Home & Design

A Family Affair

Donnie Simpson is living large. Really large. In 17,000 square feet with eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, to be exact. Washington, DC, radio’s drive-time master and his designing wife of 32 years have been comfortably ensconced in a grand new mansion on two prime acres in Potomac, Maryland, for about a year now. But it’s not really size that matters to the devoted couple, together since meeting in high school and marrying when they were both 19-year-olds in their native Detroit.
“I needed at least a four-car garage, and only really big houses have them,” explains Donnie, who boasts two Ferraris among a collection of five cars that are regularly parked at the residence.
Undaunted by the massive project and eager to tackle it herself, Pam Simpson conceptualized and coordinated almost every detail. It was through a loving vision for a comfortably furnished nesting environment for her family that the interiors and landscape of the transitional-style pale brick home emerged.
Husband Donnie, a golf fanatic who greatly prefers swinging his clubs to swatch selection, had one key request, which turned out to be any designer’s or wife’s dream. “I told her not to worry about the cost, that she should go ahead and do everything first-class, the right way,” he says.
Since the couple enjoys a relaxed lifestyle and doesn’t entertain at home often, aside from family affairs, the decoration emphasizes calm neutral tones and minimalist furniture layouts. No loud colors, tchotchke clutter or ostentatious glitz in these modified contemporary rooms.
Lenore Sabra and Michael Kramer, the design team at Rockville’s Danker Furniture, supplied most of the home’s pieces from its top showroom brands including Swaim, Henredon and Century. They also consulted on space planning with the Simpsons. “Their house reflects our look,” says Danker rep and longtime Simpson friend Kramer, “but it’s also very personal. With the artwork and accessories and the overall feel, it’s very Donnie and Pam.”
The impressive double-story foyer, with its eye-popping geometric crystal chandelier and open staircase, befits the abode of a local celebrity. The limestone entry is flanked on either side by a stately library with a second-level reading area and the dining room with coordinating light fixture and a uniquely extensive display of ethnic Lladro figurines. Featuring sprawling views of the exterior space beyond, the living room lies straight ahead with cherry wood inlaid floors and a high, contrastingly rustic stone fireplace. It matches the detail of the al fresco fireplace and industrial-capacity grill situated outdoors next to the flagstone swimming pool and hot tub area. A perfectly groomed putting green for Donnie rests off at the property’s edge.
One glance at the estate’s graceful appointments and verdant setting and you know that the idea of “living large” is definitely about something more than property measurements.
It marks a long journey from Simpson’s humble start in Michigan, where he broke into radio by accident as a teenager. Simpson came to rule the DC airways first at WKYS-FM (93.9) and then at his current home on WPGC-FM (95.5) while achieving national prominence during a 14-year-stint on the popular Black Entertainment Television program “Video Soul.” His 31-year-old son Donnie Junior, also known as D.J., is currently a producer and on-air contributor to his father’s WPGC program.
Pam, a former model and actress who also refers to herself as “a retired cook,” runs their immaculate house from her favorite cozy little nook, a combined office/laundry room just off the granite-appointed kitchen, which boasts state-of-the-art appliances. She listens to Donnie’s morning show every day. “And now that D.J. is on there, I really never miss it.”
When dining at home, Donnie and Pam, now both 52, have most of their meals on bar stools around the kitchen’s island, often accompanied by daughter Dawn. Dawn, 26, is a personal trainer who lives in an expansive suite on the second floor. The kitchen area also includes a breakfast nook and gigantic family room. When they want to hang out and, say, watch a flat panel TV, they have many choices since most of the house’s private rooms are equipped with plush seating and the most sleek and up-to-date audio-visual equipment.
A trip to the home’s unique, fully fashioned “basement” level finds a dark blue, womb-like screening room with eight super-soft, electrically controlled recliners. “They’re so comfortable, I can hardly sit down here without falling asleep,” chuckles Pam. The whole level is special for its succession of rooms geared to recreation on a swanky scale. There’s the stone-inlaid wine cellar display area highlighted by a glass-enclosed cigar room, replete with the ultimate poker table and a special ventilation system to handle the smoke. Individual spaces for dual pinball machines and a custom-designed pool table are arranged near a large downstairs kitchen and bar area, ideal for caterers to prep for large gatherings. The Simpsons will have good use for that soon, since they plan to host son D.J.’s upcoming wedding reception for about 200 guests under tents outside this September.
The master bedroom suite is located at one end of the home’s first floor. It’s a vast spot with pretty views of the terrace and yard. Pam is especially proud of her precisely organized walk-in closet, with a place for every pair of shoes and clothing carefully  arranged by category and color. “Having a closet like this has been my dream,” she smiles.
The other seven bedrooms are upstairs. With plenty of guestrooms to go around—and a finished attic already prepared to be a playroom for future grandchildren—the Simpsons especially enjoy hosting Thanksgiving celebrations for the extended family, including Donnie’s twin brother, who lives in Detroit. But just when you think you’ve seen it all at Chez Simpson, you notice that the second floor’s core expanse of bedrooms gives way to a passage. As you turn the corner of the hallway, en route to Donnie’s soundproof office—planned to be a remote broadcasting studio—and a professionally equipped home gym, a surprise awaits.
Though most of the rest of the residence enjoys abstract wall art, primarily more decorative than representational, here is a gallery of vividly hued African masks, art and other culturally significant keepsakes from around the continent. The Simpsons brought back most of the collection from their own visits to Africa. The dynamic paintings and sculpture in this hallway make an exciting contrast to the earth-toned serenity that characterizes the rest of the home.
The unexpected art space also accentuates the Simpsons’ respect for their heritage. They also honor that heritage in another way. To commemorate the couple’s 25th anniversary, they started The Donnie and Pam Simpson Scholarship Fund, administered through the United Negro College Fund. It provides funds to undergraduate students in need from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.
In other words, the Simpsons’ largess helps others live large too. It is with a generosity of spirit to the community and a dedication to family that the Simpson’s enjoy the good life.
Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 16 years, is a regular contributor to HOME & DESIGN.
RESOURCES

DINING ROOM
Dining Table, Chairs & Sideboard: Henredon through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD. Window Treatments: Yardstick Interiors, Germantown, MD. Lighting: Annapolis Lighting, Rockville, MD. Rug: Carousel Carpets, Bowie, MD.LIBRARY
Sofa, Chairs & Tufted Ottoman: Henredon through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD. Window Treatments: Yardstick Interiors,

LIVING ROOM
Sofa, Chairs & Coffee Table: Swaim through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD. Window Treatments: Yardstick Interiors, Germantown, MD. Rug: Carousel Carpets, Bowie, MD.

KITCHEN
Bar Stools: Dinec through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD.

EXTERIOR
Landscaping: Rupert Landscaping Company. Putting Green: Short Game Greens, Vienna, VA.

Space Planning & Furnishings: Michael Kramer and Lenore Sabra, Danker Furniture, Rockville, Maryland Landscaping: Ruppert Nurseries, Inc., Laytonsville, Maryland

A New Beginning


Anthony Wilder designed a renovation of the existing
house and an addition. The finished house has a more
unified, inviting appearance with new oval windows on
either side of the entryway.
What happens when a couple accustomed to life in the world’s grandest foreign embassies meets a local envoy with residential expertise? Though not a state affair, the result is a state-of-the-art whole-house remodel in Bethesda, Maryland’s Sumner neighborhood blending the practical needs and understated Old World tastes of the clients with the open, approachable inclinations of modern design.

