In life, making bold changes often means discarding the past. But in the dramatic transformation of a family home, architect Robert Gurney broke new ground while still preserving what his clients held near and dear.
The owners built their Potomac rambler from the ground up 30 years ago. But by today’s standards, its interiors felt dark and compartmentalized, its layout was inefficient and its builder-grade windows barely glimpsed the adjacent woodland. As Gurney recalls, “The owners were considering a move downtown, but their three grown children said, ‘Don’t sell the house.’”
A teardown was also out of the question. “We have so many memories here,” the executive and his wife told the architect. “We don’t want to do that.” In the end, they simply asked him to “freshen it up.”
The plan Gurney presented, and his clients approved, far exceeded cosmetic changes. With the exception of the three original children’s bedrooms in the front portion of the home, he gutted and reorganized the entire ground floor, taking his clients’ directive to “open it up” to the extreme.
“The challenge was how to provide a whole new environment, yet maintain enough of the existing house so they still have those memories,” the architect explains. “It was a balancing act.”
By adding three glass “boxes” onto the back of the house, he created lofty volumes and uninterrupted views of the woods. Rooms were reordered not only to celebrate the site but also to introduce a functional floor plan that reflects the owners’ lifestyle.
The drama unfolds on arrival. In the foyer, guests enter an open living area where 14-foot-high ceilings and full-height windows reveal the scenery beyond. “I wanted the space to explode, to open up when someone comes in,” says Gurney. A light-filled dining room to the left of the foyer replaced a former study. Once isolated, the kitchen now plays a starring role with open access to the great room and the glass-enclosed breakfast area, which was previously sequestered in an octagonal, ’80s-style pavilion.
Strong horizontal axes bring clarity to the floor plan. The reconfigured master suite was shifted from the center to the back of the house for better views. From their bedroom, the owners walk straight through the living room and kitchen to their new home office. To create this space, Gurney moved the garage forward and extended the back of the home by 12 feet—the only addition he made to the original footprint.
Though the floor plan appears simple, orchestrating it was anything but, says Gurney. “It becomes a jigsaw puzzle—the program and light, the relationship with spaces and putting it all together.
“I set it up to be more user-friendly, so their daily use of the house was greatly enhanced,” Gurney continues. “The owners work in the study and live in the master bedroom, so that’s their ‘everyday’ space. The front of the house that they don’t really use is sort of its own wing now.” Besides a fresh coat of paint, the original bedrooms in this wing—which now host visiting children and grandchildren—and the home’s lower level remain untouched.
Landscape architect Kevin Campion designed simple, understated front and back gardens that relate to the architecture. Plantings help define the new entry while the undulating lawn in the backyard echoes the lines of Gurney’s glass volumes.
To furnish the renovated spaces, the owners hired interior designer Therese Baron Gurney. She frequently collaborates with the architect, who is also her husband. “As with almost all of our projects, it was my goal to create bases for function within Bob’s open plan,” she explains.
Baron Gurney complemented the architecture with clean-lined furniture in flexible, carefully conceived arrangements. In the great room, the clients can comfortably lounge on the sectional near the TV when they’re home alone, but the adjacent sofa and swivel chairs accommodate guests when they entertain.
Baron Gurney’s serene color palette took its cues from her clients, whose favorite shade is green. “I chose things that accentuated green, such as the custom wool rug in the great room that combines evergreen and eggplant,” she says. “But in general, we created pops of color on neutral palettes that are rich in texture.”
The organic, pared-down material palettes that the architect and designer selected embody a “less is more” mentality. Details, though spare, were carefully considered and painstakingly implemented by the builder, Added Dimensions, from the floating fireplace ledge fashioned from lava stone to the quarter-inch reveal that takes the place of traditional base molding throughout the project. “We work really hard to make details go away. It’s not about molding—it’s about the space and materials and light,” says Robert Gurney. “Added Dimensions pulled it off really well.”
The clients—and their children—love the bold new personality of their long-time residence. “It has definitely changed the way they live and work in the house,” concludes the architect. And best of all, it still feels like home.
Anice Hoachlander is a principal of Hoachlander Davis Photography in DC.
ARCHITECTURE: ROBERT M. GURNEY, FAIA, principal; CLAIRE L. ANDREAS and KARA R. McHONE, project architects, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA Architect, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: THERESE BARON GURNEY, ASID, Baron Gurney Interiors, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: KEVIN CAMPION, ASLA, principal; Meredith Forney Beach, project manager, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Added Dimensions, Takoma Park, Maryland.
