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
Housed in a revived home in the Mt. Vernon district, The Ivy Hotel on East Biddle Street ushers an unprecedented level of luxury onto Baltimore’s hospitality scene.
The project transformed a vacant 1889 residence into an 18-room boutique hotel. Two Baltimore firms—Ziger/Snead Architects and Azola Companies—tackled the architecture and construction, respectively, while San Francisco-based Joszi Meskan designed the interiors.
The overhaul respects the building’s architectural legacy. “It was exciting for us to work on a project that’s emblematic of the lifestyle that existed in Mt. Vernon from the mid-1800s,” says architect Jamie Snead.
In her eclectic design of the public spaces, Meskan imagined residents who have spent years traveling to exotic locales and collecting furniture and art on every adventure.
Today, The Ivy lavishes guests with champagne on arrival, afternoon tea, and private car service. All guest rooms boast four-poster beds, gas fireplaces and luxe bathrooms with heated limestone floors. “Each room,” says Meskan, “is colorful, unique and filled with joy.”
Meanwhile, chef Mark Levy, most recently of The Point in the Adirondacks, is creating joys of his own in the hotel’s Magdalena restaurant. Room rates start at $475. For more information, call 410-514-6500 or visit theivybaltimore.com.
Long-time Los Angeles resident Debbi Morgan never imagined moving to Maryland—until she met her future husband, telecommunications engineer Jeffrey Winston while visiting a cousin in Delaware. “I was returning to ‘All My Children,’ which was taping in New York at that time, so I decided I’d commute back and forth,” recalls the actress, who is best known for her 30-year portrayal of Dr. Angie Hubbard on the popular daytime drama.
After Morgan and Winston married in 2009, they bought a new four-bedroom home in an upscale Upper Marlboro development. Though it was a far cry from breezy, laid-back California, Morgan appreciated the fact that the house wasn’t a “boring” Colonial. “I didn’t want a cookie cutter that looked like every other house,” explains the actress, whose natural warmth and radiant smile are as captivating in person as they are on screen. “I wanted a sense of comfort, where you could relax and throw your feet up. I didn’t want rooms decorated just for show.”
When a friend introduced Morgan to interior designer Lorna Gross-Bryant, the two immediately clicked and started transforming the house—then a blank slate—into a stylish, comfortable home. “I have my own ideas, but I like to have a second eye,” explains Morgan. “Sometimes Lorna gets me more than I get myself.”
Starting with the library, Gross-Bryant honed in on a style that reflected her client’s personality. “Debbi is sophisticated, but there’s something very natural about her,” says Gross-Bryant. Neutral colors and organic textures—such as the woven jute rug by Stark—are dressed up with glamorous details, from the gold metallic paint treatment on the dining room ceiling to crushed velvet drapes in the family room.
“I think the color is really what warmed the house up dramatically,” explains Gross-Bryant.
Now that the main floor is complete, designer and client plan to decorate the lower level. “I want it to be comfortable, but also to have a very sexy look to it,” says Morgan. A two-story addition with a sunroom and loggia are also in the works.
“My home is truly my sanctuary,” observes Morgan. “It’s tranquil, it’s peaceful and it’s like a warm hug.”
Home has always been important to the actress, who was born in North Carolina and raised in Harlem. As a teen, she performed in school plays and later joined the New Federal Theatre Company in New York. Her career took off with numerous roles in stage, film and television productions, including “Roots: The Next Generations.” She is the only African American woman to receive a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress (1989) for “All My Children.” Her many film credits include roles opposite Samuel L. Jackson (Coach Carter) and Denzel Washington (The Hurricane).
Morgan considers her award-winning portrayal of Mozelle Batiste in Eve’s Bayou (1997) to be her most challenging to date. “I was scared to death,” she admits. “But I was dealing with fears in other aspects of my personal life and making giant headway. I had to do the same thing taking on this role. It became a personal triumph for me.”
Off camera, Morgan has long grappled with the trauma of witnessing both her mother and grandmother suffer as victims of domestic violence. The actress reveals how she finally overcame these demons in her memoir, The Monkey on My Back (Simon & Schuster, New York; June 23, 2015; $16). The book “helped me come to the realization that I was actually stronger than I gave myself credit for,” she says. “I hope it will encourage women to seek therapy.”
