No decorative element completes a room more dramatically than window treatments. From billowy sheers to elegant draperies to sleek shades, this important touch is also an investment—and as such, it’s best to get things right the first time.
“Know what you want the window treatment to do,” advises McLean-based designer Barbara Hawthorn. “Should it take center stage or is it part of the background? Some window treatments are like art.”
According to Rockville Interiors owner Ilan Fulop, “People are going for fabric-based window treatments, with colorful, large-scale patterns.” He adds that motorized solutions are also popular. “It’s easy to put a motor on a shade, so it’s operable with a time-clock app. We do it often.”
Recent trends are towards lighter, more practical fabrics. “Applications are simpler and cleaner,” says Gretchen Everett, whose custom drapery workroom in Silver Spring does a booming business among DC-area interior designers. “We are seeing a lot of indoor-outdoor fabrics. And sheers are at the forefront.”Another change: innovative hardware, which Everett also designs.
When it comes to window treatments, there are so many choices, says Everett, homeowners should adhere to her philosophy: “Keep it simple and make it beautiful.”
The famed (and infamous) Watergate Hotel has long called to mind modern architecture, a swanky Washington clientele—and a deliciously scandalous past. A comprehensive $125 million renovation in 2016 brought this 1960s icon designed by Luigi Moretti into the 21st century, lauding its mid-century roots while enhancing it with a fresh layer of bold, sophisticated innovation.
Reimagined by architect and designer Ron Arad in collaboration with Italian furniture-maker Moroso, the hotel’s refurbished public spaces include the lobby, the Kingbird restaurant and The Next Whisky Bar—so dubbed for a song by rock legend Jim Morrison. In this glamorous space, an undulating wall of custom whisky bottles is back-lit to produce a bronze glow; the labels are sculpted and stamped out of metal. Here guests quaff cocktails while seated on Arad’s sculptural Size Ten armchairs, designed for Moroso and upholstered in red. 2650 Virginia Avenue, NW; thewatergatehotel.com
Renovation Architecture & Design: Ron Arad, Ron Arad Architects, London, England. Developer: Euro Capital Properties, New York, New York.
SPANISH STYLE
Spanish tile company Undefasa produces chic ceramic tile for residential and commercial applications. The Canaima collection features large-format, wood-look tile available in four hues. en.undefasa.com
FABULOUS FINISHES
True Refrigeration has introduced new custom finishes and hardware. In addition to Stainless Steel, Antique White, Matte Black, and Gloss Black finishes are now on offer; new hardware options also include copper and chrome. trueresidential.com
WINDOW DRESSING
Atelier Domingue Architectural Metalcrafts’ custom steel windows and doors are distinguished by slim profiles, minimal plates, and clean lines. The collection comes in five standard colors but any shade or finish can be matched. atelierdomingue.com
OPEN-ENDED
Atlas Homewares’ new Elizabeth line of cabinet hardware is part of its classically styled Royalty Collection, which is defined by octagonal knobs and pulls in a range of sizes. Five available finishes include polished chrome, polished or brushed nickel, matte black, and brass. atlashomewares.com
LUSCIOUS LIGHTING
The elegant Piet pendant by Corbett Lighting combines a frosted-glass diffuser and a smoked-glass shade in Silver Graphite and Gold Leaf finishes. Accompanying hardware is polished stainless steel; the fixture is available in three sculptural shapes. corbettlighting.com
PERFECT BLEND
A spring-load mechanism is a secret to Hardware Resources’ soft-close Mixer/Appliance Lift, which raises bulky, unwieldy small appliances from inside the base cabinet to just below counter height, then lock into place. Three spring settings accommodate up to 45 pounds. hardwareresources.com
HAMMERED OUT
The hand-forged faucets and shower systems in Sonoma Forge’s CiXX Collection boast heavily textured hammered surfaces. Faucets come in the wall- and deck-mount versions, with coordinating accessories. Available in solid brass or stainless steel. sonomaforge.com
CLIMATE CONTROL
The Bosch Connected Control thermostat, featuring a full-color, five-inch touchscreen, can be operated via a smart device. The BCC 100 app allows remote control of the thermostat’s settings, thus saving energy and money. Compatible with most HVAC equipment. bosch-climate.us
The crisp-white, shingle-and-plank-clad house stands out in a sea of nondescript brick ramblers in a suburban Bethesda neighborhood. It’s an attractive—and not unusual—sight in this fast-changing town, where swaths of modest mid-century homes are being replaced at a clip by larger abodes.
