EASY RIDER
The Model 1 e-bike pampers cyclists with a low step-through and storage for 50 pounds of cargo. Maker Civilized Cycles claims it’s the world’s only bike to feature automated, self-leveling air suspension that adjusts to passenger weight, allowing it to glide smoothly over any terrain. Range: 30 miles with a single battery and 60 miles with a double battery. The e-bike ships in late 2021; $5,499. civilizedcycles.com
PEACE & LOVE FROM RINGO
Part of Pro-Ject Audio Systems’ Artist Collection, the Peace & Love turntable celebrates the 30th anniversary of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. Sporting artwork Starr designed himself, it features an Ortofon OM10 cartridge, a precision diamond-cut aluminum pulley, top-notch MDF chassis and built-in motor control. $500; available through Gramophone. pro-jectusa.com; gramophone.com
SOUND TRACK
Conceived in collaboration with Benjamin Hubert of LAYER design, Bang & Olufsen’s new Beosound Emerge speaker defies its slim silhouette with powerful sound. The compact wireless device, which can be tucked away in any small room, delivers crystal-clear audio, projecting 180 degrees. Emerge is available in Gold Tone (pictured, $899) or Black Anthracite ($699); bang-olufsen.com
Perennial recently reopened after a major makeover by Baltimore designer Patrick Sutton. He wrapped the restaurant in a garden courtyard and verandah, then brought the outdoors in with a conservatory-like dining room featuring cozy banquettes and lanterns by Hudson Valley Lighting. Sutton clad the bar in bleached walnut; shelving niches are lined with slabs of book-matched stone. Chef Jay Rohlfing focuses on locally sourced fare, including Utz-Crusted Halibut. Mixologist Andrew Nichols crafted the menu of cocktails. 1 Olympic Place, Towson, Maryland. 410-339-7730; perennialtowson.com
British designer Paul Smith has paired with the textile house Maharam to create Paisley Brocade. Inspired by London’s Hyde Park, the pattern juxtaposes raised motifs that reference Old World needlepoint with bold digital art. The fabric is shown here on a denim jacket ($775) and denim trousers ($475), both part of Smith’s Autumn/Winter ’21 collection. paulsmith.com; maharam.com
Or the thrill of an indoor, in-person meet-up after a year of virtual connections. But a visit to designer Tom Preston’s new digs felt like a moment suspended in time, where furniture from many eras and contemporary art forge an unexpected camaraderie.
Just before the pandemic hit, Preston settled into Liz, a new building on 14th Street designed by New York architect Annabelle Selldorf. Located on the former site of Whitman-Walker Health’s Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, the mixed-use building pays homage to Taylor, an ardent supporter of the non-profit’s HIV care and LGBTQ-focused advocacy. As a partner in Liz, Whitman-Walker now has offices and a cultural center on-site.
Preston was drawn to the building for its legacy, its sleek architecture—and its world-class public art collection. “Art and design have always been in my blood,” he muses.
A promising art student in high school, Preston was accepted into the fashion program at Parsons, but quickly pivoted to earn a fine arts degree at Bennington College and later, a master’s in graphic design at MICA. While working as a freelance illustrator in the late ’90s, he landed a job at David Bell Antiques in Georgetown—an auspicious entrée into the world of interiors.
“David Bell was a catalyst to forming my aesthetic and developing my love for antiques,” says Preston, who eventually became a partner in the business and remains involved today. “David is so connected with designers that I learned to think like an interior designer early on.” He later spent 10 years working as a principal designer at a DC firm before launching Thomas Preston Interiors in 2017.
Preston’s new apartment is a testament to his keen eye and penchant for unearthing vintage treasures. “I started with a clean slate and identified new pieces I would need,” he says. “Most of the items in my place are vintage or antique.”
A deft mix of furniture, art and decorative elements in the one-bedroom flat merges styles and centuries. The living room assembles diminutive 1980s Minotti chairs in red leather, a bronze coffee table handmade by the late Joe Niermann and a contemporary teak-and-rush chest that channels a French 1940s look. Circle motifs on two 18th-century Italian side chairs play off a modern mixed-media work by DC artist Stephen Benedicto in graphite and concrete. And behind the sofa, bronze finials salvaged from an 18th-century bridge in Japan stand watch atop pedestals acquired in the Hamptons.
“I like to bring in something old and make it look 21st century,” Preston reflects. “The harder you can push the juxtaposition between items from one century and another, the more electric the outcome will be.”