In August, Morgan will perform a one-woman play based on the book at the 2015 National Black Theater Festival in North Carolina—which she will co-chair with her “All My Children” co-star, Darnel Williams. She will also appear on Oprah Winfrey’s “Where Are They Now?” and has a new television concept in the works.
Between trips to New York and L.A., Morgan couldn’t be happier in her adopted home. “I love going into DC to restaurants and the Kennedy Center and Warner Theatre,” she says. “And my best friend on the entire planet lives right around the corner. Between her and my husband, I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and Spain. Jesse Snyder is based in Huntingtown, Maryland.
INTERIOR DESIGN: LORNA GROSS-BRYANT, ASID, Lorna Gross Interior Design, Bethesda, Maryland.
There is nothing pretentious about Joe Ireland’s apartment, located in a 1917 building near DC’s bustling U Street. Its sunny, playful attitude is a spot-on reflection of the designer himself, with his preppy look, boyish smile and boundless energy.
On a steamy Washington morning in May, Ireland kept his cool while hosting a photo shoot in his home, orchestrating a pop-up shop his firm was launching at Union Market and trying, unsuccessfully, to locate his cat. “I haven’t seen Moo all morning,” he remarks while genially offering a tour of his place.
Ireland acquired the one-bedroom residence 13 years ago, “when everyone was scurrying to buy,” he recalls. “The apartment’s laid out nicely and I like the pre-War formality of it. Plus, my office is only a 10-minute walk away.”
As a principal of J. D. Ireland Interior Architecture + Design, Ireland keeps busy working on projects ranging from urban condos to estates on the Eastern Shore. Recently, he also found time to update his own home, which he now shares with his spouse, journalist Richard Jordan.
With its mix of Mid-Century finds, antiques, and art, the interiors blend periods and styles with a healthy dose of whimsy. Ireland took inspiration from a Paris pied-à-Terre where he and Jordan have stayed. “Our home is happy. It’s unique. It’s collected,” he says.
Ireland has a way of injecting a space with humor without becoming trite. For example, he remedied the foyer’s lack of symmetry by hand-painting yellow panels rimmed by paint-pen “molding” to trick the eye. A signed Jules Leleu light fixture in chrome from the 1930s and Franz Kraus illustrations from the same era lend the space gravitas.
A paint treatment in the dining room also makes a statement. “The walls needed some life,” explains Ireland, who stresses that design is all about working with the space at hand. He devised a pattern of free-form dashes rimmed in gold, then enlisted Jordan to start painting. “It’s random, free-hand and completely unique to space. It breathes,” the designer says. “And because it’s a pre-War building with all these beams and random columns, it gives the idea of a more squared-off space.”
Though Jordan is also happy with the outcome, he quips, “After this project, I retired.”
The dining room opens to a small game room, which Ireland assumes was once a smoking porch. With walls in vibrant Light Mint by Behr and vintage wire-mesh chairs painted blue, it conveys a Caribbean vibe. Throughout the home, the designer had the original floors painted white.
But some aspects of the recent update involved more than paint. Ireland widened doorways, overhauled the kitchen and bathroom and knocked out a panel in the wall between the dining and living rooms to relate the spaces visually. “I didn’t want to rip out all the walls and create a loft-style apartment,” he explains. “This is just enough of a detail to open the space up without destroying the architecture.”
Most of the home’s vintage furniture was sourced from locally owned shops such as Good Wood, Miss Pixie’s and Off The Beaten Track. According to Jordan, Ireland can’t resist buying pieces he loves and figuring out a home for them later. “Our home is always evolving,” Jordan says. “I think the only thing that limits Joe now is that we don’t have that much space.”
On the lookout for larger digs, Ireland and Jordan are eyeing a row house in Northeast DC. But in the meantime, they’re enjoying the latest iteration of their current abode. “Everyone’s so serious in DC,” Ireland concludes. “Our house is a reflection of where I’d like to take some of our projects. A house should be a reflection of you, but it should also be something you can play with.”
Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and Spain.