In this case, the house belongs to David Yurko, a spec-home developer who renovates older homes in DC. Though his business, Urban Restoration, is Washington-based, Yurko grew up in Bethesda and never pictured living anywhere else. When he and his girlfriend, Casey Shaffer, were house-hunting, they lit on this single-story brick house with the idea of retaining its footprint and building up, cantilevering out on the second-floor level to get more space. Architect Hendri Tirtanadi drew up plans and Yurko collaborated with contractor Stephen Shum of Workshop11 on construction. The finished three-bedroom residence houses Yurko’s father in a lower-level apartment, with plenty of space for Yurko, Shaffer and their three dogs to spread out on three floors above.
The couple had a few must-haves, including an open floor plan sans formal dining room, a large mudroom and indoor and outdoor wood-burning fireplaces. Crisp millwork and materials add character throughout the house interior, from coffered ceilings and crown moldings to batten-board wainscot and shiplap siding in the powder and mud rooms. In the kitchen and bathrooms, custom Dura Supreme cabinetry is topped with honed Carrara marble counters. Wide-plank, pickled white-oak floors in a matte finish keep the interiors light.
Mid-way through construction, Yurko, who has worked with designer Laura Fox on spec homes, hired her “to help us sort through everything and hone in on a look,” he explains.
Gleaning her clients’ transitional style and needs, Fox envisioned what Yurko calls a “modern farmhouse” sensibility. She presented the couple with several color-palette options; they selected a tone-on-tone scheme against white walls. Black-painted window and door frames throughout “took some persuading,” Fox recalls, “but with very neutral, calm furniture, we definitely needed some contrast.”
When Fox entered the picture, she discovered that her clients had already ordered a good deal of the furniture. However, she deemed most of the pieces too small for the large, open living/dining area. “It all got canceled,” Shaffer says with a smile. “We started over.”
To anchor the space, Fox selected a Hickory White sectional large enough to seat nine and a CFC coffee table. In the dining area, chairs by Four Hands surround a table from CFC with a hammered-zinc top. To separate the spaces visually, Fox chose high-backed Lillian August wing chairs with a modern silhouette in dark-gray leather that faces the sitting area, then cleverly upholstered the backs in a light stripe that keeps their mass from seeming obtrusive.
The couple is enjoying their new abode, just minutes from bustling downtown Bethesda with its shops and restaurants and pedestrian-friendly streets. Yet they enthuse over their safe, walkable neighborhood. “I’m not a city dweller,” Yurko says. “I like the urban and suburban aspects of this area.” v
Renovation Architecture: Hendri Tirtanadi, AIA, Tirtanadi Architect, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Interior Design: Laura Fox, Laura Fox Interior Design, LLC; Kensington, Maryland. Contractor: Stephen Shum, Workshop11, Potomac, Maryland.
A classic center-hall colonial turned out to be the perfect canvas for a surprising color palette and a fresh, new look. After buying the traditional DC house, a young couple turned to designer Sophie Prévost to give it some pizzazz in the form of vibrant hues, eco-friendly furniture and finishes, and a playful, whimsical vibe.
The husband “wanted color—I mean really bold,” Prévost recalls, laughing. “His choices were fun and unusual.”
The trick, the designer discovered, would be in conveying a sense of calm and serenity in spite of bright hues that are generally energizing rather than restful. “Our approach was to use large swaths of color on the walls,” she explains. “That way you can rest your eye on one color plane at a time and then move on from it. We used the furniture and rugs for pattern and texture.”
Prévost started in the front hall, where Sherwin Williams Bitter Chocolate provides a deep, neutral foil for the strong hues to come. “The brown tone complements the walnut furniture in the other rooms, too,” the designer notes.
A Roche Bobois rug with an abstract motif in shades of green created a departure point for the living room’s color scheme. According to her client’s wishes, Prévost combined walls in Benjamin Moore’s Mystical Grape with crisp, contrasting white trim. A hot-pink shade, Benjamin Moore’s Pre-dawn Sky, adorns the insides of the built-in bookshelves—the result of a debate between the designer and her client, who originally wanted that color everywhere but settled for using it more sparingly.
“I had to insist that the hot pink was too much for the whole room,” Prévost recalls, amused. She and her team designed the custom, pale-green sofas to ensure that they were fabricated entirely with eco-friendly materials, which was important to the owners. Pink and purple pillows and poufs by Herman Miller add cohesiveness.
At New York’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair, Prévost came across a wall made of freeze-dried natural reindeer moss by Polarmoss, a Finnish company. She showed it to her clients, who embraced the quirky material, which spoke to their love of nature—and fun. Prévost covered a wall in it, now fronted by a Biedermeier bench as a whimsical nod to an outdoor seat. She punctuated the moss surface with Ingo Maurer light fixtures that look like fluttering birds.