The designer notes that even though the apartment is small, many of the items in it are not. He traces the ability to play with scale to his graphic design days. “I tend to do edited layouts and compositions,” he remarks. “It’s all 100-percent related.”
Equipped with lacquered Scavolini cabinets and top-flight appliances, the kitchen is open to the living area; Preston tempered its sleek veneer with organic touches like rattan pendants and an antique African stool repurposed as a fruit stand. Floor-to-ceiling windows also bring in nature, with views of the building’s expansive green roof.
Crisp, white walls in the living area give way to saturated color in the bedroom, where the ceiling and walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Willow Creek. “I wanted a cocoon,” says Preston, who furnished the space with a 19th-century ebonized Campaign chest, a vintage Turkish rug and a modern portrait in social realist style.
Preston has filled his home with art that resonates. “To me, one’s art collection is a form of self-expression,” he avers. His personal favorites include an orange abstract by Washington Color School painter James Twitty that hangs in the living room and a 1960 portrait by a Belgian artist in the entry hall. “The quality of the rendering blows my mind,” says Preston of the latter, which depicts a man seated on a mid-century chair smoking a cigarette. “I’m captivated by him to this day.”
Now that it’s complete, the designer views his new apartment as a calling card of sorts. “Using vintage is important to my aesthetic; it gives clients a one-of-a-kind product as opposed to mass-produced furniture,” he explains. “When buying vintage, you increase what’s available to source exponentially. It makes it a lot harder—but also lot more fun and fascinating.”
Interior Design: Thomas Preston, Thomas Preston Interiors, Washington, DC.
LIVING ROOM
Sofa: roomandboard.com. Sofa Pillows: fortuny.us. Throw: hermes.com. Floor Lamp (left): corbinbronze.com through hollyhunt.com. Rattan Stool: mgbwhome.com. 1980s Minotti Chairs in red leather: from 1stdibs.com. Teak-and-Rush chest: noirfurniturela.com. Graphite-and-Concrete Artwork: stephenbenedicto.com through hemphillfinearts.com. Antique Bronze Finials salvaged from an 18th-century bridge in Japan: Withington Antiques; 603-498-4778. Paint: Super White by benjaminmoore.com. Drapes: theshadestore.com.
KITCHEN
Antique African Stool: rayonroskar.com. Frank Gehry Bench: kartell.com. Cabinets: scavolini.com. Range: bosch.com.
BEDROOM
Bed: mgbwhome.com. Paint: Willow Creek by by benjaminmoore.com. Drapes: theshadestore.com. Mirror & Light Fixture (customized): westelm.com.
Though she flirted with a fashion career, a practical side led to pre-law studies at Virginia Tech—but those classes put her to sleep. Gottlieb finally found her niche after meeting an interior design major who inspired her to change her major on the spot.
After earning her degree, Gottlieb landed at Gensler, working in the architecture firm’s DC and Seattle offices on commercial and hospitality projects in the U.S. and abroad. She later joined Capital One as an in-house design strategist. Then the pandemic hit.
“I re-evaluated where I wanted to be and was drawn to residential design,” she explains. In January 2021, she launched her own firm. “I’ve trained under phenomenal designers,” Gottlieb asserts. “Each step of my career has taught me something I use every day.”
She says “the thrill of helping people feel their home is who they are,” drives her work, which always includes an element of surprise. “I love a ‘delight’ moment,” she admits. “I push clients to embrace a sense of the unexpected and I keep reinventing and trying something new.”
Growing up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Brandi Wilkins remembers driving around, “oohing and aahing” at residences in her hometown with her mom, who loved decorating. “I knew I belonged in a creative field, but just didn’t know which one,” she muses.
Though she started out as a dance major, Wilkins earned a communications degree from Jacksonville University. She worked for a DC-area association for years before launching her firm, Three Luxe Nine, initially specializing in events. A light bulb moment struck in 2018 after she planned a retirement soirée. “My client was on cloud nine and loved how everything looked,” Wilkins recalls. “It hit me at that moment: People can feel that way about their homes as well—I could have a longer-lasting impact on their daily lives in interiors.”
She switched gears and began decorating full-time. Today, Wilkins is busy finishing up a large project in Potomac and has a part-time assistant on staff. “My goal is to have clients feel connected to their homes,” she reflects. “I spend a lot of time getting to know who they are and what they want and try to bring that to life the best way I can.”
Interior Design: Brandi Wilkins, Three Luxe Nine, Urbana, Maryland. Photography (Laytonsville project): Laura Metzler.
