Home & Design

Ask the Pros Landscape What popular features give residential pools a luxurious, resort-like feel?   

Today’s residential pools offer endless possibilities in terms of design, function, and materials. When a site’s elevation has enough fall to accommodate a vanishing-edge pool, swimmers can enjoy the magical illusion of being connected to a vista beyond. The backside of a pool’s vanishing edge might be a roaring waterfall or a slow, gentle cascade driven by remote control. In combination with well-designed patios, walkways, architectural structures and a plant palette rich in the floral display, natural habitat, and year-round interest, a residential pool and landscape can be as luxurious as a world-class resort.

—Jennifer Connoley, Jennifer Connoley Landscape Design, Easton, Maryland

Ask the Pros Architecture How do you help clients hone in on a vernacular or style for a 21st-century home?

People begin thinking about their new homes with pictures, which they bring to our office. What I look for in the images—and listen for in our conversations about them—are common threads: What do the pictures evoke? What in each image caused the client to select it? Was there a particular detail, a component of building form, an experiential revelation, a use of materials? Each picture has a special element to discover and understand. When I weave these threads together, the result is a kind of stylistic palette that we use to sketch the vision for a house. Often this sketch will evoke a certain vernacular or classical style.

—Scarlett Breeding, AIA, Alt Breeding Schwarz, Annapolis, Maryland

Ask the Pros Interior Design How do you design a waterfront home to evoke its setting without being overdone or trite? 

The key is to bring a waterfront feel to space without being too cute about it. First, I rely on plump, comfortable, inviting upholstered pieces that are an invitation to sit awhile, relax and enjoy the view. Soft blues and greens really bring the outdoors in. I like to decorate with shells and coral for texture—maybe a bowl of them, or a larger one on top of a stack of coffee-table books. But I tend to steer clear of fabrics that are overtly “beachy”—patterns with flip-flops and beach umbrellas, for example. I might use one accent pillow with a coral motif, but that’s it!

—Julie Bass, Julie Bass Interiors, Severna Park, Maryland 

Ask the Pros Builder What common mistake do homeowners make when building on the bay? 

Homeowners often do not plan the ways in which they will deal with the abundance of water in its many forms. First, the lot should be protected by storm-water controls as it is prepared for construction. Once the home takes form, the windows, doors, and roofs should be flashed with materials resistant to corrosion by salt air, to protect against bulk water associated with weather events. Windows and doors should be robust enough to defend against vapor intrusion, which is common in waterfront environments. Finally, controlling humidity with a well-designed HVAC system is paramount to a home’s longevity and the health of its owners. Be sure to choose an architect familiar with these details and a contractor with the experience to implement them correctly.

—Rich Lang, MBIA, Lang and Company, Arnold, Maryland

 

Shore Style Water World WORK OF ART  Large-scale watercolor-style crabs sidle over Pottery Barn’s playful Crab Printed Beach Towel. Made of cotton, the towel measures 64 by 32 inches. $29.50; add a name or monogram
for $9. potterybarn.com

LAP OF LUXURY  Relax atop the Mercury Bed & Sun Lounge by TUUCI, which hides its polished-titanium aluminum frame, modular marine-grade components and high-performance fabrics under a luxurious exterior. An optional vented canopy top can be removed to reveal retractable sunroof drapes. Price on request. tuuci.com

COCKTAIL HOUR  The Ultimate Serving Cart from Frontgate is made of all-weather wicker with glass overlays. Roll it poolside on wheels that lock in place; plates, napkins and silverware stow away while open shelves hold other party essentials. $799. frontgate.com

FIRELIGHT  Carved out of polished granite with a contrasting rough-chiseled pedestal, the clean-lined Saturn Fire Vessel by Stone Forest measures 15 inches high and 36 inches in diameter—and weighs in at 500 pounds. Available with natural gas or propane and a light blue- or black-glass bowl. $2,225.
stoneforest.com

SUNSPOT  Restoration Hardware’s all-weather wicker-and-teak Malibu Chaise was designed with a low, mid-century profile. Perennials and Sunbrella cushions sold separately. $1,995. rh.com

Rooms With a View Industrial Chic Originally a 1920s grain elevator, Baltimore’s Silo Point is now an industrial-chic high-rise condominium. Situated on Locust Point, the building takes advantage of breathtaking views of Baltimore Harbor on three sides—which was foremost in the mind of designer Jeanine Turner when she was asked to decorate one of the building’s model units. “In any room, there should be one star,” she says. “In this case, it was definitely the view.” Turner selected a soft, neutral palette of grays as a backdrop, then enlivened the space with chrome accents “that dazzle.” Textural surfaces play off contemporary furnishings in the space, which encompasses seating and dining areas.

Interior Design: Jeanine Turner, Turner Design Firm, Baltimore, Maryland. Photography: RaRah Photo.