In the dining room, Prévost suggested the walls and decorative moldings be painted in one strong hue—Sherwin Williams’s Marquis Orange—to keep the space from looking busy. She designed the multi-colored sideboard with that saturated shade in mind and introduced a strong pattern in a Nepalese rug from Timothy Paul. A playful suspension light by Belux “looks like a big, fat cloud over the table,” Prévost says. She designed the live-edge table and selected airy, open-backed chairs by Thos. Moser. The owners’ photographs and paintings, which mostly depict animals, add to the home’s lighthearted sensibility.
Interior Design: Sophie Prévost, ASID, ColePrévost, Washington, DC.
At a rocky outcropping on the edge of Whitehall Bay near Annapolis, a panoramic vista encompasses the open waters of the Chesapeake in the distance. There’s a sense of drama on this windswept spot, where expansive water and choppy waves lure sailors itching to race.
While designing a client’s house nearby, Marta Hansen was captivated by this postcard setting. The architect, who had been looking for a waterfront site where she could design and build a home for herself and her husband, investigated a “for sale” sign one day—and discovered one that fit the bill perfectly.
“I design mainly waterfront houses and I’ve seen all types of ‘waterfront,’” she says. “When I saw this, I said, ‘It doesn’t get any better.’ It faces south, which I had wanted, it offers privacy and it’s actually on the water.”
Sandwiched between the bay and a swath of wetlands, the 1.3-acre property came with permitting requirements. Fortunately, the previous owner had been granted a variance 10 years back for a small shack, so Hansen was allowed to replace that ramshackle structure with another one as long as its footprint remained small.
She conceived a house covering only 1,000 square feet of land, but rising three-and-a-half stories to provide the desired space and take advantage of the views. An inlet on one side creates a pretty beachfront; on the other, a vacant lot that Hansen and her husband also purchased separates the site from its neighbor.
The architect envisioned a style she calls “classicism with maritime references” for the new, 3,500-square-foot abode. Hardy cement board-and-batten-style siding, a metal roof and a cedar shingle-clad stair tower reminiscent of a lighthouse conjure a nautical feel, while a traditional roofline, ornamental columns and white siding and trim convey a classic aesthetic. A two-car garage connects to the house via a breezeway.
Inside, 11-foot ceilings make the interiors feel large and airy. A wall of black modular shelving by Saah Furniture bisects the open main floor, extending the length of the house and separating the open kitchen, dining and living areas from the entry hall, stairwell, and Hansen’s small home office. The move creates both small and large spaces. “It’s like a symphony,” the architect says. “Some parts are loud and some are quiet. It amplifies your experience.”
The shelves house an enormous collection of books belonging to Hansen’s husband, a retired philosophy professor. Large niches in the shelf system display canvases by a favorite artist, Jeremy Mann, in the living/dining area as well as on the other side of the wall near the front door, where a section is also equipped with hooks that keep jackets and bags at the ready for quick jaunts outdoors.
A wall of windows curves to frame water views on two sides of the living area; the kitchen anchors the other end of the room. “I tried to make it less kitchen-like since it’s all one big space,” Hansen notes. “There is no upper cabinets and storage is all along the [shelf] wall.” Extending into the kitchen area, the bookshelves frame a black Jenn-Air refrigerator, chosen to blend with the black-painted shelving and adjacent cabinetry. Peripheral counters and a backsplash of richly veined quartzite top white cabinets. In another nod to classicism, Hansen positioned ornate marble corbels found at In Home Stone at the base of the island, which is topped with black granite.
A wide opening to the hallway frames the staircase. Designed by Hansen, “the stair rail is an abstraction of the wetland reeds,” she explains. Made of gracefully bent, welded steel, it extends up all three flights of stairs, curving gently at each landing. Complementary orb-shaped metal chandeliers by Hubbardton Forge blend into the design; Hansen purchased four and hung them so one graces each floor beside the open stairwell.
Throughout the project, Hansen applied contrast for effect. Outside, the weathered-cedar deck and pergola are juxtaposed with ornate, white-painted columns. Inside, black shelving and white walls form a neutral backdrop to colorful Persian rugs, strong-hued artwork and ornamental stained glass—found at auction—that adorns the windows near the stairs. Even the stairwell, Hansen says, “borrows from modernism using big sheets of glass, but has grids that offer classical scale and definition.”
The furniture is an eclectic combination of styles and eras. “I gravitate toward classics by famous modern architects,” Hansen observes. “I mixed those with classical pieces. What they all have in common is fundamental qualities of design—balance, harmony, scale, proportion, color.” In the living area, a Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe is paired with a Chesterfield sofa, while a contemporary hoop light by Kovacs hangs overhead.
