Clients with a home on a canal near Rehoboth Beach hired Jennifer Gilmer to design a kitchen that would take advantage of water views. Working with architect Amy Gardner, who designed the home, Gilmer created a welcoming space with an industrial edge and a “modern farmhouse” aesthetic. At the clients’ request, she emphasized sustainability in her design choices.
The unique material palette combines two styles of cabinets. One resembles horizontal-grain, textured barn wood and the other smooth, vertical-grain gray wood—both are made of high-pressure melamine. The island and cooktop console, framed in hot-rolled steel, convey the look of furniture; countertops are made of granite. Strips of fir border the tops and bottoms of the cabinets and floating fir shelves display dishware. The cabinet wall continues into a sitting area where a TV is concealed behind a sliding door.
Exposed ductwork at ceiling level adds to the kitchen’s modern, industrial style.
The Details KITCHEN DESIGN: Jennifer Gilmer, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. ARCHITECTURE: Amy Gardner, FAIA, LEED AP, Gardner Mohr Architects, Silver Spring, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Beachwood, Inc., Showell, Maryland. CABINETRY: artcraftkitchens.com. COUNTERTOPS & BACKSPLASH: inhomestone.com. APPLIANCES: mieleusa.com, rangecraft.com.
The owners of a turn-of-the-century row house in Georgetown tapped architect Christian Zapatka to renovate their kitchen and designer Sarah Turner to bring it into the 21st century. Zapatka facilitated circulation between the kitchen, the living area at the front of the house and the patio in back while Turner reorganized the layout of the kitchen, updating cabinetry and finishes.
The clients were downsizing from a large kitchen in a suburban home and did not want to compromise on storage. Turner incorporated tray bases, drawer dividers and spice and cutlery inserts to optimize functionality. Moving the cooktop to the island increased countertop space. Columns of stainless steel above the fridge and double ovens frame wood cabinetry and floating shelves that display items picked up by the owners while traveling.
An intricately patterned, a handmade tile backsplash is a striking focal point; its colors match the slate-blue island. Soapstone countertops have timeless appeal.
The Details KITCHEN DESIGN: Sarah Turner, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE: Christian Zapatka, AIA, Christian Zapatka Architect, PLLC, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: Trust Building Service, Rockville, Maryland. CABINETRY: qcci.com. COUNTERTOPS: avantimarblegranite.com. BACKSPLASH: walkerzanger.com through architecturalceramics.com. APPLIANCES: subzero-wolf.com, bosch-home.com.
The choppy kitchen in a Capitol Hill row house was compartmentalized, with wasted space and inadequate storage. The owners, who love to entertain, asked Kamila Kvitkova and Javier Baldiviezo to open up space and make congregating with guests easy.
Anchoring the kitchen between the open-plan dining and living areas created a central gathering spot. A wall of cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances lines one side of the room, while a 14-foot island, housing the sink, offers the seat at one end and plenty of storage. With its openness, the island fosters ready communication between hosts and guests.
The style of the kitchen is transitional, with dark-gray base cabinets and white upper cabinetry and pantry cupboards that keep the room light. Modern touches include Cambria quartz waterfall countertops and a row of frosted-glass cabinets near the ceiling. West Elm pendants over the island and stools from Room & Board complete the space.
The Details KITCHEN DESIGN: Kamila Chase Kvitkova, Balaton Builders, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: Javier Baldiviezo, Balaton Builders. CABINETRY: design-craftcabinets.com. COUNTERTOPS & BACKSPLASH: cambriausa.com. APPLIANCES: thermador.com. PLUMBING FIXTURES: grohe.com.
A client asked architect Donald Lococo to create a wine cellar on the lower level of his Northwest DC home that would serve as a spot for gathering with friends. The architect’s plan reimagined the typical cave-like basement wine cellar with a wine room reminiscent of a stately library. Rows of mahogany cabinetry hold the owner’s wine collection in a climate- and the humidity-controlled area behind a nearly invisible barrier of glass. On the other side of the space, comfortable seating beckons.
Lococo repeated the same mahogany millwork in the adjacent seating area, in the form of ceiling beams, wall panels, and bookshelves. Additional rooms surround the space, fostering gatherings large and small. A gallery lined with niches for large urns from Century Furniture leads to a wine memorabilia library at one end and an art studio at the other, while a foyer leads back to the seating area—called the imbibing room—and a terrace.
The Details ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN & CABINETRY DETAILING: Donald Lococo, AIA, Donald Lococo Architects, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: Horizon Builders, Crofton, Maryland. CABINET FABRICATION: ivancdutterer.com. PHOTOGRAPHY: Donald Lococo.
Paul Bentham was hired to overhaul a dated Northwest DC kitchen with an open floor plan and a clean, contemporary look. Bentham removed a wall between the living area and kitchen and took out a peninsula that awkwardly separated the kitchen from the dining area. Sliding patio doors now flank a floor-to-ceiling pantry and a four-foot-wide island with waterfall counters provides additional storage and a place for the sink.
A custom oak table extends from one end of the island,“ replacing the predictable table and chairs,” Bentham says. Stained dark to match the floors, the table measures 36 by 100 inches and had to be lifted in through the patio doors by crane.
Torquay quartz countertops by Cambria and white cabinetry create a crisp contrast to the dark wood of the table. Playful translucent pendant lights—controlled by an iPad app—can change colors to suit the mood of the moment.