A light snow covered a wooded Great Falls, Virginia, property in a lacy veil as a couple pulled into the driveway. On a whim, they’d followed “open house” signs here after going for brunch nearby. Having relocated from Chicago the previous year, they’d spent 18 months living in a DC apartment while looking for the perfect home.
Their hopes plummeted when they glimpsed the dark and dated 1950s rambler for sale. But the real estate agent on site convinced them it was worth a look inside, where they were greeted by a stunning view of the four-acre lot through a wall of windows in the open living/dining room. Looking past the saffron-colored walls, oddly placed chair rails and swag, they agreed the house had potential.
“We literally walked into a 1950s time capsule,” the husband recalls. “But it was solidly built and hadn’t been altered in any way.”
Taken by the house’s clean lines, simple layout and generous glass exposures, the couple bought the property in 2014 and hired interior designer Barbara Hawthorn to bring it into the 21st century. She embarked on a comprehensive, five-month makeover that would strip the interiors down to the studs, replace the original floors and windows, upgrade the electrical and lighting systems and overhaul the outdated kitchen and baths.
Hawthorn also redefined the interior architecture, removing moldings and wainscoting and concealing brick walls. “When I start a project, I can see ‘beyond.’ I look at the bones, I look at the structure, I look at the flow of a space and I get rid of all of the static,” she says.
The couple envisioned their new home as a soothing escape where they could recharge and unwind. “Their lifestyles are so busy, they realized they wanted a more bucolic setting, a retreat where they can really relax,” the designer explains.
To create this environment, she focused on a soft, neutral color palette; richly textured fabrics and floor coverings; and organic materials that would blend in with the natural surroundings. In the living room, a wall of tiles by Porcelanosa, billowing Stroheim drapes, and fabric depicting gingko leaves on new lounge chairs convey minimal, understated elegance. Serene blues impart a sense of calm in the master bedroom, from the grasscloth wallcovering to the damask bedding and luxurious drapes.
One of Hawthorn’s greatest hurdles was finding a way to meld the aesthetic her clients wanted with the pieces they each brought from their disparate collections. Married just three years ago, the homeowners both travel extensively. The husband, who spent decades in the diplomatic corps, has amassed a vast collection of Asian art and antiques. The wife, who grew up in Europe, has inherited a number of family heirlooms and antiques. “Making the antiques come together and live compatibly was a challenge,” Hawthorn relates.
Throughout the home, the designer expertly bridged the gap between styles. The squared-off, geometrical chairs in the living room stand up well to antique Korean chests flanking the fireplace. A pair of chairs and an antique desk from the wife’s collection introduce feminine lines in the bedroom, offsetting a modern armoire of Hawthorn’s design. “As far as my pieces go,” says the wife, “they were really important to me. They soften the Asian influences.”
Where possible, Hawthorn repurposed her clients’ furnishings and art, including a Japanese screen that she mounted on the living room wall and customized to conceal a TV. “To me,” says the designer, “what people have in their collections is what makes a house feel like home.”
On the lower level, she created an office for the husband with custom bookshelves to accommodate his impressive library. He also has room to display many of the mementos he’s collected abroad. Three guest bedrooms, a new guest bathroom, and a powder room welcome visitors in style.
When the couple travels these days, they can’t wait to return to their new “getaway” in Great Falls. “We just want to come home and ‘be,’” says the wife. “This is our haven, our retirement home, and our vacation home—all in one.”
Kenneth M. Wyner is a Takoma Park, Maryland, photographer.
INTERIOR DESIGN: BARBARA HAWTHORN, Barbara Hawthorn Interiors, McLean, Virginia. RENOVATION CONTRACTOR: ROB LOAR, Loar Home Improvement, Mount Airy, Maryland.
A venerable grand dame on downtown Washington’s hospitality scene, the Morrison-Clark Inn has shed its Victorian mantle for a fresh new look. After the acquisition of a few neighboring properties, the inn recently underwent an expansion encompassing a six-story addition that nearly doubled its size. The project includes a new lobby, library, and 57 new guest rooms.
