MARCH/APRIL 2012
Tucked into Georgetown’s Cady’s Alley, the newly opened Charles Luck Studio occupies the ground floor of a 19th-century building that was originally built as a stable. Though smaller than the Charles Luck Stone Centers in Dulles, Richmond and Charlotte, the 700-square-foot showroom offers the same layout, with a signature product wall (left), consultation tables and decoratively tiled washrooms and hospitality area (right). Open to the public Monday through Saturday. 1111 34th Street, NW; 202-944-2345; charlesluck.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Sophisticated Sofa
Part of the Fielding Black Label collection by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, the Fielding Sofa embodies a classic yet clean-lined look, with shelter-style roll arms, optional nailhead trim and updated bun feet. Sustainably crafted, it comes in two sizes and in fabric or leather. Look for the coordinating chair and ottoman. mgbwhome.com
Retro Style
The Ellipse collection by Thos. Moser relies on simple, economical lines and an elliptical form to convey a retro-fifties style. Finely crafted details include visible joints and exposed end grains. Available at Thos. Moser in Cady’s Alley or through thosmoser.com.
Cocktail Hour
Handcrafted by Wisconsin woodworkers, the Graham cocktail table from Room & Board has a contemporary profile and built-in storage shelf. Made with natural wood, it’s available in cherry, walnut or maple veneers, sealed with lacquer, and offers two stain options. roomandboard.com
Accent Piece
Part of the Envision Lifestyle Collection from Hooker Furniture, the Three Drawer Blockfront Chest showcases silver-colored blockfront drawers with floral and geometric designs. The chest is made with hardwood solids and veneers beneath a painted finish. hookerfurniture.com
California Dreaming
The sleek, modern Bonn Sofa hails from Nathan Anthony, a Southern California company that employs sustainable practices and quality materials in its handcrafted products. Available in numerous sizes and configurations through Theodores in Georgetown. theodores.com
Custom Curves
Available through IMI Furniture, this curvaceous dining room table from Century’s Tribeca collection features such details as a diamond pattern inlay and faceted carved framings. The collection can be ordered in different finishes as well as in custom combinations. imifurniture.com; centuryfurniture.com
A Tailored Look
Arhaus Furniture’s new Milner seating collection includes a sofa, occasional chair, ottoman and slipper chair (pictured here). The tailored look of the collection is enhanced with charcoal wool or subtly patterned fabric, hand-applied nailhead details and solid, tapered legs in an Espresso finish. arhaus.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
The brainchild of Artspace, a non-profit real estate developer, and the non-profit dance school Dance Place, the newly built Brookland Artspace Lofts is a mixed-use facility providing affordable live/work space for local artists. Designed by DC-based Hickok Cole Architects, the 78,000-square-foot building offers 41 housing units and underground parking along with a glass-walled studio that serves the adjacent Dance Place. A shared plaza creates a physical connection between the two facilities—which together form a ready-made arts district in Northeast DC. Brookland Artspace Lofts was sustainably built using Energy Star-rated lighting, water-conserving fixtures and low-VOC and recycled materials; its green roof was installed by DC Greenworks in a community effort.
ARCHITECTURE: YOLANDA COLE, principal-in-charge, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP; LAURENCE CAUDLE, project designer, AIA; STARR ASHCRAFT, project architect, LEED AP BD + C, Hickok Cole Architects, Washington, DC. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Bognet Construction, Arlington, Virginia. OWNER’S REPRESENTATIVE: JDC Construction, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: Oculus Landscape Architects, Washington, DC. PHOTOGRAPHY: ANICE HOACHLANDER.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Magic Marble
Porcelanosa’s Recife floor tile is a durable, low-maintenance ceramic tile that replicates the look of marble, down to the emblematic veins and variations. Recife tiles are available in three colorways and multiple sizes, with matching wall and mosaic tiles. Pictured here, the Porcelanosa Khoa bathtub and Krabi vanity complete the look of a bath clad floor to ceiling in Recife tiles.
porcelanosa-usa.