Former Ambassador Stapleton “Stape” Roy and his wife Sandy were just retiring from a 45-year-long career representing the United States in Asia’s most important capitals, from Jakarta to Singapore to Beijing. Luckily, it didn’t take much diplomacy to establish relations with just the right party to update the look, improve the accessibility and nearly double the size of the neglected “official” residence back home that they had owned for 20 years.

“We hit it off immediately,” Sandy Roy says, remembering her genial first contact with an enthusiastic Anthony Wilder, principal of Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc. Prepared with a list of logistic requirements but no desire to micro-manage the aesthetics, she contacted Wilder after seeing the quality of work his company achieved on a neighbor’s house. “The place was pretty plain,” she says. “We needed someone like Anthony to beautify it.”

In retrospect, she’s thrilled with her choice, as well as the all-inclusive design/build concept. “They really exceeded our expectations and completed the project ahead of schedule last year,” Sandy observes. “And since there’s only one point of contact and they do everything, there’s a lot of accountability.”

Typically, Wilder personally creates the general design of a project—even encompassing the landscaping in this case—while his team of 36, including in-house architects, interior decorators and construction supervisors, execute it. Not only were the clients thrilled, but the project garnered Wilder’s firm a Contractor of the Year award in the category of whole house over $1 million.

The Roys sought ease of movement through their three-story abode. This meant improving the user-friendliness of the upper floor’s master bathroom and the central stairway as well as the addition of an elevator to the structure, which was more challenging architecturally. Furthermore, the Roys needed room to store Stape’s extensive professional library on the main and basement levels and to display the treasured art objects collected from a lifetime of travel and living abroad.

“We wanted to address all that while improving the lines of sight with focal points to keep you moving throughout the house, each room relating to the next,” Wilder notes. “We also wanted to reflect the unpretentious personal style of the Roys and to integrate the remnants of the old house with the new seamlessly. You want people to have to ask where you added on.”

A conventional Colonial originally built in 1970 on a lot considered large for the neighborhood at close to three-quarters of an acre, the existing house was nearly gutted before being stretched toward the back and to one side, increasing from 2,500 to approximately 4,900 square feet. The combination brick and siding façade was refreshed with painstakingly matched materials and the outdoor space was reworked as well. Taking advantage of the back yard’s expansive southern exposure with the liberal addition of volumes of glass, Wilder served two of his signature priorities, typical of contemporary design: to introduce as much natural light as possible and visually merge the indoors and outdoors. “From my observations and personal experience, everyone looks and feels healthier and more vital in natural light. And a room should always reflect good feelings and well-being,” Wilder explains.

The spacious kitchen/breakfast room is the centerpiece of this extreme makeover. Accessed either through the warm Mandarin-red dining room or by way of the family room—both of which directly link the home’s new heart to its freshly opened foyer—the space boasts a dramatically high, barrel-like ceiling with curved lines and sizeable skylights above.

Stape Roy, now managing director of the prestigious international consulting firm Kissinger Associates, came up with the idea for the expanded breakfast room. Meanwhile, Sandy knew she wanted a much larger white kitchen and a more practical configuration of appliances. “I especially love the small office I now have just off of the kitchen,” she says. A new two-sided fireplace forms a shared wall between the kitchen and the family room.

The family room connects to the formal living room, which contains some of the Roys’ most valued collectibles. Two raised paneled archways on either side, about three feet deep, provide a striking transition from the living room to the library, where a bay window nook was created especially for the grand piano. “The raised paneling detail is very labor intensive,” Wilder explains. “It harks back to a time of the best old craftsmanship of a hundred years ago or more.”

Wilder employed subtle traditional touches that appealed to the Roys, such as the oval leaded windows on the once-dark entry portico, while maintaining the integrity and appeal of modern design. “I love the feeling I have when I am designing a space straight from the heart as it relates to the people I am working with,” he says. “To infuse their spirit into the architecture is the ultimate expression of a kind of listening/designing. It brings life and longevity to the client’s appreciation of the project long after I have left.”

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 17 years, is a regular contributor to Home & Design. Photographer Paul Burk is based in Baltimore.

PROJECT DESIGN: Anthony Wilder. PROJECT ARCHITECT: Maria Fanjul. INTERIOR DESIGN: Kary Ewalt. PROJECT MANAGER: Robert Farrie, Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc., Cabin John, Maryland. LANDSCAPING: John Shorb Landscaping, Inc., Kensington, Maryland.

 


A series of paneled archways connects the main spaces
on the first floor. Pictured here is the view from the library
to the living room, the foyer and the dining room beyond.

The dining room opens to the new kitchen, which was
greatlyexpanded during the renovation.

The formal living room displays some of the most valued
collectibles the Roys amassed during a lifetime of travel
and living abroad. The paneled archway leading to the
library replaced regular square openings in the existing
space.

The new design skillfully links interior spaces with the
landscape. The open and airy kitchen boasts a vaulted
ceiling, state-of-the-art appliances and unobstructed
views of the backyard.

The two-sided fireplace serves the kitchen as well as
the family room, which offers panoramic views of the
garden. The addition blends seamlessly onto the rear
of the home.

Unlike the original rear façade, the new design engages
with the surrounding landscape.

The new library boasts a bay window nook created
especially for the grand piano.

House of Glass


Built atop a 1940s apartment building in Washington, DC,
the new penthouse embodies modern architecture with
spans of glass, planes of stucco and a fin wall clad in
oxidized copper.
 

People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. But maybe they should get curtains. At least that is the lesson learned by real estate professionals David Klimas and Kurt Rieschick, owners of an amazing, nearly transparent structure that appears to be floating atop a renovated World War II-era condominium in a booming section off downtown Washington DC’s Massachusetts Avenue. Their penthouse, designed by Bonstra | Haresign Architects LLP and integrated onto the older building in 2003, is surrounded by other high-rise residences and has expansive windows in its main space that run up some 19 feet.

“We finally decided to put up the sheers after we caught people with binoculars looking back at us,” Klimas remembers, smiling. “A client of mine who lives within peeping distance even knew what our cat looked like!”

As both their rare hairless sphinx Rocco and this one-of-a-kind home attest, it’s a property all about thinking outside the box. Or, maybe it’s about living inside a box—“a glass jewelry box,” as architect Bill Bonstra describes it. “The original building is like the dresser it sits on.”

In terms of design, this 1,600-square-foot, five-story walk-up embodies the contrast of modern style against the traditional stature of the 1940s foundation beneath it. “There’s nothing else like it as a problem to solve,” Bonstra observes, reflecting on his approach to the design. The idea was to orient what he calls the “view corridors” toward the three historic churches surrounding the penthouse and to reference at least one of them specifically. The patina of the home’s outer copper “fin walls” emulates the greenish antiquing of the spectacular oversized spire crowning the nearby 19th-century Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes. The fin walls also serve as a kind of visual strap, which appear to “hold down” the retrofitted addition. And, according to Bonstra, “the split, butterfly roof adds interest to the volume, corresponding to the need for higher ceilings in some parts of the place and not in others.”