Hired to design the interiors, ForrestPerkins paid tribute to the inn’s history while integrating elements inspired by one of its former neighbors: a Chinese church. Guests now enter the inn through a carved limestone portal that was salvaged from the church. The new lobby features a hand-knotted wool rug with a dragon motif, bespoke red chandeliers and cascading sconces that evoke Chinese lantern blossoms. Behind the onyx reception desk, Raku clay kimono artwork by DC-based Marcia Jestaedt makes a bold statement.
“We tried to weave in connections to what the building was previously,” says ForrestPerkins president Deborah Lloyd Forrest. “They animate the space. There are also nods to the traditional style of the original hotel, but it is now much more current and energized. There’s a great vibe when you walk in the door.”
Housing a bar, intimate furniture groupings and a gateway to a new courtyard, the two-story lobby is a hub of activity. On its mezzanine level, a passage leads to the inn’s original 19th-century buildings, bridging past and present—precisely as the designers intended.
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN: PAUL HODGES, lead project manager, ForrestPerkins, Washington, DC. ARCHITECT OF RECORD: Architecture, Inc., Reston, Virginia. BUILDER: Forrester Construction, Rockville, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: KENNETH M. WYNER.
FREEFORM STYLE The Confetti Link Crystal Spike Bib Necklace joins colored crystal doublets with gunmetal chains to create a stunning geometric array. Available at Alexis Bittar in CityCenterDC. $375. alexisbittar.com
IN STEP Manolo Blahnik’s Zarina Embroidered Suede Boots make a bold statement with their four-inch stiletto heels and all-over crystal embroidery. They are a festive complement to chic holiday attire. $4,380. neimanmarcus.com
EAST MEETS WEST The Esprit Dior Tokyo 2015 collection reveals fashion inspired by “the new architecture of clothing” seen on the streets of the Japanese capital, says artistic director Raf Simons. The heather-gray crocheted dress and pink-silver sequined top are part of the ready-to-wear line. Price on request. dior.com
FORM MEETS FUNCTION Thiel Audio creates home-audio speakers that marry high-end performance with sleek design. The TT1 floor-standing speaker and TC1 bookshelf speaker are hand-assembled in the company’s new Nashville headquarters. Priced at $5,798 and $3,498, respectively. thielaudio.com
A CLASSIC RETOOLED Porsche has expanded its 911 Carrera range with four new GTS models. The 2015 Coupe boasts a 430 horsepower, 3.8-liter flat-six engine and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. The retooled exterior sports smoked Bi-Xenon headlights, chrome-plated exhaust tailpipes and center-lock wheels painted in glossy black. Its rear seat system can be omitted for a lighter-weight option. $92,600. porsche.com
HEAT WAVE Skiers can keep their hands warm with HeatTouch Inferno Gloves by Seirus. A flexible heat panel, activated by the touch of a button, warms the back of the waterproof leather gloves and also wraps around the fingers. $375. seirus.com
ADVENTURE TIME Giro’s Edit ski helmet—the lightest in the company’s collection—features an integrated GoPro-compatible camera mount that enables daredevils to film their downhill action with ease. Available in seven colors, including Matte Titanium. $180. giro.com
DESERT ROSE The new Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage brings style and luxury to Palm Springs, California. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Santa Rosa Mountains, the property features 244 guest rooms and suites—some with their own firepits—and a spa complete with a meditation mesa. One of three restaurants on site, The Edge Steakhouse serves up the gourmet fare and scenic views. From $219. ritzcarlton.com
ON THE WATERFRONT Marlon Brando’s longtime dream to create an eco-friendly resort on the Polynesian atoll of Tetiaroa, 30 miles north of Tahiti, was realized with the recent debut of The Brando. Partners who worked with the actor before his death opened the all-inclusive resort last year. It is home to 35 villas, each with its own plunge pool, and a spa featuring holistic Polynesian-style treatments. From $2,686 per night. thebrando.com
CITY CHIC The Norman, a boutique hotel in the heart of Tel Aviv, recalls the elegance of the 1920s with its stylish guest rooms and suites, as well as it's public spaces. The 50-room property, which occupies two historic buildings, features a rooftop infinity-edge pool and several dining spots. From $400. thenorman.com
UNION MARKET HOT SPOT Working with Grupo7 Architecture + Interiors, chef Nick Stefanelli transformed a gritty produce warehouse near Union Market into Masseria, a study in urban chic. The open kitchen is offset by aqua glazed-subway tile; it’s the perfect backdrop for savoring spot-on Italian fare. 1340 4th Street, NE; 202-608-1330. masseria-dc.com
BETHESDA DEBUT Reston’s PassionFish has spread its fins, bringing a seafood-centric menu to downtown Bethesda. Gensler designed the interiors, where custom wall sculptures adorn tile walls. Menu highlights include a lobster roll and ceviche roll. 7187 Woodmont Avenue; 301-358-6116. passionfishbethesda.com
DOWNTOWN MAKEOVER Washington’s 701 Restaurant recently unveiled redesigned interiors by Martin Vahtra of New York-based Projects Design Associates. Banquettes are upholstered in Maharam fabric while decorative “egg” sculptures accent a wall in the main dining room. 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW; 202-393-0701. 701restaurant.com
When DC’s streetcar system screeched to a halt in 1962, it left a network of tunnels and platforms forgotten beneath the city’s streets. However, the abandoned station under Dupont Circle is about to come to life again.