The Details KITCHEN DESIGN: Paul Bentham, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Marios Nicolaou, Marnic Contractors, Washington, DC. CABINETRY: decorcabinets.com. COUNTERTOPS & BACKSPLASH: cambriausa.com. WOOD TABLE: glumber.com. APPLIANCES: Owned by the client. LIGHTING: Le Klint Pendants through lumens.com.
In a classically detailed waterfront project near Annapolis designed by architect Cathy Purple Cherry, kitchen designer Joni Zimmerman created the main kitchen that houses the most-used appliances and prep surfaces and a pantry kitchen that operates as a coffee center and area to stash dirty dishes when the owners are entertaining. The two sections are divided by a furniture-like hutch, tucked between columns that separate the spaces without blocking backyard views.
The main kitchen flows into the family room; a beverage center acts as a room divider and glassware is stored on the backside of the island. A walk-in pantry closet provides storage.
Zimmerman worked with interior designer Arlene Critzos to create an aesthetic in keeping with the house. Traditional white cabinetry contrasts with a dark-stained island that matches the hutch. Granite countertops and a high-gloss ceramic-tile backsplash complement the cabinetry. An inviting breakfast area occupies a bay window in the main kitchen.
The Details KITCHEN DESIGN: Joni Zimmerman, CKD, CBD, Design Solutions, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. ARCHITECTURE: Cathy Purple Cherry, AIA, Purple Cherry Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: Arlene Critzos, Interior Concepts, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland. BUILDER: Pilli Custom Homes, Millersville, Maryland. CABINETRY: signaturecustomcabinetry.com. COUNTERTOPS: Owner’s purchase. BACKSPLASH: inhomestone.com. APPLIANCES: subzero-wolf.com.
Columbia, Maryland, homeowners tapped designer Paul Bentham to transform a closed-off kitchen into an open, contemporary space that would better fit their needs. “The wife is an avid baker and hostess,” Bentham says. “An island with lots of prep space was mandatory.”
The new floor plan opened the kitchen up and added square footage by incorporating a small dining room into the footprint. A dual-level island boasts an auxiliary sink and storage beneath a Calacatta Nuvo quartz waterfall countertop; the island has a table-like extension for food prep or meals.
In order to make space appear larger and wider, Bentham relied on reflective surfaces. The range hood is clad in mirrored stainless steel, while the table portion of the island has a base wrapped in mirrored glass that creates the illusion that the island is floating.
Vertical-grain, high-gloss cabinetry adds further reflectivity and Veli pendants by Slamp add a touch of glamour.
The Details KITCHEN DESIGN: Paul Bentham, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Mike Thornton, M.R. Thornton & Sons, Inc., Woodbine, Maryland. CABINETRY: zonavita.com. COUNTERTOPS: caesarstoneus.com. BACKSPLASH & GLASS FABRICATION: hutchisonglassandmirror.com. APPLIANCES: mieleusa.com, subzero-wolf.com, rangecraft.com. PENDANTS: lumens.com.
Designing a luxurious, modern master bath for Bethesda clients who wanted unique materials and a spa-like aesthetic, Paul Bentham first selected a three-dimensional porcelain wall tile by WOW. Paired with Calacatta marble floors, the undulating tiles provide a contrast to solid, dark-stained wenge surfaces that include vanity countertops, the top of a bench in the center of the room and the frame of a large mirror on one wall. The natural wood has been sealed against water damage.
Bentham replaced a seldom-used tub with a shower area featuring a window framed by water-resistant white quartz that looks like wood. Tiled in Certosa glazed porcelain, the shower zone boasts rain-head, fixed and hand-held showerheads, a storage niche and a tiled bench.
The vanity and central bench are set on tall, mirrored toe kicks so that they appear to float above the floor. Vessel sinks, wall-mounted faucets, and oversized medicine cabinets complete the space.
The Details BATH DESIGN: Paul Bentham, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Marios Nicolaou, Marnic Contractors, Washington, DC. VANITY: premiercb.com. COUNTERTOP, BENCH TOP & MIRROR FRAME: glumber.com. WALL TILE: wowdesigneu.com through architecturalceramics.com. VESSEL SINKS: kohler.com. SHOWER FIXTURES: grohe.com. MEDICINE CABINETS: robern.com.
APRIL 27, 2016—Home & Design celebrated the publication of its May/June 2016 issue with a reception at Karpet King in Rockville. Guests mingled and browsed the showroom’s wide array of flooring options.
APRIL 21, 2016—The Annapolis Design District held a lecture series on furniture and finishes at Niermann Weeks’s factory headquarters in Millersville, Maryland. Guests donned masks to celebrate the “Evening in Venice” theme and enjoyed Italian fare followed by factory tours with the owners of Niermann Weeks.
MAY 11, 2016—Home & Design celebrated the Spring 2016 issue of its sister title, Chesapeake Views, with a reception at Kenwood Kitchens in Annapolis. Guests enjoyed drinks and light fare and explored the showroom’s dazzling kitchen and bath displays.
May 24, 2016—The McLean Project for the Arts held its annual Spring Benefit at historic Hickory Hill, a circa-1870 residence that was once home to John F. Kennedy (as a senator) and Robert F. Kennedy (as attorney general), as well as two other U.S. senators and a Supreme Court justice. Home & Design was a media sponsor of the event, which benefitted MPA’s exhibitions, education and programming activities.
MAY 26, 2016—Designers gathered in full force at Room to Rebloom’s second annual fundraiser, held on the rooftop at The Graham Georgetown. Designer Barry Dixon and news anchor Will Thomas hosted the event for the nonprofit, which creates independent housing for survivors of domestic violence. Home & Design was a media sponsor.
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
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
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