Rooms With a View River Vista A classically styled Annapolis home designed by architect Wayne Good fits seamlessly into its 1920s neighborhood while taking advantage of panoramic views of the Severn River and the Naval Academy. The house is elevated about 30 feet above the water, with a veranda running along the back that’s accessible from each room. Pictured here, the home’s entrance hall, where the river is visible through a set of French doors. “The front door is solid,” Good explains. “When it swings open, you immediately get the surprise of the view.”

Architecture: Wayne Good, FAIA, Good Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. Interior Design: Mona Hajj, Mona Hajj Interiors, Baltimore, Maryland. Builder: Winchester Construction, Millersville, Maryland. Photography: Vince Lupo/Direction One, Inc.

Vive la France In 1936, France was deliberating over the purchase of a 1910 Tudor Revival mansion in Kalorama for its ambassador’s residence in the U.S. It was a difficult decision: While the location was a coveted one even then, an English-style estate hardly seemed appropriate for a house representing France.

The location won out. But under the influence of successive ambassadors over the next 80 years, the interiors of the residence—designed by Jules Henri de Sibour, a Parisian-born architect who lived in Washington—took on a distinctly French style. Unfortunately, they also became worn out, with antiquated mechanical systems, sun damage, peeling paint and leaks.

In 2013, the embassy hired Quinn Evans Architects to give the residence a sorely needed update. Though the budget for the renovation was $7 million, it was pared down significantly. “We designed a $7 million package that we then scaled back,” explains project architect Jeff Luker. “We focused on interiors and systems rather than site work, which we hope will happen in the future.”

The $5 million renovations was completed a year ago. It modernized the electric and mechanical systems and added a new chef’s kitchen with zones for hot and cold food prep and pastry making. A private ambassador’s suite was carved out on the second floor. “The residence does a large amount of entertaining, so the mechanical system had to support 150 to 200 people at a time, as well as provide comfort for an ambassador with a family,” says project interior designer Katie Irwin.

Quinn Evans collaborated with Anne-Sophie Fries-Thébaut, an interior architect at the French Foreign Ministry’s Office of Cultural Heritage and Decoration, to give the public rooms a much-needed facelift. They had help from an unexpected quarter as well: Ambassador Gérard Araud, who assumed the Washington post in September 2014.

Araud, 63, brought vision and a keen sense of style to the project—in more ways than one. “When I became an ambassador 13 years ago, I wondered whether the residence was really useful or if it promoted a sort of old-fashioned diplomacy,” he observes. “But I discovered that it’s an important spot for creating personal relationships. The ambassador should not be stiff and formal.”

Fries-Thébaut and Araud both favored the idea of bringing in a fresh, modern vibe—not to replace the home’s historic elements but to blend with them. “I think it is part of the French style to mix different periods and styles, not to have everything appear to be in a decorator’s style,” Araud comments. In fact, he introduced dramatic contemporary elements into the mix—works by his longtime partner and photographer, Pascal Blondeau, that now hang on the walls of the Salon des Boiseries and the Winter Salon; and the distinctive Regency Chain Link Light in the entrance hall, which he discovered in a Madison Avenue shop in New York.

Araud arrived in time to weigh in on paint selections for the dining room, which went from dark green to pale gray and citron. The Empire Salon also underwent a transformation: Red walls were replaced by a beige-and-white textural wall covering. Crisply painted wainscoting in the reception rooms conceals new mechanical systems. Historic fixtures and hardware were upgraded, including better lighting for artwork.

Against the backdrop of lighter, brighter reception rooms where classical portraits of historic French figures mingle with modern canvases, Araud entertains five to six times a week. Events range from a breakfast for 20 to a Bastille Day celebration with a 400-person guest list. “The house is beautiful and people expect great wine and very good cuisine,” he says. “Americans are more casual and they appreciate that I am opening up this personal residence to them.”

In addition to frequent diplomatic events—journalists and think tankers met to discuss Syria at a recent dinner for 12—the residence opens its doors annually for the Vanity Fair party that follows the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Charities hold fundraisers there and Dior feted the opening of its CityCenterDC shop at the residence. When French president François Hollande visits Washington, this is where he stays.

“The residence is multi-faceted, serving everything from politics to economics to social relationships,” says Araud. “In a sense, it reflects the job of the ambassador.”

Photographer Ron Blunt is based in Washington, DC.

RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE: JEFF LUKER, AIA, LEED AP, and KATIE IRWIN, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, Quinn Evans Architects, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: ANNE-SOPHIE FRIES-THEBAUT, Office of Cultural Heritage and Decoration of the French Foreign Ministry, Paris, France. CONTRACTOR: The Christman Company, Reston, Virginia.

Out of the Ashes Eric and Kristin Burka were enjoying a Friday evening at home when they noticed smoke billowing from the house next door, which was under construction. Within moments, “that house just exploded,” recalls Eric, a marketing consultant. “There were fire engines everywhere.” Located close together on a residential street in Chevy Chase, the surrounding homes were clearly in jeopardy—and sure enough, the Burkas’ roof soon caught fire. The couple quickly evacuated their three teenagers and pets, then salvaged what they could of their artwork with the help of neighbors. They stood on the street and watched the mayhem, relieved to be safe.

