During childhood visits with his grandparents in Upstate New York, Baltimore-born Matthew Quill learned the power of a well-designed abode. His grandfather was a woodworker with a cabinetry business and his grandmother had an eye for antiques, so the couple opened a shop together. “Every time I went there, I was inspired by how beautiful they made their life and home, and I felt safe and comfortable,” shares Quill. “I just knew I wanted to create spaces like that for myself and others.”

After briefly attending community college, Quill took an interior design class which yielded a design internship. At the time, he was gut-renovating his own home in Baltimore. Taking professional photos of his work on that house led to a job in DC with interior designer Christopher Boutlier, where he spent four years before going solo. He now works out of his Georgetown home/studio, and lists Boutlier, Darryl Carter and Molly Kidd Studio as influences. His recipe for good design includes a monochromatic palette, organic materials and antiques—but the most crucial ingredients are determination and kindness. “You have to have drive; you can’t be afraid of falling on your face,” he says. “Also, be nice. Clients want to work with someone who they connect with.”

Interior Design: Matthew Quill, Matthew Quill Interiors, Washington, DC.

Caroline Kofol’s road to interior design didn’t follow a straight line, but it makes perfect sense in retrospect. A native of Westchester County, New York, the designer “grew up in a 1906 Victorian house in a town that doesn’t allow any new builds, so that’s what spurred my love of old homes,” she shares. After earning a degree in psychology, she went on to work for a public relations firm that specialized in luxury travel. Only when tasked with finding an interior designer for a hotel rebranding did she realize that the field might be a better fit. Reaching out to designer Katie Rosenfeld led to a job in Boston. Eight years later, she moved to Washington, DC, and launched her own firm.

Inspired by the work of her mentor Rosenfeld along with that of Ashley Whittaker and Lucy Doswell, Kofol’s aesthetic is color-rich and pattern-happy. Working from a studio in Bethesda with one assistant, she begins her design process by finding the lead fabric for which she draws on her psych major background. “When I go to the design center, I like to get into the headspace of a client,” she says. “There is a psychological aspect to it. Knowing who your client is and trying to understand them and their personality goes a long way in this business.”

Interior Design: Caroline Kofol, Caroline Kofol Interiors, Bethesda, Maryland. Styling: Anthony Santelli Creative (sitting room, nursery); Frances Bailey (living room).

“Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today” is a saying often attributed to Ben Franklin to discourage procrastination—the idea being that the sooner a task is done the more time you’ll have to relish the fruits of your labor. A young family of five took that notion to heart after purchasing a Capitol Hill row house. “They’re in the weeds of their careers in lobbying and have young kids; they didn’t want to wait to do the entire house at once,” shares Richmond-based interior designer Elly Cooper, who steered the project. “They wanted to make the first floor inhabitable asap, so they could enjoy it and entertain friends and family.”

The circa-1890 brick abode was in mint condition and needed no major renovations, a lucky break for the couple. The only modifications were the conversion of the fireplaces back to wood-burning and the removal of some overly ornate mantel details that had been added over the years. However, the home’s dark interiors and Victorian spirit were at odds with the wife’s colorful Southern sensibility. “The question was, ‘How do we brighten it up while still maintaining the history of this older house?’” reflects Cooper.

A scenic wallpaper—one of the wife’s must-haves for the dining room—offered the necessary spark to alight the scheme. A garden view of blossoming trees against a pale cerulean background, “it gave us a launching point for the palette,” explains the designer. As the enfilade of rooms unfolds, a wash of blues and greens unfurls with dashes of pink and paprika in good measure. Cooper learned about color and continuity from the best: She trained under designers Ashley Whittaker and Meg Braff. “I always make sure there is a thread,” she notes. “You never want everything to match perfectly, but something has to pull your eyes through, while giving you a minute to exhale between rooms.”

Crossing over the threshold into the vestibule with its time-worn mosaic tiles feels like stepping back in time. An architecturally inspired wallpaper by Katie Ridder gooses the space with assertive color, providing a fun, modern foil to the original floor. “The wife said it was her favorite thing because it gives people a peek at what’s to come inside the house,” says Cooper. “That paper took the space from gloomy and sad to vibrant and fun!”