The second floor houses the master and guest suites, and the third is a family room. Hansen outfitted the fourth-floor loft, what she calls “the top of the lighthouse,” with a barrel-vaulted ceiling of dark-stained beadboard reminiscent of the hull of a ship. In lieu of an attic, this level—a man cave that features her husband’s extensive guitar collection and workout equipment—also provides extra storage.
Ample windows at each level reveal astounding—and ever-changing—bay vistas. “Each floor has a different view,” Hansen marvels. “As you get higher, the ground disappears and it really feels like you’re on a ship. I find it amazing.”
ARCHITECTURE & CONTRACTING: Marta Hansen, AIA, LEED AP, Hansen Architects, Annapolis, Maryland.
RESOURCES
EXTERIOR Siding: Cement panels and battens. Roofing: roofdrexelmet.com; galvalume.com. Cedar Trellis, Decking & Shingles: White cedar left natural. Columns: Fiberglass. Sconces: hubbardtonforge.com.
INTERIOR Flooring: Live-sawn white oak; Jacobean stain. Windows: Windsor Windows through thesanderscompany.com. Front Door: Western Window Systems through thesanderscompany.com. Shelving: saahfurniture.com. Stained Glass: Owners’ collection. Metal Guard Rail Design: hansenarchitects.com. Guard Rail Fabrication: jkandson.com.
LIVING AREA Rug: Afghani, owners’ collection. Chesterfield Sofa: restorationhardware.com. Barcelona Sofa: regencyfurniture.com. Hoop Light: George Kovacs via minkagroup.net. Blinds: Bali behind window trim valance. Painting: Jeremy Mann through redrabbit7.com.
FRONT HALL Painting: Jeremy Mann through redrabbit7.com. Stairwell Chandeliers: hubbardtonforge.com. Rug: Iranian; owners’ collection.
DINING AREA Table: bovafurniture.com. Chairs: Thonet Bentwood, c.1885: Owner’s collection. Painting: Jeremy Mann through redrabbit7.com.
KITCHEN Cabinetry: sandypaynedesign.com. Countertops & Corbels: inhomestone.com. Counter Stools: Owners’ collection. Dishwasher, Oven & Microwave: geappliances.com. Down-Draft Cooktop & Fridge: jennair.com. Island Pendants: Possini via eurostylelighting.com. Painting: kevinfitzgeraldpainter.com.
OFFICE Sofa: regencyfurniture.com. Decorative Pieces over Sofa: Antique wooden factory machine part templates, owners’ collection. Rug: Iranian, owners’ collection.
MASTER BATH Floor: St. Laurent marble. Tub: signaturehardware.com. Field Tile in Shower: Carrara marble through homedepot.com. Border Tile in Shower: tileshop.com. Painting: channinghouston.com. Vanity Countertop Carrara.
MASTER BEDROOM Bedstead: Owners’ collection. Red Abstract Painting: kevinfitzgeraldpainter.com.
THIRD FLOOR White sofa: cadomodern.com. Stair Sconces: hubbardtonforge.com. Glass-Topped Console behind Sofa, Iranian Rug: Owners’ collection. Hoop Light: Designed by hansenarchitects.com.
FOURTH FLOOR Sofa: jnmfurniture.biz. Ceiling Work: dougfirflooring.com. Ceiling Fan: minkaaire.lightingdirect.com
Jonas Carnemark turns a traditional bathroom into a modern refuge.
Melissa Broffman imparts a bohemian touch to a bath in Bethesda.
Modern lines, wood tones and Asian flair revive a bathroom in Annapolis.
Universal design meets timeless style in a Northwest DC bath.
The owners of a (Asian Flair) post-and-beam deckhouse in Annapolis hired interior designer Lisa Publicover to overhaul their circa-1980s master bath. Working with kitchen-and-bath designer Tracy McGuinness, she created a clean-lined, modern space to complement the style of the house.
“The post-and-beam construction really drove the design,” McGuinness says. “The house is nestled in the treetops and the wood is a connection to the outdoors.”
The existing bath comprised two rooms: One held a vanity and linen closet, while the other housed a dated built-in tub, shower, and toilet. In the vanity room, the linen closet made way for attractive storage towers flanking a sleek, new vanity. The floor-to-ceiling wall between the two rooms now rises only partway for an airier feel. A graceful Victoria & Albert soaking tub and floor-mounted faucet replaced the original boxy version, with its obtrusive deck.
Publicover selected light quartz countertops and limestone-like porcelain tile for practicality—and lots of wood. “I wanted to incorporate tones that worked with the exposed-wood ceilings,” she says. Quarter-sawn walnut cabinets with a strong linear grain extend the vanity space visually, while mahogany trim complements the cedar beams above.