By the next day, relief had turned to shock. The traditional spec home the couple had bought in 2001 was in ruins; while extinguishing the flames that enveloped the roof, firemen had dumped thousands of gallons of water into the house. Smoke permeated the structure.

The Burkas moved to a rental nearby and embarked on the complicated process of rebuilding their home. Viewing the disaster as an opportunity to improve the builder-grade space, they selected builder Steve Kirstein of BOWA and designer Gerald Smith, who frequently collaborate, for the job. “We took what was a production house and turned it into a true custom home,” Kirstein says. “It was literally a shell when we started. We put in a new roof, floors, staircases, drywall, wiring, a lot of plumbing and new HVAC systems.”

The biggest challenge from Kirstein’s perspective was eradicating the smell of smoke. “The hardest part is tracking down those smells,” he observes. “In areas where you think you’ve replaced everything, the smoke smell is still there. There’s a fine line: You want to do everything necessary, but things that don’t need to be replaced shouldn’t be. It’s a balancing act.”

Meanwhile, Smith was creating new, more functional spaces within the original footprint. A second door in the family room was added for better access to the deck and storage was created to meet the family’s specific needs. A dog crate was even built into the mudroom cabinetry. “Everything is organized now,” marvels Eric. “Everything has a place.”

Smith followed the original layout but made significant changes to the look and feel of the home. “There was freedom to restyle it with a more transitional flavor,” he says. “We came up with a scheme: a chic family home that’s very easy to live in.”

Replacing traditional double-hung windows, minimalist, metal-clad window frames now convey an industrial vibe. Rooms were delineated by architectural features: Columns and a cross-barrel-vaulted ceiling now distinguish the foyer and rough-sawn oak beams embellish the living room ceiling. A mahogany wall in the family room frames a limestone fireplace that replaced one of fieldstone. A new stairway boasts a graceful, over-the-post handrail and strategically placed lighting illuminates pathways through the house at night.

The Burkas were able to save valuable art, including two paintings by Joan Miró and an etching by Goya. Olin Conservation in Great Falls restored the artwork while Middleburg-based antiques conservator Nick Greer restored family heirlooms. “He’s the only guy left who does a real French polish,” Kristin says. “The furniture looks better than before, even pieces that were nearly destroyed.” Unfortunately, she adds, “anything fabric we couldn’t keep—pillows, bedding, upholstery, mattresses, curtains.” Smith chose clean-lined transitional replacements for these items, creating a stylish, eclectic look.

An oval, rift-cut walnut island topped with Calacatta marble now anchors the kitchen, and peripheral rift-cut, white-oak cabinets are paired with Silestone counters. A rounded metal support column has replaced a mundane square version. The kitchen opens into the family room, where a beloved sectional was taken down to its frame and rebuilt.

To help their children move past the traumatic event, the Burkas allowed them to choose their own room décors, with Smith’s guidance. The designer also reconfigured the basement to include a media room, craft area, exercise room and additional guest suite. “We replaced all the games, trying to make things as normal as possible,” Eric says.

In fact, the healing process was key for builder and designer as well. “Really, you’re working with folks who’ve been through a horrible ordeal,” comments Kirstein. “The trick is to give them TLC, to lead them through everything. You want to help them avoid surprises because they’ve had enough of those.” v

Photographer John Magor is based in Stafford, Virginia. 

ARCHITECTURAL & INTERIOR DESIGN: GERALD L. SMITH, ASID, G. L. Smith Associates, Inc., Washington, DC. BUILDER: STEVE KIRSTEIN, BOWA, McLean, Virginia.

 

 

Cachet On Walnut Hill When Penney Hubbard first contacted landscape photographer Roger Foley regarding her wish to do a book about her garden, he was a little skeptical. “A lot of times, gardeners think their garden is good enough to fill a book,” he says. In this case, however, it turned out to be true. Hubbard and her husband, A.C., had been perfecting their two-acre hillside property in suburban Baltimore for 45 years, so they had a story to tell. And for nearly all that time, they had been working with renowned Maryland landscape designer Kurt Bluemel.

Foley photographed Walnut Hill seven times over the course of 2014 for what would become a gorgeous, 265-page book rich in colorful, lush detail. “I always love to go back to a garden during different seasons,” he comments. “Things that stand out during one season will recede during another. The challenge is to find what’s extraordinary about each season’s garden.”

Written by Kathy Hudson and published last year, On Walnut Hill: The Evolution of a Garden (Hillside Press, Wilson, Wyoming; 2015; $50) is interspersed with the history of the Hubbards’ garden—and by extension, their life—while pictorial essays chronicle the changes in the landscape throughout the seasons.

Sadly, Bluemel died before the project was finished—and that, says Hubbard, made her more determined to make the book the best it could be. “I wanted to document the garden’s evolution over many years,” she explains. “I also wanted to honor Kurt’s role. He taught us so much, it was an awakening when he began working with us.”

