A couple who’d decided to downsize from a large Baltimore home discovered a two-story penthouse in the city’s Guilford neighborhood. Though their taste runs modern and the two-bedroom dwelling in the venerable Warrington building reflected another era—from lavish moldings to ornate fixtures—they loved the layout, proportions and views from the expansive terrace.

After they bought the property, the wife tapped designer Joanne Fitzgerald to revamp the interiors and create a modern, eclectic vibe while respecting the home’s architecture. “Seeing what the place looked like and knowing what she wanted, it was exciting to visualize how we were going to make it hers,” Fitzgerald recalls.

The designer overhauled every inch of the 3,400-square-foot apartment. She transformed the kitchen and three baths, created a bar near the family room and replaced or refinished most of the flooring. Wherever possible, she selected furniture and art from her clients’ collection. “We also brought in modern furnishings and colors that made the traditional elements look that much more spectacular,” she notes.

What influenced your design scheme?
You walk into the apartment and see a gorgeous curvilinear stairway. I suggested we keep that motif going because it’s a very linear space. We selected circular light fixtures and an oval dining table to bring that thread through. 

Explain how art elevates a home.
Original art makes such an impact and is a window into who the homeowners are. I urge clients to take their time and collect artwork that moves them. And whenever they travel, I tell them to get a piece of art—it will be a lifelong reminder of the trip. 

For this project, my client and I went to Montreal together and selected some new art to add to her collection. And we just got back from an art-buying trip to Mexico City and Oaxaca, where we found some outstanding pottery pieces from a family that goes back a few generations.

How do you foster harmony between traditional and modern elements?
When you have an ornate architectural canvas, it’s important to pay homage to it in some respects and contrast it in others. Adding elements with straight lines and materials without much pattern helps achieve the contrast you need.  

There was so much architectural detail in this home that we decided to keep it very quiet. Rather than changing colors in every room, walls are painted the same pale gray—Benjamin Moore’s Bruton White. We kept the moldings the same color but painted them in a high gloss so they really sparkle. 

Why do you paint ceilings a different color?
I firmly believe that the ceiling plane is vastly underutilized and I’m allergic to ceiling white. To create mood, I paint ceilings in very pale, subliminal colors that people don’t immediately recognize. In this apartment, the paint scheme is consistent; all the ceilings are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Gray Sky. 

How did you upgrade the kitchen without breaking the bank?
The existing materials were nice and installed beautifully. The classic cabinet profile looked good with the crown moldings and fit into the building vernacular really well. We decided to keep the cabinets but re-lacquered them in a pale gray; the paint was sprayed on so the cabinets look factory-finished. Finally, we added exquisite new quartzite countertops and polished-nickel hardware. 

What do you achieve by mixing a variety of metal accents?
Metal is the perfect launching pad for making interiors look more modern; the brushed and polished brass that we see a lot now has a modernity to it. One of my favorite things is to mix warm woods and cold metals. 

Describe the family room transformation.
I wanted to have fun in this room, where 10-foot-tall doors open to a spectacular terrace. The Romo wallpaper has a graphic quality that updated the space beautifully; I chose a complementary dark-gray for the accent wall and picture molding. The coffee table made of burled olive wood with acrylic legs is a play on traditional and modern. Overall, the space is casual but still very elegant.

What advice do you offer clients doing condo renovations?
It’s important to talk to building management early on. Find out what you can and cannot do. See if you can get plans, which is not always possible when you’re dealing with an older building. Once you understand how much flexibility you have with plumbing and electrical, you can work from there. 

Shed light on how and when you use wallpaper.
There are some situations where wallpaper can anchor a space and give it the artistic dimension it needs. And there are others where we might need just a little bit of pattern. That was the case in the primary bedroom. Even though the Phillip Jeffries wallpaper is quiet in terms of color, it has a huge impact in scale. I didn’t want to distract with pattern and color—I wanted to attract and create interest without being overwhelming. ■

ASK JOANNE

What are your favorite sources for art?
I love Susan Calloway’s gallery in Georgetown; the work she curates is excellent. I also send clients to the Torpedo Factory where they can get to know what they like and meet the artists. 

