When Daniel Steinkoler, principal of Superior Home Services, purchased an 1886 Georgetown town house with the intention of renovating and selling it, he thought he’d struck treasure in more ways than one. The white brick home boasts an enclosed garden and an attached garage—rarities in the coveted neighborhood. And if that weren’t enough, his team unearthed vast quantities of a substance resembling gold while excavating the basement.
“The project manager called me down to the basement and shined his flashlight on a floor covered in what looked like gold dust,” Steinkoler recalls. “I thought we struck it rich.”
Though it turned out to be mica, the builder did luck out when his now-completed gem garnered a total of three 2012 Contractor of the Year awards from the local NARI chapter. The dramatic transformation totally gutted and reconfigured the worn, outdated structure into a custom home featuring high-caliber finishes and 21st-century amenities. Working with architect Natalie McCorkle, Steinkoler devised a floor plan that would improve traffic flow within the house, establish an open feel despite the home’s small footprint and excavate the barely functional basement (where the ceiling height averaged just over six feet) to provide for additional living space.
Today, the home encompasses three bedrooms and two full baths upstairs; a living/dining room, powder room and spacious kitchen on the ground level; and a full-height basement complete with an open area for entertaining, a study and a full bath. The renovation also included new electrical, plumbing, HVAC, lighting and home entertainment systems.
One of the greatest challenges centered on producing a functional layout on the ground level. The team decided to relocate the kitchen so that it could open to the side garden. Steinkoler hoped to create enough space for an island with countertop seating, but the room’s existing wood-burning fireplace, built into a supporting wall, posed a dilemma. According to code, the island seating would be too close to the fireplace. So Steinkoler came up with a solution that became one of the home’s most striking design elements: He converted the fireplace to gas, installed a floating Sparks linear fire element in the hearth and surrounded it with black Sriata tile. The sleek wall, now visible from the front entry, makes a strong focal point. “Any time you can see water or fire,” Steinkoler says, “you enhance the feel of a house.”
A dramatic upgrade from the tired original, the new kitchen boasts a six-burner Wolf stove, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a microwave drawer and Calacatta Gold countertops and backsplash tile. French doors now bathe the space in natural light.
The same level of attention to detail and craftsmanship was devoted to the rest of the house. Custom-designed crown molding evokes the period of the home and provides a cohesive look throughout. Top-of-the-line granite and marble tile, European fixtures and radiant-heat floors outfit its master and lower-level baths in luxury. New white oak floors with an ebony stain replaced the deteriorating originals, which Steinkoler donated to a salvage yard.
The basement posed the greatest challenge during construction. When building crews began the excavation that would add two to three feet to the ceiling height in the new rooms, they immediately struck rock. “To get the basement in was tough,” Steinkoler recalls. “The original house was built on granite slabs. We basically had to dig through the rock by hand because we couldn’t get big equipment down there. If we could’ve used dynamite, it would have been lickety-split, but you’re not allowed to blast in Georgetown.”
The hard work paid off. In addition to its stable of prizes, this revived Georgetown property quickly sold to a Washington attorney enamored with its amenities and style. “In Georgetown,” marvels Steinkoler, “with parking, an outdoor living space and high-end finishes, you can’t go wrong.”
Photographer Marlon Crutchfield is based in Woodbridge, Virginia.
RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE: NATALIE McCORKLE, AIA, Washington, DC. RENOVATION CONSTRUCTION: DANIEL STEINKOLER, Superior Home Services, Inc., Washington, DC.
Miles of tranquil waters mesmerize visitors to a light-filled Edgewater, Maryland, home—even in the middle of January. A forested road leads to the site, which forms a point where it meets the South River. A scalloped inlet pools on the south side, creating the impression that guests are pleasantly marooned on an island.
A few years ago, this scene captivated a couple seeking a waterfront property. They loved the five-acre site so much that they made an offer on it without setting foot inside the 1980s house built near the water’s edge.
The owners, semi-retired attorneys, turned to architect Ben Ames for help. They wanted their home to celebrate modern architecture, their growing art collection and, of course, the views. As the husband recalls, “I made Ben climb up to the roof of the existing house and I said, ‘This is the bedroom floor. I want this view.’”
The existing home posed too many structural problems to renovate, so the owners opted to tear it down and start from scratch. Ames quickly invited interior designer Catherine Hailey to the drawing board. These frequent collaborators began a dialog with their clients that would determine how their home would take shape. “They told us they wanted a work of art that they could live in,” recalls Hailey.
The husband envisioned the house as a portal, framing the water view. “That was probably the primary design concept,” says Ames, who designed a two-story great room with a mezzanine, where living, dining and entertaining would take place. Offices, guest and master suites and TV and exercise rooms were positioned around the perimeters of the glass volume.
Ames streamlined the home’s footprint; its 6,000 square feet of living space spans four levels, including a full basement and a master suite on the third floor. Nimble manipulation of rooflines helps make the upper aerie all but disappear from the front. “We worked to find that sweet spot between a grand space and it feeling too big,” Ames explains.
A clever mix of clear and opaque materials and the use of overhangs, louvers and solar shades create a vibrant interplay of light and also temper the sun’s effects on energy use. Despite the simplicity of the exterior palette—stucco, aluminum and steel—the design demanded what Ames terms “structural gymnastics.” A steel moment-frame protects the house from hurricanes and seismic events. Steel supports were a challenge to integrate outside the rear window walls.
The interiors are at the same time minimal and rich. Ames and Hailey made consistent use of dark-stained walnut and travertine throughout. Hailey sparingly added modern furniture with enough texture and color to establish presence—but not compete with the views or the artwork.
“I was trying to give them pops of color and interesting textures so that as much as the space was clean and contemporary, it was not so minimal that it felt cold,” Hailey says. She wove in natural materials, including a live-edge wooden coffee table that her clients discovered online and sculptural raffia chairs, to “play off the outdoor elements you see throughout the space.”