The biggest challenge was a lack of natural light, as the bath had skylights but no windows. To address the problem, Publicover suggested adding a shoji screen door between rooms that would admit light but provide privacy. Another shoji screen on the wall behind the tub is back-lit to mimic a window, giving the illusion of soft, natural light. “The bath is restful,” McGuinness observes, “with a touch of Asian flavor.”
BATH DESIGN: Tracy McGuinness, AKBD, Kitchen Encounters, Annapolis, Maryland; Lisa Publicover, Lisa Publicover Interior Design, Annapolis, Maryland. BUILDER: Riley Custom Homes & Renovations, Annapolis, Maryland.
RESOURCES
Cabinetry: neffkitchens.com. Countertop: cambriausa.com. Tub: vandabaths.com. Sinks: mtibaths.com. Faucets: newportbrass.com. Lighting: hubbardtonforge.com; George Kovacs through ferguson.com. Shoji Screens: cherrytreedesign.com.
A homeowner wishing to transform her problematic master bath into a spacious, wheelchair-accessible retreat approached the team at Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath for the job. Designer Paul Bentham began by reconfiguring the space, which no longer suited its owner’s changing needs. “Removing the unused tub in front of the window, the step-in shower and the small toilet room were the first requirements,” he recounts. These features were replaced with a spacious shower enclosure on one side of the window and a WC on the other—both accessible through facing double doors of matching frosted glass. New wing walls conceal the plumbing and create space for tall cabinets.
A long wall boasts double vanities and sinks with custom mirrors above. The cabinetry is equipped with a pull-out hamper and slide-out storage. Between the vanities, a lowered surface with an extra-long mirror allows the owner to easily fix her hair and apply makeup from her chair.
Bentham created wide passageways for easy accessibility. A flush linear drain at the base of the shower entry allows unhindered access, and there’s integrated seating inside. Fixed, sliding and waterfall showerheads in brushed nickel offer options for bathing. A white cabinet below the window conveniently stores towels within reach.
While the rest of the house is traditional in style, a transitional sensibility prevails in the master bath. Bentham accentuated the timeless look of marble-effect gray porcelain floor and wall tiles then added interest and modern flair with porcelain accent tiles in a raised wave pattern. The vanities are painted a complementary gray, topped with Pure White Caesarstone counters; slender cabinet legs and narrow framing contribute to the transitional vibe.
BATH DESIGN: Paul Bentham, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Chevy Chase, Maryland. BUILDER: Michael Thornton, M.R. Thornton & Sons, Inc., Woodbine, Maryland.
RESOURCES
Cabinetry: qcci.com. Countertops: caesarstoneus.com through stoneandtileworld.com. Cabinetry Hardware: topknobsdecor.com. Sinks & Fixtures: kohler.com. Glass Doors & Mirrors: hutchisonglassandmirror.com. Wall, Floor & Accent Tile: porcelanosa-usa.com.
A widower in Silver Spring ready for a fresh start decided to remake his traditional master bath into a sleek, contemporary oasis. “He wanted a roomy, second-floor space that could be used for years to come,” says Jonas Carnemark of Carnemark design + build, who was tasked with carrying out the transformation. “We knew he would be aging in the home, so we created a modern, functional, accessible bathroom—we even constructed an elevator to the second floor.”
First, they borrowed from an adjacent room to enlarge the WC, widening its doorway and the entry to the main bath and fitting them both with sliding pocket doors of frosted glass with a graphic stripe. An oversized walk-in shower replaced a seldom-used tub; the shower area contains a window frosted with the same pattern for privacy and a built-in seat that’s clad in the tile to match the shower wall.
“The owner requested a sophisticated yet manageable experience,” Carnemark explains. The budget was not an issue, so they selected high-end products ranging from a self-cleaning toilet with an integrated bidet, nightlight, air deodorizer and dryer to handheld showerheads with thermostatic controls and a multi-setting rain showerhead. A mirrored lift-up medicine cabinet, fitted with fogless settings and additional lighting, includes internal heating and cooling controls, as well as USB ports and outlets. A wireless LED lighting and temperature program is controlled via iPhone.
Carnemark achieved a modern vibe with Italian porcelain tile in contrasting charcoal and striated marble, floating SieMatic cabinetry in light gray, Caesarstone vanity tops and wall-mounted Dornbracht fixtures. Frosted-glass pendants resemble glowing sculptures.
BATH DESIGN & CONTRACTING: Jonas Carnemark, CR, CKD, CLIPP, Carnemark design + build, Bethesda, Maryland.