Chef's Paradise A sprawling home in Fairfax Station beckoned a couple in search of a kid-friendly environment for their four young children. After considering the draw of its expansive swimming pool and outdoor sport court, they decided that an outdated, poorly laid out kitchen was no obstacle. “We bought the house for the outdoor spaces,” the wife says. “We knew we wanted to redo the kitchen from the moment we moved in.”

The couple, a veterinarian and a stay-at-home mom, waited about a year, then contacted Sonny Nazemian of Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, who had worked on a number of other homes in the neighborhood. The wife was more than prepared, having browsed Pinterest for a year. “She was after certain things and knew the look she wanted from the get-go,” Nazemian comments. “I just did the fine-tuning.”

At the top of the priority list was a kitchen that would comfortably accommodate the whole family. “I wanted the kitchen to be where my kids hung out because I knew I was always going to be in there,” the wife explains. She also wanted a convenient laundry room, a computer station and a mudroom with plenty of storage for sports equipment.

To gain space without enlarging the home’s footprint, Nazemian converted a bay in the three-car garage into a mudroom featuring kids’ cubbies and cabinets that conceal sports paraphernalia; a large niche for laundry with built-in cabinets and sink; and a pass-through to the kitchen with a built-in computer desk.

The kitchen was enlarged to encompass an adjoining room that formerly held the washer and dryer. In place of one small island, two large ones provide ample room for work, storage and family members.  “The original space didn’t allow for all four kids to be in there at the same time, but now they can all do homework there while I’m making dinner,” the wife says.

Since she loves to cook, top-of-the-line appliances and a functional layout were a must. The previous cooktop, located on an island without adequate ventilation, had to go. Nazemian replaced it with a six-burner, dual-oven Wolf range which is now anchored on a wall and paired with an imposing, custom stainless-steel hood.

Two Kohler farmhouse sinks are conveniently situated—one on the island closest to the range and the other in front of a window. The other island is designed with seating space on comfortable upholstered benches; it also houses a steam oven, microwave, warming drawer and—the wife’s favorite feature—a built-in cappuccino maker. There are two Miele dishwashers and a double-door Sub-Zero fridge. On one wall, a drinks station includes a full-height beverage refrigerator as well as wine storage. A nearby “nugget” ice machine comes in handy.

With the wife’s vision for a stylish, transitional look in mind, Nazemian installed custom maple cabinetry by Decora throughout the kitchen and the adjoining spaces; peripheral cabinets are crisp white while the island cabinets are stained dark. Cabinets are topped with stunning quartzite counters, which, measuring three-and-a-half inches thick on  the islands, gives them extra visual mass. Carrara marble subway tile adorns the backsplash. Nazemian extended the quartzite counters and marble backsplash into the mudroom, laundry room and computer station, unifying the spaces.

Large pendants from Restoration Hardware hang above both islands and wood-like porcelain-tile floors were chosen to conceal dirt. The wife selected benches for the island from The Nest Egg in Fairfax and opted for clean-lined window treatments. And she asked Nazemian and his team to match the imposing, nearly-six-inch crown moldings that adorn the rest of the main floor. “Sonny made everything work,” she says. “I would come up with an idea and say, ‘Sonny, this is what I need,’ and he would make it happen.”

Photographer Greg Hadley is based in Fairfax, Virginia.

KITCHEN DESIGN & CONTRACTING: SONNY NAZEMIAN, principal, Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes, Fairfax, Virginia.

Fitting Tribute The National Museum of the Marine Corps first opened its doors in 2006. Designed by Fentress Architects and owned by the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, the circular building centers on a sky-lit structure inspired by the iconic photograph of Marines raising the American flag amidst the rubble at Iwo Jima—the angle of its roof dramatically mirrors the slant of the flagpole.

Currently, the museum—located near the Marine Corps base at Quantico in Virginia—traces the history of the military branch from its inception through the Vietnam era. But that will change following a new, 120,000-square-foot expansion underway that will house exhibits spanning the post-Vietnam years to recent conflicts such as the Gulf wars and Afghanistan.

“A piece of the circle had not been completed,” explains Brian Chaffee of Fentress Architects, who is spearheading the project. “The plan was always to accommodate a future expansion that would be a continuation of gallery space.”

The new construction, to be completed in stages over the next four years, will house an art gallery and studio, a sports gallery, a giant-screen theater, classrooms, a Hall of Valor and administrative offices. The project will double the size of the museum’s restaurant, Tun Tavern—named for the 1770s Philadelphia watering hole where the Marine Corps was first formed.

During January and February 2016, a restored World War II SBD Dauntless dive bomber and a Vietnam-era Sikorsky helicopter were installed in the central gallery and are now on view. The museum will be open to visitors for the remainder of construction.

ARCHITECTURE: BRIAN H. CHAFFEE, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C, a principal in charge; CHARLES CANNON, project manager, Fentress Architects, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: Balfour Beatty Construction, LLC, Fairfax, Virginia. OWNER’S REPRESENTATIVE: Jacobs Project Management Company, Arlington, Virginia.