With so much openness, finding wall space to display artwork posed a challenge. Plans to make a painting by Kely Méndez Riestra the focal point in the living room led to the design of a laminated-glass “box” that would showcase the piece, as well as an ethanol-powered fireplace.
The kitchen faces the living area; a laminated-glass panel framing the cabinets echoes the fireplace surround. The rift-cut oak cabinets are stained dark walnut to blend in with the floors. With walls of windows on two sides, the dining area makes guests feel as though they’re outdoors in any season.
The mezzanine level houses an open lounge with a pool table. The northern side leads to a guest suite, while the southern side contains the owners’ offices. A trio of Campbell’s soup can paintings by Steve Kaufman, a former colleague of Andy Warhol’s, are visible from the living room below.
The open stairwell sheathed in highly insulated Kalwall leads to the master suite. In this third-floor refuge, custom millwork divides the sitting room and sleeping area. A Lichtenstein hangs above the bed, which enjoys water views on three sides.
Housed in a glass cube, the master bath, says Ames, “is. admittedly a little bit extroverted.” A large open shower with a river-rock floor overlooks the river. Built-in cabinets and a roomy closet keep clutter at bay.
Landscape architect Kevin Campion, who in the design stage worked at Graham Landscape Architecture, took his cues from the view in his approach. “The perspective down the river was the most meaningful part of the process,” he explains. “We wanted the garden to reflect that. It was about pulling people to the view.”
By adjusting the grade and “sinking” the garage, he and Ames created a flat plane leading to the house. Bands of travertine form a path to the threshold. Terraces include dining and grilling areas off the kitchen and an outdoor living space overlooking the lawn. Lush indigenous plantings, says Campion, who recently founded Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, “nest the house and fuse it with the natural ecology.”
The designers and their clients worked hard to develop and realize a clear and singular vision for the house—and the results are a rousing success. As Campion remarks, “I was struck by the clarity and purity of the owners’ appreciation for modern art and architecture. We tried hard not to complicate the project and keep the materials simple and modern. At every turn, they chose the modern gesture.”
Photographer Morgan Howarth is based in Gainesville, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: BENJAMIN AMES, AIA, Cunningham | Quill Architects, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: CATHERINE HAILEY, ASID, Hailey Design, Alexandria, Virginia. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: KEVIN CAMPION, ASLA, Annapolis, MD. CONTRACTOR: ILEX CONSTRUCTION, Washington, DC.
LUXURY ON WHEELS
Innovative aluminum construction, new all-wheel-drive and eight-speed automatic transmission set Jaguar’s 2013 XJ sedan (above; $77,500) apart from the pack. As if that weren’t enough, a limited-production Ultimate model (only 30 sold in the U.S.) with a rear cabin appointed like a private jet goes for $155,000. jaguar.com
CHILL OUT
UGG Australia’s Fontanne Tech Earmuffs keep you toasty with a shearling lining—and connected via a removable headphone wire and in-line microphone. Available in an array of colors; $85. bloomingdales.com
POETRY IN MOTION
Mont Blanc’s latest collection of men’s chronographs combines style, technology and precision. The Nicolas Rieussec (left) has a 40-jewel movement while the TimeWalker TwinFly Chronograph (right) is water resistant to 30 meters. Both have second time zone displays. $15,500 and $15,320, respectively, in Tysons Galleria. montblanc.com
SILK CHIC
This one-shoulder wonder by Basler will steal the show whether you’re on the Inaugural circuit or out for a night on the town. The long silk gown features a waist of beaded Swarovski crystals. $2,950 at Basler in Tysons Galleria. 703-388-2438; basler-fashion.com
THE PERFECT FIT
New York custom clothier Michael Andrews Bespoke, which recently opened a studio in DC, is known for fashioning smartly cut suits, shirts, trousers—and tuxedos. Pictured, the Dormeuil black tux; $1,995. 1604 17th Street, NW; 202-350-9001. michaelandrewsbespoke.com
FLOWER POWER
The Viv Petite Flower Clutch, in leather with a glittery blossom attached, carries necessities in style. $198 at Tysons Galleria’s new Hendri Bendel boutique. henribendel.com
ECO-RESORT IN THE ALPS
Nestled in Italy’s Dolomites, Seiser Alm Urthaler is a 54-room resort built entirely from sustainable, untreated timber. After skiing or snowboarding, guests pamper themselves in the spa or relax in rooms featuring organic cotton sheets and handmade rugs. From $250 per night. seiseralm.com
TROPICAL GETAWAY
Located on a blue lagoon, Vahine Island in French Polynesia invites guests to kayak, windsurf and snorkel—and to enjoy views of Bora Bora from their own private deck. Accommodations include beach bungalows, over-water bungalows and deluxe beach suites. From $535. vahine-island.com.
MOROCCAN STYLE
Six miles south of Marrakech, the Fellah Hotel is a tranquil, 14-acre oasis with stylish rooms situated in 10 villas. Suites feature Deco-style furniture and views of the Atlas Mountains. A spa offers yoga and Tai Chi. From $196 per night. fellah-hotel.com
URBAN GLADE
Fresh from a renovation by DC-based Grizform Design Architects, Dupont Circle’s Firefly evokes the woods at twilight with a tree and hanging lanterns. Chef Daniel Bortnick and chef de cuisine Todd Wiss prepare comfort food with a modern twist. 1310 New Hampshire Avenue, NW; 202-861-1310. firefly-dc.com
SWEET TREAT
Treat your Valentine to Praline’s Raspberry Mousse Cake—a fetching combination of berries, cream and chocolate cake enrobed in squares of white chocolate. $35. 4600 Sangamore Road, Bethesda; 301-229-8180. praline-bakery.com
LOVE NEST
Even more romantic than a meal in the main dining room of Plume at the Jefferson Hotel, DC (right) is a tête-à-tête at its Bird’s Nest table, under the light of a century-old chandelier. Following a tasting menu, each guest receives a white chocolate egg filled with Chantilly cream, tiny meringues, sorbets and berries—all nestled on a bed of spun sugar. 1200 16th Street, NW; 202-448-2300; plumedc.com
Chefs Jeff and Barbara Black, owners of the Black Restaurant Group, had plans in place to build their dream home on a two-acre lot they’d purchased in Bethesda. The only problem was that their restaurant openings kept getting in the way. First, it was Black Market Bistro. Then BlackSalt. Then Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. The new house was relegated to the back burner for so long, the couple eventually concluded that they didn’t need another construction project in their busy lives.