The owners, who both work for the real estate sales firm of McWilliams/ Ballard and also have homes together in Montreal and Miami, wanted nothing more than to honor the project’s thrilling architecture in the way they outfitted the interior. When the handsome thirty-something couple came across the property, they couldn’t resist it. “The high ceilings, the light and glass—we saw so many condos every day in our work and this was so different. The work of the developers was of such good quality, too,” says Rieschick, who served as chief decorator.

One of his greatest challenges was more logistic than aesthetic: Every item had to be hand-carried up five flights of stairs since the building has no elevator. Another challenge? Rieschick is color blind.   “Maybe that’s why we’ve made it so monochromatic,” he jokes.   Most of the statement pieces in the open public space of the unit’s first floor are white: a white leather sofa and lounge chair from Poltrona Frau; white leather dining chairs and a white cowhide rug from Timothy Paul positioned atop the Brazilian cherry hardwood floors.

With the warm neutral of Benjamin Moore’s Nantucket Gray as a backdrop on the walls, furniture was chosen for its scale—large enough not to get swallowed up by the dramatic sweep of the main living area, but not so large as to overcrowd the space. The floor plan layout was all about respecting the exterior views. Clutter was verboten.

“I’m not a fan of tchotchkes,” Klimas notes. “We kept the furniture angular, pretty boxy and square to echo the angles of the house. The decoration needed to take a back seat in order to draw the eye to the architecture.”   A two-sided raw steel fireplace helps maneuver the transition between the imposing indoor space and the 180-square-foot terrace. Clean-lined Smith & Hawken furniture and unfussy plants from Garden District on 14th Street, along with a “Rear Window”-like view of neighboring buildings, confer a citified flare to the outdoor refuge.

The kitchen, with cherry cabinets, Viking stainless-steel appliances, funky metal pendant lights by Chiasso and Ubatuba gray- and gold-flecked granite countertops, is tucked beneath the condo’s staircase. An uncommon touch to match this most uncommon place, the stair is a custom-crafted metal flight, crafted and hand-signed by local sculptor Robert Cole—as much a work of art as a functional element. In fact, all the art pieces in the home were carefully chosen to reflect not only the shared taste of Klimas and Rieschick, who’ve been together for nine years, but also to resonate with the penthouse’s larger motifs.

Four of the pieces are by DC artist Mike Weber, including Seascape, a blue and white painting in the dining area that Klimas describes as “sparse and soothing. It puts you in another place.”

As one walks upstairs, the first visual wallop comes from Weber’s huge ink print on canvas, a reproduction by Weber of one of Gustav Doré’s illustrations for “Don Quixote” that Weber tinted a passionate red. A special bit of architectural excitement comes from the adjacent catwalk, which hovers above the first floor and leads to a tranquil little nook with a cozy reading chaise. The couple’s pedigreed feline resident Rocco—who happens to be the grandson of Mr. Bigglesworth, the feline star in the Austin Powers movies—favors this secluded spot in particular. A painting called Hill by Lisa Blas hangs cattycorner to a stunning view of St. Agnes. The picture is a hot- pink and yellow rendering of a stately church in Prague, which nods to the neighboring parish just out the window.

Back across the catwalk, the second floor’s loft-like private space also includes two bedrooms. The guest room serves double-duty as a comfy media room. The master suite is appointed with a sleek, maple-stained bedroom set. Richly toned Santa Cecilia marble, in mottled shades of black, beige and gold, lend the master bath a similarly pure, modern appeal.

The owners couldn’t be happier in their chic urban skybox. They both especially appreciate the interaction of the space with the outside world. They talk about lying in bed at night and hearing the sound of rain on the copper roof. Or sitting on their sofa and being able to look up to see the full moon or a beautifully fierce lightning storm. “Or, the fact that we have so much sunlight; we have the eastern, southern and western exposures. The house changes, even the colors change, as the sun moves across the sky,” Rieschick observes.

Klimas adds, “Really, it’s the whole package. This is my dream home.”
Architect Bonstra, too, is pleased about the final product. “This was a success. It is a well-regarded project that met the needs of the client, conformed to zoning codes, and yet is a really interesting and unique creation.”

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 17 years, is a regular contributor to Home & Design. Photographer Kenneth M. Wyner is based in Takoma Park, Maryland.

Architect William Bonstra oriented the property’s “view corridors” toward three nearby churches, including the 19th-century Church of the Ascension and Saint Agnes.  Stevens, Asbury Park. Patchwork Cowhide Argentinian Rug: Timothy Paul, Washington, DC. Floors: Brazilian sand-and-stain cherry.


The main living space, with its 19-foot-high windows, interacts
with its surroundings as the light changes throughout the day.


Above the kitchen, the metal staircase was custom-crafted
by local sculptor Robert Cole. A catwalk leads to a tranquil,
glass-enclosed sitting area.


The open kitchen boasts stainless-steel Viking appliances,
funky metal pendants by Chiasso and gray- and gold-flecked
granite countertops. In the adjacent dining area, Seascape,
a blue and white painting by DC artist Mike Weber, “puts you
in another place,” says David Klimas.


A reproduction by Mike Weber of a work by Gustav Doré
makes an impact at the top of the stairs, which were crafted
by local sculptor Robert Cole.


The catwalk leads to a tranquil nook with a cozy chaise for reading.


Filled with plants, the 180-square-foot terrace is a green refuge
above the bustling streets.


The patina of the outer fin walls emulates the greenish antiquing
of the spire of the nearby church.

A Passion for Art


Eric Kole relaxes on the steps of his Logan Circle penthouse beneath Absolut DC, a lithograph made for the vodka purveyor by Judy Brown. 

For Vastu co-owner Eric Kole, art doesn’t so much imitate life. Art is his life.The line blurs between a professional and personal passion for beautiful things in the same way that his chic Logan Circle furnishings boutique/ gallery and his swanky duplex loft in the same DC neighborhood share a consistent progressive design aesthetic. He calls his style “warm, comfortable modern.” But at home, as at work, it is this designer-entrepreneur’s devotion to fine art that really drives him.

“I grew up in Michigan, very, very poor. The first time I went to the Museum of Modern Art in New York and saw Andy Warhol’s Gold Marilyn, I got goose bumps,” Kole recalls. “Something happened that really transformed me.”

That transformation took time to flourish for the fit 43-year-old, who first came to Washington to enter the corporate world after graduating from Cornell with degrees in economics and design. “I rose to become a divisional vice-president for Computer Associates, but I didn’t totally use the design part of my education for 15 years,” he notes.

Creating attractive residential interiors began as a hobby for him during that period. Friends asked for help with their places and he kept redoing his own. “And that’s when I began collecting art,” he says.
About four years ago, he’d had enough of the corporate existence. “I couldn’t get up one more morning and put on another suit to sell something I had no interest in,” Kole recalls.

As the 14th Street corridor began its renaissance in 2003, he and co-owner Jason Claire opened the hip, contemporary Vastu. A new generation of professionals was just moving into the neighborhood and seeking the sleek, modern look. The store—which offers custom furniture, fashionable accessories, design services and, of course, affordable art pieces—was profitable from the day it opened, Kole says.