Name your favorite bold shade at the moment.
I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Moore’s Raspberry Blush. It’s a warm pink that’s just fantastic. I will probably try it in a bedroom. 

Share a favorite furniture possession.
A dry sink I bought when I was antiquing with my mom. It has a scalloped edge and original zinc lining. I used it as a changing table and later ended up converting it into a bar. My son once carved his name into it, which adds to its history!

What's a good way to update a vintage piece?
I love painting old wood-framed Bergère chairs in a fun color and jazzing them up with new fabric.

Mounting fashion shows for Tom Ford and Estée Lauder, Laura Cheung Wolf quickly developed a flair for the theatrical. So when she launched a home-décor company, friends knew to expect the unexpected. 

Lala Curio creates glamorous, bespoke wall coverings and cloisonné tile—made in China using centuries-old techniques. Wolf’s family has been in the business for three generations. “We have access to amazing artisans in Beijing and Suzhou who have retained their craft, so we’re able to give it new life,” she says. 

Wolf studied interior design at Parsons before her stint in fashion. She later earned a master’s degree in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London. “Then I decided to go back to my roots and spent three years in rural China working with artisans to create our collections,” she recalls. 

In 2014, Lala Curio was born. The atelier puts a playful spin on traditional cloisonné and on hand-painted and -embroidered silks, many of which are inspired by an archive of 18th-century chinoiseries. “We create haute couture for walls,” says Wolf, who recently relocated from Hong Kong to DC, where her husband grew up. “Everything is made to order so clients can add a personal touch that tells their story.”

Find at Rue IV. lalacurio.com; ruefour.com

Fresh Air 

The Lucid Air Sapphire brings a new level of luxury and performance to the electric-vehicle market. Featuring three motors, carbon-ceramic brakes and track-tuned suspension, it speeds from zero to 60 mph in under two seconds. California-based Lucid Motors is taking reservations for the 2023 limited-edition model, with delivery expected later this year.
From $249,000. lucidmotors.com 

AI for Avians

Bird Buddy, an AI-powered feeder, identifies and captures close-up photographs of feathered friends as they pop by for a snack. Connected to a smart phone via wifi, the camera-equipped device also records sound and notifies humans whenever a bird alights. Species data collected by the company helps experts study bird populations and migration. From $199. mybirdbuddy.com  

Deep-Sea Drone

QYSea’s V6s Professional Underwater ROV Camera captures and live-streams 4K HD footage of ocean adventures. The stainless-steel underwater drone can plumb depths of 328 feet and powers up to six hours on a single charge. Two LEDs illuminate marine scenery. Designed for professional and recreational use, the device also drags, drops and tows objects with a robotic arm. $3,199.
urbandrones.com

Named for Washington-born Duke Ellington, Ellington Park Bistro made its debut last fall in the District’s St. Gregory Hotel. New York designer Melissa Bowers spearheaded the sleek interiors featuring a central bar, booths swathed in emerald-hued velvet and a fireplace lounge. Chef Frank Morales, a veteran of the Oval Room in DC and Le Cirque in New York, devised the menu. Guests are tempted by classics such as PEI mussels and frites along with cocktails. 2033 M Street, NW; 202-888-2899; ellingtonparkbistro.com  Photos: JUAN FERNANDO AYORA

Dior’s Summer 2023 ready-to-wear collection takes inspiration from Catherine de’ Medici—a powerful figure who pioneered corsets and lace. The line includes a silk-and-cotton bra and shorts in a Petites Fleurs motif; and a technical taffeta peacoat. dior.com

Lively Palette Designers infuse a district kitchen with efficiency and a playful vibe See More...

Natural Blush Despite its muted palette, this DC kitchen is anything but demure See More...

New Frontier A designer retools her Reston kitchen in rich, natural patinas See More...

Timeless Charm Liz Levin's Bethesda kitchen redo channels an English sensibility See More...