The cheerful mood continues in the adjacent front parlor where scale was key in order to fit the family grand piano. An abstract painting by Richmond artist Kiki Slaughter presides over traditional-leaning furnishings in shades of sage and sky. Trim, applied to pillows and skirted chairs, echoes the inlaid Greek key border of the original hardwood floors throughout the main level. “One of the fun challenges of working with a row house is that it forces you to make sure the rooms have a connection while still feeling like individual spaces,” says Cooper.

And like the blossoms referenced in the film Steel Magnolias, sometimes things that appear pretty and delicate on the surface are surprisingly hardy. Take the furnishings and finishes, which exude Southern gentility yet are durable enough for the couple’s three young children. The Bunny Williams dining table and many of the upholstered pieces were designed to take a beating. One of Cooper’s tricks? “If we need to pick practical fabrics, let’s give it a bit of an edge. I always use contrast cords, tapes and gimps to add a little polish,” she says.

Summing up her process, she adds: “My clients are going to such great lengths to work with a designer, so I want every piece of furniture in a house to feel like it was made exactly for them.” It’s all those little details that add up to a home that feels like a deeply personal reflection of its inhabitants.

After renovating a small home in DC, a couple with three young boys wanted their new build in Falls Church, Virginia, to be a better (read: more fun) reflection of them. “They felt the choices they made in the last house were too safe and boring,” says interior designer Ann Gottlieb, who was tasked with pushing them out of their comfort zone.

“They both work in creative marketing and are interesting people with great style.” The only hitch? The husband and wife weren’t always on the same page aesthetically. A Q&A details how Gottlieb found common ground in their preferences to create a home that’s a harmonious blend of both their styles.

How did your design bridge the couple’s different aesthetic leanings?
He loves the color green and the mid-century modern period and she loves dusty pink and is more of a maximalist. So they had to practice the art of compromise and meet in the middle. For instance, in their bedroom we went with a blush pink, but there are no frills in there. The design is very clean. But she got to pick a crazy wallpaper for her office bathroom. The front living room is a shade of his favorite hue, but then we went bolder by picking a lively fireplace stone and light fixture. It was a combination of balancing things they both liked with bringing out the elements each one of them preferred individually.

The masculine/feminine blend really sings in the kitchen—how did it take shape?
They wanted it to feel very Scandinavian with white oak, flat-panel cabinets, which were a nod to his fondness for minimalism. Again, she likes pink so when I brought over tile samples, she immediately fell in love with that
backsplash tile. She wanted a fun wallpaper, so we ended up with that Kristy Stafford floral.

How do you encourage clients who want to experiment with color?
I get excited when anyone wants any color outside of white or blue, which is what everyone seems to request these days. When someone says they like pink or green, I want them to lean into that. I try to push them to not be afraid and to do something more saturated—even if it’s a grayer version of that color—and use it in as many places as possible.

What inspired the lighting choices?
The husband doesn’t like lights where you can see the light source, so we didn’t want anything with exposed bulbs or a lot of metal details. That’s how we landed on those glowing orbs over the kitchen island. That theme continues with the Graypants custom chandelier in the stairwell and the Foscarini pendants over the dining table.

Name some ways you made this home family-friendly.
The rugs are all wool and stain-treated, and for upholstery we used Crypton fabric or leathers that could be cleaned. We opted for motorized window treatments so the kids couldn’t pull on the chains to open and close them. The dining table has a heavy-duty durable finish. The countertops are stain-resistant quartz. For the breakfast area and powder room we chose Kristy Stafford wallpaper in vinyl because we wanted them to be able to easily wipe down the walls.

What role did art play in these interiors?
The couple used to live in Chicago where a lot of their friends were artists, so they had a big collection. I helped them place pieces in the rooms where I thought they looked best, or we let the art lead the design. For instance, they knew they wanted to put the whale painting in the dining room, so we designed that space around it by bringing out some of those blue/green colors in the bar cabinetry. They had planned for the art in the green living room. I made a collage of their art for the family room gallery wall. The portrait on the stair landing wasn’t planned. That one went up after the fact, but it looked great with the wallpaper.

How would you sum up this project?
I think it’s a perfect example of when you’re faced with a wonderful couple that doesn’t have the same design taste. The challenge is how to successfully marry their styles together. In the end, they were super-happy with how it turned out—they even called me back
to do more work!