In 2003, Kole also placed an advance order to purchase a penthouse condominium in the vintage Cooper-Lewis Building. The residence would include a light-filled, bi-level 1,450-square-foot interior and a spectacular 1,100-square-foot, wrap-around roof terrace.

The complete rehab by the Metropolis Development Company was just launching, so Kole was able to make alterations to his floor plan. The most important structural change that he ordered, to showcase his art and fit his living requirements, flies in the face of recent trends. “I actually closed in the kitchen,” he reveals. The added walls allowed for about 60 to 70 percent more kitchen cabinetry and provided more

display space for his art collection.

Kole, who was finally able to move into the apartment building last year, had pre-planned where every painting would hang and where each piece of sculpture and furniture would be positioned. “I was able to throw a party in it within 72 hours of moving in,” he remembers.

It is that kind of enthusiasm and attention to detail that informs every part of Kole’s home. This becomes apparent from the moment you step onto the Brazilian cherry hardwood floor and behold the dramatic expanse, which is punctuated by vibrant canvases in representational themes. The foyer tenders an initial burst with a pair of Javier Cabada’s flowers, Red Lily and White Iris, hanging next to one another above a contrasting antique Tibetan cupboard.

“Except for a couple of these old cabinets and bookcases, every pillow, rug, window treatment and stick of furniture came from Vastu,” Kole says. “And I acquired about half of the art through Vastu. We have new shows every eight to 10 weeks for emerging local artists. I try to buy at least one piece from each of them. But my most important art, I’ve collected that throughout my life.”

Among those, on the right in the main hallway after the entrances to the cozy media/guest room and immaculate kitchen, is Reflections on Soda Fountain. It’s one of three lithographs Kole owns by Roy Lichtenstein, the artist known for his comic-strip style. Nearby, on the counter of the functional kitchen with its sleek Scavolini cabinetry, is another example of Kole’s love of pop art: a framed Campbell’s Tomato Soup label. It is one of a series originally signed by artist Andy Warhol for Campbell’s company employees after the artist’s own versions of the label gained international acclaim.

The pop-art genre fits Kole’s idea that the furniture should serve as a backdrop. “Classic sculptural pieces in a muted, neutral palette allow you to go brighter, bolder and bigger in art choices. Art needs to grab you.”

While Kole believes that furniture is secondary, it still needs to hold its own against the art. This is apparent in the soaring combined living/dining area, where an iconic Saarinen dining table with an arabescato marble top by Knoll anchors a swirl of forceful, large-scale compositions.

By comparison, a soothing taupe-gray master suite on the opposite side of the great room feels more like a private sanctuary.  Resting beside the leather and steel Vastu recalls the greater intention of the residence as an art repository.

Kole’s good taste, along with his personal identity, are reflected up the staircase, off the apartment’s cool second-story den with its high-tech metal fireplace.Suspended in mid-air is a specially commissioned sculpture, Julie Levesque’s Four Square. A stark white grouping of four symmetrical houses dangles together, each slightly different in its features, each one representing a member of Kole’s family as described by him to the artist. It is left open to interpretation, though, as to which tiny dwelling symbolizes his mother, father, brother and himself.

But when it comes to his full-sized dwelling, Eric Kole is unambiguous. “Art has no intrinsic value, no actual use. It’s not a chair. It’s about pure beauty. To know I can have something simply because it is beautiful, that’s what thrills me.”

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 17 years, is a regular contributor to Home & Design. Timothy Bell is a photographer based in Washington, DC, and New York City.

Suspended next to the second-story den that leads to the roof terrace (right), Julie Levesque’s Four Square symbolizes the four members of Kole’s family. In the living room (opposite), Kole juxtaposes two vibrant paintings, Blue by David DeBilzan and Crema by Carlos Davila Rinaldi, over low-slung furnishings from Vastu.

A Saarinen table brings a sculptural look into the dining area (opposite), where Popi’s Power of Money makes a dramatic statement. Sleek cabinets by Scavolini and quartz-stone countertops create a modern vibe in the kitchen (above). The framed soup-can label signed by Andy Warhol was made as a gift for Campbell’s employees after the artist’s Campbell’s Soup Cans gained international acclaim.

Kole’s comfortable media room (this page) boasts a Nelson bench, a sofa by Steven Anthony and a side chair upholstered in Knoll fabric—all from Vastu. UPC, a canvas by Genevieve Durang, echoes the lines in the bench. Serenity prevails in the gray-taupe master bedroom (opposite top), where Andy?Warhol’s Diamond Dust Shoes shimmers over the bed and Lichtenstein’s Venetian School covers a space where there was once a window.

A metallic and epoxy painting by Willie Little sets a tranquil tone in the master bath (opposite bottom).


Suspended next to the second-story den that leads to the roof terrace, Julie Levesque's Four Squares symbolizes the four members of Kole's family.

In the living room, Kole juxtaposes two vibrant paintings, Blue by David DeBilzan and Crema by Carlos Davila Rinaldi, over low-slung furnishings from Vastu. 


A Saarinen table brings an sculptural look into the dining area, where Popi's Power of Money makes a dramatic statement. 


Sleek cabinets by Scavolini and quartz-stone countertops create a modern vibe in the kitchen. 


Kole's comfortable media room boasts a Nelson bench, a sofa by Steven Anthony and a side chair upholstered in Knoll fabric-- all from Vastu. UPC, a canvas by Genevieve Durang, echoes the lines in the bench. 


Serenity prevails in the gray-taupe master bedroom, where Andy Warhol's Diamond Dust Shoes shimmers over the bed. 


The den leads to the 1,100-square-foot wrap-around roof terrace, which offers panoramic views of DC and makes a great spot for entertaining.

Modern Evolution

Though an old proverb says that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client, the New Testament instructs, “Physician, heal thyself.” So what about an architect? How should he approach the invention of his own home?

That was the challenge facing Jordan Goldstein, an award-winning principal and design director for the DC offices of Gensler, the world’s largest architecture firm. “When you are your own client, you have to figure out a way to filter your wants and desires to satisfy your true needs. We had an amount of money that could only go so far,” he says. “When working with my clients, it’s a lot easier because decisions are made in a collective manner, with a collective vision. And it’s their funds. Here, it’s our vision, our funds.”

That vision came together by combining the best of the old and the new.

The idea was to expand a single-story cottage built in 1938 in Bethesda’s picturesque Sonoma neighborhood from 1,400 to 3,000 square feet so it would function as a family home for Jordan, his wife Laurie, precocious five-year-old Alexa, one-year-old Sari and an affectionate golden retriever. But at the same time, Goldstein sought to preserve the character of the original structure and modernize the residential space to reflect his progressive commercial design sensibilities.

When the Goldsteins purchased the property in 1998, they decided to renovate and enlarge the home in phases. “It had no porch and a mock Spanish tile roof,” Goldstein remembers. “But when we did the first addition, we wanted to be sensitive to the old look. We didn’t want you to feel like you were seeing a McMansion from the front. Our other priority at first was to get the house more efficient by updating the internal systems—like the plumbing and heating—and to attach a dining room on the first floor and a bedroom above that.”