Dupont Underground, a nonprofit group, has leased the 75,000-square-foot space with plans to repurpose it into a venue for art exhibits, performances, pop-up shops and more. In one of the group’s first moves, it partnered with the National Building Museum to transport 650,000-plus plastic balls from “The Beach,” the museum’s popular exhibit last summer, to the station, where they will be re-used in an art installation. Look for an early 2016 debut.
“It’s an opportunity to do something grand,” says Dupont Underground managing director Braulio Agnese, “and, we hope, new and compelling.” dupontunderground.org
On a whim, while visiting a client’s job site in 2001, architect Mark Kohler walked down to the end of the wooded street to see a lot for sale. Taken by the beautiful, park-like site that sloped down to the pristine Occoquan Reservoir, he went out on a limb and bought the five-acre Woodbridge, Virginia, parcel as an investment. “We had no plans, but it was a challenge for me as an architect to figure out how to build on this difficult lot,” says Kohler, principal of KohlMark Group, an architecture and construction firm.
Little did Kohler know, more than a decade later he would call the property home.
Over the years, he and his wife June would spot the site while kayaking in the reservoir. “I looked up at the houses,” June recalls, “and told Mark, ‘You could do a really spectacular house on that property.’” Idle talk eventually turned serious as the couple decided to trade their suburban Colonial in Springfield for a rustic retreat that would make them feel like they were on vacation all year round.
The dramatic drop-offs that attracted Kohler in the first place would prove to be his greatest obstacle since they left him with only a narrow ridge of buildable space. “We staked this thing out so many times,” recalls the architect. “It evolved, like a sculpture.”
His first priority was laying the foundation without disrupting the surrounding vegetation. “I’m a tree hugger,” explains Kohler, who hired an arborist to protect roots and fortify trees. “I didn’t want to do any grading. The idea was to save all the trees and make it look like we just dropped the house from a helicopter.”
To devote all buildable land to the home, the architect located a pair of pitch-roofed parking pavilions on either side of the driveway, which also proved instrumental as staging ground for material deliveries. “The pavilions are our ‘wow’ factor and provide a sense of entry,” says Kohler. “We wanted it to feel almost like you’re pulling into a national park.”
The Kohlers envisioned a rustic retreat crafted from natural wood, stone, and glass. When Mark’s drawings were near completion, he engaged Farmington, New York-based New Energy Works to supply Douglas fir timber framing and reclaimed antique heart-pine flooring for the house. “You associate timber framing with vacation homes in Colorado,” notes Mark. “It adds to the character and warmth.”
He carefully orchestrated the home’s layout to play up nature at every turn. As an architect and a builder, Kohler enjoyed the freedom to allow the design to unfold organically, unsaddled by the need to negotiate change orders. He even waited until walls were framed to place windows so that he could be sure to capture the best possible views. “Mark wanted to stand in the actual house and see the views to decide where the glass would be,” recalls project manager Eric Pohler.
Today, guests approach the finished home on a walkway reminiscent of a boat dock. A glassed-in front entry connects the music room on the left to the main living space on the right. The latter houses an open-plan great room, dining area, and kitchen. A secondary entry leads from the garage through a covered breezeway and into a mudroom/butler’s pantry off the kitchen. On the second floor is the Kohlers’ lofty master suite, as well as a bedroom for their daughter, Monica, a grad student at the University of Virginia. An open stair anchored by a wall of dry-stacked stone leads to the lower-level media room, guest suite, and home office, where June runs the Kohlers’ property management company at a desk with a mesmerizing view of the Occoquan.