A desire for color was one of many factors that drove the owner of a 1940s DC Colonial to overhaul her kitchen, housed in an existing addition. With dated cabinets and appliances and a convoluted layout, the space was ripe for renewal. 

She called on Nadia Subaran and Kelly Emerson of Aidan Design to create an all new, functional kitchen steeped in eclectic style. “Our client loves crisp whites with pops of color as well as warm accents and art, ” says Emerson. 

By re-trimming the addition’s semi-circular windows and vaulted ceiling, the designers created a streamlined backdrop. They replaced a small island with a larger one boasting a prep sink. And they positioned a new refrigerator near the cooktop, while the less frequently used freezer and double ovens were moved to an opposite wall near a pantry. The existing copper hood remains; new brass hardware plays off its metallic sheen.

The island was painted in a custom spring green, the client’s favorite color. “We kept the other elements very simple,” says Emerson, pointing out white Shaker-style cabinetry that rims the kitchen and breakfast area, “but the backsplash packs a punch.” The handmade tile in a leafy green-and-blue motif—along with bright-red dining chairs—enlivens the reimagined gathering space. 

Project Team

Kitchen Design: Nadia Subaran, principal; Kelly Emerson, senior designer, Aidan Design. Contractor: Impact Construction. Photography: Robert Radifera. 

Kitchen Details

Cabinetry: wood-mode.com through aidandesign.com. Backsplash Tile: clayimports.com. Countertop: caesarstoneus.com through norwoodmarble.com. Cooktop, Microwave & Refrigerator: thermador.com through abwappliances.com. Faucets: calfaucets.com through abwappliances.com. Hardware: waterstreetbrass.com through pushpullhardware.com. Stools: westelm.com. 

A family relocating to DC settled into a Tenleytown home and decided to upgrade the kitchen immediately. Though they loved its generous proportions, “It had run-of-the-mill finishes and insufficient storage,” says designer Zoe Feldman, hired along with Thomson & Cooke Architects to envision a makeover. “They wanted to elevate it to reflect their personality.” Removing upper cabinets on the house’s rear window wall and above the existing range established an open, airy feel. New, full-height cabinets conceal refrigeration and small appliances while open shelves keep essentials within reach.

“This created a really nice symmetry and allowed light to flood in,” the designer notes. The clean-lined maple cabinets are part of Feldman’s new signature collection designed in conjunction with kitchen designer Tanya Smith-Shiflett of Unique Kitchens & Baths, who also collaborated on this project. “The clients wanted a white kitchen,” Smith-Shiflett recalls. “Zoe and I said, ‘Trust us—with a natural blush, you’ll get the airiness you want.’”

The clients agreed. Now, a black-painted island and honed Via Lactea marble countertops offset the pale, muted cabinetry. Livelier pops of color come from green tile in the adjacent scullery and stained-glass windows the owners found at Community Forklift. Salvaged from a decommissioned church, they now enclose the pantry of this stunning, one-of-a-kind space.

Project Team

Kitchen Design: Tanya Smith-Shiflett, Unique Kitchens & Baths. Interior Design: Zoe Feldman, Zoe Feldman Design. Renovation Contractor: Scott Hundley, Custom Home Productions LLC. Photography: Max Burkhalter.

Kitchen Details

Cabinets: uniquekitchensandbaths.net. Cabinet Paint: farrow-ball.com. Countertops: marblesystems.com. White Backsplash Tile: ziatile.com. Green Backsplash Tile: heathceramics.com. Sconces: hvlgroup.com. Custom Hood: customhomeproductions.com. Range: fisherpaykel.com. Refrigerator: thermador.com. Hardware: rejuvenation.com. Faucets: newportbrass.com. Stools: ballarddesigns.com. Roman Shade: theshadestore.com.

The traditional kitchen in designer Jan Mengenhauser’s otherwise contemporary Reston home was a renovation waiting to happen. An awkward bank of cabinets cramped the dining area and blocked garden views across the adjacent family room. After tolerating the space for 23 years, she relates, “I finally pulled the trigger.” 