In the second phase, completed late last year, they took advantage of a generous yard to append an entirely new back half to the house. Through the process, they visually bared the space to the south with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows to gain as much natural light as possible, put in state-of-the-art interior lighting and broadened the flow and the new rooms according to Goldstein’s professional viewpoint.  “Many of the products I deal with for commercial environments are much more durable than some of the residential products I was seeing. So I used a lot of commercial products here, like the lighting and the carpet tiles. Also, in the construction, we discussed different ways of doing things with materials that you don’t necessarily use in the same way in a residential environment—such as the giant glass windows and their unique narrow framing.”

Goldstein’s expertise enabled them to focus on materials and workmanship. Laurie, a publicist for Marriott Corporation, explains, “We felt strongly that we wanted the best quality. So that’s why we were willing to compromise on doing the work in phases.”

It’s not surprising that the couple—both 35-year-old natives of Montgomery County, Maryland—share a similar outlook. They are childhood sweethearts who met in nursery school. Laurie’s maiden name is even the same as her married name. “We go way back,” she smiles. “His mom and my dad went to high school together.” Jordan and Laurie Goldstein attended the same junior high and high schools too. “Because it was Goldstein and Gold- stein, we were usually in the same homeroom,” Jordan recalls. “But we didn’t start dating until our sophomore year together at University of Maryland.” They married in 1997, shortly after Jordan joined Gensler straight out of graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this case, the layman spouse of an architect actually did have input into the design of the house. “I trusted him. But I definitely had a say too. We discussed everything,” she says. She was especially interested in the functionality of the kitchen.

“I wanted to pick out the appliances. And I really liked the open kitchen and family room combination; it has been a blessing. I get home from work after being gone all day and it allows me to be with my kids while I’m trying to make dinner and do other things,” she says.

The Goldsteins call it “the big room,” which includes an adjacent mudroom for laundry and pantry storage. The kitchen section is appointed with mottled granite counters in shades of ivory and malachite to match the muted shades of green in the glass tile backsplash. “I used that tile in a bathroom exhibit in a show house at The Washington Design Center and I just loved it,” Jordan reveals. The kitchen also features custom cherry cabinets with an espresso finish and stainless-steel hardware and appliances.

Most of the furniture throughout the house came from accessible retailers such as Pottery Barn and Theodore’s in Georgetown. But a few special pieces were designed by Goldstein himself.

When you first enter the house, the combination foyer/living room has the home’s original molding and fireplace. It also showcases two Goldstein prototypes in black and white: the one-armed, asymmetrical lounge chair that Goldstein designed for David Edward of Baltimore and an innovative reception bench with an integrated wood end table, which he designed for Tuohy Furniture, in the adjoining hallway. He also designed the dining room table. With a defined geometric look echoing lines and forms found throughout the residence, the ebonized maple and sycamore table is punctuated by a clean, stainless-steel inlay.

Representing the architect’s overall goal to merge indoors and out, a view of a verdant canopy of foliage through the windows gives the main bedroom a unique effect. “I always feel like we live in a tree house, especially upstairs,” Laurie Goldstein says. “We have so many trees and it’s so green around here. When we added the big skylights, we could see nature even more.”

Conceiving a “tree house” seems a long way from Jordan Goldstein’s day job: to design important commercial buildings, retail spaces and products for mass consumption. He is currently tackling a massive project, helping to develop a retail destination at the entrance to the new baseball stadium along the DC waterfront.

But conjuring up his family’s private haven required putting all that aside.

“I think the biggest thing for me was to free my mind. You have to lose all the baggage from previous projects. If you try to integrate things from other projects,” he says, “then your house becomes bandaged residue from all your past work. I had to decide that this is my house; my family and I have this canvas to paint on. I can’t go too crazy with all the great new materials, all these cool techniques. It would destroy functionality. So you must bring the essence of the ideas you use at work into the space.”

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 17 years, is a regular contributor to HOME &
DESIGN. Photographer Kenneth M. Wyner is based in Takoma Park, Maryland.




Goldstein designed the dining table made of ebonized maple,
sycamore and stainless steel.


The rear view of the home reveals its dramatic new addition.

The kitchen is appointed with mottled granite counters in
shades of ivory and malachite to match the muted shades
of green in the glass tile backsplash.


Architect Jordan Goldstein with his wife Laurie
and daughters Alexa and Sari.


Upstairs, the orangey-red accent walls of the bridge space
between the master loft and the girls’ rooms offer the home’s
one big shot of saturated color. Explaining his choice of a largely
neutral color palette throughout the home, Goldstein asserts,
“The family is the color.”


Goldstein detailed the second-floor bridge between the
master bedroom and his daughters' rooms with glass,
steel, modern lighting and a punch of color.



In the second phase of the renovation, they took advantage
of a generous yard to append an entirely new back half to the
house, adding a generous kitchen and sitting area.


The sitting area features state-of-the-art lighting, video
and sound system.


Cerphe and Susan Colwell and their cat Ludwig catch
some rays on their deck overlooking Lake Audubon. It’s only rock ‘n’ roll, and radio veterans Cerphe and Susan Colwell have always liked it. But a shared love of music is not the only ticket to their harmonious sanctuary on Lake Audubon in Reston. Rather, this progressive couple is in concert with the environment and in tune with health-conscious living, which has given their modern-style home and a new socially responsible business venture its heightened rhythm.

With their recently purchased five-level, 4,700-square-foot townhome in northern Virginia as an archetype, last year the Colwells started MyGreenCottage.com. The company specializes in outfitting clean, energy-efficient custom homes that improve occupants’ health and have a neutral effect on the planet.

But as the adage goes, it isn’t easy being green—or, at least it wasn’t at first for an early adopter. “The whole thing began about 35 years ago. I became a vegetarian when it was still considered a very strange thing to do,” recalls Cerphe (a family name pronounced “surf”), a legendary Washington-area disc jockey. He’s famous for originally “breaking” Bruce Springsteen on the radio back in 1973 and for hosting the local concert that would become Little Feat’s blockbuster live album, Waiting for Columbus. “That was around the same time that I started on air. I was a visual arts student at American University. They let us crazy hippies play our music during the overnights at a Big Band station in Bethesda.”

Quickly transitioning from Frank Sinatra to Frank Zappa, the station would soon evolve into one of the East Coast’s most iconic, cutting-edge rock stations ever: WHFS. Cerphe helped symbolize a musical movement there for nearly a decade before commencing a long tenure with Infinity Broadcasting in the 1980s, for many years at the powerhouse WJFK-FM. The 55-year-old Cerphe now hosts the afternoon drive-time show on 94.7 FM. He says he works standing up during the whole five hours he’s at the station.

“I have a passion for being healthy. Anything you can do—exercise, yoga, meditation—will help ‘the machine’ and help you in the world.” You only have to glance around the Colwells’ sleek yet funky, Stanley Martin attached home to glean their devotion to the intertwined pursuits of physical and spiritual health, music, and eco-friendliness.

Just the fact that it’s an attached home with a southern exposure makes it green. “Townhouses require less land and materials to build and place less of a load on resources than do single-family homes,” Susan Colwell notes. The vast, low E-coating windows are not only energy efficient but also allow for a feeling of organic warmth in the loft-like great room.