Made in America
HomeGrown Hardware, Liberty Hardware’s newest line of ceramic and metal knobs and pulls, showcases the handcrafted work of American artisans throughout the country. The collection is intended to encourage the purchase of handcrafted American products and to spur economic growth within each artisan’s region. libertyhardware.com
A Bold Move
DECOLAV’s new Incandescence Collection Vibrant Resin and Tempered Glass Vessels come in five shapes and a range of colors, including transparent natural glass, designer frosted and metallic shades. Pictured here, the Rage 2800, a rectangular, above-counter basin. decolav.com
Light my Fire
Spark Modern Fires has just introduced the 36-inch wide Vent Free Vu Thru fireplace, the first vent-free gas fireplace that is open on two sides. The Vu Thru provides a clean-burning flame and can be installed without a chimney or vent. It includes an electronic ignition, a tray for fire-proof decorative objects like rocks and glass and a matte-black interior. sparkfires.com
Weathered Wood
The 2012 Heritage Timber Edition from DuChateau Floors replicates the patina of distressed, reclaimed building materials through the application of scrapes, nail holes and notches to white oak, as well as a weathering process that creates warm brown and worn gray hues in the wood. The FSC-certified collection is available in five finishes. duchateaufloors.com
Bath Time
The Chelsea collection from Hastings Tile & Bath uses Silk, a matte white composite surface, to create bathroom fixtures with distinctive curving, organic forms. Pictured here, the Chelsea Silk Tub, with overflow and chrome tub drain, echoes the form of a reclining figure with a unique horizontally curving top. Pairs nicely with the Chelsea Silk Vessel Basin. hastingstilebath.com
Pencil Perfect
Best Tile recently introduced Hazel, a collection of pencil-thin Spanish porcelain tiles, to its custom tile series, Mora Medley. The tiles are made using state-of-the-art digital ink-jet technology that approximates the look of blue and green stone. Durable and maintenance-free, they are perfect for use on floors as well as walls. Available at Best Tile. besttile.com
Double the Fun
Long popular and affordable, Pergo floors now give way to Pergo XP, a high-performance laminate that combines realistic design with superior surface protection. The company claims it has double the resistance and durability of ordinary residential laminate floors. Available exclusively at The Home Depot. homedepot.com
The Look of Limestone
Viatera quartz now includes limestone colors as part of its Urban Chic collection. Available through LG Hausys, Viatera is a non-porous quartz countertop material that is stain-resistant and hygienic. The new colors, Vintage and Natural Limestone, are available in jumbo-size slabs for easy installation. lghausys.com
Let There Be Light
The new Cilindro Quatrefoil Fabric Pendant from Meyda Custom Lighting is designed in a transitional style, with a warm beige fabric shade and acrylic diffuser. The quatrefoil motif (a flower with four petals) distinguishes the fixture, which boasts hardware that’s hand-finished in mahogany bronze. meyda.com
Door Ways
Masonite introduces the Router-Carved Interior Door collection. Made from medium-density fiberboard (MDF), it includes two lines: The value-driven CYMA line with 65 standard designs and the high-end Bolection line, a custom offering that gives homeowners the opportunity to create their own unique look. masonite.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
When David Hollander bought his Capitol Hill townhouse in early 2003, it was outdated and had an inconvenient floor plan. For Hollander, who was single at the time, it served its bachelor-pad purpose. It wasn’t until he met and married Maya Ajmera some years later that, after sharing the space for a while, he agreed with her verdict: It was time for an overhaul.
The couple—Hollander is a partner in a law firm and Ajmera is the founder of the Global Fund for Children—hired Landis Construction for the job. The project, which ultimately entailed a two-story addition off the back and the construction of an entire third floor, established an open floor plan and a sleek, modern look. “We really touched every room in the house,” says Landis design manager Greg Gardner. “That’s how we were able to get a consistent look throughout.” The result, which Ajmera says “feels like a whole new house,” won NARI’s Merit Award for Entire House $500,000 to $1 Million.
Before the rebuild, Ajmera was bothered by the fact that walking through the front door of the house brought visitors immediately into the kitchen, beyond which a dark family room opened out a step lower than the rest of the space. “We leveled the floor and pushed 16 feet back to create the two-story addition,” says Gardner. This space now houses a clean-lined, modern kitchen/family room area with expansive sliding glass doors out to the patio and grassy yard. Where the kitchen and family room used to be, an open-plan living room/dining room now welcomes guests, who walk in via a short hallway leading from the front door. Porcelain-tile flooring delineates the hall (from which laundry and powder rooms are accessible) but the rest of the ground floor is covered in bleached wide maple planks that unify and brighten the space.
Landis updated the stairwell, extending it another flight to the new third floor. It was a challenge, says Gardner, because the owners envisioned both staircases as open and contemporary in style and seamlessly connected. They custom-designed steel and glass handrails with wood caps throughout to convey the look the couple was after.
Upstairs, the former master bedroom has been converted into a library to house the couple’s books and Ajmera’s pottery collection. Because of the sculpturally curved stairwell, “the cherry bookshelves had to be brought in in pieces and built in place,” Gardner recalls. The library opens into the master suite, which encompasses a large walk-in closet and a roomy master bath, and also opens into two other bedrooms.
The third floor houses two extra bedrooms plus what Ajmera refers to as Hollander’s “man cave,” complete with a built-in desk at one end and an entertainment center at the other; a wet bar with a refrigerator renders traveling two flights down for a beer unnecessary. Mechanized shades cover the windows throughout the house and a Lutron system controls the home’s technology.
Hollander and Ajmera, who love to entertain, couldn’t be happier with their updated, modern home, which now flows beautifully inside and out. They are carefully choosing dynamic artwork for the walls—and enjoying the process.
Photographer Greg Hadley is based in Fairfax, Virginia.
RENOVATION DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: ETHAN LANDIS, principal; GREG GARDNER, design manager, Landis Construction, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Joan M. Janssen, Cityscapes Landscaping, Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Jim Gibson is known for the tasteful, elegant houses he constructs throughout the DC area—including, recently, his own classic yet modern residence in the Somerset neighborhood of Chevy Chase, Maryland. After living nearby in a very traditional home, Gibson and his wife Dana were ready for something different. They bought an 8,700-square-foot lot with a non-descript rancher on it with the intention of tearing it down; Gibson tapped GTM Architects, a frequent collaborator, to design the plans, and Skip Sroka for the interiors.
“Jim is very experienced and it was clear from the beginning that he knew what he was after,” says GTM’s principal, George T. Myers. “The goal was for the house to fit the neighborhood, but he also wanted some elements on the outside that would indicate a more contemporary interior.”