The Kohlers turned to Mary Meade Sampson Interior Design to help them select finishes and furnishings. “There are so many choices out there that it’s overwhelming,” remarks June Kohler. “Mary and her team were really good about directing us.” Sampson gravitated toward simple furniture and neutral fabrics that would complement—not compete with—the home’s organic materials and views of nature.
More than 12 years after Mark Kohler first walked the property, he and his family finally moved in last year—the realization of a long-time dream. As Eric Pohler recalls, “When Mark hired me back in 2000, he told me I was going to build his house someday. He spent two years at the drawing table designing a house to fit on this challenging lot. Finally, his vision has become a reality.”
Though he’s been designing and building homes for more than 30 years, Kohler admits that his new home is unlike anything he’s ever done before. “It was all new to me and new to Eric,” he says, “but I loved every minute of the challenge.”
Photographer Greg Hadley is based in Fairfax, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: MARK KOHLER, AIA, KohlMark Group, Burke, Virginia. BUILDER: MARK KOHLER, principal; ERIC POHLER, project manager, KohlMark Group. INTERIOR DESIGN: FRANCIE MEADE and MARY MEADE SAMPSON, Mary Meade Sampson Interior Design, Ashburn, Virginia. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: PHILIP KLENE and CECILIA PALMER, West Winds Nursery, Sudely Springs, Virginia.
Located on a bluff high above a mighty river, a multi-tiered stone, wood and stucco home would look right at home in Aspen or Big Sur. Which is exactly what makes its presence along the Potomac River in the Palisades neighborhood of DC, mere minutes from Georgetown, even more surprising.
Harry and Rachel Weller bought the land in 2011 after outgrowing their 100-year-old Victorian a few blocks away. They envisioned a new home that would be everything their old one was not: modern, full of light, open for entertaining and energy efficient. As sports and nature enthusiasts, they also wanted to maximize river views that reminded Rachel of her native Colorado.
The Wellers hired architect Ankie Barnes to design the home, which would replace a small, 1940s-era house on the property. When he asked them to articulate their aesthetic likes and dislikes, they filled a leather portfolio with photos and copious notes. Weaving the images together was what Barnes dubbed a “consistency of spirit”—clean, modern lines; a propensity for natural materials; and multiple references to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
“What I like about Frank Lloyd Wright’s buildings is that they’re ship-shape like Japanese structures tend to feel,” explains Harry Weller, a general partner in the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates. “They feel well-made while still being modern. I appreciate the clean lines, but also the warmth that Wright and the Japanese are able to create by using materials like wood, stone, and brick.”
The album also included a shot of one of the Wellers’ two young sons and a hand-written dare to “build something this kid can’t destroy.” This was just one of many challenges facing Barnes and project architect Matthew Fiehn. Though its views across the Potomac are vast, the property itself is only 50 feet wide, leaving a mere 34 feet of buildable width. To counteract its narrow footprint, they would make the house as tall and long as possible, but filtering light into its depths would be tricky.
On the now-completed house, the front façade features a nod to Wright, with large corner columns that straddle an open porch, a central volume, and a hip roof. “Like in Wright’s Prairie houses,” explains Barnes, “long bands of windows, big roof overhangs and a corner window imply there’s a view worth looking at.”
In organizing the interiors of the four-level home, the architects achieved a sense of both openness and embrace. On the ground level, sight lines extend from the front door to the rear garden to avoid a feeling of confinement. In the front living room and the rear family room, NanaWalls open seamlessly to the outdoors. To economize on space, the plan omits corridors and rooms overlap. And instead of walls, wooden “clouds” suspended from the ceiling delineate the kitchen and dining areas.
The second floor houses the master suite, the boys’ bedrooms and shared bath and a comfy lounge lined with bookshelves where the family winds down at night. A guest room occupies the top floor, along with a glassed-in office overlooking the river for Rachel, a medical writer. “I grew up next to the Colorado National Monument where you can see for miles, so I almost feel claustrophobic [in DC],” she relates. “Having this visibility means I can breathe.” The lower level features a gym, Harry’s home office/man cave with a full suite of deejay equipment and a wine cellar.
The home’s east-west orientation assured that the breakfast area at the back of the house would be bathed in morning light while the front porch would make a prime spot for cocktails at sunset. “The challenge,” says Barnes, “was the middle of the day. We still needed to bring the sun into the house so it’s happy at all times.” The solution was to turn the four-story stair in the heart of the home into a giant “sun catcher” surrounded by glass.