INTERIOR DESIGN: JOE IRELAND, J. D. Ireland Interior Architecture + Design, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: P.A. Portner, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
NEW TRIFECTA
Designed by Los Angeles architect Michael Francis of Queue LLC, Maketto combines a Chinese-Cambodian restaurant, a café serving locally roasted Vigilante Coffee and a menswear boutique under one roof. 1531 H Street, NE, Washington, DC; maketto1351.com
DENIM DELIGHT
Though it features a traditional shoulder strap, Sara Battaglia’s studded-denim clutch also boasts a fringed leather handle as a playful note. The bag is 11 inches wide and eight inches high. $1,095; intermixonline.com
IN THE SWIM
Pum Lefebure, co-founder of DC’s Design Army, has dipped into fashion design with the debut of her 2015 swimwear collection, created in collaboration with Karla Colletto. Dubbed “Swim at Your Own Risk,” it’s sold locally at Bare Necessities and Everything But Water.
JEWEL TONES
Ippolita’s Lollipop Collection includes diamond mini-stud earrings made of 18k yellow gold encasing an assortment of stones, from mother of pearl to peridot, pink opal, turquoise and more. $995; bloomingdales.com
GALAPAGOS GETAWAY
Eco-friendly Pikaia Lodge treads lightly on Santa Cruz island near Ecuador’s Galapagos National Park. With its spacious, modern rooms and gourmet restaurant, the lodge makes an ideal base for adventure travelers, who can explore the park’s wonders on half- or full-day guided excursions aboard a private yacht. Three- to seven-day packages from $7,560 for two. pikaialodge.com
CITY OF LIGHT
Paris’s luxe Hôtel Plaza Athénée is fresh from a year-long renovation, with many of its 154 rooms and 54 suites redecorated by French designer Marie-José Pommereau. The hotel treats guests to an Alain Ducasse restaurant, Europe’s only Dior Institute spa—and bird’s eye views of the Eiffel Tower. Rates from $1,085. dorchestercollection.com
SLEEK RETREAT
The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, Japan’s first urban resort, debuted last year to rave reviews. Interiors by California designer Peter Remedios and Toyko–based Spin Design Studio pay homage to Japanese tradition. The lobby lounge boasts wooden lattice screens while at the heart of the hotel, a four-story waterfall culminates at the serene spa. Rates from $850, including breakfast. ritzcarlton.com
BEST OF CLASS
With delivery late this summer, the Mercedes 2016 GLE 450 Coupe combines the sporty nature of a coupe with the robust character of an SUV. It features a nine-speed automatic transmission, permanent all-wheel drive, and a dynamic handling control system. Price to be announced. mercedes-benz.com
WICKET FUN
Jaques of London, Britain’s premier croquet manufacturer, has unveiled its eight-player Sandringham Croquet Set. It includes top-of-the-line balls and mallets, cast-iron wickets, championship flags and other accouterments of the game, all housed in a solid mahogany cabinet. $5,000; jaquesamerica.com
ARTFUL TRIBUTE
Paying homage to Portugal’s traditional painted tiles, the Azulejo III guitar by Malabar Emotional Design combines music and fine art in a bright and colorful way. This rendition of Portugal’s uniquely shaped Fado guitar is hand-painted and varnished to create the illusion of a tiled surface. $2,520; malabar.com.pt/azulejo-iii-guitar.html
PERFECT TIMBRE
Cube Speakers, designed and fabricated by Richmond-based Fern & Roby, are made of heart pine salvaged from a late-19th-century Virginia factory. The base comes from scrap generated in the company’s own workshop. The interior is engineered for optimal sound. $1,150. fernandroby.com
BUON APPETITO
Local Chef Amy Brandwein has opened her first solo venture, Centrolina, in CityCenterDC. Designed by CORE, the Italian restaurant will serve a changing menu of antipasto, main courses and pastas—including chitarra with carrots and saffron. In addition to its 48-seat dining room, Centrolina also features a market selling imported goods plus local meat, fish and produce. 974 Palmer Alley, NW; 202-898-2426. centrolinadc.com
TURKISH DELIGHT
Newly opened in Dupont Circle, Ankara serves a variety of Turkish dishes, from traditional cuisine to twists on the classics. Adam Mayhew of Dila Development and Construction oversaw the design of the interiors, which blend Old World elements and modern style. 1320 19th Street, NW; 202-293-6301. ankaradc.net
HOT ON THE HILL
Chef David Guas has opened the second outpost of his Bayou Bakery on Capitol Hill, in a historic carriage house sanctioned by President Lincoln. Restored, exposed-brick interiors are accented with antiques collected in the South. The menu features New Orleans fare, including the chef’s famous beignets. 901 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; 202-664-5307. bayoubakerydc.com
As a child growing up in the Philippines, Charles Almonte kept his Lego and crayon collections close at hand. “I always knew I was going into the creative field,” he explains.