RESOURCES
Cabinetry: konstsiematic.com. Countertop: caesarstoneus.com. Sinks: alape.com. Toilet: totousa.com. Sink & Shower Fixtures: dornbracht.com. Floor & Wall Tile: delconcausa.com. Shower & Vanity Wall Tile: architecturalceramics.com. Frosted Glass: klein-usa.com. Pendant Lights: artemide.com. Home Automation System: leviton.com. Medicine Cabinet: robern.com.
Two bold wallpaper patterns—one a tiger motif and the other a bold abstract—inspired interior designer Melissa Broffman’s renovation of an outdated master bath. Located in the Bethesda home of former CNN correspondent Candy Crowley, the finished space reflects a life of intrepid travel and adventure in its eclectic, inviting sensibility.
“I wanted the bathroom to have an exotic feel,” Broffman explains, “as if Candy was on vacation every day.”
The designer first reorganized the room’s awkward layout, replacing a dated, overlarge corner tub with a roomy shower. “When I design bathrooms,” she notes, “creating a pleasing shower experience is key.” The vanity moved to the opposite wall, where a narrow shower had shared space with an impractical niche. Now, a double vanity with gray-painted cabinetry and Pure White quartz countertops lines the wall. Broffman created a wing wall to one side of the shower to accommodate a stack of open shelves and enlarged the WC to a more convenient size.
Broffman’s two wallpaper selections—Clarence House Tibet in the bathroom and Schumacher Queen of Spain in the WC—drove the remaining material palette. Large-format, wood-look porcelain floor tile conveys a rustic, outdoorsy vibe that complements both patterns. The shower walls are clad in textured, irregularly sized white subway tile, and the shower floor is made of honed marble that resembles river rock. An existing window in the shower enclosure has been shortened and frosted glass added for privacy; the glass-fronted pocket door to the WC is also frosted.
A Currey & Company pendant made of sea glass hangs above the soaking tub, adding a final, special touch.
BATH DESIGN: Melissa Broffman, Allied ASID, Melissa Broffman Interior Design, Arlington, Virginia. Builder: Chris Kupczak, K-Quality Services, LLC, Vienna, Virginia.
RESOURCES
Boyce Soaking Tub: signaturehardware.com. Cabinetry, Shower, Sinks & Fixtures: kohler.com through tsomerville.com. Countertops: alexandriagranite.com. Floor Tile: emilamerica.com. Shower Floor: islandstone.com. Shower Wall Tile: mexicanhandcraftedtile.com. Light over Tub: curreyandco.com. Vanity Sconces: hudsonvalleylighting.com. Wallpaper in Bathroom: clarencehouse.com. Wallpaper in WC: fschumacher.com. Teak Stool: wisteria.com.
On October 28, design buffs can join the Historic Bloomingdale: Victorian Secrets & Modern Truths House Tour, which celebrates this hip, fast-changing neighborhood in Northwest DC. The event includes self-guided tours of eight to 10 notable Bloomingdale residences; a lecture by architect Ahmet Kilic on the history of the neighborhood’s architecture; and design workshops by other local architects and designers on lighting, urban landscaping and color. bloomingdalecivicassociation.org
Also on October 28: A walking tour of adjacent McMillan Park, a historic landmark designed by Frederick Law Olmsted that surrounds the McMillan Park Reservoir. Led by local resident Paul Cerruti, the tour will highlight the park’s history, vistas, and connection to Bloomingdale. friendsofmcmillan.org
The Darryl Carter Collection for Milling Road conveys a sense of understated grace. Known for his refined aesthetic, Carter combined classical looks with the clean lines of the mid-20th century in pieces ranging from case goods and upholstery to lighting, textiles, and
accessories. “The collection has a very individual spirit,” the designer says. “Some compositions may seem an odd amalgam, but that is highly deliberate. I am prone to contrasts, opposites and the tension between classical and modern. I like juxtaposing things that might otherwise never be placed with one another.”
Though a lawyer by training, Carter was always fascinated by design and shifted gears about 20 years ago to launch a successful interiors practice. He has written two best-selling books, and his eponymous boutique—located in a pre-Civil War carriage house in Shaw—reflects his timeless appeal and gathered sensibility.
“In this age of ‘instant,’ the home should remain a bastion of tranquility that expresses the individual,” he says. “No two homes should ever be the same.” The collection is available exclusively at Baker in DC’s Cady’s Alley. bakerfurniture.com
Joanne Fitzgerald’s keen design sensibilities stood her in good stead when she first saw the 1926 row house on Capitol Hill. With interiors painted from top to bottom in what she describes as “Pepto-Bismol pink,” the dark, outdated abode had never been renovated—yet she could see that it perfectly met the requirements she and her then-fiancé, Russell Banks, had for the home they hoped to find in DC.