Wilkins imparted a natural, spa-like feel to the owners’ bath with an accent wall of Thassos marble tile in the shower, a wooden vanity and a porcelain floor that resembles slate.
Michael Stehlik unites dual baths into one calming oasis steeped in light and style
A dramatic Forest Hills retreat celebrates nature with refined materials—and killer views
A couple enjoys sea vistas in a Bethany Beach bath designed by Marnie Oursler
Playing up the vista of Rock Creek Park was high on the list when architects Patrick Cooke and Neal Thomson carved out the new primary bath in a Forest Hills home they were renovating for clients with two young daughters. In fact, they placed the Waterworks soaking tub in an alcove cantilevered so high above the greenery that window treatments were deemed unnecessary.
Designer Martha Vicas outfitted the refuge in crisp, modern style. A steam shower to the right of the tub is clad in statuary marble; the same stone repeats on the floors and the top of the vanity, situated on the tub’s left. Innovations wall covering made from recycled paper warms the material palette. “My clients, both men, wanted the space to be clubby, luxurious and masculine,” explains Vicas. “So we selected rift oak for the double vanity in a dark espresso color.” TV screens and outlets are hidden in the Robern medicine cabinets, she adds, “because they wanted nothing out on the countertops.”
Real espresso is also on hand, courtesy of a built-in Miele coffee machine tucked away in a handy bar opposite the vanity. “The idea,” says Vicas, “was that the owners can enjoy their espresso on the balcony off their bedroom, take a steam and a shower. Then, when their daughters wake up in the morning, they’ll be ready to begin their busy days.”
Architecture: Patrick Cooke, AIA; Neal Thomson, AIA, Thomson & Cooke Architects, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Martha Vicas, M.S. Vicas Interiors, Washington, DC. Contractor: ThinkMakeBuild, Washington, DC. Styling: Charlotte Safavi.
THE DETAILS
Light Fixture: alliedmaker.com. Sconces: jonathanbrowninginc.com. Vanity: carolinaheartwoodcabinetry.com. Medicine Cabinets: robern.com. Marble Floor Tile & Countertop: marblesystems.com. Tub, Cabinet Hardware & Plumbing: waterworks.com. Wallpaper: innovationsusa.com.
“Hers was pink and his was green,” recalls designer Michael Stehlik, who was tapped for the makeover. “The baths felt clunky and though the property backs up to a wooded park, the only spot with a view was the tub.”
Inspired by spa-like baths they’d enjoyed on past vacations, the couple envisioned a peaceful escape with simple materials and dramatic views. “They found peace in open spaces that felt very minimal, so we tried to translate that,” Stehlik explains.
His plan opened up the baths into one large volume and positioned a soaking tub and steam shower on the outside wall to take advantage of the view. On the opposite side, an enclosed WC with frosted-glass doors mirrors the shower’s footprint. Other geometric forms instill a sense of symmetry, from a floating double vanity and tall storage cabinets to ceiling coffers that diffuse daylight through existing skylights. Hooks and towel bars in the WC keep clutter at bay.
White accents and charcoal-gray porcelain tile on the walls and heated floors create a quiet stage that lets scenes of nature play out through oversized windows. The owners can display artwork or light candles in a niche by the tub. “They wanted this to be their sanctuary,” says Stehlik.
Bath Design: Michael Stehlik, Stehlik Design, Washington, DC. Contractor: DMV Kitchen & Bath, Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland.
THE DETAILS
All Tile: porcelanosa-usa.com. Tub Deck, Shower Bench & Vanity Top: silestoneusa.com. Tub: us.kohler.com. Tub & Sink Faucets & Shower Fixture: hansgrohe-usa.com. Sinks: duravit.us. Plumbing Source: build.com. Custom Shower Enclosure: dmvkitchenandbath.com. Shower Door Hardware: crlaurence.com. Vanity & Cabinetry: adelphikitchens.com. Vanity & Cabinetry Hardware: emtek.com. Pendants: sonnemanawayoflight.com. Art: edruscha.com.
A dedicated staircase leads to the private, fourth-floor lair, which boasts a bedroom, sitting room, sun deck and glass-enclosed luxury bath. “The rooms have the feel of a really nice hotel suite or penthouse,” says Oursler, who runs Bethany-based Marnie Custom Homes and hosts her own show, “Big Beach Builds” on the DIY Network.