So they sold the land, plans and all. Soon after, they happened upon a gracious new home in Chevy Chase built by Sandy Spring Builders. They loved its light-filled interiors, generous floor plan and thoughtfully designed kitchen. It was soon a done deal.
The Blacks and their sons, Oliver and Simon, now 12 and 14, easily settled into the new residence three years ago. It offered some obvious improvements over their former home—a charming 1853 Victorian in Kensington with a cramped, outdated kitchen and one bathroom (the new house has eight). “We loved our old house, but if you put a golf ball on the floor,” Barbara recalls, “it rolled.” And two chefs at work in its galley kitchen was a recipe for disaster.
“The first time we cooked in the new house,” Jeff marvels, “we didn’t even argue. It physically works very well.”
Architect George Myers of GTM Architects designed the center-hall Colonial-style home to blend into the fabric of its historic neighborhood. While the exterior clapboard and front porch harken back to earlier times, the interiors suit a 21st-century lifestyle.
Working with Myers and the builder, kitchen designer Amy Collins created the kitchen’s functional layout with two distinct work zones: a clean-up and storage area along the exterior wall and a prep and cooking area near the six-burner Wolf range. Her “quiet design” combines Wood-Mode cabinets in a vintage white finish and a darker Brookhaven island for contrast.
Barbara furnished the interiors of the home with a mix of antiques and transitional finds. Like the couple’s restaurants (which also include Black’s Bar & Kitchen), the décor is classic, with a collected style and respect for natural materials. “One of the things we try to achieve in the restaurants also ties into the house,” says Jeff. “A home needs to feel like a home and the restaurants need to feel like a place where you can come and feel comfortable too.”
With a portfolio of five popular restaurants and a couple of new concepts in the wings, this energetic couple—who met as students at New York’s Culinary Institute of America—manages the 24-7 demands of the business with aplomb. Jeff oversees the savory menus and day-to-day operations of the restaurants, each of which has its own executive chef and manager. Barbara runs back-office operations and leads the pastry program—and most often cooks for the boys if they are not dining out at one of their own hot spots. (Pearl Dive’s Fried Catfish BLT, which is topped with a fried egg, is a current favorite.)
After Simon was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, the couple formed the Black’s Family Foundation to support the needs of children. They recently raised $200,000 to build a kitchen in the new diabetes complex at Children’s Hospital, projected to open in 2013.
“We try to support local communities,” says Jeff. “Local is not just going to the farmers’ market to buy produce—local is everything. It’s the banks, the dry cleaners, the contractors. When you keep community strong, everybody prospers.”
BlackSalt’s Nantucket Bay Scallops
8 oz. Nantucket Bay Scallops, side muscle removed
5 garlic cloves, profile sliced
1 shallot, julienne
1/4 cup Piquillo Peppers, roasted, skinned, seeded and chopped julienne
12 pistachios, roasted and chopped
1 Tablespoon thyme leaves
Parsley, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 oz. unsalted butter
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
In a very hot cast iron pan, add 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add scallops and season. When they are caramelized, push them aside. Add garlic and shallots, sweat until they shallots are translucent without color. Deglaze pan with chicken stock. Add peppers, lemon juice, thyme and butter.Taste sauce and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Finish with the parsley and pistachios. Enjoy.
ARCHITECTURE: GEORGE T. MYERS, AIA, GTM Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. KITCHEN DESIGN: AMY COLLINS, Amy Collins LLC, Potomac, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: SANDY SPRING BUILDERS, Bethesda, Maryland.
From the street, the nondescript Penn Quarter office building offers no clue that a trip to the sixth floor will land you in the nerve center of José Andres’s ThinkFoodGroup. This growing restaurant empire encompasses Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel and the newly renovated Minibar in the DC area, plus eateries in Miami, L.A., Las Vegas and Puerto Rico. Additionally, Andrés keeps his plate full with cooking shows in the U.S. and his native Spain, a foundation to combat hunger, a teaching stint at George Washington University and a consulting gig on NBC’s new thriller, Hannibal.
With so much activity, it’s no wonder that he and his team need a “central command” environment so they can manage operations. After outgrowing their former office, they turned to DC architect Eric Gronning to help them create a collaborative, decidedly un-corporate culture in their corporate headquarters. “They needed a space that changes as their needs do,” says Gronning, who recently redesigned the DC Jaleo. “They frequently change menus around the world and things need to be done on the fly.”
First, they found the perfect site for the new office in a building near three of ThinkFoodGroup’s busiest restaurants. Gronning gutted the interiors of what was previously a two-story architecture studio, retaining only the skylights in his new design. The main floor encompasses a test kitchen, open workspaces and glass-enclosed conference rooms. The only conventional walls house human resources and accounting offices on the upper floor, where a living wall of plants and herbs, installed by Rolling Greens, flourishes.
In the completed plan, Andrés, CEO Rob Wilder and 16 staff members work on laptops around a horseshoe of communal desks, scribble menu concepts on floor-to-ceiling sliding white boards and review PowerPoint presentations on a large flat-screen monitor. Meanwhile, a team of chefs perfects recipes in the test kitchen. This sleek, efficient space celebrates Spanish design and industry with Fagor appliances, Silestone countertops and Porcelanosa floors. At their own freestanding islands, “cocktail innovator” Juan Coronado invents drinks for Mi Casa at Puerto Rico’s Dorado Beach—a Ritz-Carlton Reserve—and wine director Lucas Paya pours samples of new Spanish wines.
