Confined to the cramped footprint of the obsolete kitchen in her clients’ Tudor-style home in DC, designer Nadia Subaran faced a few challenges when she was hired for a makeover. A consummate cook and entertainer, the wife asked for more functional workspace, an open layout—and a 40-inch professional Thermador range. “I had to figure out how to achieve the look my client wanted while getting her all the function she needed,” explains Subaran.
The designer rose to the occasion. First, she removed a peninsula that bisected the kitchen. Then she opened up an adjacent hallway, trading a closet for a butler’s pantry. Next to new base and glass-fronted upper cabinetry, she installed a freezer and made it “disappear” behind paneling that matches the white cabinets.
This left space for a dedicated, 30-inch refrigerator in the kitchen. A classic farmhouse sink and Calacatta Belgia marble countertops and backsplash from Gramaco reflect the home’s vintage. Satin-brass hardware and a freestanding pantry unit in a Baltic Sea finish warm the white palette. A custom table with a mixed-metal base mirroring the room’s brass and stainless-steel finishes makes a bold centerpiece.
Two custom lights, sourced through interior designer Lori Graham, lend a modern touch. A brass-accented fixture illuminates the kitchen while one with a darker motif plays off the original slate floor in the butler’s pantry.
Kitchen Design: Nadia Subaran, Aidan Design, Silver Spring, Maryland. Contractor: Horizon Builders, Crofton, Maryland.
Resources
Countertops & Backsplash: gramaco.com. Cabinets: wood-mode.com. Hardware: lewisdolin.com. Sink & Faucet: rohlhome.com through abwappliances.com. Stove & Refrigeration: thermador.com through abwappliances.com. Hood & Table Design: aidandesign.com. Table Fabrication: kmetalfab.com. Light Fixtures: Through lorigraham.com. Stools: cb2.com.
WILD & WOOLLY
Missoni Home’s Winter Flame collection includes the all-wool knit Pereira rug—as soft as a well-worn fisherman’s sweater; sculptural Virgola chairs shown covered in Vitim, a 3D chevron jacquard; and cozy knit cushions in assorted colorways. missonihome.com
SNUGGLE UP
Designed by Giorgio Soressi, Roche Bobois’ Avant Premiere four-seat sofa is pictured in luxurious Sensori velvet—the perfect backdrop for a night of snuggling or movie-watching. roche-bobois.com
DESIGNER TAKE
ZigZagZurich’s Artist Wool Blankets collection presents a host of bold patterns created by a global roster of designers. The 55-by-79-inch throws cocoon loungers in 100-percent New Zealand wool. zigzagzurich.com
MANMADE
Playfully dubbed Furry Tiles, this hand-stitched carpet by Doris Leslie Blau is made of wool that mimics natural cowhide. The rustic, toe-tickling rug can be customized in any shape or size. dorisleslieblau.com
FAUX FUR
Moroso’s Pipe armchair, designed by Sebastian Herkner, offers a warm, faux-fur embrace. Available through Apartment Zero. apartmentzero.com; moroso.it
PILLOW TALK
Rex Pleated Pillows by Adri Collection feature ruched rabbit-fur fronts and silk-velvet backs. Available locally in six sizes and colorways—including Snow, Bark and Coal—at Holly Hunt. hollyhunt.com
As founding editor of Residential Architect magazine, Boyce Thompson has plenty to say about what constitutes a great house. So much, in fact, that he has assembled his thoughts into a book, Anatomy of a Great Home: What America’s Most Celebrated Houses Tell Us about the Way We Want to Live (Schiffer Publishing; 2018).
To illustrate his ideas, Bethesda-based Thompson sought out not sprawling, ornate manses but “smaller, attainable” abodes. In short, he says, “houses that you could imagine living in, with family-friendly floor plans.”
Out of the 50-plus homes spotlighted in the insightful volume, nine are in the Washington, DC, region. The four local architects who designed them, Robert Gurney, Mark McInturff, Stephen Muse and Richard Williams, joined Thompson for a panel discussion at DC’s Politics and Prose bookstore in November.
The speakers all agreed that today’s architects strive to celebrate a site, blur lines between interior and exterior spaces and create open, light-filled rooms. They also stressed the importance of building with sustainable materials. “Maybe 15 years ago there was an excuse not to do it, but today, information is available and the price is pretty neutral,” Thompson asserted.