“We bought it because it still had all the original architectural features,” she explains. “We wanted a house that hadn’t had the soul taken out of it.”
Fitzgerald and Banks, who works as a personal trainer, happily embarked on a yearlong renovation that would bring the three-bedroom house up to date while preserving the features they loved. Rooms were repurposed, doorways enlarged and the kitchen and bathrooms overhauled. A ramshackle, eight-foot-deep, two-story sleeping porch off the back was replaced with a 23-foot-deep, two-story addition comprising a family room on the ground level with a master suite above. These airy, open spaces brought much-needed light to the existing 1,250-square foot structure.
The couple was determined to hold onto architectural details—even reinstalling an exterior door and window in their original location in the kitchen, where they now overlook the family room. French doors that once opened to the sleeping porch upstairs now lead to the family room. Broken panes were replaced by old glass sourced from a salvage shop in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Banks stripped and refinished all the original window frames, doors (16 altogether), transoms and moldings. He painstakingly restored each architectural element by hand—including the banister and stair rail, “which took about 100 hours,” recounts Fitzgerald. It’s now natural-wood colored with a clear finish and a prominent design element in the foyer. “I focus a lot on the details,” Banks says of his labors. “It’s the restoration of everything to its original condition.”
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Visitors to the house walk through a front garden designed and planted by Fitzgerald, and past the white-trimmed porch, which provides a crisp contrast to the deep blue-gray brick exterior—once a dingy brown hue. Inside a modern front door of sapele wood and cross-reeded glass, the dining room (formerly the living room) lies to the right through a doorway that has been widened by 30 inches. A narrow hall leads straight ahead past the staircase to the kitchen and the family-room addition beyond.
The original kitchen measured only six feet wide, so removing the wall that separated it from the adjacent dining room was imperative. The basement stairs also shifted from their location under the main staircase. “It was important we capture the stairway space for kitchen storage,” Fitzgerald notes. A low closet under the stairs is unobtrusively tucked behind a wallpapered door, and the built-in fridge occupies the spot next to it.
Fitzgerald paired UltraCraft cabinetry in a sleek, bamboo finish with crisp, white quartz countertops. However, the encaustic floor tiles are the star of the room. “I had been pining for them for years, since visiting Brazil where they’re everywhere,” the designer comments. “I chose a Moroccan pattern because it was a transitional look since our style is both traditional and modern.”
The bold, red-and-white floor meant Fitzgerald had to be careful with the backsplash, which combines marble subway tile with narrow glass tile in vibrant red. “I was going to do a random pattern on the whole wall, but with the floor, I realized it would be too busy,” she says. Instead, the red tiles, installed in a jagged-edge motif, create a focal point above the range. “The tile installer had to cut every single stone to fit the edges,” she recalls ruefully. “It was a big job.”
The family room now houses a stairway to the basement, as well as a wall of floor-to-ceiling French doors opening out to a Brazilian teak deck. Upstairs, the airy master bedroom boasts matching French doors opening to a false Juliet balcony of wrought iron.
Fitzgerald’s eclecticism is reflected in the home’s art, furniture and finishes, which blend antique, contemporary and ethnic pieces with a wonderfully collected result. “I like spaces to look evolved over time,” she says.
A plush, chenille wall covering by Romo in the dining room provides the backdrop for a contemporary Modloft table and transitional chairs in felt upholstery. Linen Romo draperies frame the windows. In the family room, an engineered-wood floor is a wire-brushed and stained dark to match the home’s original pine floors. A reupholstered sectional from Tomlinson and Baker chairs offer space to gather.
Art, sculpture, and textiles lend color, texture, and interest throughout. The collection speaks to Fitzgerald’s affinity for art and imparts a strong sense of her style. The house is exactly what the now-married couple wanted. “The goal,” says the designer, “was to feel at home.”
Photographer David Burroughs is based in Annapolis.
INTERIOR DESIGN & CONTRACTING: Joanne Fitzgerald, Gatéga Interior Design, Washington, DC.
RESOURCES
PORCH Front Door: simpsondoor.com through twperry.com. Fish Sculpture: fragersdc.com. Address Plaque: Custom through modaindustria.com. Sconce: Pandora through ylighting.com.
FOYER Art on the wall: Joseph Holston through holstonart.com. Bench: Chinese Antique. Rug: feizy.com. Wallpaper: romo.com.
DINING ROOM Table: modloft.com. Chairs: aidangrayhome.com. Art on Wall: Gary Pettigrew. Sculptures in Corner: Antique Man/Woman Green through thephillipscollection.org. Chandelier: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Wallpaper: omexco.com through romo.com. Drapes: markalexander.com through romo.com.