Flanked by a raised deck overlooking the picturesque lake, the combined living room, dining room and open kitchen offers contemporary comfort with more than a hint of individuality. With occasional consultation from Washington, DC, interior designer Michael Fritz, the Colwells decorated the place themselves using local, easily accessible retailers.

The rugs come from Pottery Barn. Crate & Barrel supplied the dining table and the black leather Italian-inspired dining chairs, as well as the aluminum outdoor furniture. Other upholstered pieces came from Random Harvest Studio. Concrete Jungle crafted their two custom fireplaces. A cabinet made of renewable bamboo from Theodore’s stands adjacent to the great room’s vivid and most personal statement: Cerphe’s collection of more than 8,000 CDs, arranged in alphabetical order.

“Sure, you could put all this music on an iPod,” he allows, pointing to the extensive mounted library, “but look at my wall treatment! I like the old school retro of it. I like seeing my music. It’s comforting.”

Nearby, next to a massive Saguaro cactus skeleton that the pair attached to the roof of their car and drove back themselves all the way from Arizona, an amp and two 1960s-era Fender guitars and a newer acoustic one rest ready for Cerphe’s solo weekend jam sessions. “Eric Clapton, I’m not,” he smiles.

An acrylic-on-paper, pop art portrait of Albert Einstein by Belgian artist Jean Francois Detaille, acquired at a local Habitat for Humanity auction, overlooks the main space. Its expressive color and playfully impulsive technique reflect the discriminating cool of the dwelling and its owners.

In keeping with their ecological mission, Benjamin Moore’s line of low-VOC paint, other non-off-gassing materials, L.E.D. lighting, Energy Star certified appliances, low-flow plumbing fixtures and composite outdoor decking made of reclaimed wood and plastic are used where possible throughout the home. Wall colors everywhere combine an affirmation of nature with a hip flare in fresh variations of pumpkin orange, walnut brown and leafy green.

Proceed down to the home’s lowest level to find Cerphe’s office/production studio. Flooring made of renewable cork serves both an acoustic and conservationist function.

On the interim floor between that and the great room—“the Zen den” level, as they call it—the Colwells have a spot dedicated to body and soul. The combined home gym and meditation area reflect their Omni-denominational, Buddhist fusion credo. “We’re spiritual but not religious,” Susan says. An antique Burmese Buddha resides atop a wooden stand with a cross, rescued from an old church. “It’s an Eastern icon on a Western altar,” she observes. On the same floor is Susan’s office, where she runs MyGreenCottage.com as its president. A licensed builder with five years of experience as a construction company representative, the 40-year-old entrepreneur grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and began her professional life in travel journalism and radio broadcasting. That’s, of course, how she met Cerphe.

They became friends while working at the same station in 1990. But as they were both in and out of other relationships with precision bad timing, it would be another eight years before romance finally bloomed. Cerphe called Susan out of the blue one day, quipping, “Hey, I think we better hurry up and start dating before one of us gets married again!”

On the top floor is the couple’s tailored but cozy master suite—with most of the furniture by Ralph Lauren for Bloomingdales—including bedroom, bath and sitting room. Hanging above a sofa in the sitting room is a gold record of Springsteen’s Born to Run album presented to Cerphe by CBS Records in 1976. “It’s one of my most prized possessions,” the music connoisseur concedes.

On the floor below the master suite is an open gallery, which overlooks the great room and the lake beyond. It serves as an entryway and gallery with more prized rock memorabilia in the form of rare original photographs, including two taken by Linda McCartney in the 1960s and acquired through Georgetown’s Govinda Gallery.

It’s all a testament to the Colwells’ conviction that you can have both what looks good and what is good. “You really don’t have to make a choice,” Susan insists. “You can have things that are beautiful, meaningful and green.” As their new business gears up to market its log home, timber frame and conventional home packages—offering such options as mass insulation, geothermal and solar energy systems, clean air furnaces and eco-friendly building materials in prearranged or custom adapted floor plans—Cerphe’s current radio station, WARW-FM, has jumped on the pro-planet bandwagon.

He helped inspire the recent format change at the station, now referred to as “94.7 The Globe.” The programming emphasizes environmental awareness both in content and in its operation. Among other practices, it will pay a premium to Pepco in order to power itself through wind-generated energy. Adding to Cerphe’s rock-solid credentials, how’s that for an encore?

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 16 years, is a regular contributor to Home & Design. Photographer Michael Ventura is a based in Silver Spring, Maryland.


In the great room, a pop art portrait of Albert Einstein acquired
at a Habitat for Humanity auction, hangs above the fireplace.


"Wall Art" in the dining room area consists of Cerphe's collection
of 8,000 compact discs.


On the home's lowest level, Cerphe's office is equipped with
technology to broadcast his show from home should the need
arise.


A custom display cabinet shows Cerphe's personal toy collection.

A gallery on the home's entry-level showcases photographs of
rock 'n' roll icons. Linda McCartney made the portraits of the Beatles
and Jimmy Hendrix, and Dick Waterman took the picture of Mick
Jagger. In front, the harpist sculpture was carved from a former
newel post.


The shower in the master bathroom celebrates nature indoors
by incorporating river rock.

Green low-VOC paint reflects the home's leafy surroundings.


Another level of the house includes the "Zen den," where the
couple exercises and meditates. An antique Burmese Buddha
resides atop a wooden stand salvaged from an old church.

Architect Joan Fabry created a "Three Little Pigs" tea service
with pieces resembling stick, straw and brick constructions.
The English writer and art critic John Ruskin once said, "No person who is not a great sculptor or painter can be an architect. If he is not a sculptor or painter, he can only be a builder."

Washington-based sculptor Rebecca Cross and her husband, architectural photographer Maxwell Mackenzie, are proving this point in their contemporary Georgetown gallery, Cross Mackenzie Ceramic Arts, in an exhibit called "Architects Fired," opening
on November 17.

Cross approached 14 prominent Washington architects with a challenge and 12 pounds of clay. "I told them to use up to that amount of material to create a piece of sculpture, a wall piece and/or a cup," she said. "We thought it would be liberating for them to be able to play with design in a different way."

Stepping up to throw down is a who's who of local progressives: Olvia Demetriou, Mark McInturff, Robert Gurney, Rouzita Vahhabaghai, Travis Price, Simon Jacobsen, Phil Esocoff, Ben Van Dusen, Richard Williams, Ralph Cunningham, Lee Quill, Amy Weinstein, Joan Fabry and Eason Cross (Rebecca's father).

Among the clever entries is Fabry's "Three Little Pigs" tea service. Fabry fashioned her ceramic teapot, sugar bowl and creamer to look like they were made of straw, sticks and bricks.

For more information on "Architects Fired," which runs through December 15, phone (202) 333-7970 or visit the Web site www.crossmackenzieceramicarts.com.