 

Bohemian Rhapsody Time has been good to this house on the Corsica River. After beginning its life in 1914 with a mere two rooms on the ground floor and a center hall, it has bloomed into a sprawling home on 34 acres with quirks, character and river views galore.

When a retired couple from DC purchased the Centreville, Maryland, abode called Windy Hill as their weekend getaway in 2008, it had already undergone a 1960s makeover that added a new kitchen at one end and a great room at the other. In 2001, Annapolis architect Chip Bohl removed the wall between the dining room and foyer and updated the living room, kitchen and much of the upstairs for previous owners. He created the architectural features and non-traditional aesthetic that attracted the DC couple when they first saw the house. “I remember walking up to the second-floor landing and looking out through a wall of windows at the river,” the wife relates. “I thought, ‘This is it; this is the house we want.’”

However, parts of it were still outdated. So the husband, a civil engineer, and wife, a landscape architect, turned to Bohl to redo the great room and design a master suite above it in the style of his previous work.

“The great room was about creating a space that would engage the viewer,” Bohl says. “It’s a big room, so I used beams and columns to define it.” Laser-cut glass panels replaced walls that framed the windows out to the river, “so you can see the horizon line through a variety of openings.”

The roof was raised to accommodate the master suite, which encompasses a bedroom, sitting room, bath and walk-in closet. Bohl employed a range of materials and styles. Floors in the addition and millwork in the great room are walnut, while the rest of the house is in the original pine. “I like eclecticism,” he says. “I put things together that embrace variety.”

To ensure that the architecture and interiors would flow seamlessly, the couple hired designer Joe Ireland early in the process. He had worked on their DC house and understood their priorities. He also appreciated Bohl’s eclectic sensibility, reflected in the sculptural, asymmetrical plaster fireplace in the dining room, varied window choices and extensive millwork. “The moldings on the doors and windows are Arts & Crafts, which was very modern for the era when the house was built,” Ireland explains. “Chip took his ideas from that.”

The owners were open to the designer’s vision and wanted to start from scratch in terms of furniture and accessories, so Ireland began with a clean slate. He took his cues from the house. “I was going for ‘bohemian chic,’” he says. “It’s eclectic, with a sense of humor. It’s not dull.”

Ireland and the wife selected a mix of antiques and new pieces in styles ranging from rustic to mid-century to modern. In the great room, Christian Liaigre sofas are grouped with club chairs by Jamie Drake for Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman around a custom coffee table of Ireland’s design. The traditional living room sofa by Donghia is paired with an antique Chinese coffee table, while in the dining room, an antique table and chairs from Rose Tarlow offer a rustic touch.

Throughout the house, Ireland layered fabric patterns, from Ikat to patchwork, to convey the bohemian vibe. Colorful vintage rugs, faded by time, create a comfortable, lived-in look. “I wanted it to feel like all this stuff had been here a long time,” the designer says.

Meanwhile, the wife was working with Allison Marvin, an art consultant from DC-based Sightline, to acquire art for Windy Hill, a pursuit that is near and dear to her heart. Both Bohl and Ireland kept her growing collection of abstract and photographic art and sculptures in mind during the design process; Bohl framed wall space within columns and built-ins and Ireland selected furniture and finishes with specific pieces in mind. The owners’ collection includes works by up-and-coming artists, including many from “30 Americans,” a 2015 Corcoran exhibit that showcased African American artists.

A swimming pool and patio have been relocated from the front of the house to the side, where they are accessible via the great room. A charming brick porch that runs along the back is original to the house. The wife designed the grounds herself, creating S-shaped retaining walls that showcase banks of flowers and shrubs and a rain garden that flows to the river. As a landscape architect, she is currently working with the Department of Natural Resources to create a living shoreline along this part of the waterfront.

The couple enjoys every moment in their renovated home. “We do have a fabulous view,” says the wife. “We pinch ourselves all the time.”

Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and Spain.

Renovation Architecture: Chip Bohl,  Bohl Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Interior Design: Joe Ireland,  J.D. Ireland Interior Architecture + Design, Washington, DC. Builder: Winchester Construction, Millersville, Maryland.

Worlds Away For 30 years, Senator William Brock and his wife, Sandy, have gravitated to Annapolis for its welcoming brand of casual warmth. When they began going there in the mid-1980s, Brock—a Republican who served as both a congressman and senator from Tennessee—was at the height of an important Washington career. The charming waterfront town represented a much-needed escape. “It’s a different kind of place from Washington, quiet and friendly,” he says. “It’s very special.”

Fast-forward to 2013, when the couple—who have owned several boats and five homes in the area over the years—purchased a decrepit property sandwiched between other houses on a narrow lot in Eastport, an historic community on the Chesapeake. The circa-1880 house was literally falling down, but Sandy Brock, an interior designer by trade, could see its potential. “I have roots in Maryland,” says the Silver Spring native. “I loved that it was a waterman’s house. The challenge was exactly what I wanted.”