The open approach, says Andrés, is working. “Before, I would go days if not weeks without seeing some people because they were behind doors or walls. Now I have eye contact with everybody.
“The other good thing about it,” he continues, “is if I take out the tables, put a soccer game on TV and invite my friends over, we are the happiest people in the world.”
Photographer Michael Ventura is based in Silver Spring, Maryland.
ARCHITECTURE: ERIC GRONNING, Gronning Architects, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: VIOLETA FIORINO SCHWARTZ, Silver Spring, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: MAIZEL CONSTRUCTION, Bladensburg, Maryland.
Jaleo’s Gambas al Ajillo (Sautéed shrimp with Garlic and Guindilla Pepper)
5 Servings
Sautéed Shrimp:
1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined, 31/35 or your preferred size
¼ cup Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
5 Arbol chiles
5 Tablespoons brandy
5 Tablespoons lemon Juice
½ cup Brava sauce (Recipe Below)
Kosher salt to taste
Thinly slice garlic cloves with a knife, mandolin or slicer and set aside. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to fry. Add the Arbol chile and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat up to high and add the shrimp. When the shrimp starts to change color, add the brandy, lemon juice and Brava sauce and stir to combine. Remove from the heat, season with salt and serve.
Brava Sauce:
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 ounce garlic, peeled and sliced
2 Arbol chiles
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds whole canned tomatoes (Puréed)
1 tablespoon Spanish sweet pimenton
Kosher salt to taste
In a medium-size pot over medium heat add the oil, garlic and Arbol chile and sauté slowly until they start to brown. Add the sugar and stir until it melts. Add the vinegar and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the tomato purée and simmer until almost dry. Add the pimenton and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary. Strain through a sieve and reserve for later use.
To Serve:
2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley. Stack the shrimp into 5 shallow bowls, garnish with the parsley and serve.
To celebrate the first dedicated Calligaris store in Washington, company president Alessandro Calligaris flew in from Italy for the grand opening of the new Friendship Heights showroom (5252 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; washingtondc.calligaris.us). Home & Design caught up with the third-generation Calligaris to lead the family-run brand to discuss the latest trends in furniture design. Launched by his grandfather in 1923, the company designs and produces a wide range of modern home furnishings and accessories distributed in 90 countries worldwide.
What is the Calligaris design philosophy?
Good design means making a product that is interesting to the consumer. It has to be sophisticated and adaptable. It’s a combination of material, finish, quality and, of course, cost. We’re not at the bottom fighting with price and we’re not at the top. It’s a democratic product because we’re in the middle of the market.
What are some of the most innovative pieces in the latest Calligaris collection?
The Traslo dining table is one of our hallmarks. It expands and contracts and comes in matte glass or ceramic.
Is it possible to blend modern and traditional furniture?
People like to try their own combinations. They move furniture around and mix different styles. This is why our company is so broad with its products, because people like to play with their houses. We try to let them do that.
What is your own favorite piece of furniture?
The piece I love most in my house is not by Calligaris. It’s a long chest designed by a Danish architect and for its age it is extremely modern.
In search of the perfect art for her clients’ dining room, designer Barbara Hawthorn struck up a conversation with painter John Matthew Moore. “I mentioned I was looking for an abstract of a tree,” she recalls, “and Matthew said he had been waiting for years to paint an abstracted birch.” This serendipitous exchange led to an exceptional piece of art—one of many collaborations that make Hawthorn’s now-completed design resonate with homeowners Sherry Edwards and Paul Denis.
After moving into their McLean residence—formerly home to CBS News anchor Scott Pelley—Edwards and Denis needed help with more than just artwork. The mélange of furniture brought from their previous house was practically lost in their much grander new one. A stately Cape Cod, it had been expanded by the Pelleys about a decade ago with help from the original architect, Bill Sutton of Sutton Yantis Architects, and Great Falls Construction. The renovation added a new wing comprised of a sunroom with a dining area and a great room built around a large outdoor pool and terrace.
“The house had so much potential,” Edwards says, “but what we had wasn’t cutting it. We wanted a fresh start.”
She contacted Hawthorn after spotting her work in a local magazine. “Most of their furniture wasn’t suited for a house of this scale,” Hawthorn agrees. “It wasn’t inviting. And the music room was totally empty. I love that kind of challenge.”
She immediately began helping Edwards, a retired Federal Reserve economist, and Denis, an anti-trust attorney, to hone in on a shared aesthetic. “I help people articulate and identify what it is they like to have around them,” says the designer. “In programming meetings, I always do ‘gestalt’ tests on color, fabric and styles of furniture. I get a great sensibility of where that person is coming from—traditional, eclectic or modern. Then we translate that into reality.”
They settled on a serene color scheme of soft greens, blues and neutrals, and a fairly traditional, but not overly ornate, furniture profile. “As I am trained as an artist, color is usually where I begin,” says Hawthorn. “Once we got a sense of the color palette they both loved, we were able to bring color throughout the house.”
An art acquisition reinforced the color scheme. Denis’s aunt, who has lived around the world, offered them a large, abstract canvas, Milky Way Dreaming, by Aboriginal artist Janet Forrester Ngala. They fell in love with the piece and hung it in the living room where it could be viewed from the home’s main entry. “When you walk in, you’re drawn to it,” says Edwards, pointing out that this “anchor” piece sent their art decisions in a slightly more modern direction.
Hawthorn bridged a contemporary and traditional aesthetic throughout the house, commissioning custom pieces to impart a more personal, artisanal quality to the interiors. The intimate space to the left of the main entry is a case in point. It had been empty for years until Hawthorn and Edwards decided to create a music room where the couple’s teenage sons could play the piano. A seating arrangement by the fireplace, along with a two-sided sofa of Hawthorn’s design, can accommodate a large group during a party, or provide a cozy family gathering spot. A blend of rich fabrics and a wool and silk rug, along with a commissioned abstract by Virginia artist Lisa Tureson, add the finishing touches.