Mengenhauser dreamed up a new, efficient floor plan and a palette reflecting her penchant for warm woods and modern lines. As she explains, “I wanted a minimalist kitchen with a quiet confidence and rich materials.” 

To make that richness a reality, the designer partnered with Amuneal, a Philadelphia-based fabricator, to create custom cabinetry in dark, oxidized-oak and mottled brass. Pale oak floors and countertops and a backsplash in shimmering Cristallo quartzite brighten the deep, moody wood and metal patinas. 

A refrigerator is positioned to the left of the cooktop with a freezer and pantry stationed to the right. On the contiguous wall, two convection ovens flank a built-in coffeemaker and warming drawer—all by Gaggenau. An oversized island boasts plenty of room for casual meals. Exposed ceiling beams in black steel, added for support when the old cabinets were removed, allow for clear views of the landscape. Now that it’s complete, says Mengenhauser, her new kitchen has opened up “a world of possibilities to comfortably cook and entertain.”

Project Team

Interior & Kitchen Design: Jan Mengenhauser, Simplicity Interior Design; Amuneal. Contractor: Reid Construction Group. Photography: Stacy Zarin Goldberg. 

Kitchen Details

Cabinetry, Hood, Hardware & Metal Fabrication: amuneal.com. Countertops & Backsplash: eurostonecraft.com. Appliances: gaggenau.com through abwappliances.com. Faucet: graff-designs.com. Flooring: mafi.com. Stools: fyrn.com. Steel Beams: hpmetalfabrication.com. Paint: farrow-ball.com.

Spending the covid shutdown at home in Bethesda with her husband and two daughters gave designer Liz Levin plenty of time to scrutinize—and reimagine—their late-1990s open kitchen/breakfast room. “A U-shaped peninsula cut the room in half,” she recalls, “and everyone was trapped in the U.” What’s more, inefficient cabinetry meant that clutter—from small appliances to homework—was piling up.  

Levin hatched a plan for a total redo that would improve circulation, expand storage and recast the space in timeless English style. An island with a marble top and brass footings established easy traffic flow. A cabinet tower near the stove stows breakfast essentials, while cabinets on the adjacent wall conceal a coffee station. The microwave, which once dominated a counter, shifted to a shelf in the pantry, located by the fridge on an opposite wall. 

Considering the simple saltbox style of her home, notes Levin, “The English vibe didn’t feel like too much of a departure. I wanted to bring in natural textures, antique-brass accents and a combination of dark-green and lighter cabinets. The idea was to make it feel like it had been there 100 years.” 

With chic breakfast room furniture and a built-in banquette, the space is now a magnet for the family. “Making these design changes had a huge impact,” she says.

Project team

Interior & Kitchen Design: Liz Levin, Liz Levin Interiors. Contractor: Gresinger Construction. Photographer: Stacy Zarin Goldberg. 

Kitchen Details

Cabinetry: uniquekitchensandbaths.net. Marble Countertops & Wall Slab: marblesystems.com. Backsplash Tile: riadtile.com. Range: thermador.com through abwappliances.com. Hardware: armacmartin.co.uk through pushpullhardware.com. Pendants & Sconces: visualcomfort.com. Stools: arteriorshome.com. Faucet: houseofrohl.com through build.com. Table & Rug: serenaandlily.com.  Chairs: fourhands.com. Bench Cushion + Shades: gretcheneverett.com.

“Move the Way You Want,” Jonathan Monaghan’s recent multi-media exhibition at The Phillips Collection, immersed viewers in a dreamlike realm where fear and fantasy collide. A computer-animated film followed a horse ambling down a deserted beach littered with abandoned scooters and bike shares. Close encounters with a drone and a riderless Peloton unfolded as the mesmerizing, eight-minute sequence looped without beginning or end.

Monaghan was asked to engage with art from The Phillips’ collection for this show. He drew inspiration from two works, including a Théodore Géricault painting of horses cavorting among Greco-Roman ruins. “These ruins are a signifier of a lost or collapsed civilization,” says the Washington-based artist. “In my practice, I engage with history and ancient mythologies and reinterpret them for the digital age.”