The couple hired Annapolis architect Scarlett Breeding to overhaul the home. They wanted to retain its sense of history while introducing modern elements: an open plan, lots of light and easy access to the backyard, which overlooks the bay. Breeding, project manager Angela Phelan and Sandy embarked on the project together. “The house is in a historic overlay district, which required that we save 50 percent of the existing structure,” Breeding explains. “We basically took down everything but the front façade and one wall, jacked them up to build a new foundation that would give them a basement level, and started from scratch.”

“We had a great partnership with total trust,” Sandy says. “I knew exactly what I wanted. I sketched designs and Scarlett made them sing.” Modern and historic elements blend seamlessly, inside and out. For example, while the front façade retained its 19th-century appearance—Breeding even recreated a porch, long gone, that had been original to the house—expansive windows in back opened the whole rear façade up to the water.

Inside, hand-hewn, reclaimed-wood beams and stone walls were juxtaposed with refined moldings and a floating staircase that curves up to the top floor. To bring in light, Breeding designed a three-story window wall beside the staircase, with a floor-to-ceiling scrim of fine fabric to conceal the neighboring house, located only 10 feet away. “It creates a light shaft between the two houses,” she explains.

The open plan encompasses living, dining and kitchen areas that spill out onto a porch overlooking a pool, croquet lawn and the river beyond. A paneled core in the center of the home holds storage and an elevator. Upstairs, the master suite faces the water, while a guest room at the front of the house reflects its history with original wood floors. Zoning regulations prohibited the construction of a full third story, so Breeding tucked a half-story into the dormers to house the senator’s home office. With views of passing sailboats, it provides a welcome spot for working. “The only trouble is you get captured by the spectacle,” he comments.

The open floor plan suits Brock and his wife, and works well for entertaining, which is something they do often—for philanthropic and occasionally political purposes, as well as for family and friends. They recently threw a surprise birthday party for their daughter, Julie Cram, who served in the George W. Bush administration as deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Public Liaison. They also hosted a lunch in honor of  former FBI and CIA Director William Webster and his wife, which was attended by Howard Wilkins, Jr., former ambassador to the Netherlands.

Following four terms in the House and one in the Senate and a stint as chairman of the Republican National Committee, Brock served in the Reagan administration, first as U.S. Trade Representative and then as Secretary of Labor. Though he left public office in the late 1980s, Brock, 85, remains active in public affairs, serving on four boards for which he travels extensively. He is a trustee and counselor for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he chairs the international policy round table. “I still care a lot about two primary issue groups,” he says. “One is international trade and the other is education reform. CSIS lets me do some of both.”

After 50 years in politics, he notes a sea change in the way Washington works—and doesn’t. “Instead of challenging people’s ideas, we are challenging their motives and values,” he observes. “In my time, we didn’t put a party label on everything. We listened to each other.”

Still, Brock can’t imagine retiring. “I’d be bored silly,” he says. Yet he and his wife prioritize spending time with their family of six grown children and 17 grandchildren. Luckily, three of their six kids live in the Annapolis area—so when the others visit, there are plenty of places for them to stay.

“The house is perfect for our needs,” Senator Brock comments, reflecting on its transformation. “Sandy was so good and Scarlett was just magic. We know how blessed we are and we’re grateful for it.”

Photographer David Burroughs is based in Annapolis.

ARCHITECTURE: SCARLETT BREEDING, AIA, and ANGELA PHELAN, RA, Alt Breeding Schwarz, Annapolis, Maryland.  INTERIOR DESIGN: SANDY BROCK, Sandy Mitchell Designs, Annapolis Maryland. CONTRACTOR: DAVID CARLISLE, Bayview Builders, Annapolis, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: KEVIN CAMPION, ASLA, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland.

Creative Vision Nestled among venerable estate homes in DC’s sought-after Kalorama neighborhood, a small, circa-1950s house had a lot to live up to. When a busy DC lawyer bought the home, she turned to Mary Douglas Drysdale to update it. The designer, who was raised in Kalorama, was pleased. Though the house was dated, with a dearth of storage and antiquated bathrooms, she knew it showed a lot of promise.

“It had a garage, a front yard, the potential for a nice garden in back and really nice living and dining room spaces,” Drysdale says. “But I felt we should compensate for the fact that it was newer in this historic area; I needed to give her glamour on the bathroom front and excellent storage—the things people look for in a house.”

Drysdale and her client reviewed their goals. The plan was to completely reconfigure the upstairs, which included a master suite and two spare bedrooms. On the ground floor, the living and dining rooms would be updated with a warm, sophisticated sensibility. A backyard makeover would create space to relax and entertain.

The designer and client tackled the upper-level renovation first. “There were three rooms on the second floor and that hasn’t changed,” says Drysdale. “But I took the walls down to the brick and started over.” The two spare bedrooms would be used as a dressing room and study, respectively, so she incorporated storage into both, and lined one wall of the study with bookshelves. The hall bath was moved and lavishly updated with gleaming Thassos marble tile, a Philippe Starck sink and fixtures from Waterworks.