KITCHEN Cabinetry: ultracraft.com through prokitchenandbath.com. Countertops: Snow White Quartz through alpinestoneusa.com. Bull Painting: katiepumphrey.com. Faucet: latoscanacollection.com. Pendant Lights: visualcomfortlightinglights.com. Stools: ericbrand.com. Stool Upholstery: kirkbydeisgn.com through romo.com. Cement Tile: villalagoontile.com. Appliances: thermador.com through abwappliances.com. Wall Tile: Royal Satin white marble through tileshop.com. Backsplash Tile: missionstonetile.com.
FAMILY ROOM Blue Armchairs: americanleather.com. Upholstery: Lambswool through romo.com. Chair Pillows: leejofa.com. Painting over Blue Chairs: nancymcintyrestudio.com. Bench by Sectional. Antique. Sectional: tomlinsoncompanies.com. Sectional Fabric: romo.com. Drapes: markalexander.com for romo.com Throw on Sectional: Alpaca through imagine-home.com. Temple Figures by Stairs: antint.com. Floor Lamp: tracygloverstudio.com. Coffee Table by Sectional: globalviews.com. Rug: Owners’ collection. Figures by Window: Wood, papier maché. TV Cabinet: crofthouse.com. Metal-Framed Chairs: bakerfurniture.com
HALL BATH Wallpaper: cole-and-son.com. Mosaic Stone Floor: tileshop.com. Vanity & Wall Sconce: restorationhardware.com. Countertop: wdstone.net. Mirror: feiss.com.
MASTER BEDROOM Bedstead: restorationhardware.com. Bedding: callistohome.com. Starburst Mirror: arteriorshome.com. Nightstand to Right of Bed: Antique.Nightstand to Left of Bed: woodbridgefurniture.com. Bedside Lamps: curreycodealers. Walnut Floor: American walnut through lumberliquidators.com. Rugby Loveseat: Owners’ collection. Painting over Loveseat: Artist Unknown. Loveseat: Custom by stewartfurniture.com. Loveseat Fabric: romo.com. Drapes: markalexander.com for romo.com. Micro Welt: leejofa.com. Crystal Chandelier: nibahome.com.
Sallie Kjos grew up working in her aunt’s antique store and listening to her father, a master builder from England, discuss his craft. Today as a designer, the Virginia native brings to her work a great respect for history and craftsmanship—coupled with a fresh eye and a lively, clean-lined aesthetic. “I believe your space should have a story because we all have a story,” she says. “I like to be inspired by something existing and figure out how to change a look while honoring what my clients already have.”
Kjos, who graduated from Marymount University’s interior design program, launched GreyHunt Interiors (named for her sons, Greyson and Hunter) in 2009. She worked part-time until 2014 when her kids were a little older and it was time for the single mom to shift into high gear. GreyHunt Interiors now boasts a roster of 15 clients and two design assistants. Project locations range from Ashburn and Chantilly to Fairfax and Great Falls.
According to Kjos, psychology plays a big role in her work, determining color palette—the first thing she considers when beginning a project—among other factors. “My job is to get in my clients’ heads,” she comments. “My choices depend on their situation and what best suits them. Do they need calming colors or bright ones?
“My joy,” she adds, “is to change how they feel in a space.”
Interior Design: Sallie Kjos, Sallie Kjos Interiors, LLC, South Riding, Virginia.
Although Byron Risdon earned a graduate degree in education and later taught school, interior design was always in the back of his mind. “I used to do small projects for friends,” he recalls. “At first I didn’t realize I wanted to do this for a living; I just knew I liked creating. But finally, I decided I had to try.”
Then based in Atlanta, Risdon, who originally hails from South Carolina, applied for a design-assistant position at New York’s venerable Crain & Ventolo Associates—and got it. Subsequent jobs sprang up with other boutique design firms. “I’ve taken something away from every job I’ve had—new resources, vendors, sensibilities,” he reflects. “There is always more to learn.”
Risdon eventually relocated to DC, launching Byron Risdon LLC in spring 2016. Currently running a one-man operation, he laughingly describes himself as “bookkeeper, designer, mover, measurer, and draftsman.”
Though just embarking on his solo career, Risdon offers years of experience—and a strong design philosophy. He begins every project with the rug—even if it is an existing element—and he refuses to see clients’ artwork until the end because he doesn’t want it to influence his choices. “Art is personal and often not part of the design,” he explains. “We will make it work.” When it comes to creating interiors, he advises, “Do what makes you feel good.”
Interior Design: Byron Risdon, Byron Risdon LLC, Washington, DC. Renovation Architecture & Contracting: Paul Locher, Locher Design Build, Silver Spring, Maryland.