The author championed architects who conserve resources by designing simple forms, then splurge on “killer details” such as custom fireplaces and window walls. “Why not spend your money where you can enjoy it most?” he asked.
Another hot topic was longevity. Thompson questioned the conventional assumption that consumers must have a different home for every stage of their lives. “Why can’t you have one house where all of that is thought of in advance?” he reflected. “A great house needs to work for your family both today and in the future.”
Made to Order
Colorado-based Wagner Custom crafts bespoke skis based on clients’ abilities and preferences. Combining customer data with computer diagnostics, ski builders determine the right shape, materials and “flex,” then apply custom graphics to each creation. A design by artist Dawn Gerety on a finished pair was inspired by a day of ski touring in Alaska. From $1,750. wagnerskis.com
Out of the Glare
Oakley’s Line Miner XM Goggles feature Prizm lenses that maximize contrast and visibility. Shaped to optimize peripheral vision, the goggles are also compatible with most helmets and come in an array of sizes and color options. From $150. oakley.com
A Shot of Scotland on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
One of the country’s most valuable single-malt Scotch collections can be found not in the big city but in a new outpost in downtown Easton. The Stewart serves rarified whiskeys and vintage Champagnes in Baccarat crystal, along with caviar and other delicacies. Clubby interiors by Connecticut-based Shaun Jackson feature a 19th-century, walnut-and-brass trumeau chimney, tufted-leather seating and paintings by German master Peter Caulitz. 3 Federal Street; thestewart.com
Italian Delights from Morning to Night
Chef Nick Stefanelli (Masseria) made a splash at District Wharf last fall with the opening of Officina. This three-level emporium designed by Grupo 7 includes a café/bar serving pastries and casual meals; a marketplace stocked with Italian provisions; and a trattoria, where the nightly dinner menu may include braised veal ravioli. A salotto—aka the Amaro Library—serves a wide array of libations, which can be savored year-round on a rooftop terrazza warmed by fire pits. officinadc.com
Set on 600 pristine acres in Western Montana, Triple Creek Ranch serves up outdoor adventures along with gourmet dining and luxury R&R. At this adults-only Relais & Chateaux property, guests enjoy hiking, ice-fishing, cross-country skiing and year-round horseback riding, among other wintry pursuits. After a day in the wilderness, ranchers can warm up in a cozy cottage, soak in an outdoor hot tub and sample wines from a state-of-the-art cellar. From $1,050 per person nightly, including meals. triplecreekranch.com
Though photographed on a romp through Maryland’s Star Bright Farm, this winsome skirt by local couturier Ella Pritsker is intended for dressier affairs. The Italian silk chiffon garment is hand-beaded with Swarovski crystals for subtle sparkle; price upon request. ellapritsker.com
Photography & Styling: Helen Norman. Model: Callie, T.H.E. Artist Agency. Hair & Make-Up: Lori Pressman.
Baltimore residents knew they were onto something sublime when they built a weekend getaway on a bluff overlooking the Severn River near Annapolis more than 100 years ago. The simple cottage was perched high enough to enjoy dramatic views, yet situated only a stone’s throw down to the shore.
Over the years, multiple owners altered and expanded the home and its outbuildings; a stable evolved into a guest house and a brick carriage house into a garage.
When the current owners spotted the property for sale online, they also knew they’d found a gem. The retired Navy officer and his wife, then living in a San Diego high-rise, wanted to move back to their old stomping grounds near Annapolis. “I went to the Naval Academy and my wife went to Towson, so we’re both attracted to the area,” says the husband. “We wanted to be on the Severn and we wanted a family compound that would attract our three grown kids and grandkids for visits.”
After seeing the property in person, the couple purchased it and moved East to begin a new chapter in this pristine setting. “It’s the bluff that gets you,” says the homeowner. “You look out over a widening in the river—it’s almost like a private lake right there. That’s what won us over.”
Knowing their minimal apartment furniture would be lost in the three-bedroom main home, the owners hired designer Gina Fitzsimmons to furnish the interiors in a casual coastal style. “The first time I walked the property, I fell in love with it,” says Fitzsimmons. “It’s so charming; it has a Nantucket feeling.”