Ask ANN

You’re having people over—what’s playing?
My Spotify playlist is full of Chappell Roan and Amy Winehouse.

What are you serving?
I’m really into making elaborately designed charcuterie boards and I love mixing up Manhattans.

Where do you jet to for design inspo?
If I want maximalist pieces, I head to Paris Design Week, but if I’m looking to be inspired by minimalism then I go to Copenhagen. And Milan is great for up-and-coming plumbing fixtures.

Local spot to score mid-century finds?
Daniel Donnelly Modern Design in Alexandria. He’s obsessed with collecting mid-century pieces and reupholsters the classics. I can’t go in there without buying something!

French Flair Inspired by the elegance of Parisian salons, the new Société Collection from Duchateau features 9.5-inch-wide planks of European oak finished in six tones. With its weathered patina and striking chevron pattern, Dahr (shown, above) evokes subtle movement. duchateau.com

Check, Mate Tile Club’s latest collection, Boldara mimics the look of timeless Italian marble in low-maintenance porcelain. The square tiles, which come in 12- and 24-inch formats, are available in rich tones like Rosso and Verde (pictured), bold Nero and lighter, more neutral shades such as Bianco, Oro and Blue. tileclub.com

Euro Star Conjure the charm of an Old World manor house with Carre Bardiglio Imperial Cross and Star porcelain tiles. Approximating the look of a variety of marbles and limestones in multiple sizes, Carre allows you to create unique geometric patterns. architessa.com

Gray Matter Showcasing a natural cleft surface, this Brazilian black slate tile has a matte look and deep charcoal color, which suits both classic and contemporary design. Sturdy and low-maintenance, it comes in 12-by-24 and 24-inch-square formats. tilebar.com

When Pristine Acres first met with the owners of this McLean, Virginia, property to discuss the clients’ vision, they encountered a steep, undulating hillside dotted with craters and stumps where massive trees once grew. The homeowners hoped to take the unusable yard and turn it into the outdoor entertaining area of their dreams, culling inspiration from their own Chilean heritage. “We knew there had to be a boldness to the design while remaining warm and inviting with an underlying sense of being natural,” relays landscape architect Kevin Kurdziolek.

The master plan included the addition of a large infinity pool overlooking the forested environs. Pretty and practical, the design utilized white marble coping for the border of the pool that provides contrast in the design but also stays cool to the touch during those hot summer days. An oversized pavilion and expanded deck that can hold up to 180 people round out the plan. Open and airy, the modern pavilion features a unique cantilevered roofline, giving the appearance of almost floating over an entertaining hub that includes a kitchen, bar, sitting area with a television and a gas fire feature. Says Kurdziolek, “We knew from the beginning that the structure needed to be a very special anchor in the design for the space to work as a whole.”

Award: Residential Landscape Design over $250,000. Landscape Architecture & Construction: Kevin Kurdziolek, PLA, ASLA; Rambod Mirbaha, Pristine Acres. Automation: Trizone Automation.

HUES FLASH! Saturated berry tones take center stage in Caracole’s latest furniture collection. Designed by Claudio Bellini, the pieces shun neutrality in favor of rich shades of azure, saffron and rouge, the latter seen here in the Tobie table and the Archie dining chair. caracole.com

CINEMATIC SEAT Roche Bobois’ reissue of the Lounge sofa is part of a collaboration with acclaimed director Pedro Almodóvar. It comes in two versions, one of which has a limited run of 50 pieces signed by the Spanish auteur. roche-bobois.com

ARTFUL PRINT Poltrona Frau has teamed up with artist and activist Shepard Fairey to produce 200 numbered interpretations of the Italian brand’s iconic Archibald armchair using some of Fairey’s most recognizable motifs. poltronafrau.com

BUREAU OF WHIMSY A new collection by Easton designer Jamie Merida for Chelsea House celebrates artistry and storytelling as seen in the Chinoiserie-inspired Willow Garden Chest, which features bespoke touches such as a painted-bird detail hidden inside a drawer. chelseahouseinc.com

NATURAL SLUMBER Sixpenny describes the Florette bed’s moody floral upholstery as “an impressionistic memory of a day spent in nature,” for a sleep experience that offers lush foliage views without fear of rain or mosquitoes. sixpenny.com