She also designed the beach house interiors for her clients, whose primary home is in Jessup, Maryland. “In the bath, we tried to create a vibe that is very calm and relaxing,” she explains. Ocean views take center stage in the space, whether the owners are in the sculptural tub, the shower or the glass-enclosed WC. “You can even see the ocean reflected in the mirror,” she adds. Thick quartz countertops add a modern edge to the white double vanity. Automated shades drop from the ceiling for privacy.
Twenty-four-inch porcelain tiles resembling classic marble clad the bathroom floor, while single porcelain slabs add drama on the shower and window walls. In the shower, Oursler covered a steel support with the same material, creating a clever seating ledge.
“Getting the vein pattern right on the focal wall was a challenge,” she recalls. “Our goal was for the tile to serve as a work of art that makes a statement when you walk in.”
Bath Design & Contracting: Marnie Oursler, Marnie Custom Homes, Bethany Beach, Delaware. Styling: Kristi Hunter.
Floor Tile: gstile.com. Wall Tile: atlasplan.com through gramaco.com. Countertop: corian.com through gramaco.com. Vanity: decorcabinets.com. Tub & Sinks: mtibaths.com. Bath, Sink & Shower Faucets: us.kohler.com. Showerhead: deltafaucet.com. Sconce: rh.com.
Twenty-three designers from around the country were tapped to transform guest rooms in the 18th-century Cornell Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts. More than 30 sponsors, including Circa Lighting, Benjamin Moore and The Shade Store, supported the project; proceeds from ticket sales will go to scholarships for students of color interested in pursuing careers in art or design.
Carley, Rojas and Underwood made several trips to the Berkshires for the event, which ran from May 16 to June 6. “I was thrilled to have been asked to participate,” says Carley, “and to show the community at large that we’re a talented group who need to be recognized equally.”
Unlike typical show houses that are dismantled after they close, the Cornell Inn is keeping the rooms intact so guests can check in and luxuriate in the designers’ creations first-hand. In her space, Carley put a fresh spin on classic British style. “I was taken by how much the Berkshires reminded me of the Lake District in the UK,” explains the designer, who dubbed her room the Bennet for her favorite literary heroine, Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice. In lieu of chintz, Carley honed in on geometric motifs; large-scale plaid Phillip Jeffries wallpaper and a headboard and bed skirt in Cowtan & Tout checks convey a modern vibe.
Rojas was tasked with reimagining an entire apartment. “I wanted to create spaces that are calm and soothing,” says the designer, who named her unit the Doreen Suite after her late mother. Rojas played up a neutral palette with pops of color, such as an armchair in violet fabric.
Underwood packed a punch in a small suite that she called the Hudson—her maiden name and one that is significant to the region. “I utilized prints, color and scale to make it feel impactful but also cozy,” she reveals. Painted trim offsets floral wallpaper; a bright velvet headboard and pillow, she says, “bring richness and modern texture.”
“I hope the project sends a message that the industry is open to showcasing different perspectives,” she reflects. “It shows that there is opportunity and the design industry is starting to welcome it.” thekaleidoscopeproject.com; cornellbb.com
Margaux, a luxury shoe brand, and Schumacher partnered on a spring collection, released in May. Schumacher’s first foray into footwear, the collaboration features five classic silhouettes dressed up in playful florals and prints. Above, left to right: the Pointe in Cassis, the Mule in Campagne, the Flat Sandal in Exotic Butterfly, the Ballet Mule in Le Castellet and the Demi in Cabanon Stripe. From $198; margauxny.com
Graphic + Novel
The Etriviere shoulder MM dynamo bag by Hermès marries a technical mesh material and an adjustable cowhide strap. Made in France, the unisex piece is perfect for summer jaunts to the mountains or the sea. $2,650; hermes.com
These feminine cat-eye shades by Alaïa make a bold statement, with oversized lenses and an elaborate petal pattern engraved inside the temples. $455; available at Intermix in Georgetown or maison-alaia.com.
Meals are served at two restaurants, while the spa offers an array of treatments, from massages to salt-room sessions and cryotherapy.
A VIP table boasts a faux bois base and a zinc top, while Osborne & Little velvet in an updated kimono pattern lines a banquette. Sous chef Albani Caolo and executive chef Lucas Irwin put a spin on tradition with dishes such as vegetable sushi and smoked zuke tuna.
The new Mana 23 can travel at 12 knots for up to 30 nautical miles on a single charge of its lithium battery.
Such was the case when a father bound for the beach with his three kids stopped for lunch in Easton, Maryland. “I fell in love with the town,” he reflects. “It was always in the back of my mind.”