In the master bedroom, a custom, hand-tufted headboard is built into a wall of architectural paneling that adds visual depth. Drysdale designed a walk-in custom closet and carved space out of one wall for a shallow cupboard dedicated to shoes and handbags. Sleek, glazed white-oak millwork, a Patterson Flynn Martin rug and Duralee cotton drapes with an embroidered border by Michael Savoia contribute further notes of glamour.

The original master bath was only five by seven feet—but Drysdale had big plans for it. To gain square footage, she incorporated part of the master bedroom on one side and the former hall bath on the other, adding a custom double vanity and a sculptural soaking tub by Kohler. On a mirrored wall behind the tub, she centered a sunburst mirror by Baker. A walk-in shower and W.C. are tucked into an adjoining space. Like the hall bath, the master bath is clad entirely in sparkling Thassos marble, to sumptuous effect.

On the first floor, Drysdale and her client created drama and interest with unexpected color palettes. The homeowner chose a deep brownish-red hue for the dining room that reminded Drysdale of two abstract paintings by Tati Kaupp she’d seen at Cross MacKenzie Gallery. She brought them to the house, and her client loved them. An existing walnut table and sideboard were paired with leather stools that Drysdale found online. Vibrant Robert Allen drapes add green and eggplant hues to the mix.

By contrast, a monochromatic, pale-gray scheme prevailed in the living room, where elegant John Saladino sofas were customized for the narrow space. Drysdale designed a Parsons coffee table and added ottomans by Lee Industries. A sleek limestone fireplace replaced a traditional one of wood. And after much lobbying, Drysdale convinced the homeowner to strip the orange-tinged floors and stain them a pale matte gray, which unified the living and dining rooms. Baltimore decorative painter Tom Hickey glazed the walls, then sealed them with a matte finish that adds subtle depth. “People think a faux finish has to be dramatic, but that isn’t the case,” Drysdale says.

Above the fireplace, an abstract painting by Julie Wolfe draws the eye. It’s flanked by platforms that Drysdale designs in different sizes for displaying art on walls; here, they hold artisanal ceramics from the Schaller Gallery in St. Joseph, Michigan. “This is a great way to display real ceramic art rather than a print of a piece of artwork,” she comments. “They also become architectural elements, as they draw a line across the room.” On the coffee table, Sam Scott ceramic vases pick up the colors in Wolfe’s painting.

The client is a fan of photography, so a large-scale black-and-white image by Maxwell MacKenzie is showcased on the opposite wall. Two photographs by Maryanne Pollock hang in the corner. “They are all by Washington artists,” Drysdale observes, “so they create a bit of a Washington story.”

In the brick-walled backyard, a wood deck holds dining and sitting areas with woven furniture by JANUS et Cie. Drysdale added colorful perennials in planters on casters that can be rolled over to the hose for watering—making them functional as well as beautiful. The client “wants to be able to use the garden easily,” Drysdale says. “There was a practical component to everything we did.”

RENOVATION, INTERIOR & LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MARY DOUGLAS DRYSDALE, Drysdale Design Associates, Washington, DC.

 

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT:  Contractor: Ivan Arana; [email protected]. Bathroom Contractor: Carlos Diaz; 240-501-4117. Deck Contractor: Steve Patterson; deckpatiolandscape.com.

LIVING ROOM—pages 118, 119, 120, 124:  Sofas: saladinostyle.com. Ottomans: leeindustries.com through americaneyewdc.net. Sofa & Ottoman Fabric: manuelcanovas.com through cowtan.com. Sofa Pillows: larsenfabrics.com, manuelcanovas.com through cowtan.com. Art Platforms & Coffee Table: Custom by marydouglasdrysdale.com. Rug: Custom through J. Brooks Designer Floors; 703-698-0790. Black-and-White Ceramic Vases on Coffee Table: samscottpottery.com through schallergallery.com. Ceramic Pieces on Platforms: schallergallery.com. Draperies: larsenfabrics.com through cowtan.com. Drapery Fabricator: marydouglasdrysdale.com. Paintings above Platform: maryannepollock.com.

REAR GARDEN—pages 120, 121, 122, 123:  Furniture: janusetcie.com. Planters: campaniainternational.com. Pillows with Circle Motif: americaneyewdc.net. Striped Pillows: cowtan.com. Striped Pillow Fabricator: marydouglasdrysdale.com.

FRONT GARDEN—pages 120:  Cement-Like Chair & Stool: zacharyadesign.com.

DINING ROOM—pages 124, 125:  Table & Sideboard: Owner’s collection. Draperies: robertallendesign.com. Drapery Fabricator: gretcheneverett.com. Stools around Table: marydouglasdrysdale.com. Dishware: hermes.com. Flatware: juliska.com.

STUDY—page 126:  Sofa: Owner’s collection. Tree Stump Tables: stinewoodworking.com. Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Draperies: brunschwig.com through kravet.com. Throws: aliciaadamsalpaca.com.