STATEMENT FLOWERS Designed to feel like the equivalent of a soft embrace, Moroso’s cloudlike Me Time sofa is a seat you want to melt into for movie night. Festooned with branches in bloom, its tactile fabric resembles the coziest fleece. moroso.it

Fromental has long been an arbiter of artisanal works for the interiors world, so it should come as no surprise that they’ve paired with British-American fashion designer Harris Reed for a couture-inspired decorative arts collection. They’ve translated 14 dramatic looks from Reed’s SS26 runway show into signature hand-painted and -embroidered wallcoverings, alongside cushions, bolsters and throws. The collaboration unites the worlds of fashion and interior design for eight sumptuous, maximalist-leaning designs that will bring an air of romance and opulence to any space. Starting at $789 for cushions. fromental.com

In a town that boasts plenty of temples to carnivorism, a newcomer hopes to stand out with a dash of Iberian flair. Bully Spanish Steakhouse arrives at the Eurostars St Gregory Dupont Circle Georgetown Hotel, blending traditional fare with flame-kissed Continental flavors and starring premium cuts and humble ingredients alike. Dishes such as pudín de pan and pasta a la plancha are bolstered by an ambitious cocktail program. Herringbone wood floors, emerald walls and ebony-beamed ceilings evoke the vibe of a sexy gentleman’s club, appropriate for both business lunches and intimate dinners. 2033 M Street, NW; bullywdc.com

Built in 1918 as the Seattle Engineering School for students of automaker Henry Ford, the MarQueen Hotel has been reimagined with interiors that nod to its industrial past while capturing the elegance and joie de vivre of the Jazz Age. An extensive renovation by Cusack & Co. Design preserved architectural details and historic wood floors while drawing on the hues of the 1966 Ford Motor Company automobile palette for its public spaces and 59 guest rooms. Baths were modernized while celebrating vintage-inspired fixtures. An onsite speakeasy, christened the Tin Lizzie Lounge for Ford’s Model T nickname, offers Prohibition-era cocktails and light bites. Rates start at $225; marqueen.com

Tudor-style houses often get a bad rap for being drab and fusty affairs. Not so for this English-inspired manor in Northwest DC. “A lot of them are sited in such a way that they’re surrounded by trees and are dark inside, but this house is on a hill so it gets a ton of light,” shares Wayne Adams of BarnesVanze Architects. Still, the house required a freshening up for its new inhabitants, a young family of five relocating from the West Coast who sought to bring a bit of that sunnier sensibility east. “Basically, we de-Tudorized it,” says Adams, who led the renovation. “Getting rid of some of the stained wood, simplifying the trim work and reducing some of the heavy beams recast it in a new light.”

With its limewashed stone exterior, quarried from granite in nearby Rock Creek Park, the house has a long, storied past. Built in 1927 by architect George N. Ray, the manse has played host to dignitaries and Hollywood royalty—Elizabeth Taylor and Vincent Price dined there—and notable former inhabitants include an ambassador and a senator. This marks the third time in 30 years that BVA has worked on the abode; the last renovation in 2012 included the addition of a back stair tower and was documented in this magazine.

This time around the 10,350-square-foot main house saw only minor modifications: The kitchen and bathrooms were reconfigured and the primary suite was reimagined to better suit the needs of the couple; she’s a tech executive and he works in finance. The attic was also transformed into a guest suite with a kitchenette and a media room for their three children.

To dress the rooms, the clients called on Lillian Byers of Jackson Platt Interiors, based in North Carolina. Byers, who worked on their San Francisco home, had recently moved east. Because the family barely had time to enjoy those furnishings before uprooting to DC, they wanted to repurpose many of the selections. From the dining room’s striking floral wallpaper to the kids’ bedroom furniture and finishes, most of the spaces are near-exact facsimiles of what was in their former abode. “As a mom, she wanted the kids to feel immediately at home; repeating those schemes gave them a sense of familiarity so they would have an easier transition,” relays Byers.

Bringing their Cali style to the Washington residence didn’t just create continuity, it also brightened the mood. “The house is about 100 years old; there was a lot of brown and it had an older generation vibe,” observes Byers. “The wife has a colorful, whimsical style which she brought to the project. Together, we enlivened nearly every surface.” Take the family room’s wood paneling, which got a coat of Benjamin Moore’s Knoxville Gray. “Originally, the architects thought, ‘You’re going to paint this beautiful stained molding?’ But in the end, it became one of their favorite things we did to the house,” shares Byers. “Painting it created this whole new room, but the beauty of the wood shines through because you still see the carved details.”