Though his prints, sculptures and animation imagine a technology-driven future, Monaghan’s body of work is influenced by art, architecture and emblems of the past. His visually stunning imagery draws viewers in to experience “a cautionary tale,” as he describes it, posing questions about power, technology, consumer culture and the environment. Cloaked in ermine, robotic figures with LED lights for eyes stand in for royals. Gilded columns and frescoes adorn spaceships that undulate like jellyfish. Empty coffee shops and supermarkets with unmistakably familiar logos gleam like long-forgotten shrines.

Monaghan has exhibited globally, from the Sundance Film Festival to solo shows in Paris, St. Petersburg and Istanbul. His work can also be found in private collections.

H&D paid a visit to his bright studio at Catholic University, where he teaches digital art and design. Monaghan started out by explaining that his artistic path began when he was a kid in Rockaway Beach, New York, playing video games in his parents’ basement. He taught himself how to use 3D Studio Max—software he still uses today. “I didn’t have a whole lot of drawing or painting skills but knew I wanted to create moving and still imagery,” he recalls. “Anything you could dream up you could create using this software.” He went on to study computer graphics at the New York Institute of Technology, where he was inspired to craft more “challenging and experimental” pieces.

“I began to exhibit in galleries and have been an artist ever since,” Monaghan says. In 2011, he completed a master’s program in studio art at University of Maryland. “Having that experience was very valuable because I was going from making virtual forms to making physical forms,” he notes. “I got experience with sculpture and metal-casting and continue to make physical work and art objects.”

One of these, a faceless bust with a surface resembling tufted leather, was inspired by Apollo Belvedere, an ancient Roman relic. Monaghan’s sculpture was carved out of Carrara marble by a robotic milling arm in Italy and hand-finished by local artisans. A collaboration with Visionnaire, an Italian furniture brand, it was unveiled at Salone del Mobile in 2022 and at press time was shown at Art Basel Miami.

Initially, Monaghan brainstorms a new work on an old school sketch pad. “I start by making doodles, thumbnails and storyboards,” explains the artist, who also considers the environment where a work will appear. “Though it originates on a computer, it’s designed with the physicality of an installation in mind.”

“After Fabergé,” a 2017 exhibit at The Walters in Baltimore, displayed the museum’s jewel-encrusted Fabergé eggs alongside Monaghan’s digital prints; his takes on the precious objets d’art are embedded with tiny computer screens, satellite dishes and a Starbucks.

In these and other works, he often references the lavish ornamentation of the Baroque period. “The era defined by Baroque aesthetics—an era of strong central power and authority—didn’t do so well,” he asserts. “I recreate that opulence and draw connections between it and the decadence of the digital age.”

Beaches also recur in his dreamscapes. “I grew up between the natural expanse of the Atlantic and the concrete jungle of Manhattan,” says Monaghan. “The relationship between manmade and natural, between organic and synthetic—all of my work deals with the tensions between these different things.”

Monaghan’s surreal worlds are devoid of people, yet the human presence is always there. From Amazon to AirPods, he riffs on brands and technologies that are ubiquitous in daily life. “I think of my work as a dream,” he reflects. “In dreams, your fears and desires manifest as familiar imagery. In my animation, things we’re familiar with come together in a cryptic dance that’s hard to understand at first, but I think has an impact."

For more information, visit jonathanmonaghan.com.

The Ultimate Bath (Rizzoli, 2022) by Barbara Sallick spotlights 150 luxurious bathrooms conceived by top architects and interior designers, including local luminaries such as Barry Dixon, Donald Lococo and Mona Hajj. A cofounder of Waterworks, Sallick selected retreats that surprise and enchant, from classic to contemporary.

The Houses and Collections of Marjorie Merriweather Post: The Joy of It (Rizzoli Eclecta, 2022) celebrates the philanthropist and art patron’s residences and personal collections. Written by Hillwood’s curatorial staff and full of lavish photography, the book opens the doors to Post’s illustrious homes, from Florida’s Mar-a-Lago to her beloved estate in DC. Hillwood’s French drawing room is pictured below.  

