets are sage-colored and topped by leathered black granite with a rock-face edge, while the islands are painted black and topped with slabs of butcher block.

Rill collaborated with kitchen designer Robin Lynch to select the cabinetry and finishes. Oil-rubbed bronze faucets, a copper sink, and a custom copper hood add to the rustic country style. ”It’s always fun to do something a little different,” Rill observes of the inviting space. “It’s good to do research and work with different materials.”

Architecture: James F. Rill, AIA, Rill Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Kitchen Design: Robin Lynch, Robin Lynch Designs, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Contractor: Rob Segal, West Wing Builders, Inc., Warrenton, Virginia. Photography: James Ray Spahn.

HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

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The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

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