Hawthorn designed a custom cabinet to house Sherry Edwards’s beloved teapot collection, which before had been scattered throughout the house. Working with Indiana-based artisan Keith Fritz, she embellished its glass doors using a motif reminiscent of the transoms in the home’s foyer. “It fit in beautifully because it had those subtle cues of other things going on in the house that were classic, but in a more modern way,” says Hawthorn. The owners additionally commissioned two consoles that now grace the living room, designed and fabricated by Keith Fritz in a rare antique veneer.
Denis and Edwards, who own a Canadian lake home and enjoy the wooded surroundings of their Virginia residence, gravitated to art and accessories that celebrate nature. Hawthorn evoked the outdoors in the dining room with an antique garden armillary displayed on a pedestal, decorative spheres made of oyster shells, a large mother-of-pearl bowl—and John Matthew Moore’s dramatic birch painting.
The nature theme plays on in the breezeway connecting the sunroom to the great room. After hanging a painting of a loon in the space, Hawthorn and her clients decided to pay further homage to avian life. They commissioned a collection of lifelike decoys to adorn the shelves and found antique prints of duck eggs at Avery Fine Art. “We live near Great Falls National Park and thought we’d put pieces in here that give us a feel for nature,” says Edwards.
The great room is a cozy gathering spot where four recliners get plenty of use during hockey season. A custom ottoman makes the perfect footrest or table for casual meals by the fire. The room’s vaulted ceiling, wooden beams and stone hearth lend it a rustic feel, which Hawthorn reinforced by painting the white walls in warm ochre.
Edwards and Denis are thrilled with their finished home, which suits their needs whether they are hosting a charity fundraiser or reading in one of their comfortable seating areas. Edwards credits Hawthorn with pushing them out of their comfort zone in furniture and art selections. “I spent my whole life in numbers as an economist at the Federal Reserve—not thinking about art,” she admits. “Working with Barbara has opened up my horizons.”
Kenneth M. Wyner is a Takoma Park, Maryland, photographer.
INTERIOR DESIGN: BARBARA HAWTHORN, Barbara Hawthorn Interiors, McLean, Virginia. ARCHITECTURE: BILL SUTTON, Sutton Yantis Associates Architects, Vienna, Virginia. RENOVATION CONTRACTOR: GREAT FALLS CONSTRUCTION, Great Falls, Virginia.
Eighteen years ago, a Washingtonian wandered into the one-time Brown Davis boutique in Georgetown seeking the perfect mirror for her drawing room. She was successful on several fronts: Not only did she find what she was looking for, but she also struck up an instant friendship with principals Rob Brown and Todd Davis, who would eventually complete the design of her DC residence, her apartment in Palm Beach’s venerable Biltmore and even her two sons’ houses.
So when she and her husband recently purchased a larger, newly renovated apartment in the Biltmore, it was a given that they would call upon Brown and Davis, who now have studios in DC and Miami Beach. Drawn to the two-bedroom residence for its light and airy interiors and majestic views of the Intracoastal Waterway, the couple wanted a modern ambience in their new getaway. As Rob Brown explains, “They love this open concept, especially because they don’t have that in their large and formal house in DC. They wanted a departure that reflected a sense of place.”
Fortunately, the new space required very little in terms of structural improvement. The designers refined the crown molding and created frosted-glass doors that close the kitchen off to the adjacent living space in the event of a formal dinner party.
Both discerning art collectors, the couple knew that a simple background would enable their art to take center stage. Brown and Davis honed in on a soft beige palette to complement the existing marble floors and began to design furniture that reflected a refined, Mid-Century style. “Everything was custom-designed for the space,” says Brown. “We wanted to create something that appeared to be collected rather than all ordered up. This is typical of all our projects—each is truly bespoke.”
An elegant sectional, a pair of leather chairs and a custom rug inspired by a Vogue fashion spread ground the main seating area. On the opposite side of the room, a trim banquette and custom table with a lacquered steel-gray top, both designed by Brown Davis, are suitable for dining as well as playing cards or working on a laptop. A gray shagreen chest ties the areas together.
“This marriage of soft grays and beiges allows the art to be the real star,” says Brown. The owner combed auctions and galleries, selecting pieces by Jim Dine, Robert Motherwell, Frank Stella and others that bring a museum-like quality to the space.
But despite the provenance of the art, the home is all about comfort. “Even though we wanted it to be very smart-looking, everything had to be comfortable and work for us,” says the homeowner. In the master bedroom, a desk takes full advantage of the water view. Two cozy armchairs invite the couple to relax with a book, or simply gaze out at the Palm Beach skyline.
After collaborating for so many years, it did not take Brown and Davis long to nail the milieu that would best suit their clients in their new vacation home. “The interiors, while they reflect our guidance, have to be interiors that the residents look great in,” says Brown. “Our client is an Armani lady. There’s editing and restraint and the bare essence of form. It’s always very elegant. A beautiful, bold stroke and you’re done.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: ROB BROWN and TODD DAVIS, Brown Davis Interiors Inc., Washington, DC, and Miami Beach, Florida. PHOTOGRAPHY: KIM SERGENT, Palm Beach Springs, Florida.
Baker recently introduced its latest collection by Thomas Pheasant. Comprised of casegoods, upholstery, lighting and tabletop designs, it was motivated by an “evolution of classical ideals,” says Pheasant, “not replication. It’s about seeing something, letting it digest and creating something out of this idea that’s new.” Between a global publicity tour with Baker and interior design projects sending him to Moscow, Singapore, Paris and Las Vegas, Pheasant is on the road more than he’s at home. But as the design star told H&D, he’s a Washingtonian for good. See the new collection at Baker in Georgetown or bakerfurniture.com.