Little did he know that decades later this pristine Eastern Shore spot would lure him back. Now based in Florida, the businessman was searching for a site where he and his wife could build a vacation home and rendezvous with their grown kids, who live in New York. As he explains, “I love boating and wanted to have a place on the Chesapeake.”
When he and a real estate broker landed by boat on an abandoned two-acre property overlooking the Tred Avon River, the stars aligned. “It’s on a point so it has 180-degree visibility,” the buyer marvels. “And the water was deep enough for a dock.”
He acquired the land, then tapped his son, Daniel Grehl, and Erika Martins of Brooklyn-based Martins Grehl Architects to design his retreat. Though a home previously built on-site was destroyed by fire 15 years ago, the architects were able to salvage the driveway and some mature trees that dotted the property. They positioned the dwelling to optimize views of the river and an untamed parcel to the north. “Reaching out to the landscape and bringing the landscape in was a driving factor,” notes Grehl.
The client gave the architects a wide berth, making a few modest requests: a fireplace, a dining table that would seat a dozen and hardwood floors for warmth. “I wanted high ceilings but not giant, cavernous spaces,” he observes.
Though modern, his aesthetic leans more Frank Lloyd Wright than Frank Gehry, says Martins. “Daniel’s father was drawn to natural materials and the horizontality of Wright’s work so we tried to emphasize horizontal lines in our plan.”
The duo designed a 3,750-square-foot, L-shaped home consisting of intersecting rectangular forms. The main volume parallel to the river houses the living area, dining room and kitchen on the ground floor and the owners’ suite above. A perpendicular wing contains two en-suite guest rooms on the main floor and another upstairs. A primary axis travels along the entry path through the front door, revealing views of a greenery-filled courtyard and the river beyond.
Modern in spirit, the retreat pays homage to local vernacular with cedar siding, white oak floors and a gabled roof reminiscent of historic tobacco barns. “We gravitated toward contemporary design but with cues we picked up along the way,” remarks Grehl. “Researching the Eastern Shore, you come to understand the heritage and building archetypes.”
Accustomed to designing row houses and apartments in their New York City practice, the architects welcomed the chance to think outside the box in detailing this freestanding dwelling. A vertical element to the left of the front entry is swathed in off-white Nichiha fiber-cement panels; it anchors the main staircase inside. Weathered Corten steel panels that frame the front courtyard and entrance accentuate the passage of time. “We liked the poetics of that,” Grehl adds, “especially because it’s a multi-generational family’s house.”
Interior selections, from the RH living room and dining furniture to the Mod kitchen cabinets, echo the organic color palette of the exterior materials. “We wanted soft, neutral colors that would let the views be dominant,” says Martins. “We didn’t want to distract from nature.”
Early in the process, Annapolis landscape architect Jordan Loch Crabtree was hired to transform the overgrown property into one that embraces sustainability and laid-back living. “Our studio believes in creating intentional spaces for people to connect with one another and with nature,” says Crabtree. His plan included a great lawn, an arrival courtyard and a bluestone pool terrace complete with a fire pit and dining area. He also converted an acre of lawn into a meandering meadow, which now envelops the wedge-shaped site.
“The meadow provides a dynamic habitat that brings benefits on multiple fronts, from filtration and runoff to creating a habitat for pollinators,” Grehl asserts.
The meadow performed another special function in October 2019, shortly after the residence was completed. Erika Martins and Daniel Grehl, who are not only partners in business but also in life, got married on-site with the meadow, the Tred Avon and the house they designed together forming an idyllic backdrop.
Since then, Martins Grehl Architects and Loch Collective have won prestigious design awards for the project. And the owners and their family have made many more memories at the Maryland refuge, especially during the pandemic. Martins and Grehl enjoy relaxing in the pool and the indoor sauna (which they built themselves under the TV loft in the main wing) and on the home’s many terraces and decks.
His 29-foot motorboat is moored on-site and he enjoys surveying yachts as they sail by. “Somebody’s cooking, somebody’s playing with the dog and I think, ‘This is what we wanted,’” he reflects. “A place for the family to go for many years—hopefully a couple of generations.”
Architecture & Interior Design: Erika Martins, RA, and Daniel Grehl, RA, LEED AP, Martins Grehl Architects PLLC, Brooklyn, New York. Builder: Darren Kornas, ThinkMakeBuild, Easton, Maryland. Landscape Architecture: Jordan Loch Crabtree, ASLA, Loch Collective, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Contractor: Solidago Landscapes, LLC, Church Hill, Maryland. Planting: Rigo Lawn Care + Landscaping; 443-856-9218.