Beyond Bold: Inspiration, Collaboration, Evolution (Pointed Leaf Press, 2022) traces the evolution of DC landscape firm OvS. Featuring 320 pages of vibrant photography, the book written by OvS principals pays tribute to the firm’s late founders, Wolfgang Oehme and James van Sweden, and details how the duo’s legacy lives on.

At Causa, a new hot spot in DC, chef Carlos Delgado treats guests to a six-course tasting menu from his native Peru. Diners can supplement a repast that may include ceviche, wagyu beef and other delights with a whole fish. Seafood is flown in daily and displayed market-style. Lima-based Exebio designed the interiors featuring furniture from Peru and a mural by Retrollage. Upstairs, Delgado runs Amazonia, a casual spot serving Peruvian small plates, and a rooftop bar. 920 Blagden Alley, NW; 202-629-3942. causadc.com

Every two years, Cosmo Couture challenges architects and designers to dream up apparel made out of materials used in built environments. Sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the International Interior Design Association, the 2022 fundraiser took place at DC’s Hamilton Hotel. The King’s Coronation—an ensemble of sheet metal, tile, cork, rubber and wall covering by Perkins Eastman and Spartan Surfaces—won a prize for creative use of materials. iidamac.org

After a two-year quest to find a waterfront escape less than an hour from their DC row house, interior designer Michael Stehlik and his partner struck gold on the way home from a New Year’s weekend on the Eastern Shore. As one drove, the other searched real estate apps for listings along the route. Suddenly, a rare 1970s gem popped up in the quiet hamlet of Hollywood in St. Mary’s County.

The couple detoured to find a vacant, four-story abode in a wooded cove on two acres fronting a Patuxent River tributary near the Chesapeake Bay. Shaped like a tall lantern, the modern home immediately struck a chord. “We fell in love and kept driving back on weekends to see it,” Stehlik recalls. “Eventually, we started bringing picnics and sitting on the deck.”

The duo decided to take the leap and, after their 2016 move-in, learned the 2,700-square-foot find was even more extraordinary than they’d imagined. It was designed as a personal weekend retreat by Lynford Snell, an architect who’d relocated from Seattle to DC for a government job. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, Snell’s program embraced organic materials and also carefully orchestrated views of nature. Word has it that Snell and his wife completed much of the construction themselves. Though the architect has passed away, she stayed in the home until the stairs became a burden and then put it on the market. “We are only the second owners,” marvels Stehlik.

Essentially, he and his partner had landed an unadulterated,  late-’70s time capsule complete with a sunken living room, two-sided stone hearth, Mexican Saltillo tile floors, bespoke cherry cabinetry and working light fixtures designed by the architect.

Aside from making a few repairs, replacing fixtures and appliances and revamping woefully outdated bathrooms, the new owners decided to preserve their escape’s retro vibe. “We really enjoy the vintage feel. It’s meant to be a casual space that gets us away from DC and everything being perfect,” explains Stehlik. “I have no desire for it to look like me or my work. I feel that my job is to maintain the architect’s vision and respond to it with enhancements and furnishings that befit the bones of the house.”

Ushering a guest into the compact foyer, the designer is quick to invoke Frank Lloyd Wright. “In my mind,” he says, “this feels like Wright’s philosophy, where he brings you into an enclosed entryway and then allows it to widen into the thing you want to enjoy most.”

The hall leads to an open living, kitchen and dining area where windows frame vistas of the river and woods in a carefully organized fashion. According to Stehlik, the symmetry was intentional. “I immediately picked up on how thoughtful Snell was,” he observes. “The house is set on a four-foot grid and it’s oriented exactly south. Deep overhangs on all the floors help in the summer with heat gain while in the winter we benefit from the sun.”

On the main level, friends can gather in the airy sunroom, the sunken living room or in a suspended wooden loft above it where the couple watches TV. “It’s a hang-out space that makes me think of Swiss Family Robinson,” says Stehlik. The second and third floors are devoted to the guest and owners’ suites, respectively; each boasts a renovated bathroom and balcony. A fourth-floor observatory is ringed by windows, affording a scenic, 360-degree panorama.