He studied architecture in Manila and earned a master’s degree in historic preservation at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Almonte then landed in DC at an architectural firm, where he specialized in preservation as well as interiors.
“I guess my boss saw something in me,” he recalls. “I kept getting interiors work from her, so I figured I should take exams for architecture and interior design.”
After a stint at Thomas Pheasant, in 2008 Almonte decided to venture out on his own. He says that in his practice today, most projects involve both interior design and construction.
Almonte sees his role as design arbiter. “People know what they like,” he says. “It’s a matter of us helping them execute it. I tell clients, ‘We’re here to guide you and apply principles of design—color, symmetry, and balance—but you have to tell us what you like. Because in the end, you’re going to be living here, not me.’”
Interior Design: Charles Almonte, AIA, ASID, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Ever since she fashioned “rooms” in the bamboo forest near her childhood home in Silver Spring, Kate Ballou knew she wanted to be a designer. Her mother, a ceramics artist, encouraged her to take art courses at the Corcoran during high school and build a portfolio. “I was lucky to have that push from home,” she recalls.
Ballou studied textile design at the Rhode Island School of Design before earning an interior design degree at Parsons. After college, she landed prestigious positions at Matthew Baird Architects in New York and, following a move back to DC, Jacobsen Architecture and Robert Shields Interiors. “I couldn’t have asked for better experience,” she reflects. “I learned very quickly what to do and what not to do.”
Since launching her own studio in 2013, Ballou has completed residential projects and is also designing The Avery Georgeton, a boutique luxury inn opening this fall.
Working with Baird and Jacobsen, both minimalists, shaped Ballou’s design process. “I’ve been trained to look at furniture in a very specific way,” she explains. “I like basic forms and that definitely stems from those influences.”
Interior Design: Kate Ballou, Hendrick Interiors, Washington, DC. Photography: Aboudi Kabbani.
When Nicole Lanteri first began dating her future husband, she waited a month or two before helping him fix up his New York apartment. “I got him new furniture too and, unbeknownst to him, matched it to mine in case things worked out,” recalls Lanteri, who was a corporate lawyer at the time.
Things did work out. But after practicing law for five years, Lanteri decided to make a career change and dove into interior design. “I’ve always been into design and spatial arrangements and had an appreciation for how good space can make you feel,” she says. The couple moved to an Arlington loft which Lanteri decorated, and in 2009 she founded her eponymous design firm.
She did her first job for free. “It was an amazing feeling to help someone with their space,” she recalls. “My client cried, just like on TV.”
Lanteri brings a playful, modern aesthetic to her work. “I make each space feel like the client,” she reflects. “One of the best compliments I can get is when someone says, ‘This doesn’t look a designer came in and did my house. This looks like the best version of me.’”
Interior Design: Nicole Lanteri, Nicole Lanteri Design, Arlington, Virginia.
Liza Holder entered the design field almost by accident. It all started when the former lawyer and healthcare-policy consultant began decorating her family’s new Bethesda home. “Oddly enough,” she recalls, “I became obsessed with Etsy when we moved and I was buying artwork for our home.”
Holder saw an opportunity and started to sell her curated Etsy finds at trunk shows. Customers loved her taste and asked her to help them fix up a room or two in their homes. Before she knew it, she had quit her day job and launched Homegrown Decor.
Two and a half years later, Holder helps clients design interiors that reflect every member of the family. “I go in wanting to understand who the family is—not just the person who called me,” she explains. “And I design for reality, understanding what people’s busy lives are like but also that they want to love where they live.
“When you walk into your home, that’s your refuge and your escape,” Holder continues. “That’s where you should be the happiest and the most comfortable. It has to be able to be dressed up when you have people over, but live for real life every day.”
Interior Design: Liza Holder, Homegrown Decor, LLC, Bethesda, Maryland.