Craft as Self Expression



The year's Washington Craft Show will explore how distinctive objects can help collectors express their personal style. Held at the Washington Convention Center from November 17 to 19, the juried show will display the work of 190 craft artists in glass, furniture, ceramics, basketry, wood, jewelry, decorative and wearable fiber arts, metals, mixed media and paper.
Throughout the weekend, a number of talks will focus on the show's theme, "Personal Style: Craft as Self Expression." HOME & DESIGN Editor in Chief Sharon Jaffe Dan will participate in an editorial panel entitled "Hot Trends in Living With Craft" on November 17. On November 18, interior designer Gloria Capron will discuss how to select the right piece of craft for your home or office. And on November 19, journalist Karen Feld will offer advice on how to create personal style with art-to-wear.For more information on the Washington Craft Show, call (800) 832-7813 or visit the Web sitewww.craftsamericashows.com.A few examples of the work to be shown at this year's Washington Craft Show include (clockwise from top): a porcelain vessel by Jennifer McCurdy; a torte lifter by Kristen Alexandra in brass and sterling silver; fiber wall art by John Gunther; a stoneware vessel by Ronald Artman; and a mixed-media box by Graceann Warn.

A torte lifter by Kristen Alexandra in brass and sterling silver. 


Fiber wall art by John Gunther. 


A stoneware vessel by Ronald Artman. 


A mixed-media box by Graceann Warn.

Modern Bohemian


Ryan Hackett's malachite-toned Chittey Bin #1 (2003),
a mixed-media fiberglass panel hangs in a passageway
in Hapstak's home.
Home is where the art is for Peter F. Hapstak, AIA, a principal of Georgetown’s award-winning CORE Architecture + Design and a board member of the Washington Project for the ArtsCorcoran. But more than just a place for fine adornment, his home in Upper Northwest DC’s Kent neighborhood is where his personal and professional aesthetics have gradually fused. It’s becoming the full realization of a style he terms “eclectic bohemian modern.”

“I don’t think I need to have what I should have any more,” admits Hapstak, a designer of some of the area’s hippest hot spots (Mie-N-Yu, BlackSalt,  Jackie’s and Buck’s) with more on the way. He also collects art with his wife of 19 years, Jan. “My things now reflect what I truly love.” In other words, with his own passion sparked by the passion of the creative people he chooses to patronize, his art is his heart.

Hapstak prefers to discover and support emerging talent, especially identifying with their enthusiasm. But it all really begins with the collection’s fitting repository—a work of art in itself. Built-in 1976 by Washing- ton’s eminent pioneer of modern architecture, Hugh Newell Jacobsen, the angular, light-filled structure was originally commissioned as a studio and showcase for art. The original owners were painter Isa Dreier and her diplomat husband, John Dreier. He was the nephew of Katherine Dreier, an important patron of such avant-garde artists as Marcel Duchamp and Man Ray.

Informally referred to as a “monopoly” house for its simple block-like lines and shed roof, the 2,000-square-foot gallery/living space feels cozy despite ceilings as high as 20 feet. It nestles in a lushly wooded triangular lot on a quiet residential lane with the tops of tall sun-dappled trees visible from its high cut-out windows. The occasional deer wander by its strategically placed walls of glass.

The house is white, inside and out. “White provides a neutral starting point. And white represents the total presence of light, which is what my life’s about too,” reveals the 50-year-old Hapstak, a Hope- well, Virginia, native who co-founded his own boutique architectural practice in 1991 after a decade of working at larger DC firms. He and Jan have lived in the 30-year-old structure for six years. Next year, they plan to start a full renovation with a modest expansion.

Playing into Hapstak’s concept of “eclectic bohemian modern,” the house itself represents a sharp-edged “minimalist wrapper,” as he calls it, for the vibrant paintings and other objects within. A smattering of archetypal Knoll and other classic mid-century modern furniture and accessories throughout the dwelling punctuates a casual atmosphere where the book-filled library and office look comfortably lived-in and the attached living and dining rooms are humanized by the individuality of the art.

With the corridor to the kitchen off to the right, you enter the main public space to find pieces that pop with color and texture. Straight ahead lies the dining room; a series of four Alan Coopper abstracts (1999) painted in acrylic on canvas and named for each of the seasons hovers as a bright counterpoint to the Heywood Wakefield table, chairs, and hutch. The hutch contains, among other things, a grouping of ’50s-era chartreuse Russell Wright ceramics, one of a few collections on display. “Art is really only the most recent thing we’ve collected. I started in the late ’70s with vinyl and then CDs. I currently have about 7,000 CDs,” Hapstak says. The home’s most visually significant assortment, on the living room’s north wall, is the bright acid-etched Blenko glassware, which is divided into two sections arranged in gradients of warm and cool colors. With their organic shapes and contemporary palette, these pieces from the West Virginia stained glass company embody the trademark boho-modern dichotomy Hapstak hopes to achieve. On the opposite wall hangs a luminous waxed iris print of a “blip” of celluloid film by Colby Caldwell.

Despite the presence of several fashionably progressive abstract pictures, Hapstak’s taste is evolving toward more representational subject matter that still exemplifies his preference for what is pure and forward-looking. To that end, in the hallway that leads from the living room to the bedroom is Dave Busby’s striking No Vacancy (2001)—an oil-on-canvas of smoke coming off of a match painted on a simple field of black. Back in the dining room, one of Hapstak’s latest acquisitions also seems to typify this new direction. Marc Dennis’ eye-popping Valasquez’s Budgies (2005), a picture of two multihued birds on a perch, is accessible and yet still fresh and funky.

“I’ve learned what it means to have a collection,” Hapstak asserts. “It requires a level of sophistication. If you try to understand the painter, you can understand the intensity and then deeply connect to the work. ‘Cutting edge’ can be what you want it to be.”

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 15 years, is a regular contributor to Home & Design.

Photographer Lydia Cutter is based in Arlington, Virginia.
Architecture: Hugh Newell Jacobsen, FAIA, Washington, DC


Peter and Jan Hapstak relax outside their home, which was
designed in 1976 by renowned DC architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen.


Under a cut-out window in the living room hangs a luminous
waxed iris print of a "blip" of celluloid film by Colby Caldwell.


A smattering of archetypal Knoll and other classic mid-century
modern furniture and accessories complement the art and
the architecture.


A stencil drawing by Adam Fowler defines the foyer.


In the dining room, a series of four Alan Coopper abstracts
(1999) painted in acrylic on canvas and named for each of
the four seasons hovers as a bright counterpoint to the
Heywood Wakefield table and chairs.


Pieces by Paula Crawford and Marc Dennis further define
space.


Donnie and Pam Simpson relax by the pool behind their new home in Potomac.

Donnie Simpson is living large. Really large. In 17,000 square feet with eight bedrooms and 11 bathrooms, to be exact. Washington, DC, radio’s drive-time master and his designing wife of 32 years have been comfortably ensconced in a brand new mansion on two prime acres in Potomac, Maryland, for about a year now. But it’s not really the size that matters to the devoted couple, together since meeting in high school and marrying when they were both 19-year-olds in their native Detroit.

“I needed at least a four-car garage, and only really big houses have them,” explains Donnie, who boasts two Ferraris among a collection of five cars that are regularly parked at the residence.

Undaunted by the massive project and eager to tackle it herself, Pam Simpson conceptualized and coordinated almost every detail. It was through a loving vision for a comfortably furnished nesting environment for her family that the interiors and landscape of the transitional-style pale brick home emerged.

Husband Donnie, a golf fanatic who greatly prefers swinging his clubs to swatch selection, had one key request, which turned out to be any designer’s or wife’s dream. “I told her not to worry about the cost, that she should go ahead and do everything first-class, the right way,” he says.