“Designing the stair carriage was a three-dimensional puzzle,” recalls Matthew Fiehn. “One of the biggest challenges in this project was figuring out all the modern detailing so that it looked like it took no effort whatsoever.”
From the dry-stacked stone walls to the granite countertops and white-oak floors, the interiors convey a warm, organic vibe. Interior designer Miriam Dillon took inspiration for the home’s material and furnishings palette from its lush surroundings. “I gravitated toward bringing the outdoors in,” she says.
Keeping an eye on the environment, the Wellers and their design team implemented a number of measures—from geothermal heating to solar panels—to minimize the home’s carbon footprint. Barnes credits the contractor, Horizon Builders, for taking a “science-savvy” approach and implementing a range of high-performance materials. “It could easily qualify as a LEED house, but the Wellers were not interested in a badge,” says Barnes. “They were interested in a well-built house that lasts a long time, that’s kind to the planet and that’s healthy to live in. And the energy bills are low.”
When the architects unveiled their initial plan, recalls Harry, “We teared up. We said, ‘That’s it. Done.’ I give them a lot of credit because usually it’s an iterative process. Putting together what we asked for in the way they did was a remarkable accomplishment.”
With mountain bikes and fly-fishing equipment ready to go in their new detached garage, the Wellers make the most of their home on the rim of the C&O Canal National Park. “It’s our little bit of Colorado,” marvels Harry. “If we were to take a picture out the front window and ask people what city we were in, no one would ever guess it was DC.”
Maxwell MacKenzie is a photographer in Washington, DC.
ARCHITECTURE: ANKIE BARNES, FAIA, LEED AP, principal; MATTHEW FIEHN, AIA, LEED AP, project architect, Barnes Vanze Architects, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: MIRIAM DILLON, ASID, Associate AIA, Barnes Vanze Architects. BUILDER: Horizon Builders, Crofton, Maryland. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: MARY MAY, San Diego, California.
During the recent makeover of an Alexandria home, interior designer Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey went for a bold look in the master bath. “The rest of the house is quite energetic, with lots of big colors,” she explains. “It was important that the bathroom maintain the same level of energy without feeling overwhelming.”
The room is centered on an oversized steam shower clad inside and out in richly grained Calacatta marble. The same marble plays a starring role in the floor tile, paired with contrasting London Grey marble in a glamorous Walker Zanger motif called Hollywood Grand. Cavin-Winfrey ran a white-stone border around the floor’s perimeter “to create uniformity and definition.”
Mirrored walls not only anchor the tub and twin Wood-Mode vanities but also reflect light throughout the space. Medicine cabinets are recessed into the mirrored surfaces.
On the remaining walls, striped Harlequin wallpaper forges an unexpected visual connection between the floor motif and shower tile. “Most people would say this is the opposite of Zen,” Cavin-Winfrey admits, “but the pattern plays help to balance the busyness in the marble. It’s all about the blend.” From the main space, separate his-and-her water closets lead to graceful dressing rooms for each spouse.
Cavin-Winfrey says the finished bathroom feels proportionate rather than cavernous, despite its size. “It’s a luxurious spot to have a steam shower or bath,” she says. “It’s a place to enjoy and relax.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: SHAZALYNN CAVIN-WINFREY, SCW Interiors, Alexandria, Virginia. ARCHITECTURE: STEPHANIE DIMOND, Dimond-Adams Design Architecture, Alexandria, Virginia. CABINETRY: NADIA SUBARAN, Aidan Design, Silver Spring, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Finn Construction, Alexandria, Virginia.
For two more retreats also see:
The shower leaked, the whirlpool tub was collecting dust and the dark marble finishes and brass trim had long overstayed their welcome in the master bath of a Potomac Falls, Virginia, home. So when the owners decided to renovate, there was no question the bathroom had to go.
They enlisted Jonas Carnemark to mastermind a whole-house renovation that would recast their traditional interiors with a clean-lined, modern aesthetic. “The clients are fascinated with art and brevity in architecture,” the designer explains. “They wanted to make everything cleaner and more organic.”
The new bathroom boasts a soothing, pared-down vibe. A SieMatic vanity and pair of Robern medicine cabinets—all equipped with hidden electrical plugs—keep clutter at bay. Two Alape sinks in glazed steel and an Artemide light fixture in hand-blown Venetian glass speak to a precise, refined sensibility. The pale gray grain of the statuary granite lining the shower wall and vanity backsplash recalls billowing clouds.