Stehlik furnished the home with new and vintage pieces that mesh with a mid-century oeuvre. A blue Room & Board sectional delivers a pop of color in the living area. “I wouldn’t ordinarily select a bright color for myself,” the designer explains, “but I felt like the house needed some energy.”

One change the owners recently made was staining the exterior cedar siding and decking black. “We were inspired by other modern homes clad in shou sugi ban wood,” says Stehlik, “and thought without great expense we could preserve the exteriors in a finish that allows the textured wood to show through.”

The couple trades Washington’s bustle for the serenity of the shore almost every weekend, often hosting guests. They kayak around the cove, while a 15-minute trip in their motor boat lands them at Solomons Island for dinner. They also enjoy an up-close connection with local flora and fauna, watching the osprey return to roost every spring and the chestnut oaks turn a brilliant yellow each fall. “It’s fun to recognize the rhythms of nature,” Stehlik reflects.

After a busy week, both partners begin to unwind on the trip to Hollywood. “We always bring a big bag of work that never gets opened,” Stehlik admits. “Once we’re here, we realize there’s value in that balance. It re-energizes us and makes us excited to get back to DC on Sunday night.”

Interior & Bathroom Design: Michael Stehlik, Stehlik Design, Washington, DC. Bathroom Renovation Contractor: DMV Kitchen & Bath, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland. 

Though most homeowners focus their landscape plans on spring and summer, experts contend that taking a year-round approach delivers rich rewards even in the coldest winter months. 

AU NATUREL
Landscape architects Kevin Campion and Meredith Beach designed an Annapolis project with year-round allure overlooking Cadle Creek. A stone wall separates the property into a manicured side close to the house and a naturalistic side brimming with grasses that blends into adjacent marshland. “Grasses have fall interest, especially when mixed with fall-blooming perennials,” says Campion, who urges clients not to cut back grasses prematurely. “Make sure that 20- to 30-percent of plants you select bloom into fall. The final months of the year can be the best time to enjoy your garden.” Landscape Architecture: Campion Hruby Landscape Architects. Landscape Installation: Walnut Hill Landscape Company. Architecture: Hammond Wilson. Builder: Pyramid Builders. 

SNOW DAY
Landscape architect Bob Hruby designed an award-winning project overlooking Accotink Creek in Virginia. One goal was to devise new gardens that would appear to be centuries old. In one of the eight-acre estate’s courtyards, antique stone church windows imported from England form a focal point near a reflecting pool lined by linden trees and boxwood.

Even in the bleakest weather, evergreens such as boxwood provide a welcome burst of color. Says Hruby’s colleague, Kevin Campion, “Always include evergreen plantings in your landscape; they provide structure in the winter. And a dusting of snow on a winter garden can be delightful.” Landscape Architecture: Bob Hruby, PLA, ASLA, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects. Landscape Design: Chapel Valley Landscape Company. Pools & Water Fountains: Lewis Aquatech.  

WINTER BOUQUET
The late landscape architects James van Sweden and Wolfgang Oehme first conceived a 16-acre project on the West River, overlooking Kent Island, in 2007. The firm they co-founded—now known as OvS—continues to nurture the Harwood, Maryland, garden to the present day.

The owners enjoy dramatic river vistas all year round. Snowy views illustrate what van Sweden called the “winter bouquet,” according to OvS principal Lili Herrera. “Today, we know the importance of letting spent material overwinter, providing habitat and refuge for insects that are a critical part of the food chain, as well as birds,” she says.

Herrera reminds clients to consider the structure plants retain beyond summer. “During the winter, grasses frame views out to the water and also provide privacy,” she says. “The foliage of grasses, perennials and their seed heads can be viewed as a complement to the winter garden—with or without snow.”

On such a spectacular site, wonders abound in every season. “The winter colors are more muted but equally beautiful,” Herrera reflects. “And the rustling of spent foliage creates a unique sensory experience. We love hearing the sound of grasses in the wind.” Landscape Architecture & Photography: OvS.