DRESSING ROOM—page 126:  Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Vanity: crateandbarrel.com. Chair: roomandboard.com. Sheer Window Treatments: sandrajordan.com through evansandsheldon.com.

MASTER BEDROOM—pages 126, 127, 129:  Draperies: duralee.com. Embroidery: Custom by marydouglasdrysdale.com and villasavoiainc.com. Drapery Design & Fabrication: marydouglasdrysdale.com. Chair between Windows: marydouglasdrysdale.com. Headboard Fabricator: Sosa Upholstery; 703-491-3516. Bedding: matouk.com. Coverlet: manuelcanovas.com through cowtan.com. Pillows: kravet.com, cowtan.com. Rug: pattersonflynnmartin.com. Nightstands: Custom by marydouglasdrysdale.com.

MASTER BATH—pages 128, 129:  Vanity: Custom by marydouglasdrysdale.com. Tub & Basins: kohler.com through ferguson.com. Sunburst Mirror: bakerfurniture.com. Marble Tile: architecturalceramics.com. Sconces & Fixtures: waterworks.com.

MODERN

On the Shelf  Designed by Pagnon et Pelhaître for Ligne Roset, Book&Look is an adaptable collection of square and rectangular shelving units that can be configured in myriad ways. Made of panels that have been lacquered or veneered, the shelves can sit on the floor or be mounted on the wall. ligne-roset-usa.com

From Outer Space  The Nebula Multi-Light Pendant from Troy Lighting has a playful, contemporary edge.  Made of white glass and hand-worked wrought iron finished in polished nickel (pictured) or carbide black, the fixture is also available as a flush mount or sconce at Dominion Electric. dominionelectric.comtroylighting.com

A Fresh Spin  Porcelanosa puts a fresh spin on tile designs from the early 20th century with its Antique collection of durable porcelain floor tiles. Geometric shapes and floral patterns create an ornamental mosaic look, while the combination of patterns yields a distinctly modern result. porcelanosa-usa.com

TRADITIONAL

Crystal Clear  Currey & Company’s eye-catching Serena Chandelier marries classic form with unexpected materials. Measuring 23 inches tall, the four-light fixture features a wrought-iron-and-wood frame finished in Silver Granello and draped with chains of crystal orbs in bold aqua. A similar wall sconce is also available. curreycodealers.com

Bed Time  A winged back and tapered legs in a walnut finish convey a cozy, traditional vibe in Hickory Chair’s 66-inch-tall Hattie Headboard. The bedstead, which comes in twin, queen, king and California king sizes, also boasts optional hand-tufting and upholstered side rails and footboard. Available locally through Sheffield Furniture. sheffieldfurniture.com; hickorychair.com

On a Curve  Curved lines add flair to Hudson Valley Lighting’s traditional Caldwell sconce, which features an Art Deco-style back plate. A pleated silk shade softens the light. Finishes include Aged Brass, Old Bronze and Polished Nickel. Available at Dulles Electric in a double- or single-light version. dulleselectric.com; hudsonvalleylighting.com

Under Foot  The 100-percent wool Ayara Rug designed by Ben Soleimani for Restoration Hardware was inspired by the look of classic Oushak carpets. Hand-knotted and sheared to a low pile, each rug is crafted by artisans and no two are alike. Sizes range from three-by-nine to 12-by-15 feet. rh.com

Test of Time  Arhaus Furniture’s Portsmouth Upholstered Chair has the look and feel of a timeworn antique. Pictured here in a medallion-inspired fabric, the piece has a solid beechwood frame, gently flared legs and black-nickel nail-head trim. It’s available in 11 finishes and 225 upholstery options. arhaus.com

TRANSITIONAL

Room Vignette  In this transitional space with a touch of glam by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, elegant Dumont sofas flank the River Stone cocktail table, shaped like its namesake but made of cast resin with a silver-leaf finish. On the far wall, the white-lacquered Lawson Chest features bronze mirrored doors with hand-cut fretwork. mgbwhome.com

Nicely Neutral  Gray remains a hot color for design, and Mirage has embraced the trend with its Greystone line of maple flooring. With its clear gray hue that lets the wood grain show, the surface conveys a natural yet modern sensibility. The three-and-a-quarter-inch-wide floorboards are available in a gloss finish. miragefloors.com

Music Motif  Designed by Paolo Cappello, the whimsical Caruso music cabinet may have a retro look, but it’s equipped with the latest technology. A hi-fi Bluetooth speaker makes it compatible with smart devices. The trumpet speaker has a flexible ceramic surface; it comes in several colors, while the cabinet is available in lacquered or wood-grain finish. Sold at Theodores in Georgetown. theodores.com

Sculptural Center  Corbett Lighting’s Modernist pendant integrates a traditional drum shade with a contemporary sculptural center. Made of handcrafted iron and polished stainless steel in a silver- and gold-leaf finish with a hardback shade, the six-light fixture adapts to any décor. Available at Annapolis Lighting. annapolislighting.comcorbettlighting.com

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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