As is typical for Gibson, who is very efficient, the project proceeded apace. “We built the house in about 10 months,” he says. “We were living in it within a year of settling on the property.”
Of course, the surprise in all this is less the efficiency of the project than its tremendous result. With help from Myers and Sroka, Gibson and his wife have created a remarkably stylish yet comfortable home—every inch of which was designed to their specifications and with their vision of home in mind. It not only perfectly fits the surrounding neighborhood of older houses, but it also exudes a serene, modern vibe that captures visitors’ hearts and minds the minute they walk in the door.
In fact, that is actually what happened when, soon after moving in, the Gibsons welcomed visitors who looked around the home and offered to buy it on the spot, furniture and decoration included. The Gibsons, with the confidence of people who know how to build their dream house, accepted the offer.
In the meantime, they are happy to tour their home while it’s still theirs, basking in the perfect melding of traditional Queen Anne, Shingle-style exterior architecture and the clean, crisp lines and soft, restful palette that Sroka so deftly incorporated throughout the interiors. “We wanted the exterior to fit the neighborhood and we liked the idea of the contemporary interior as a surprise,”
Gibson says. “I wanted to come home from work every night and feel like I was going into a really nice hotel.”
Sroka clearly understood this vision. “It was collaborative,” he says. “First we worked on room and lighting layouts and finishes, then furniture. The final stage is fabrics and colors. As you work, other elements become apparent. It’s a revealing process.”
In order to create a modern sensibility, the couple willingly relinquished pretty much everything they had owned before. “What we had was traditional,” Dana Gibson says. “We sold all of the furniture, everything. We wanted a new look. We wanted to be uncluttered.” An inveterate collector, Jim Gibson sold all his collections save one: a vibrant assortment of vintage posters. “I sold about 80 of them,” he offers—a remarkable statement given the number of them still adorning the walls. Beautifully framed in all shapes and sizes, they complement the couple’s new, streamlined décor. And, incidentally, they are the one decorative element that the Gibsons will not be leaving behind for the new owners.
The five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath house includes a finished basement complete with media room, workout room, wine cellar and guest suite, and a finished third floor housing the Gibsons’ 15-year-old son’s en suite bedroom and adjoining sitting room. The second floor encompasses what Gibson calls the “hotel-like” master suite, along with a home office and a guest suite.
On the main floor, harmony prevails with a palette of light blue, soft beige and charcoal that unites the living, dining and family rooms. Sroka honed in on solid, textured upholstery and simple, clean-lined draperies, and adorned surfaces with just the right accessories to provide warmth and interest. He designed subtly paneled ceilings, painting them all a soft blue; quarter-sawn wide-plank rift oak floors cover the ground floor, unifying the space.
When it came time to design the roomy, light-filled kitchen, Dana Gibson was inspired. “I’d seen these wonderful paneled pantry doors in a magazine,” she says. “We decided to convert them into refrigerator doors.” Custom cabinetry in three different finishes subtly delineates the work zones of the kitchen and the paneled fridge provides a focal point. “I didn’t want tile,” Dana says, “so we used back-painted glass for the backsplash, which really reflects the light.”
Light was a high priority for the Gibsons, so Sroka and Dana Gibson spent a lot of time creating the right lighting plan. It includes lights under the kitchen island and bathroom cabinets (to convey a sense that they’re floating), on each step of the staircase and behind the dropped ceiling in the foyer. “At night,” says Jim Gibson, “the lighting makes the house spectacular.”
Timothy Bell is a photographer with studios in Washington, DC, and New York City.
ARCHITECTURE: GEORGE T. MYERS, AIA, NCARB, principal; DOUG ROBERTS, project manager, GTM Architects, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: SKIP SROKA, ASID, CID; ANTONELLA CESTONE, project manager, Sroka Design, Inc., Bethesda, Maryland. BUILDER: JIM GIBSON, Gibson Builders, Washington, DC.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Historic Georgetown is rich with landmark buildings, quaint alleys and picturesque courtyards—slices of history that still evoke the bygone eras the neighborhood has weathered over hundreds of years. Prominently showcased on one such well-preserved street is a Federal-era home, recently brought back from disrepair by a renowned design team and now a winner of a Contractor of the Year Award for Entire House Over $1 Million—as well as Home & Design’s Award of Excellence.
Over the years, Glass Construction (recipient of these awards) has built a niche for itself in historic restoration, preservation and adaptive reuse. In fact, when owner Tom Glass heard from the couple who had just purchased this historic Georgetown home, it wasn’t the first time they’d called. “I’d known the owners for quite some time,” Glass recalls. “We’d done other renovations for them in Georgetown.”
Glass and his team were particularly energized by the prospect of this project because the architects tapped to redesign the house were the renowned Modernist Hugh Newell Jacobsen and his son and partner, Simon Jacobsen. “Of course I was familiar with Jacobsen’s work and it was exciting to get an opportunity to work with him,” Glass says.
According to Simon Jacobsen, while the house was designated a landmark, over the years it had been stripped of much of its historic value—so making changes was less of an issue than one might expect. The homeowners and architects agreed to return the exterior to its Federal-era roots, in keeping with the surrounding homes. “We didn’t want to erase the historic integrity of the building,” Simon Jacobsen explains. “We took it back to the Federal era, reducing it down to its original elegant design.”