The designer set out to create a “cottagey” look, employing a neutral palette enlivened with waves of blue. She freshened up the kitchen, installing a new backsplash. And in the adjacent breakfast/sitting room, she replaced a Victorian fireplace with a new one surrounded by crisp paneling aligned with the windows above. Subtle cues, from driftwood sconces to a Sam Moore chair with a “porthole” back, pay homage to the shore. “I used a lot of bold, nautical-looking stripes without going overboard,” Fitzsimmons explains.
She created a tranquil refuge in the sunroom overlooking the river. Rattan chairs and sisal rugs lend an organic note. And Fitzsimmons expertly scaled the furniture to fit the more formal living and dining rooms. For example, a pair of petite loveseats in the living room leaves plenty of space for the couple’s baby grand piano.
Once the main home was complete, the owners set their sights on upgrading the run-down guest house. For help, they called on local architect Scott Rand, who renovated the main house in 1996 for the previous owners. When Rand and builder Pat Mona inspected the former stable, they uncovered how rudimentary its construction was. “There was very little in the way of foundation and it was just not salvageable,” the homeowner recalls. “So we essentially tore it down and Scott designed a new guest house in the same footprint.”
Rand fashioned the two-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath structure to mimic the lines of the main cottage. “I used the same windows and trim and the same roof pitches,” says the architect. “There’s a commonality.”
After the dust settled in the guest house, Fitzsimmons returned to work her magic on its interiors, creating inviting spaces that echo her work in the main home. “I tried to use similar elements, but introduced teal instead of blue to give it a different twist,” she recounts.
Winding brick-and-stone pathways swathed in greenery and hydrangea lead to a terrace overlooking the water. Rustic stairs made of concrete and oyster shells descend to the Severn, where the owners are building a new sea wall that will contain a sandy area for their grandchildren to play.
The entire property has become a true family refuge. “There is the waterfront to encourage kids to play sports, Annapolis is a great town and having Washington, DC, close by also makes it an attraction,” says the husband. “I have a motorboat, but to tell you the truth we mostly use it to go to restaurants.”
Whether they’re entertaining the troops or enjoying their aerie alone, the owners never tire of gazing at the Severn, with the boats streaming by. “You get to know the people who are using the river and what it does in certain kinds of wind,” the homeowner reflects. “The river has a personality.”
Renovation Architecture: Scott L. Rand, AIA, Annapolis, Maryland. Interior Design: Gina Fitzsimmons, ASID, Fitzsimmons Design Associates, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Design: Andrea Lockett, The Landscape Design Center, Edgewater, Maryland. Guest House Contractor: Patrick Mona, Mona Design Build, Annapolis, Maryland.
When William Waybourn, a photographer and owner of DC’s Long View Gallery, purchased a condo in DC, he realized that although it was brand new, the property would require a few tweaks. With windows rimming the space on three sides, displaying art proved a challenge. Since he planned to host work events such as corporate team building etc. It was also a priority to him. In the kitchen, a too-small-to-be-useful island did little more than block circulation. So Waybourn tapped architect Ernesto Santalla to remedy these flaws in his 700-square-foot abode.
After careful study, Santalla made dramatic improvements with a few bold strokes. He created a paneled wall that screens off the bedroom and houses a TV—which also freed up a spot for art on the original TV wall. He traded the ineffective island for a much larger one that marries a work surface with a table that can seat up to eight for dinner or serve as a buffet for a bigger crowd.
Struck by how the glassed-in apartment seemed to hover above the complex’s plaza below, Santalla decided to play up that impression. He outfitted the space with floating ceiling panels, suspended globe pendants, wall-mounted furniture and chairs with minimal legs—all subtle cues that reinforce a feeling of airiness.
“When you have a small home, it’s important to create a sense of expansiveness,” he reasons. “One of the things we focus on is living well in less space.”
Why does a small space demand big art?
If you put lots of small things in a small space, it starts to get busy. Large art creates a very strong focal point and ultimately gives you a sense of expansion. It’s a play on scale.
How did you downplay the open kitchen?
Previously, the kitchen was really prominent. I didn’t want people to arrive in the living area and have the sense that “here I am in a kitchen.” I wanted it to be a backdrop to everything else going on. In the new design, the island and colorful chairs became the prominent objects, which helped the kitchen take on the look of a white wall.
How does lighting come into play?