After inserting a TV unit into the bedroom wall on the reverse side of the vanity, the designer cleverly took advantage of the resulting “push me, pull you” effect in the bathroom by creating an art niche near the tub where the owners hung one of their favorite paintings, a vibrant abstract. The sculptural Waterworks tub sits under a large picture window that Carnemark designed to replace two standard double-hung windows. “It looks like a painting,” reflects the designer, who located the new WC closer to the master bedroom for convenience—and also to make this spa-like bath “a destination of its own.”
BATH DESIGN & RENOVATION: JONAS CARNEMARK, CKD, Carnemark Design + Build, Bethesda, Maryland.
For two more retreats also see:
MADE IN ITALY
At seven by nine inches, Fendi’s Peekaboo Mini Python Satchel packs a lot of punch. It comes with a top handle and an adjustable shoulder strap, in blue or red. $4,950; saksfifthavenue.com
SEA WORLD
Inspired by creatures of the deep, this black opal and diamond pendant is part of Tiffany’s 2015 Blue Book Art of the Seas Collection. Price available upon request. tiffany.com
AUTUMN CHIC
The new CH Carolina Herrera boutique in CityCenterDC is showing off the designer’s latest looks to help you step into fall in style. Pictured here: leather trousers ($2,125), a brown wool-blend coat ($1,280)and black satin sandals. ($300). 202-408-1921. carolinaherrera.com
GAME ON
Golfers can analyze every element of their swing with the club-mounted M-Tracer from Epson America, Inc. The lightweight device sends data to an iOS or Android phone, providing feedback to help players of all levels improve their techniques. $250; epson.com/golf
STRAIGHT ARROW
Best Made’s American Longbow allows archers of all abilities to develop their form without the distractions of sights, pulleys or counterweights. The bow is handmade in the U.S. with a hickory core and hand-stitched leather grip. $690; bestmadeco.com
LEAN & GREEN
BMW’s first plug-in hybrid, the i8 combines sustainability with the aerodynamic design and robust performance of a luxury sports car. The model goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, yet consumes a fuel-efficient 76 miles per gallon. Drivers can track their i8’s performance on an Apple Watch or mobile phone using BMW’s i Remote app. $137,400; bmwusa.com
TROPICAL TREAT Located near the cultural mecca of Ubud, the Viceroy Bali houses guests in 25 villas, each with its own pool.Guests can soak in the scenery by the main pool with a swim-up bar, take a beginners yoga class or enjoy a spa treatment. CasCades restaurant onsite wins accolades for its gourmet cuisine. Rates from $680; viceroybali.com
WINDY CITY Soho House has opened its latest outpost in Chicago’s West Loop district. A members’ club and hotel, Soho House Chicago inhabits a renovated 1907 warehouse and includes 40 guest rooms, two restaurants, a gym, a spa and a rooftop deck, featuring a 60-foot swimming pool and views of the city skyline. From $290; sohohousechicago.com
ENGLISH COUNTRY At the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire—set in a restored, 18th-century Georgian manor—an equestrian center lets guests realize their “Downton Abbey” fantasies with jaunts around the property’s 500 manicured acres. A spa, croquet and skeet shooting round out the offerings at this getaway an hour southwest of London. From $450 nightly. fourseasons.com
RIVIERA STYLE
Fig & Olive, a newcomer in CityCenterDC, focuses on the coastal cuisines of Spain, Italy, and France. The chain’s eighth outpost features a swanky bar, a crostini station, and a second-level dining room. Among the Mediterranean highlights: paella with black tiger shrimp, scallops, and mussels. 202-559-5004; figandolive.com
FLYING SOLO
Chef Rob Weland, formerly of Poste, has opened his own restaurant in DC’s Barracks Row. Garrison will spotlight seasonal American cuisine with an emphasis on sustainably grown ingredients. Think nettle and ricotta ravioli with chanterelles and soft herbs. 524 8th Street, SE; 202-506-2445. garrisondc.com
COCKTAIL HOUR
Known for its seafood-centric offerings, Washington’s DC Coast also pours a mean martini, with a choice of nearly 100 vodkas. The K Street Martini combines Yacht Club Vodka, white grape juice and an iced grape garnish. 1401 K Street, NW; 202-216-5988. dccoast.com