What draws you to living in Washington?
I have a place in Paris, and love that city too. But I think Washington is a gem. It’s such a human city. I can’t imagine ever leaving.
How do you mix modern and antique furniture so easily?
I love the idea of a simple upholstered silhouette with a beautiful antique. It gives you a modern edge even though there’s a traditional baseline.
What is your favorite piece in the new collection?
The Athens chair, which was a feat of engineering. There’s a pair in my living room right now.
Why is furniture design compelling to you?
Interiors come and go, but a furniture piece might end up 100 years from now in somebody’s home. How great is that?
How do you decorate your home for the holidays?
One year, I upholstered my entire dining table in boxwood. But I don’t do the ‘decorator’ Christmas tree. For me, Christmas is more romantically connected with family. Our tree has ornaments from the past 30 years that we’ve collected, and I remember where every one came from.
SPA RETREAT
The 55-suite Sivory Punta Cana Boutique Hotel (above) in the Dominican Republic invites guests to unwind at its infinity-edge pool or along its secluded Caribbean beach. Its Aquarea Spa offers a host of soothing treatments. Rates from $368. sivorypuntacana.com
DREAM RIDE
The St. Regis New York recently unveiled The Bentley Suite, full of handcrafted appointments that evoke the luxury British automobile. A silver mirror in the entry is inspired by carbon-fiber wheel trim while leather tile floors and upholstery grace the living room. From $9,500 per night; stregis.com
EAST MEETS WEST IN VEGAS
The world’s first Nobu Hotel, Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, will debut in Las Vegas in February 2013. David Rockwell designed the property’s 161 rooms and suites. A hot tea service welcomes guests to their rooms, where they can enjoy Nobu’s first 24-hour in-room dining menu. Rates from $249; nobucaesarspalace.com
BRUNCH TIME
DC’s weekend brunch options keep getting better. At Café Dupont (doylecollection.com), the menu takes on a Gallic flair with seasonal quiche and brioche French toast. Meanwhile, at District Commons in Foggy Bottom (districtcommonsdc.com), start your day off with a Bloody Mary flight.
EARLY-AMERICAN ROOTS
At The Federalist in the recently renovated Madison Hotel near Dupont Circle, chef de Cuisine Harper McClure puts a modern twist on 18th-century American fare. After an aperitif at the bar, sample such fall entrées as Loup de Mer with baby fennel, Pernod broth and Prince Edward Island mussels. 1177 15th Street, NW; 202-587-2629; thefederalistdc.com
CHOCOLATE 101
This year, you can make your own holiday bonbons after enrolling in a chocolate-making class at SPAGnVOLA in Gaithersburg. The 2.5-hour lesson ($50) teaches students how to temper chocolate, make a basic ganache and create their own truffles. It culminates in a tasting of SPAGnVOLA signature chocolates. 240-654-6972; spagnvola.com
Mike Wilson of Bethesda Systems recently completed a theater in the Potomac, Maryland, home of his client, Diane Shaw, who happens to be an interior designer. While Shaw wanted the ease of use and functionality of a state-of-the-art theater, she disliked the typical home-theater look. “I didn’t want leather seats, cup holders and Star Wars posters,” she recalls. “I wanted a family room feel to it.”
Wilson and Shaw worked together to ensure that the end result would reflect Shaw’s aesthetic vision. Bethesda Systems designs digital renderings for every project to help clients visualize the end result, which aided the process. “You might as well see the room before you build it,” Wilson explains.
In lieu of typical rows of theater-style seats, Shaw selected an arrangement for the two-level space that would be more conducive to gatherings with friends or her seven grandchildren. A large sectional and swivel chairs foster family time on the main level, while the upper level boasts five reclining chairs. Bookcases flanking the screen will allow the designer to display art and accessories.
Ultimately, the project was a success. “My son just visited us from New York with some friends, and instead of going out to DC at night, they decided to hang out and watch football, and then switched to a movie,” says Shaw. “I’m so glad we did it.”
H&D caught up with Wilson to talk about the ins and outs of designing a theater at home.
What were the most important functions of this home theater?
The theater is controlled by a system called Savant that allows the whole room to be run using an iPad. The theater has access to DVDs, Apple TV, cable and all the standard sources that are available. The room also has lighting and temperature control and it is all designed to be very easy to use.
Why is lighting important in a home theater?
Lighting design and control is a very important element of a theater. You don’t want to just put high hats in certain areas. Oftentimes, if you put lights in the wrong areas they’ll shine in someone’s eyes. And if you put all the lights on only one circuit, it’s on or off, and that kind of stinks. You want to have a lot of lights and a lot of control. Obviously, when you’re watching a movie you want it to be pitch black. But if the kids are watching a movie on the lower level and you want to read a book on the top level, you want control of those lights.
What is one of the most common mistakes in the design of a theater?
People often don’t use the right fabric on their walls. It’s a challenge to find fabrics that are acoustically transparent. Speakers are designed to portray the exact acoustical analysis of a film, TV show or movie. If you put something in front of them that alters the sound, the fabric could be absorbing or distorting the sound. A simple test is to hold fabric in front of your mouth and speak. If your voice changes, the fabric is not acoustically transparent.
What is a better indicator of a quality theater experience, the acoustics of a room or the components?
If a room is set up incorrectly, $25,000 speakers could sound awful. If the room is set up correctly, $1,500 speakers will actually sound better. That’s where skill comes in; without it, anyone could build a theater.
Some of the best client-designer relationships evolve to a rarified state in which dialog is superfluous and words are replaced by an instant understanding of what resonates with a homeowner. After collaborating with a couple on five houses for a total of nine projects over 20 years, designer Mary Douglas Drysdale and a Virginia couple have reached this stage. “It’s truly a gift when you find people who both support your creativity and feel as though you get them so well that when you see things it’s just clear: They’re going to like this,” Drysdale explains. “We have this wonderful visual relationship.”