There is an impulse in construction, in general, to put up walls. In condo spaces, this means that many rooms end up being too dark, so both day-lighting and artificial lighting are always big priorities. In this project, the lighting didn’t work. Our client needed better lighting for artwork and more functional lighting as well.
How did you incorporate added storage?
We designed custom furniture in the bedroom to maximize the use of space. Below the bed are a bunch of drawers where the homeowner stores all of his photographic equipment.
What’s your theory on using color in tight quarters?
I use color selectively and always in the context of neutrals. In this space, for example, the bright colors are in the same range. The eye is drawn to the artwork and the chairs; you get a sense there’s a lot of color when in fact there isn’t all that much.
What’s your secret to designing small homes?
Everything has to be well-designed and serve more than one function; otherwise, you start to hurt for space. Select materials that are going to stand up to daily use and are also beautiful.
Explain how you “find” more room in a condo.
Often, circulation areas take up a lot of usable space. In many condo remodels, we find ways to take back space given to circulation. Sometimes what happens is amazing. All of a sudden, a bathroom gets three times larger because circulation has been handled properly.
How has technology changed the game?
The big thing is connectivity. So much can be done working at home. That has changed the way we relate to our living spaces; we’re not creating dedicated spaces for home offices. People are working on their laptops in the living room, the bedroom or the backyard.
What advice do you give clients when downsizing?
You need to exercise a lot of restraint with what you have. Sometimes a client will bring something that’s not going to work and we have to face that. For example, you’re not going to have four sets of dishes.
How do you justify renovating a new property?
You have to have a good reason and a really good concept behind why you’re remodeling something that’s brand new. If a renovation gives clients what they already have, but just a little bit better, I think they’ve wasted their money. We’re always looking to transform a space and create a lifestyle that we can foresee for the next 20 years—not something that will soon be obsolete.
How does art elevate a home?
Art completes a space as the owner’s self-expression; it can take a room from excellent to outstanding.
What’s your secret to selecting pillows?
Pillows need to be the right scale and shape, and strike a balance between decorative and functional.
Design pet peeve?
Matchy-matchy.
What new product are you dying to try?
I’m always on a quest for new lighting. Right now, Artemide has introduced LED products on the forefront of lighting design that I am excited to use.
Name a favorite “low-end” find?
IKEA makes very attractive wardrobes that are fully customizable. The trick is to design around
IKEA’s size modules.
How do you warm up a modern room?
I do it primarily through color and texture.
Interior & Architectural Design: Ernesto Santalla, AIA, LEED AP, Ernesto Santalla PLLC, Washington, DC.
DEEP DIVE
The Orange Starfish Wallpaper Mural depicts an oversized specimen against a glinting turquoise sea. Available in three paper weights. From $3.25 per square foot. muralswallpaper.com
TOUCH OF GLASS
California artist Jeffrey M. Andrews created this signed, kiln-formed glass tray containing carved starfish in white gold leaf. 18 by eight inches; $276; 1stdibs.com
SALAD DAYS
Mariposa’s Starfish Salad Servers are fashioned out of recycled aluminum and decorated with sculptural, sandcast starfish designs. 12.5 inches long; $29. bloomingdales.com
DRIFT OFF
Coral-hued starfish dance across Nautica’s Ripple Cotton 3-Piece set. Choose between a comforter or duvet cover; shams are included. From $146; birchlane.com
SEA CATCH
Pottery Barn’s Starfish Napkin Rings marry resin “creatures” with rings wrapped in jute for a nautical touch. $5 each; potterybarn.com
NIGHT LIGHT
Pier 1’s Sea Point Metal Starfish Lantern, made of galvanized iron in a white finish, conjures summer’s eve by the shore. The lantern is 12.5 inches high; $59.95. pier1.com
Every two years, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum spotlights emerging and mid-career makers deserving wider national recognition. “Disrupting Craft: Renwick Invitational 2018,” on view from November 9 through May 5, 2019, focuses on four artists who challenge conventional definitions of craft as well as social and cultural assumptions. As curator Abraham Thomas notes, “During such a drastic period of change for the craft field, an exhibition series like this can act as a friendly agitator.”