A similarly thoughtful approach was carried outdoors where the family desired a new swimming pool and carriage house. At nearly an acre, the property combines three lots with extremely hilly topography. Needing a space that could do triple duty on a challenging plot of land, BVA designed a 2,028-square-foot, three-story structure that contains an entertaining space with pool accessibility via large bifold doors on the lower level, a two-car garage on the second and a guest suite/studio on the top.

As a complement to the stone house, the architects tapped into a charming English vernacular, dressing the auxiliary structure in a stucco finish, slate roof and thin-profile casement windows to mimic the fenestration of the main building. “We wanted to play up this idea of an old Tudor estate, where the carriage houses were often a different, less grand material,” explains Adams.

Landscape architect Richard Arentz shaped the grounds, restructuring the stone steps leading to the pool area. By paring back overgrowth, reinvigorating existing plantings and adding Pennisetum to the central slope, he created more of a visual connection between the upper terrace and the lower lawn. Multiple play areas were carved out for the kids, including a climbing wall, a half-basketball court and an in-ground trampoline. “We wanted to make this a place where children could have plenty of opportunities to play, but that would still be an elegant, mature garden for adults,” says Arentz. Reflecting on the project, he adds, “In the end, we took something that had many lives over the years and resuscitated it for this young family.”

Adams concurs: “Everyone brought their best ideas about how to enhance this already magnificent property, plus the clients were lovely. Sometimes you just get lucky.”

When the owner of this Alexandria townhouse contacted interior designer Paul Corrie for an update, he had one stipulation—that it not look like a typical Alexandria townhouse with white walls and a traditional vibe. The client was the entertainment director for a luxury cruise line and had something a little less conventional in mind. In addition, the 1977 brick abode “looked like it was last updated in the 1980s,” shares Corrie. “Because a full gut renovation wasn’t in the cards, we focused on modernizing and elevating the overall look and feel of the space—it was a total cosmetic overhaul.”

While the bathrooms were reconfigured, smaller changes yielded impactful results throughout the rest of the home: Fresh paint brightened the kitchen’s mahogany cabinets, wallpaper enlivened walls and a moody palette with menswear-inspired fabrics gave the home a sophisticated, masculine feel. A Q&A chronicles the transformation.

Describe the details that make this home unique.
Starting at the front door, the cubic flooring from Ann Sacks was a modern flourish that we used to update the space and set it apart. The geometric wallpaper in the kitchen, the dining room mural and the lighting choices throughout the house, which feel like unexpected jewelry, all seem atypical for the neighborhood.

How did the client’s personal style inspire the palette?
Sometimes if you look at a person’s wardrobe or what appears to be a color story within their lifestyle you can translate that in terms of interior design. This client has a very tailored, consistent aesthetic, yet his work environment was incredibly colorful. We brought in a lot of charcoal gray paired with some beiges and camels, then layered in some fun pops of color to reflect that.

What was the key to creating continuity throughout this home?
We always tell potential clients that a great designer is able to weave elements from room to room so that when you look at a project in its entirety, all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. In this particular home, we were very mindful of either carrying particular color stories forward, or finding a nice balance where we interject something modern and then pair it with some traditional patterns so it feels like a collected, cohesive story as you move through the space.

How did you build drama in the dining room?
The existing space was quite challenging. We were constrained by the fact that it awkwardly overlooks the living room and has a traditional railing and chair rail. We wanted to pump up the overall visual so we brought in the Iksel decorative mural from Schumacher, which we were able to scale perfectly to the wall dimensions. The table and chairs were existing, but the chairs had a dated mid-century fabric so we reupholstered them in a plaid.

What role did antiques and vintage pieces play in this project?
Antiques are one of the best ways to add character and patina to any room. They tell an unusual story that can’t really be replicated with store-bought mainstream furnishings from places like Restoration Hardware, which sometimes are too oversized for a project like this. Antiques are reminiscent of a time when there was more of an appreciation for scale. Also, this was a collaborative process with a client who has exceptional taste, so searching for these particular items and having him appreciate them was truly wonderful.