The Jacobsens did the same with the interiors, which had been marred over the years by haphazard changes and reconfigurations. “Nothing original was really left anymore,” Simon Jacobsen says. “The original spaces were divided up in the 1930s, and that’s when the house began to lose what it was intended to be. The old kitchen was almost a rabbit warren.”
The new design removed extra walls throughout, enlarging rooms to their original grandeur. The house, which follows what Jacobsen terms “a two-pile plan” (a common layout of the period), is actually five splendid stories high (including the basement), and sports two spacious rooms per floor flanked by a side hall. In a crowded city, says Jacobsen, building up was historically the way to create a spacious home and heating one floor at a time made these homes financially viable.
The home’s front entrance is on the second floor, which includes both a front and a back parlor in addition to a grand front hall that now accesses a powder room, coat closet, staircase and elevator. The floor beneath—half above and half below ground—houses the dining room and kitchen (the architects dropped the floor three feet to give these rooms nine-foot ceilings), while the floor above accommodates the master suite complete with his and hers closets and a master bath. The fourth floor offers two en suite guest rooms and a laundry room, and the fifth floor belongs to the owners’ teenage son. The house boasts six working fireplaces.
Once the home’s exterior had been restored and the interiors brought back to their original state, the homeowners struck a different path. “They wanted a very clean, crisp, light-filled environment,” Glass says. “They were very much into the Modernist aesthetic. They have an extensive collection of art and a number of different kinds of furnishings that they needed space for.” Jacobsen, who is known for his spare, contemporary designs, was the perfect person to implement the sensibility the owners were looking for; in addition to the architecture, he and his son took on the home’s interior design as well, creating pristine backdrops for the homeowners’ colorful art and eclectic furniture.
The house, with its restored, open plan, is rife with Jacobsen trademarks—and as Glass describes it, these made the project a challenge. “We essentially rebuilt the whole interior, reproducing it in Jacobsen’s style,” he says. For example, in Hugh Newell Jacobsen’s vernacular, doors extend from floor to ceiling so they look like a contiguous part of the wall. Eschewing moldings at floor or ceiling, Jacobsen opts for a reveal bead—a quarter-inch metal strip that goes onto the drywall, creating a gap that draws the eye. Unlike traditional moldings, the reveal bead leaves no room for error, says Glass. And in an old building that had shifted over time, windows and doorways weren’t level. “Each jamb had to be custom fit on the outside and level and square inside,” Glass recalls, “or the windows and doors literally wouldn’t open and shut.”
In the end, the Jacobsens’ vision and Glass Construction’s precision paid off. “It was hard work,” Tom Glass says, “but it was definitely rewarding.”
RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS & LANDSCAPE: HUGH NEWELL JACOBSEN, FAIA; SIMON JACOBSEN, managing design partner, Jacobsen Architecture, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: TOM GLASS, president, Glass Construction, Washington, DC.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
Complete Kitchen
Porcelanosa embodies one-stop shopping with a product line that includes all the necessary components. In this sleek kitchen, cabinets are made with high-density, water-resistant particleboard covered in a decorative laminate and coated with Antracita Brillo and Nogal Tenue gloss paint. Ceilan Marfil porcelain tile covers the floor while cabinets are topped with Granito Star counters. For other complete kitchen possibilities, check out Porcelanosa’s new 12,000 square-foot Rockville showroom, which boasts vignettes and products from cabinetry to flooring.
Smooth Surface
Aristocrat is a porcelain tile with an elegant natural stone look that comes in five colors and three finishes, and in a range of sizes that includes large-size formats. Available through any of Architectural Ceramics’ five area locations; architecturalceramics.com
Totally Floored
Exotic hardwood flooring company BR-111 is adding a new, engineered wood floor to its mix. Zinfandel Tigerwood offers the strong, irregular grain of traditional tigerwood, but has been lightly scraped to create a slightly distressed look. This durable floor imparts a classic look in the kitchen. br111.com
Cool Collection
The Crossings Collection from Country Floors is a line of decorative ceramic tile that’s produced by using a centuries-old encaustic process. Tiles come in a variety of patterns, inlay colors and styles. Suitable for walls and floors, the collection is available through Marble Systems Design. countryfloors.com; marblesystems.com
A Seamless Look
Designed by Luigi Massoni and CRS Boffi, the sleek Xila ST kitchen system is made up of modular bases—wall units and taller cabinets with angular, squared doors. Units, which come in a range of finishes, are fitted with push-to-open mechanisms for a seamless look. boffigeorgetown.com
Dish Duty
Houzer’s new stainless-steel sinks are designed to complement today’s modern laminate countertops. Part of the Bellus collection, they are available in single, large single and double formats with special insulation to make them some of the quietest on the market. houzersink.com
Inspired by Italy
Best’s Sorpresa Collection of range hoods includes nine unique designs inspired by Italian designs. The designs are available in three categories: island, chimney and ceiling hoods; pictured here, the chimney Lipstick hood or the island Vertigo Double hood. bestsorpresa.com
Flexible Fridge
The U-3036RR side-by-side under-counter refrigerator is intended to maximize food preservation with four temperature zone settings. It also boasts a digitally controlled, dual zone convection cooling system and an integrated OLED display with user interface ergonomically located on top of its door. u-line.com
A New Interpretation
SieMatic’s BeauxArts Collection, a collaboration with designer Mick De Giulio, first debuted in 2006. Now, SieMatic is introducing BeauxArts.02, a lighter, more linear collection that includes new design elements and proportions, materials, colors and door styles. konstsiematic.com
French Roast
The Flamberge Rotisserie from La Cornue roasts meats, poultry, fish and whole fruits using a streamlined design based on heat circulation. With no ventilation constraints, the Flamberge is easy to install and comes in 28 colors. Available through Appliance Distributors Unlimited in Chantilly, Virginia. adu.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
When a young bachelor bought his cavernous second-floor loft in an industrial-style building in Arlington, Virginia, it was what he terms “a beautiful, empty canvas.” Walls of windows separated by black metal panes soared two stories in height. Exposed brick walls and pipes provided industrial accents, and a floating iron staircase added to the slightly edgy, urban vibe.