The 2018 jury selected Tanya Aguiñiga, whose fiber work reveals a personal narrative; Sharif Bey, whose ceramics range from utilitarian to sculptural; Dustin Farnsworth, whose creations in wood shed light on societal and economic decay; and Stephanie Syjuco, who questions typologies in her mixed-media installations. americanart.si.edu
The Washington area’s abundant arts scene got even richer with the October expansion of Glenstone Museum in Potomac. Five years and $200 million in the making, the addition of a boldly modern second building and 130 acres of pristine woodlands and meadows does more than double Glenstone’s original splendor. It also lands the venue firmly on the map as a world-class art institution.
Far from a line-up-at-the-turnstile attraction, Glenstone orchestrates a contemplative, immersive experience for guests, accentuating art, architecture and landscape design in equal measure. Visitors are greeted by guides at an arrival court, then dispatched on a gravel path meandering over a stream and through swaths of ferns and wildflowers. After they catch a glimpse of Jeff Koons’ mammoth “Split-Rocker” on the horizon, the Pavilions rises from the landscape.
Though it appears to be comprised of separate minimalist structures, visitors discover inside that the “pavilions” are actually connected via the airy Passage—a corridor rimmed with walls of glass that encircle a dream-like Water Court.
Designed by New York architect Thomas Phifer, the Pavilions houses 11 light-filled galleries, some with clerestory windows or floating walls, which display art from Glenstone’s collection. Billionaire industrialist Mitchell Rales and his wife, Glenstone director Emily Wei Rales, founded the museum to share their vast holdings with the public. While nine rooms in the Pavilions are devoted to a single artist, the largest houses an inaugural installation of 65 works by 52 artists, dating from 1943 to 1989.
Taking in the landscape is meant to be part of the experience, as viewers travel among the two museum buildings, 10 outdoor sculptures and two new cafés on site. “We considered the landscape as the inspiration,” explains Phifer. “From your first moments at Glenstone, the bustle of ordinary activities drops away and your mind and soul prepare for an intimate encounter with art.”
Glenstone Museum is open Thursday through Sunday; admission is free but reservations are required. glenstone.org
Pappe, which translates to “brother” in Punjabi, is an apt name for the new restaurant three friends opened together on 14th Street, NW. Vipul Kapila, chef Sanjay Mandhaiya and chef Shankar Puthran—who frequently met for dinner at Mandhaiya’s Saffron in Northern Virginia—realized their dream last spring. Melissa Funkey designed the interiors (above) using draped fabrics to evoke the street markets of Delhi and Jaipur. The menu, focusing on Northern Indian fare, includes such delicacies as paneer tikka Achari and lamb Vindaloo (left). 1317 14th Street, NW; 202-888-8220. pappedc.com
ELECTRIC ATTITUDE
In 2019, Porsche’s first all-electric sports car, the Taycan, will go into production. Previously dubbed the Mission E, the concept car features two permanently activated, synchronous motors generating an output of over 600 horsepower, and a lithium-ion battery that will enable it to drive for more than 300 miles on a single charge. porsche.com
SCREEN TIME
Bang & Olufsen has partnered with LG Electronics to create the BeoVision Eclipse, merging B&O’s renowned acoustic controls with LG’s OLED technology. A TV and music system in one, the Eclipse integrates Internet radio with music- and video-streaming services. A motorized floor stand even moves the TV around the room for optimal viewing. From $10,990. bang-olufsen.com
MAPS ON THE GO
Garmin’s new fenix 5 Plus series brings full GPS functionality to your wrist. The multi-sport watch helps bikers and runners map out routes and offers music storage, playback and a contactless payment system. Its fitness-tracking features include training stats and a Pulse Oximeter to gauge altitude acclimation. From $700. garmin.com
The National Museum of Women in the Arts celebrates the work of Rodarte from November 10 to February 10, 2019, in its first-ever fashion exhibit. Launched in 2005 by Los Angeles-based sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Rodarte blurs the lines between art and fashion with its feminine, otherworldly creations. More than 100 complete looks will be on view. nmwa.org
Following a multi-million dollar renovation, Geneva’s 150-year-old Hotel de la Paix has reopened as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel de la Paix, Geneva. Located on the shore of Lake Geneva, the property sports an elegant lobby (right) and 74 guest rooms. The Grace Kelly Suite was named after the Princess of Monaco—once a regular guest at the hotel. It features Art Deco-style furnishings and gold-leaf gilding. In addition to two restaurants, a Philippe Pascoët chocolate shop is located on site. Rates from $455. ritzcarlton.com