Finally, talk to me about the elephant, er, giant bust in the room.
I love interjecting things into interiors that are whimsical or that stoke conversation. I want to create comfortable environments that reflect the client; a space should never feel fussy or unrelatable. This particular piece resonated with the owner. It came from a local antiques dealer, and reminded my client of his travels. We felt like it made a statement and added a level of unexpectedness and fun to the living room.

Ask PAUL

Spring is upon us! Where do you like to travel?
I’m always partial to Provincetown, where I have a home. I’m inspired by its coastal vibe and artistic environment.

Tell us about your most treasured heirloom.
Anything from my grandmother, whether it be dishes or sterling silver. She included little notes with stories about their provenance. It’s really special seeing her handwriting and knowing that she took the time to document these things for me.

What’s your favorite local place to score unique accents?
Federal & Black in Middleburg has elegant home accessories and one-of-a-kind pieces.

French Twist Rue Cler Colette brings Gallic country style to your kitchen or bath. The six-by-six-inch hand-painted porcelain tiles sport a crackle glaze and are rated for both indoor and outdoor projects. renaissancetileandbath.com

Color Blocking For the Spill subway tile collection, artist Vik Muniz reimagines porcelain blocks using expressive watercolors as inspiration, giving walls and floors the potential of an empty canvas. architessa.com

New Wave This hand-cut, waterjet mosaic, shown with a combination of tumbled Cloud Nine, Botticino, Gascogne Blue, Palomar and Bianco Antico marble and stone, is part of the Tidal Collection celebrating the fluidity of water’s movement. newravenna.com

Artisanal Choice Handcrafted of stoneware ceramic in Portland, Oregon, the MADE Billow collaboration with designer Kelly Wearstler features a polished finish that’s either fluted or smooth, for a dimensional tile that subtly plays with light and shadow. annsacks.com

Pattern Play Deep jewel tones in shades of burgundy, emerald and charcoal combine with soft neutrals in the Alaris tile collection. With heavy veining throughout, octagonal and square shapes allow for creative compositions that skew classical or modern. tilebar.com

BRITISH CHARM Gild your own pad with this whimsical wallcovering, part of In the Garden, Little Greene’s collaboration with the UK's National Trust. Inspired by 100 acres of lakes on a lush Welsh estate, Lily Pads (previous page) stars the aquatic plants, playfully interspersed with butterflies, kingfishers and even tiny boatmen. In four colorways. littlegreene.us

CHINOISERIE CHIC The first-ever printed collection from Fromental features five of the brand’s beloved murals, including Millefleurs (above, left) which began life as a hand-painted work on silk panels before being scanned and digitally rendered on paper. The result delivers artistry in a fraction of the time.
fromental.com

FOREST FETE A new collection, Sandberg Heritage, toasts the Swedish brand’s 50th anniversary while reinterpreting classic designs from its archive. Eden Mural (above, right) showcases the wild essence and beauty of Scandinavian flora and fauna in a mythical woodland with delightful details that emerge as your eye takes in the scene. sandbergwallpaper.com

ARBOR DAZE Delicately embroidered branches sway and leaves dance across a sisal paper background on Holly Hunt’s Malti wallcovering (right). Featuring a palette of muted tones, the pattern incorporates fine stitching that adds dimension, allowing for the interplay of light and creating a sense of movement. hollyhunt.com

Whether it’s the granite cobblestone streets where trolleys once roamed or the Federal-style row houses that line many a block, Georgetown exudes historic charm in almost every direction. But for a West Coast-based couple, a penthouse in the Ritz-Carlton fell short on delivering the kind of character that’s synonymous with the neighborhood. While the 6,145-square-foot, high-rise abode offered covetable views of the Potomac, the interior offered little architectural detail to match the scene outside.

“What was there felt very dated and early 2000s,” shares designer Zoë Feldman, whom the couple brought on for the renovation. “There were a lot of odd elements that needed to be smoothed out, such as columns that weren’t load-bearing and lots of undulation in the ceilings. There were large spaces, but they didn’t flow together well architecturally.”