But builder-grade appliances and finishes detracted from the home’s eye-catching potential. The owner, a structural engineer, was eager to bring these elements of the home up to par, and to create a look that would be stylish, masculine and fun. When he discovered up-and-coming designer Elizabeth Cross-Beard on the pages of Home & Design, it was a happy coincidence: Cross-Beard’s colleague at Jenkins Baer Associates had designed the penthouse apartment of Capitals player Mike Green (Home & Design, 2009), which the owner had visited and admired. Cross-Beard’s sensibility encompassed a youthful, edgy quality, tempered with an eye for appealing, transitional spaces.
They started with a masculine palette of gray/beige for the walls. Draperies literally two stories in height softened the lines of the windows, and a sleek gas fireplace was installed on one wall, accommodated by a bump-out that Cross-Beard’s contractor created. “I like to infuse architectural elements where I can,” the designer explains.
Above the fireplace, a flat-screen TV is only one component of what the owner describes as his “paramount objective: to install an incredible A/V package.” Says Cross-Beard: “Everything revolved around the A/V system being put in properly.”
Once that was achieved with help from Starr Systems of Baltimore, the designer and her client turned their attention to the task of upgrading the kitchen. Builder-grade appliances were replaced and humdrum granite countertops gave way to crisp, white CaesarStone surfaces. Cross-Beard painted the existing cabinetry in a dark, high gloss; a faux apron extends the cabinets to the ceiling to contemporize the look.
While it was the openness of the loft space that attracted the owner originally, “it was actually a bit too open,” Cross-Beard recalls. “It made it awkward to design.” He had requested a formal dining area, so the designer devised a solution: She used translucent glass panels to divide the kitchen area from the rest of the space, positioning them in an L-shape to accommodate a custom banquette in faux leather and a chunky, dark wood table. Now, the dining area is convenient to the kitchen, yet separate from it. “I brought the glass panel out a bit to create a hallway behind it,” Cross-Beard says.
Her young client’s priorities included a built-in wet bar on the main floor and what Cross-Beard terms “a transitional feel to the furniture. He wanted his family to be comfortable when they visit, to not feel accosted by a ‘young modern’ look.” The furniture is modern but not spare; large abstract canvases inject color and warmth.
In the media room upstairs, a kitchenette was ripped out and replaced by another wet bar, complete with a counter-level fridge, a small sink and a wall faucet. Cross-Beard painted the surrounding walls and countertop in a high-gloss lacquer to create a sleek look and built the adjoining wall out eight inches to accommodate the A/V system behind it. Behind the wide leather sofa from Lee Industries, a balcony overlooks the lower level.
The master bedroom is long on atmosphere, painted top to bottom in black tinged with blue-green. A dark area rug from Greenspring Carpets inspired the color, which is offset by a large, brightly hued abstract painting on the wall.
Both designer and client agree that a major component of the project was the lighting. “As an engineer, I like angles and symmetry,” says the owner, who opted to replace the standard round recessed lights with stylish, squared-off versions. The main decorative focal point of the loft is the massive chandelier that hangs from the 20-foot high ceiling above the ground-floor living area.
“We knew we wanted something custom and unique,” says Cross-Beard. “It needed to be awesome.” She worked with Jones Lighting of Baltimore to create a sculptural chandelier comprised of many small metal pendants, each hanging at a carefully planned length. “We wanted to be able to see them from both floors,” the designer explains, recalling the five hours she and the electrician worked together to make this happen.
“Nothing was too difficult,” says the owner of the project. “We had high aspirations and what we got is special. It’s unique and different, yet accessible.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: ELIZABETH CROSS-BEARD, Jenkins Baer Associates, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: M & M Builders and Contractors, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
A soaring, four-story atrium anchors the 141,000-square-foot Science Center, a dramatic new addition to the Rockville campus of Montgomery College. Designed by Cho Benn Holback + Associates and Stantec Architecture, the eco-friendly, glass-walled structure integrates a green roof, high-efficiency chillers, solar panels, an underground cistern and recycled construction materials. It houses laboratories, classrooms, a rooftop observatory, a greenhouse and faculty offices. Outside, grass terraces serve as outdoor classrooms. The Science Center recently received a 2011 Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Maryland chapter. LEED-gold certification is pending.
DESIGN ARCHITECTURE: DAVID BENN, AIA, LEED AP, principal; Don Farmer, AIA, project manager, Cho Benn Holback + Associates, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland. ARCHITECTURE Management: JOHN KNICKMEYER, AIA, principal; ANDREA FENIAK, AIA, project manager, Stantec Architecture, Washington, DC. BUILDER: Clark Construction Group, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: Patrick Ross Photography.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
More than 700 craft artists will converge at the Baltimore Convention Center, February 24 to 26, for the 36th Annual American Craft Council Show. Formerly the Baltimore Craft Show, this nationally known event is the largest of its kind, drawing vendors from all over the U.S. and Canada, all of whom have been selected to participate through a rigorous jury process. This year, in addition to clothing, jewelry, furniture, home and garden décor and eco-friendly objects, several new craft categories have been added: Foodieware showcases functional kitchen objects like dishes and serving pieces; the Men’s Department offers handmade items for male collectors; Bride-To-Be proffers wedding jewelry and gifts; the Blue Chip Club displays pieces valued at $10,000 and up; and Local offers a venue for regional artists to present their crafts on a national stage. Along with categories new and old, visitors can enjoy Demo Stage—live demonstrations by artisans of their craft, to be held throughout the weekend. For tickets and information, visit craftcouncil.org/Baltimore.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
As their kids approached school age, homeowners in McLean, Virginia, thought about the practical impact of that milestone: Finding a home for backpacks and the other detritus of school life—including projects, school supplies and arts and crafts—would be of paramount importance in keeping their home organized and clutter-free.
The couple tapped McLean, Virginia-based Bowers Design Build, Inc., to create a streamlined space where their children could gather for homework, school projects and more, with plenty of storage for supplies. Bowers added a new kitchen and mudroom/laundry area to the home’s footprint, then transformed the former kitchen into the bright, cheerful kids’ crafts and homework area the owners were looking for.
“The clients had a list of priorities,” says company co-owner Bruce Bowers. “The objective was to create a separate zone for the kids, to have a place for everything, to eliminate clutter and to be able to store things away.”
Increasingly, design/build companies like Bowers are reconfiguring existing spaces to accommodate mudrooms, laundry areas, closets and even kids’ spaces such as the one mentioned above. “We’re building more mudrooms,” Bowers observes. “The biggest trends are cubbies for each member of the household, and we see a lot of drawers with electrical outlets for cell phones, keys and wallets, docking stations for charging laptops and built-ins for recyclables.” Mudrooms often house a separate walk-in pantry for supplies that don’t need to be in the kitchen, or an alcove for a built-in desk. “Laptops make things so portable,” Bowers explains, “people are not asking for desks in the kitchen anymore.”
When BOWA vice president George Hodges-Fulton met with clients for a pre-purchase consultation, he was able to assure them that the “monstrosity” of a mudroom/laundry room in the Great Falls, Virginia, home they were about to buy was, indeed, salvageable. The couple bought the house, then hired BOWA for a major renovation, during which their design team overhauled the mudroom/laundry room completely. “We took the laundry function away,” Hodges-Fulton recalls, pointing to a trend he’s noticed in the last five or six years of relocating the laundry room upstairs for convenience.
Once the laundry room was moved, a new, spacious mudroom was designed around the needs of the owners’ elementary school kids, with a sink for washing up, cubbies for storage and a durable tile floor for easy cleanup. Access to the garage, kitchen, powder room and outdoors made the room a functional space.
According to Hodges-Fulton, the story of his clients’ mudroom is emblematic of the trends in renovation design generally. “Since the economy dropped off, we’re seeing more responsible building with less waste,” he says. “People want better space, not bigger. We’re redesigning existing spaces more often, reorganizing them. Areas that used to be single purpose now are multi-use—like a sunroom that used to just be a sunroom but now combines with a breakfast space.”
Another popular organizational innovation is what Hodges-Fulton calls “mom’s command center”—a six- or seven-foot surface complete with outlets, USB cables for laptops and more—that is replacing the traditional 30-inch counter space for bill-paying and other house-related chores. “It allows us to recapture office space and maybe use it differently,” he says.
In the master bedroom suite, according to both Bowers and Hodges-Fulton, spaces are being reorganized rather than enlarged. Installing custom built-ins in the dressing room can allow a smaller footprint for the bedroom, which no longer requires dressers or armoires. Closet outfitting is increasing, with drawers dedicated to a particular item such as jewelry or belts. In a recent project, BOWA found ingenious ways to create more storage space in a bedroom. These days, observes Hodges-Fulton, “bigger is not necessarily better.”
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
With three young kids and limited space, a Glen Echo couple was ready for a change. When they decided to move closer to the downtown DC area where the husband works as a lawyer, they found what they were looking for tucked into Chevy Chase’s Kenwood neighborhood: a spacious center hall Colonial on a picturesque, tree-lined street.
“I loved it right away,” says the wife. Previous owners had expanded and renovated the 1946 house a few years before, retaining many of the distinctive details that often come with older, traditional homes, such as dentil moldings, leaded-glass transoms and built-in corner cupboards. These architectural elements just needed to be properly emphasized. “It was kind of a decorative wasteland when we bought it,” says the wife, “but the bones were there.”
Since they planned to live in the house for decades to come, the couple decided from the start to redecorate it from top to bottom. “We hope to take pictures of our kids on the steps of this house when they get married,” says the wife, explaining their philosophy.
So the owners turned to Bethesda designer Kelley Proxmire to help them achieve their vision. “We loved her style and felt she understood our family,” recalls the wife. With little kids running around, Proxmire realized “not everything could be precious” but it still needed to look good.
At a little more than 10,000 square feet, the house already gave the family all the space they needed. Proxmire’s challenge was to turn it into a home that would reflect its new owners’ taste and style. She also had to furnish it “pretty much from scratch,” says the wife. They had relinquished most of their old furniture because “our other house was on a whole different scale,” she explains.
Proxmire, who is known for her crisp use of color and contrast, happily embraced the wife’s preference for a “subdued and peaceful” environment in a palette of her favorite pale blue, green and yellow hues. “I focused on finishes,” Proxmire says, pointing to walls faux-painted to look like linen, textured wallpaper and distressed wood furniture that mingles with dark-stained mahogany pieces.
She also took into account the family’s child-friendly requirements. “The main thing was to keep in mind that it’s a family house and it has to be practical,” Proxmire says. She created bedrooms in styles the kids could grow into, selected durable fabrics wherever possible—including vinyl-covered textiles in the kitchen—and found sturdy furniture for the family room.
Yet despite the bow to kid-friendly solutions, the house remains sumptuously elegant. In the foyer, dentil crown moldings and a curved staircase convey a sense of grandeur, while wide, faux-painted stripes on the walls impart a fresh vibe. The large adjoining living room includes plush sofas and chairs grouped around a coffee table from Salvations that Proxmire had custom-fitted with an antiqued mirror top. Behind French doors at the end of the room, a mahogany-paneled study (the husband’s favorite room) houses a striking semi-circular desk and a custom mahogany credenza that matches the paneling.
Visible through an archway beyond the foyer, the dining room presented a challenge. The previous renovation had left it windowless, so in lieu of window treatments Proxmire suggested they embellish the walls with wide fabric panels framed by millwork. She chose a lush Cowtan & Tout fabric in the wife’s favorite colors, then furnished the room with a custom dining table and Nancy Corzine chairs upholstered in reversible Cowtan & Tout fabric.
As far as the owners were concerned, one of the home’s selling points was its kitchen and breakfast area, which needed only a few decorative tweaks—including a tile backsplash depicting a rooster (the wife’s favorite motif) behind the stove. With the adjoining family room (slightly reconfigured to create symmetrical corner shelving and a space for TV watching), this area constitutes the new part of the house, added during the renovation.
Awash in soft beiges and blues, the master bedroom suite epitomizes the restful quality Proxmire and her clients were after. Occupying the second floor above the family room, it includes a sitting room/entry to the bedroom, walk-in closets and a spacious master bath. The children’s en suite rooms have been carefully designed to hold their appeal as their occupants grow older.
The third floor includes two guest bedrooms and a bath; here, Proxmire traded the subdued palette of the rest of the house for a bold scheme of red, black and white. The effect is dramatic and fun—and the wife is just fine with it. “We love this house,” she says. “Some designers’ projects look like them, but this house is definitely us.”
Photographer Erik Johnson is based in Seattle.
INTERIOR DESIGN: KELLEY PROXMIRE, Kelley Interior Design, Bethesda, Maryland.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
"I dreamed of this,” Darrell Green says, waving his hand expansively around the comfortable yet elegant home he shares with his wife of 27 years. “I didn’t see this exact street of life, but with my marriage, my kids, I am close. I am definitely in the neighborhood.”
At 51, Green has had some time to consider just how that journey has unfolded. Retired in 2002, he is a football legend who won two Super Bowls, earned the title of NFL Fastest Man four times, and played for the same team for 20 years (“that’s 15 years longer than the typical player gets,” he points out). In 1991, he was named World’s Fastest Athlete.
He’s also a successful businessman and the founder of The Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation, which helps inner city kids reach their potential. President George W. Bush appointed him Chairman of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, and he’s been honored repeatedly for his humanitarian work.
“Perspective is the key,” he says, sitting in his spacious kitchen while his wife, Jewell, and daughters wander in and out. “We’re very fortunate with our perspective. The world saw me as a Washington Redskin, but I always saw myself as a father and husband trying to take care of my family. I saw football as a job. That’s probably why I lasted 20 years at it.”
It was a job to which Green gave his all—he was voted Player of the Year several times—but he never lost sight of what was important to him. “My parents taught me the importance of stability and family,” he says. “My father had the same job for 30 years and that taught me longevity.” In fact, Green turned down several lucrative offers from other teams over the years in favor of keeping his family ensconced in the community they knew.
Originally from Houston, Green was 25 and a rookie Redskin when he met Jewell. They were engaged within six months, and he found an “unexpected blessing” in her being from the DC area, as it gave him a built-in family and the stability he craved. An added bonus: Having studied interior design in school, Jewell was able to create a beautiful home environment for the couple—and she’s been doing it ever since (though she now runs Posh Couture, an online fashion company).
For the past 11 years, the Greens have lived in a gracious Northern Virginia house, part of an NVHomes development. Perched on two acres that slope down behind, the property is definitely part of the neighborhood. Over the years, it has served as a magnet for their three kids (now all grown) and their friends. “The concept was a pool, basketball court, pool table and home theater,” says Jewell. “We wanted to bring the kids into the house.”
Inside, the style is traditional with a modern vibe imparted by vaulted ceilings and an open front entry. The layout includes formal living and dining rooms, a family room, a kitchen with an octagonal breakfast nook, six bedrooms and six baths. The basement, which Green designed, offers a home theater, a workout room and a bar/rec room. This level houses the sports memorabilia, including Green’s Hall of Fame bust, Fastest Man awards and original jersey. A mural depicting a favorite game covers one wall, while other walls are scattered with kids’ sports mementoes. In fact, son Jared, a recent graduate of UVA (where he played wide receiver), wants to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Jewell opted for “soothing colors” for the house, which they moved into during that period when kids and chaos were all around. She wanted the house to feel “lived in” for the family, yet formal enough to accommodate the social and fundraising events the couple frequently host.
In fact, their newest venture just went live recently. Even in retirement from football, Green continues to advocate fitness and exercise; he and his wife have created a Web site called WalkFitHealth Nation, which provides a social network for walkers to plug into. According to Green, everyone should walk 10,000 steps a day; join the network and receive a wireless pedometer the size of a quarter that tracks steps, calorie counts and other information.
“We are a thinking family,” Green says. “We are always thinking, ‘how can we live in a way that is valuable to ourselves and our community?’ That is what’s important.” He smiles and adds, “Oh, and by the way, I played for the Redskins.”
Photographer Bob Narod is based in Herndon, Virginia.
November/December 2011
I’ve always had a general sense that there is no project too big or too small,” says Catherine Purple Cherry, reflecting on a philosophy that she’s espoused since 1994 when she started her Annapolis firm. “I love the practice of architecture no matter what the size—solving challenges, communicating with clients.”
The architect, who grew up in Northern Virginia and moved to the Annapolis area when she married an Anne Arundel County native, discovered in her adopted city a great place to practice her craft. Her first niche: waterfront residential design—always plentiful in the Annapolis area. In time, her business grew out into other states, and today she and her staff work on projects of all shapes and sizes. “It’s the best of both worlds,” Purple Cherry says. “Annapolis has a nice small-town community feel so it’s easy to make business connections, but it’s close to Baltimore and DC, which allows for bigger projects.”
Purple Cherry Architects handles a wide range of commercial, non-profit and custom residential work. However, over the years its founder has carved another niche for herself in an unexpected direction: special needs consulting. Inspired by her oldest son who himself has special needs, Purple Cherry “became a kind of advocate for him”—an interest which she then incorporated into her career. Now, she travels nationally, consulting with local architects about residential communities for special needs kids. “We’ve done six different facilities in the state and also schools all over the country,” Purple Cherry says.
Not surprisingly, the firm is big on what Purple Cherry calls, “giving back to the community. The biggest portion of our commercial effort is non-profit. We just finished a pro bono project for Habitat for Humanity.” Despite the changes in her practice over the years, Purple Cherry’s love of being an architect has never altered. “Meeting and communicating with clients is my favorite thing,” she says. “My second favorite is the evolution of design.”
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Sophisticated Sofa
The Sofa 54 by Incanto from Anora Home in DC has natural or treated leather upholstery and comes in a variety of colors, textures and thicknesses. With a high-density foam seat and back cushions, feather bolster pillows and legs in a chrome or satin finish, it’s available in three sizes and as a chair or ottoman. anorahome.com
Time Worn
Italian artisan Giovanni Barbieri combines historic mosaic tile work with a contemporary vibe. His patented surface treatment transforms marble into a material emulating ancient stone. Pictured here, Barbieri’s Bianco Antico marble in a Timeworn Mosaic finish, honed with rustic edges. Available through New Ravenna Mosaics; newravenna.com
Import, Export
Italian manufacturer UnoCeramica is partnering with Hastings Tile and Bath to exclusively import and distribute its wares, including pressure-cast fireclay ceramic products such as the wall-hung Atmosfere basin by Colacril. hastingstilebath.com
On a Curve
Designed by Giuseppe Vigano for Palazzetti, the Bustier collection of sofas and chairs boasts an elegant and curvaceous shape. The designer drew his inspiration from corsets worn by 17th-century women; the steel frame is wrapped in feather cushions. palazzetti.ca
Fresh Fruit
The asymmetrical Baby Citrus Bowl was designed by Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas for Alessi. Made from porcelain, the bowl is available in white with red interior (pictured) or brown with blue interior. The cutout pattern creates spaces that allow air to circulate within the bowl, keeping fruit fresh. At Alessi in Georgetown. alessidc.com
Folded Up
Nendo Studio was inspired by the idea of folding paper when creating the Maki pendant light for Foscarini. The design is comprised of two metal sheets rolled like paper (maki means “to roll” in Japanese) and slipped one inside the other. The fixtures are available in white and pale gray. foscarini.com
Sliding Doors
Antonio Citterio designed the MIDA AC Collection of storage containers for Maxalto. Shown here, a large bookshelf with its sliding door of reflective bronzed glass. The body of the shelf comes in an assortment of oak finishes and the base is made of steel. Available through B & B Italia at Adlon in DC. bebitalia.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