Since the couple enjoys a relaxed lifestyle and doesn’t entertain at home often, aside from family affairs, the decoration emphasizes calm neutral tones and minimalist furniture layouts. No loud colors, tchotchke clutter or ostentatious glitz in these modified contemporary rooms.

Lenore Sabra and Michael Kramer, the design team at Rockville’s Danker Furniture, supplied most of the home’s pieces from its top showroom brands including Swaim, Henredon and Century. They also consulted on space planning with the Simpsons. “Their house reflects our look,” says Danker rep and longtime Simpson friend Kramer, “but it’s also very personal. With the artwork and accessories and the overall feel, it’s very Donnie and Pam.”

The impressive double-story foyer, with its eye-popping geometric crystal chandelier and open staircase, befits the abode of a local celebrity. The limestone entry is flanked on either side by a stately library with a second-level reading area and the dining room with coordinating light fixture and a uniquely extensive display of ethnic Lladro figurines. Featuring sprawling views of the exterior space beyond, the living room lies straight ahead with cherry wood inlaid floors and a high, contrastingly rustic stone fireplace. It matches the detail of the

al fresco fireplace and industrial-capacity grill situated outdoors next to the flagstone swimming pool and hot tub area. A perfectly groomed putting green for Donnie rests off at the property’s edge.

One glance at the estate’s graceful appointments and verdant setting and you know that the idea of “living large” is definitely about something more than property measurements.

It marks a long journey from Simpson’s humble start in Michigan, where he broke into radio by accident as a teenager. Simpson came to rule the DC airways first at WKYS-FM (93.9) and then at his current home on WPGC-FM (95.5) while achieving national prominence during a 14-year-stint on the popular Black Entertainment Television program “Video Soul.” His 31-year-old son Donnie Junior, also known as D.J., is currently a producer and on-air contributor to his father’s WPGC program.

Pam, a former model and actress who also refers to herself as “a retired cook,” runs their immaculate house from her favorite cozy little nook, a combined office/laundry room just off the granite-appointed kitchen, which boasts state-of-the-art appliances. She listens to Donnie’s morning show every day. “And now that D.J. is on there, I really never miss it.”

When dining at home, Donnie and Pam, now both 52, have most of their meals on bar stools around the kitchen’s island, often accompanied by daughter Dawn. Dawn, 26, is a personal trainer who lives in an expansive suite on the second floor. The kitchen area also includes a breakfast nook and gigantic family room. When they want to hang out and, say, watch a flat panel TV, they have many choices since most of the house’s private rooms are equipped with plush seating and the sleekest and up-to-date audio-visual equipment.

A trip to the home’s unique, fully fashioned “basement” level finds a dark blue, womb-like screening room with eight super-soft, electrically controlled recliners. “They’re so comfortable, I can hardly sit down here without falling asleep,” chuckles Pam. The whole level is special for its succession of rooms geared to recreation on a swanky scale. There’s the stone-inlaid wine cellar display area highlighted by a glass-enclosed cigar room, replete with the ultimate poker table and a special ventilation system to handle the smoke. Individual spaces for dual pinball machines and a custom-designed pool table are arranged near a large downstairs kitchen and bar area, ideal for caterers to prep for large gatherings. The Simpsons will have the good use for that soon since they plan to host son D.J.’s upcoming wedding reception for about 200 guests under tents outside this September.


The entrance to the Simpson house is flanked by the dining room with
a geometric crystal chandelier and the library.
The master bedroom suite is located at one end of the home’s first floor. It’s a vast spot with pretty views of the terrace and yard. Pam is especially proud of her precisely organized walk-in closet, with a place for every pair of shoes and clothing carefully arranged by category and color. “Having a closet like this has been my dream,” she smiles.

The other seven bedrooms are upstairs. With plenty of guestrooms to go around—and a finished attic already prepared to be a playroom for future grandchildren—the Simpsons especially enjoy hosting Thanksgiving celebrations for the extended family, including Donnie’s twin brother, who lives in Detroit. But just when you think you’ve seen it all at Chez Simpson, you notice that the second floor’s core expanse of bedrooms gives way to a passage. As you turn the corner of the hallway, en route to Donnie’s soundproof office—planned to be a remote broadcasting studio—and a professionally equipped home gym, a surprise awaits.

Though most of the rest of the residence enjoys abstract wall art, primarily more decorative than representational, here is a gallery of vividly hued African masks, art and other culturally significant keepsakes from around the continent. The Simpsons brought back most of the collection from their own visits to Africa. The dynamic paintings and sculpture in this hallway make an exciting contrast to the earth-toned serenity that characterizes the rest of the home.

The unexpected art space also accentuates the Simpsons’ respect for their heritage. They also honor that heritage in another way. To commemorate the couple’s 25th anniversary, they started The Donnie and Pam Simpson Scholarship Fund, administered through the United Negro College Fund. It provides funds to undergraduate students in need from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.

In other words, the Simpsons’ largess helps others live large too. It is with a generosity of spirit to the community and a dedication to family that the Simpson’s enjoy the good life.

Sally Kline, a Washington-area arts and culture writer for 16 years, is a regular contributor to HOME & DESIGN.

DINING ROOM
Dining Table, Chairs & Sideboard: Henredon through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD. Window Treatments: Yardstick Interiors, Germantown, MD. Lighting: Annapolis Lighting, Rockville, MD. Rug: Carousel Carpets, Bowie, MD.

LIBRARY
Sofa, Chairs & Tufted Ottoman: Henredon through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD. Window Treatments: Yardstick Interiors,

The Simpson's dramatic two-story library.

LIVING ROOM
Sofa, Chairs & Coffee Table: Swaim through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD. Window Treatments: Yardstick Interiors, Germantown, MD. Rug: Carousel Carpets, Bowie, MD.

KITCHEN
Bar Stools: Dinec through Danker Furniture, Rockville, MD.

EXTERIOR
Landscaping: Rupert Landscaping Company. Putting Green: Short Game Greens, Vienna, VA.

 

Germantown, MD. Lighting: Annapolis Lighting, Rockville, MD. Rug: Carousel Carpets, Bowie, MD.
Space Planning & Furnishings: Michael Kramer and Lenore Sabra, Danker Furniture, Rockville, Maryland Landscaping: Ruppert Nurseries, Inc., Laytonsville, Maryland


The living room boasts cherry wood inlaid floors and a rustic stone
fireplace that echoes details of the al fresco fireplace in the sprawling
backyard beyond.


In a second-floor gallery, the couple displays their collection of masks,
sculpture and artwork collected on trips to Africa.


The lower level features a glass-enclosed wine cellar with adjoining
cigar and billiards rooms.


Pam and Donnie Simpson often share a quiet dinner on their granite-
topped island in the kitchen.


The Simpson's inviting pool.


In September, the couple will host their son's wedding reception in
their backyard.


An avid golfer, Donnie Simpson practices his swing on the freshly
groomed putting green.

HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

The company also publishes an annual H&D Sourcebook of ideas and resources for homeowners and professionals alike. H&D Chesapeake Views is published bi-annually and showcases fine home design and luxury living in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

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