After the couple purchased a stately brick home on five acres of manicured grounds in a quiet McLean neighborhood, it was a given that Drysdale would help them appoint the interiors in their casual but elegant style. The designer drew on the owners’ existing collection of furniture and art—which she knows so well—and, when necessary, searched out new pieces to complement the mix. Almost instinctively, she manipulated color, either toning down the existing palette or in some cases adding richer hues. The end result is a welcoming residence where the owners can host dinner for 50 on a dime but also cozy up for family suppers over a football game on an autumn afternoon.
The main entry hall leads to an octagonal foyer that soars three stories high. Though previous owners heightened the drama of the room with murals on the walls, Drysdale went for a muted effect. Now painted a soothing gray, the walls beautifully offset a series of photographs by Washington-based Maxwell MacKenzie and abstract works by Maggie Michael. The designer covered an octagonal table with a linen skirt banded in satin. Tone-on-tone accessories and a light-colored settee provide contrast.
The designer took a similar approach—putting novel, unexpected spins on traditional vocabulary—in the spacious rooms emanating from the octagon. “I call myself a ‘new traditionalist,’” Drysdale explains. “I love to bring fresh color and an uncluttered sensibility to my work. There has to be directness to the space. It’s not minimal—there’s just enough there.”
In the living room, silk-covered walls and billowing drapes offer a perfect foil to upholstered furniture and an orange-and-white series by Donald Judd positioned above the main seating arrangement. The owners’ modern art—including a painted bronze statue by Manuel Neri standing next to the living room fireplace—sets a bold, irreverent tone. Drysdale, who calls her clients’ collection “colorful, simple and engaging,” points out that this house defies the notion that modern art only works in contemporary homes or industrial-style lofts.
An abstract painting by Ross Bleckner plays off the deep gray, glossy paint color Drysdale selected in the library, which faces the formal dining room inside the front entry. Since other rooms had been reserved for her clients’ home offices, she broke with the norm and proposed that the ground-floor room serve as a receiving room or overflow dining space. With its steely gray backdrop and lacquered black console and pedestal table, it is at once striking and inviting.
Though Drysdale confesses to a “what have I done?” moment after selecting the paint color, she is pleased with the outcome. “There are plenty of things that you have to do that are conventional,” she reasons. “You have to follow code. But it’s fun to do something that’s slightly unexpected and have it be successful.”
The dining room faces the library, which is painted a paler blue. Slipcovers in Rogers & Goffigon striped linen on the owners’ existing chairs convey a less-than-formal vibe. “We wanted it to feel light and comfortable and airy,” says Drysdale. A painting by Jacob Kainen above the sideboard reinforces the hue.
The designer transitioned to a darker palette in the family room, where the owners and their children gather to watch television. Reds prevail in the carpet, the animal print fabric and accessories. French doors spill out to stone terraces, walkways and a pool—all secluded by mature landscaping and woods. “There’s not a bad view out of any window,” says Drysdale of the property. “There’s the sense that you’re in a protected place, close to the city but with your own magnificent landscape and yard.”
Though the master bedroom is a work in progress, Drysdale recently completed a guestroom that reflects the home’s unfettered attitude. A tufted Kravet bed with nailhead trim creates a casual tone; the black-and-white striped rug and playful ceramics are “simple and unpretentious,” she says.
This project is a testament to buying good, solid furniture with staying power. “There’s a very practical side to this,” says Drysdale. “People don’t throw out everything they own. They reinvent it and give it a new freshness so it works just as well in the new home as it did in a previous one.”
In this case, the process was especially rewarding since Drysdale has been there since the couple first feathered their nest decades ago. “We complete each others’ sentences,” she marvels. “And sometimes you need fewer and fewer words as the years go on! It’s a very gratifying experience.”
Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and Spain.
INTERIOR DESIGN: MARY DOUGLAS DRYSDALE, Drysdale, Inc., Washington, DC.
When a young couple first toured their new Shingle-style house in McLean, they immediately knew it was a perfect fit. They loved the open floor plan, crisp millwork and kitchen overlooking the family room and backyard—an ideal set-up for keeping an eye on their five-year-old daughter and toddler twins.
Soon after purchasing the 7,000-square-foot property, however, they realized that the home’s openness was a mixed blessing: Noises echoed through the rooms like a cavern. “As beautiful and spacious as it was,” observed the wife, “we knew it would take a lot to make it feel cozy.”
As fate would have it, the owners had just finished decorating their home in Alexandria’s Belle Haven when they decided to move to McLean to eliminate the husband’s lengthy commute to his Tysons Corner commercial real estate office. Working with the Alexandria, Virginia, design firm Madigan | Schuler, the couple had assembled an impressive collection of furniture that reflected their shared style—a mix of new and vintage pieces and “found” treasures. While they were very happy with the results, the timeframe of the move meant that they would have to find another interior designer to build on their collection and adapt it to their new home.
They turned to Marika Meyer, who took on the challenges of bringing the rooms down to scale and infusing the house with her clients’ character and personality. “The home was built on spec with vast, open spaces and large expanses of neutral drywall, which made it feel cold and impersonal,” she recalled. “Even though it had a significant presence, it had to be a family home. Our goal was to create that warmth.”
After completing a furniture plan and upgrading lighting throughout the home, Meyer set to work softening the existing millwork and applying “layers” of textiles, art and accessories. In the principal rooms, she deftly combined natural-fiber Conrad shades with luxurious drapes to tame the massive window casings without blocking natural light. Tricks of the eye—such as reducing the size of the area rug in the “monster” of a family room—made rooms feel more intimate.
In the foyer, Meyer covered the walls above the wainscot in creamy silk-linen wallpaper by Kneedler Fauchére. “It’s so subtle,” said the wife, a communications consultant, “but that little bit of fabric on the walls softens the sound and adds interest.” Pairing an antique mirror with a lacquered red chair and weathered cypress stools from West Elm created an unexpected “high-low” mix.