Working with architects Thomson & Cooke and Pyramid Builders, Feldman went about crafting an artful pied-à-terre for the clients to use as an entertaining base when they’re in town. The husband and wife, who have two grown children, desired a DC residence to gather with friends and watch nearby Georgetown athletic events. The husband is an alum and one of the children currently attends the school.

But first the team had to right the penthouse’s shortcomings. Dropped ceilings were raised and cased openings were realigned to create a sense of separation between the mostly open-plan spaces. “A big part of the project was very subtly creating beautiful rooms that unfold into each other,” notes architect Patrick Cooke. “When it was one long run-on space, there was nowhere to stop and change color and materials. These spaces were tricky to make sense of until we created some separation.”

Careful consideration was paid to the how the apartment should flow with an eye on cohesion and a high level of customization top of mind. To start, the entry was reconceived valuing the principles of compression and expansion. A cozy vestibule, sporting new wood paneling painted in Farrow & Ball’s Carriage Green, was built out with a walnut alcove to welcome guests. “We thought it would be fun to create a dramatic jewel-box moment in the entry,” relays Feldman.

That vestibule leads to a hall, which ushers you into a bright, central gallery open to the living room and study on one side and the den, kitchen and dining space on the other. The primary suite resides just beyond the public living spaces for optimum privacy; three additional guest rooms, all with ensuite baths, are tucked away off the entry at the opposite end of the apartment.

To give the home a unifying visual language, the Brazilian cherry floors were refinished to downplay natural red undertones, and walnut door jambs were incorporated at the thresholds. Special attention was paid to the sequencing of rooms through the use of color. “They wanted it to feel more in line with a typical Georgetown home which might have moodier hues,” says Feldman. “A lot of the spaces have earthy jewel tones, so if you line them all up, they would complement each other.”

The cooler side of the color wheel—think grays, blues and greens—dominates the palette; the charcoal study has blueish undertones, and the powder room’s DeGournay wall covering boasts a forest motif in emerald and teal. One exception is the den, bathed in a rich, atmospheric terracotta hue. Other spaces feature crisp white walls to let the clients’ top-shelf art collection, which includes pieces by Sam Gilliam, Sabine Moritz and Mark Bradford, sing.

In the kitchen, Feldman freshened up existing cabinets with a coat of Farrow & Ball’s De Nimes blue and new honed marble countertops. “We weren’t able to fully renovate the kitchen because of the tight time constraint, so we had to put a band-aid on some of it and the easiest thing to do when you need a band-aid is paint,” she explains. The entire project went down in the course of five months from start to finish.

“Zoë had a clear vision for transforming this residence into a home that reflects both the building’s refined setting and the clients’ modern lifestyle,” reflects Jerry Jubb, vice president of Pyramid Builders. “It was a comprehensive renovation that touched nearly every space in the residence. The combination of finish-sensitive work, a vertical urban setting and strict schedule demands made this project challenging, but also one of the most rewarding.”

The owners of this Cleveland Park center hall Colonial, architect Megan Downey and her journalist husband, found that its best asset—an expansive backyard that looks onto a ravine—was unfortunately blocked by a rear attached garage. “It’s an amazing forested wonderland with a creek, but you wouldn’t have known it from the way the house was laid out,” she explains. Desiring a family-friendly kitchen that felt connected to nature and to the rest of the house so they could keep an eye on their two young daughters, Downey devised a plan to eliminate the wall between the abode and the garage and relocate the kitchen to the former garage on the home’s posterior.

Wanting the cook space to feel modern and uncluttered, she conjured a porcelain-clad monolithic island that would look like a floating marble sculpture and full-height cabinets that would blend into the wall and keep appliances, pantry items and dishes out of sight. Aurora Ferrari of Innately Italy helmed fabrication of the cabinetry and countertops. With an eye on safety and sustainability, Downey opted for minimal-VOC paint and sheep’s wool insulation. Reclaimed historic red oak boards were matched to the existing floors and topped with an all-natural coating partially made from cheese whey, making the space as eco-friendly as it is sleek.

PROJECT TEAM
Architecture & Kitchen Design: Megan Downey, Megan Downey Studio. Interior Contractor: Smith & Daughter. 

KITCHEN DETAILS
Cabinetry: innatelyitaly.com. Appliances: miele.com through ajmadison.com. Windows: loewen.com through thesanderscompany.com. Pendant Lighting: flos.com. Stools: dwr.com.