“We played with accessories and art,” said Meyer. “On a console like this, you can also accessorize seasonally, in spring doing a beautiful cachepot of hydrangea or in winter, holly or rosemary plants.”
More wallpaper—a Stroheim & Romann toile—sets the tone in the wife’s office. Though the builder called it a library, “there was no place to put a book,” Meyer recalled. So she designed custom built-ins that display her client’s favorite accessories while concealing equipment and files. A high-gloss Farrow & Ball paint in putty gray and drapes and carpet in geometric patterns play off the sleek oval desk that belonged to the owner’s grandmother. “The office is a very fine balance between feminine and masculine elements,” Meyer remarked. “It’s not ‘girlie-girl’ by any means, but she loves to dress up. It’s so reflective of her.” The husband’s home office occupies an open space on the second floor; Meyer also designed his elaborate wine cellar/cigar room on the lower level, where there is plenty of space for the kids’ playroom and casual entertaining.
Meyer tweaked some of the home’s original details that didn’t reflect her clients’ aesthetic. In the kitchen, for example, she replaced an ornamental backsplash with simple white subway tile, incorporating a herringbone motif above the range. “I’m always making a case for simplicity,” Meyer said. “At the end of the day, you want your kitchen to feel clean and organized. Enough clutter comes in on a day-to-day basis that I like to keep the backdrop simple.” She also traded the builder’s light fixtures for custom pendants and a rubbed-bronze fixture to better illuminate the island and breakfast table, respectively.
The layered effect is most pronounced in the living and dining rooms, which face each other off the main entry. Grasscloth wallcoverings, sisal rugs, Conrad shades and Schumacher drapes envelop guests in rich textures. A beautiful hand-carved mirror hangs in the dining room; the husband’s father picked it up when a neighbor in Pittsburgh discarded it decades ago. “It’s funny how little found things can really be show-stoppers,” said Meyer.
The master bedroom—one of the largest the designer had ever seen—was softened by crisp Roman shades and voluminous Schumacher drapes that wrap around two walls. Large chests and tufted armchairs flank the bed while vintage glass lamps in chartreuse, discovered by the wife at Sixteen Fifty Nine, provide a pop of color.
Such finds—along with the couple’s well honed collection of art—impart an edgy, unexpected vibe to the interiors. “One of the really key elements here was pulling in vintage pieces that bring uniqueness to the space,” Meyer explained. “That’s something I try to do in most of our work. I’m always happy to go to 14th Street or to New York to see what original, one-of-a-kind pieces we can pull in. It creates a personal, character-driven space.”
Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and her home in Spain.
INTERIOR DESIGN: MARIKA MEYER, Marika Meyer Interiors, Bethesda, Maryland. CONSTRUCTION: EDWIN JORAE, CODA Construction, McLean, Virginia.
When the owners of a three-acre property in Great Falls, Virginia, approached architect Janet Bloomberg to design an “ultra-modern” addition to their home, she jumped at the chance. Her renovation created a four-story tower adjoined to the existing residence, containing a playroom, library, office and master suite. On every level of the tower, windows frame picture-perfect views of surrounding woodlands.
Essentially, Bloomberg designed the bathroom in the master suite “to feel like you’re taking a shower in the woods.” Despite its minimalistic vibe, the space was carefully planned to maximize efficiency and to take advantage of the property’s dynamic views. Bloomberg created two stainless-steel volumes: a floating vanity that projects into the open shower and a tub enclosure that juts out into a little alcove toward the woods.
Focusing on earthy, organic materials to offset the stainless steel, the architect selected ceramic tile floors from Porcelanosa, gray chiseled quartzite on the sink wall and glass tile near the window. “We thought glass tile was a nice balance to the heavier look of stone,” she says. A dark shade in the shower picks up the charcoal color of the stone, while light-blue glass tiles in the bath suggest “water, luminosity and gloss.”
Privacy was of little concern to the homeowners because of the size of their property and the scarcity of neighbors. “The fact that we could do big windows in the shower was great,” says Bloomberg. “You can’t do that in the suburbs.
“This is one of few bathrooms clients have allowed us to do in the most minimal way,” reflects the architect, “without adding a lot of extra pieces. It was a rare opportunity.”
ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN: JANET BLOOMBERG, AIA, KUBE Architecture PC, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: Michael T. Puskar Construction Services, Stafford, Virginia.
See more amazing baths:
The master bath in a new home in Annapolis is truly one of a kind—from its novel layout to its custom tile work and towel racks. Collaborating on its design with architect Jeffrey Halpern and Pyramid Builders, designer Susan Gulick calls her clients’ waterfront home “a dream project in every way.”
However, designing the bath presented several challenges. Its open, square space “made it tight getting in a decent shower and tub,” says Gulick, who placed the vanities, tub and shower around the perimeter. “It seemed kind of boring, so we ended up with a curved glass wall on the shower, and the tub picks up the curve. We wanted it to have some sex appeal and an organic feel.”
The bathroom’s vaulted ceiling presented a dilemma for lighting installation; Gulick selected a circular chandelier from Tech Lighting that provides a decorative twist.
In search of truly unique tile, she discovered a new collection from Virginia-based New Ravenna. Its free-form motif, reminiscent of dandelion or sea grass tendrils, was a perfect fit. “Even though the house is on the water, our clients didn’t want anything cutesy or sailboaty,” Gulick explains. “They wanted a very sophisticated look, but we could allude to being on the water.” She worked with New Ravenna to customize the color, size and format of the tiles—and they now make a dramatic statement in the shower. Emperador marble walls and Calacatta marble floors from Best Tile, and bands of stone and mosaic envelop the space in texture, color and style.
ARCHITECTURE: JEFFREY HALPERN, Halpern Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: SUSAN GULICK, Susan Gulick Interiors, Great Falls, Virginia. BUILDER: PYRAMID BUILDERS, Annapolis, Maryland.
See more amazing baths:
