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.
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For before and after photos click here
Smitten with an apartment in the heart of Georgetown overlooking the C&O Canal, a South America-based couple in search of a DC pied-à-terre decided to buy it on the spot. They saw potential in the residence despite its mundane interiors and awkward, triangular floor plan.
“We knew it was a bit old-fashioned for us,” says the wife, a marketing professional. “We needed to rearrange the space in order to better fit our lifestyle.”
She and her husband, a commercial real estate executive, turned to DC architect Andreas Charalambous to redesign and furnish the residence so that it could double as a luxurious home away from home as well as a stylish venue for entertaining friends and clients.
“Our approach was to maximize the vistas and make the apartment feel bigger than it is,” says Charalambous, who developed a plan that would open up and reorganize the space, give the once-dark and disconnected kitchen greater presence and update the finishes and furnishings throughout. “The major move was [to build] a wall that slices through the apartment from the front door all the way to the back. It separates the semi-private spaces from the public spaces,” he says. A perpendicular wall paneled in fabric separates the main living space from the guest bedroom.
By deftly employing mirrors and other reflective surfaces, the architect made the apartment appear larger than its 1,500 square feet. In every room, a special feature awaits, from the ethanol-burning fireplace on the main focal wall to the “floating” concrete coffee table. Ebony-stained floors, back-lit resin panels and even a “hidden” chandelier in the new dining area—carved out of space borrowed from ill-designed closets—increase the apartment’s “wow” factor. An elaborate lighting plan enables the residents to set a variety of moods, day or night.
To the left of the entry, guests encounter a sleek and inviting kitchen—a far cry from the original galley; the opening between the kitchen and the rest of the apartment was doubled to create a visual connection to the outdoors and flood the apartment with light. In the dining room, an obtrusive duct that could not be moved inspired Charalambous to create a dramatic tiered ceiling and recess for the chandelier. “You have to be able to play up the pluses and eliminate the minuses—or at least disguise them,” he says.
At the far end of the apartment, previous owners had enclosed a balcony, leaving an unsightly brick knee wall that bordered the guest room. Though it could not be removed, Charalambous concealed the brick and topped it with sliding translucent panels that admit light but provide privacy. Where the balcony once was, a functional desk and bar area now enjoy views of the Canal.
The master bedroom can also be screened off from the living area by a sliding pocket door. In this posh suite, the bed is anchored by an accent wall with an illuminated, cut-out niche. The room opens to a balcony—perfect for enjoying coffee and the morning paper in this private slice of Georgetown.
During construction, the owners were out of the country and did not visit the apartment until the makeover was finally complete. They were thrilled with the results. “What a change! We love the new finishes. The wooden floor, the lighting and the architect’s ability to brighten up and make the spaces look bigger really surprised us,” remarks the wife.
“Nothing is left from the old apartment,” Charalambous concludes. “Now the place is full of unexpected surprises, which is what the clients hired us to do.”
Photographer Geoffrey Hodgdon is based in Deale, Maryland.
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN: ANDREAS CHARALAMBOUS, AIA, IIDA, principal, and JUAN GUTIERREZ, project architect, FORMA Design, Inc., Washington, DC. GENERAL CONTRACTOR: MCA Remodeling, Montgomery Village, Maryland.
CHIC CLUTCH
Crafted from leather and Swarovski crystals, the Ginger Box clutch by Clara Kasavina (above) is the perfect evening companion. The seven-by-three-inch bag comes with an optional strap. $575; online only at bloomingdales.com
FALL FASHION PREVIEW
All Access: Fashion from September 27 to 29 at Tysons Galleria spotlights fall/winter collections with celebrity appearances and runway shows by retailers including Karen Millen (left: black taffeta long skirt, $380; tweed jacket, $475). Proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic. allaccessfashion.com
BIRD OF A FEATHER
H.Stern’s Ancient America Collection takes inspiration from the pre-Columbian notion of animism. The jewelry line celebrates the spirits of the animal world with necklaces, rings and bracelets such as this yellow-gold cuff that evokes feathers (left). $25,800; hstern.net
PRECISION UNDERWATER
OMEGA’s collection of Seamaster Planet Ocean watches are water resistant to 2,000 feet. The latest design (left) features unidirectional rotating bezels and helium escape valves. The watch’s coated dial and rhodium-plated hands increase readability in the depths. $8,000. omegawatches.com
BACK TO VINYL
Audiophiles switching back to vinyl are raving about the high performance Xperience Classic turntable. The carbon-fiber tonearm and Blue Point needle reproduce that old LP sound while sleek styling enables this record player to blend into any décor. Finishes available in black lacquer, olive or mahogany veneer (left, below). $2,000 at Bethesda Systems; bethesdasystems.com
HOT WHEELS
Aston Martin recently unveiled the new Vanquish (left, below)—a high-performance sports car that goes from zero to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds. Its body panels are constructed from carbon fiber and its interior is more spacious than that of its predecessor. An “infotainment” system features 15 Bang & Olufsen speakers, satellite navigation, Bluetooth and a Wi-Fi hub. Available in the U.S. in early 2013; priced at about $280,000. astonmartin.com
FLORIDA FUN
St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, three minutes from Miami’s South Beach, offers guests butler service, a spa and 243 luxurious guest rooms and suites. The 24th-floor presidential suite boasts a 1,200-square-foot balcony (above). Rates from $850. starwoodhotels.com
FALL FEST
Celebrate Oktoberfest at the Mandarin Oriental Munich (left). A special package from September 22 to October 7 includes a carriage tour from the hotel to the festival grounds and a three-course dinner in the Hippodrom tent, where many of Munich’s finest beers will flow. Nightly rates from $1,440 per couple. mandarinoriental.com
NANTUCKET ESCAPE
An 11-room boutique hotel, Chapman House in Nantucket is the perfect spot for a late-summer fling. Housed in a landmark 1717 structure, accommodations (left) were designed by Boston’s Rachel Reider Interiors in classic yet playful style. Rates from $229 in September and $129 in October. theverandahouse.com/chapmanhouse
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
“Top Chef” star Mike Isabella (left) has opened Bandolero, a Mexican small-plate eatery, in Georgetown. Bethesda-based Streetsense designed the space inspired by the “Day of the Dead” with a copper-fronted bar and painted black walls. Savor stiff margaritas and skirt steak tacos (below). 3241 M Street, NW; 202-625-4488; bandolerodc.com
REVEL DEBUTS
Chef Michel Richard has opened three restaurants at Atlantic City’s new Revel resort: O Bistro and Wine Bar, O Dining Room and Central Michel Richard. The latter serves up his signature lobster burgers and chocolate lava cake in a light and airy space (left, below) overlooking the casino. revelresorts.com
HANK’S ON THE HILL
Chef Jamie Leeds and mixologist Gina Chersevani have joined forces to open Hank’s Oyster Bar on Capitol Hill. The new outpost marries Leeds’s signature menu (à la Hank’s in Dupont and Old Town) with Chersevani’s handcrafted cocktails, such as Gnome’s Water Rebellion (left, below) made with Pimm’s, cucumber water, ginger and tarragon. 633 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE; 202-733-1971; hanksoysterbar.com
BEER SEASON
Alexandria’s Port City Brewing Company is re-releasing its Oktoberfest lager (left, below) in September. Ranked among the top new beers of 2011, it is brewed with German malts and hops and served unfiltered. Offered by bottle or draft at the brewery and by select retailers, restaurants and bars. 3950 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia; 703-797-2739; portcitybrewery.com
A great architect creates order from chaos, whether building an Olympic stadium or a backyard pavilion. In the case of Robert M. Gurney, the challenge was the latter when a DC real estate developer and his wife asked him to design a pool house on their property, which backs onto mature woodlands. They loved a pavilion the architect had designed for friends in Great Falls, and entrusted him to execute a similar concept that would complement their contemporary Bethesda home. Both avid swimmers, they envisioned a structure that would double as a shelter from the sun and a venue for entertaining.
Gurney studied the site. First, he decided, the property’s existing pool house and its 30-year-old pool would have to go. “The pool house was in the wrong place, it was the wrong size and it was falling apart,” he explained. “It had no relationship to the house or to anything else.”
Starting with a clean slate, the architect proposed a comprehensive program that would “organize” the landscape in terms of both form and function. From the gate that leads guests from the front driveway into the backyard, Gurney created an orderly progression of outdoor spaces via the use of bluestone paths and walkways, terraces and walls, pavers and plantings. “One of the things I tried to do with all the new terracing, paths and walkways was have some relationship to the house and tie everything together as much as I could,” he said.
Gurney even orchestrated the views, working with landscape architect Thomas Rainer of Rhodeside & Harwell to selectively plant trees along the property line. “The idea was to control the views and what part of the [neighbor’s] house we want to see and what part we don’t want to see,” Gurney said. He pushed the pool house itself as deep into the forest as zoning would allow. “I wanted you to feel as though as you were in the woods.”
Anchoring the pool in the southeastern corner of the lot, the pool house comprises a single room under a gabled roof. Its apparent simplicity defies the rich detail, precision and rigor inherent in its design. With finely hewn organic materials, the pavilion serves as a threshold between the structured garden and the woods beyond. “I wanted it to feel like an outdoor space,” Gurney explained.
One side encompasses a sitting area and stone fireplace, all framed in glass. The other side, defined by dry-stacked slate walls, houses a long island of stainless steel. The floors are Pennsylvania bluestone and the ceilings are clad in Douglas fir. Behind the main room, a mahogany volume contains a powder room, mechanical systems and storage.
The pavilion protects residents from the elements while enveloping them in views of nature’s scenery. Frameless, floor-to-ceiling glass with mitered edges practically blurs the lines between indoors and out. From the island, a cut-out horizontal window echoes the lines of the new pool. “The pool went hand-in-hand with the design of the pavilion,” said Gurney. “The width of the pool is the exact width of the stone wall and the mahogany structure in the back. There’s this dimension pulling through the whole project.”
Bluestone pathways and walls of varying heights create a series of outdoor spaces, some designed for entertaining, others more private. “It was important that the hardscape didn’t overwhelm the project,” said Gurney.
The clients turned to landscape architect Rainer to select plantings and blend the new landscape into the existing grounds and the woods beyond. “We wanted to give the pool house a setting so it could breathe a little bit,” Rainer said. “It needed some ground to sit on.”
Working in the confines of the small backyard, he massed informal beds of perennials around the pool, shifting to more relaxed, natural grasses around the property’s perimeter. Near the pool house by the woods, he planted a tight grove of stewartia and a cover of palm sedge. “We wanted to give it a woodland glade feel so when you’re sitting there in the pool house it feels like the woods come right up to you. When you blend a garden setting with a natural setting,” Rainer explained, “you sometimes have to turn up the volume on nature to make it read.”
Mammoth glass doors—12 feet wide near the pool and eight feet wide on the other side—pivot 180 degrees to invite breezes into the pool house when the weather is pleasant. Heating and air conditioning—and even heated floors—enable the homeowners to enjoy the retreat year-round. “It’s a little contemplative space, if you will,” said Gurney. Though it has no kitchen, the owners enjoy breakfast daily and often entertain guests in the sleek, light-filled space.
“I am really pleased that at the end of the day it turned out they liked the space so much they really want to be in it,” Gurney continued. “It’s simple and minimal—but at the same time rich with material.”
Maxwell MacKenzie is a Washington, DC, photographer.
ARCHITECTURE: JOHN RIORDAN, LEED AP, project architect; ROBERT M. GURNEY, FAIA, lead architect, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: THOMAS RAINER, Rhodeside & Harwell, Alexandria, Virginia. CONTRACTOR: TED PETERSON, Peterson & Collins, Washington, DC. LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR: RUPPERT COMPANIES, Laytonsville, Maryland.
Whether a house has a noble past or simply dates back to the era when shag carpets were all the rage (the first time around), planning a renovation will pose innumerable questions about what must stay and what must go. In either case, care can be taken to preserve—and even improve upon—a home’s original style and infrastructure while introducing a floor plan and modern amenities for today.
For a renovation to succeed, however, it’s crucial to seek design help from the very beginning. A residential architect can present outside-the-box solutions, manipulating spaces to arrive at a design the layperson might never have imagined. Architects have the vision to marry form and function in order to create a renovation that meets the clients’ needs, blends into its environment and adheres to sound principles of design.
A case in point is the renovation of a 1907 Queen Anne house that architect David Jones, AIA, of David Jones Architects in DC recently completed in Chevy Chase. Over the years, previous owners had stripped the home of its original porch, covered its wood siding with aluminum and closed off the two-story reception room with a vestibule on the ground floor and a closet above.
Recapturing the home’s original style was a priority for Jones’s clients, but they also had some more practical requirements: to create a family room and mudroom, enlarge the kitchen and add another bedroom upstairs.
Jones recreated the home’s original wraparound porch based on an old photograph his client discovered. His plan also opened up the original reception area and built a two-story addition in the rear of the house with a family room on the ground floor and a new bedroom above. A kitchen expansion allowed space for a new mudroom and side entry. The renovation provided the owners with the open, spacious floor plan they desired, but adhered to the home’s period style in its detailing.
When renovating an older home, Jones advises, “put your mindset back in the time when the house was built. Think of the materials they would have used then.” He adds, “We work on so many older houses that we have a feel for the shapes of the details and the materials that they used.” Luckily, in the case of the Chevy Chase home, the aluminum siding was removed to reveal its original wood siding perfectly preserved—an authentic nod to its past.
Though Jones’s plan reflected the past aesthetically, it also brought the home up to current environmental standards. All drywall and plaster were removed during construction so that highly efficient spray-in foam insulation could be added. And during construction, wells were dug under the driveway to make way for a geothermal heating and cooling system. “We create a thermal envelope,” the architect explains, “in the same way as if you were building a new house today. We can take a very old house and make it insulated.”
When the owners of a bayfront Ocean City rambler, circa 1960, approached architectural designer Christopher L. Pattey, Associate AIA, to expand and upgrade their house into a year-round home, he also carefully planned an approach that would deliver the added space they craved but that would also focus on a cohesive design. Pattey, a senior associate with Becker Morgan Group, Inc. in Salisbury, Maryland, took a good look at the house, with its small windows that barely glimpsed the water views and its cramped, “chopped-up” rooms. “It was an introverted design,” he observes. “Its flow and function didn’t work. But this house had good bones. It was not in bad shape.”
His clients decided to retain the eastern wing of the home, which housed three bedrooms. Pattey wrapped this section with a veranda “that oriented itself toward the Bay and disguised a little of the datedness of the original design.” His plan removed the roof at the center of the house, creating higher ceilings in the newly rebuilt great room, living room and kitchen and adding a second-floor guest suite, office and playroom. Crisp, New England-style exterior detailing blended the new and old elements seamlessly.
Before his clients meet with an architect, Pattey urges them to “analyze their lifestyle and prepare a wish list. We like to meet them at the site, walk around and talk about the things that they admire about the existing property. We pair that with this new wish list to determine how we want to evolve the design and be respectful of what’s there.
“In this case,” Pattey continues, “maintaining some of the elements that were existing actually made the design more interesting. Not only in this particular project but in many, it allows you to be a little bit more creative.”
Pattey stresses the importance of working with a design professional who can ensure that a finished project will hold together stylistically. “Planning and designing ahead of time on paper with a designer is the most important thing,” he says. “We feel that every elevation should have appropriate proportions and be stylistically pleasing to the eye. Some people go directly to a builder, describe what they want to do and it ends up looking like whatever it looks like. And then you have these awkward casualties.”
Michael Aram is known for his one-of-a-kind metal creations, from tableware to furniture. The American artist found his niche on a trip to India in the late 1980s and set up a workshop in New Delhi. Today he splits his time between New York and India, creating collections and limited-edition pieces sold in galleries and through retailers worldwide (michaelaram.com). Home & Design caught up with Aram in July when he made an appearance at Nordstrom in Tysons Corner.
What is your typical day like in New York vs. New Delhi?
New York is fantastic. I wake up at the crack of dawn, go on a walk in the park and then to work, where my studio is above my store in the West Village. It’s all very urban and lovely.
Delhi is just the opposite. It’s beautiful beyond belief. Our home is British Colonial with a garden, peacocks and monkeys—as crazy as that. My greatest pleasure is working in the workshop there, as close as I can to the process. There’s an immediacy to my work in India, which I really love. In New York, I can be pulled in a thousand different directions; in India, it’s very focused.
What makes your creations unique?
Our whole concept was based on combining the handmade craft traditions with a sensibility that was not “crunchy-crafty” and homegrown. To take my sensibilities and apply my perspective with decorative arts and marry them together was very exciting.
How do you hope that your work touches collectors?
It’s important to infuse whatever you do—even if it’s a nut dish—with as much design or artistic intent as you possibly can. I always talk about that moment of pause when people say, “Oh, what a lovely fork.” It starts a conversation or makes that person remember the meal differently.
Two shows in DC are sure to delight art lovers this fall:
William Christenberry: Assembled Memory, September 8 to October 27: This show at Hemphill spans 50 years of the artist’s career, from his early days in abstract expressionism to his recent work. On view are drawings, objects, photography and sculpture. hemphillfinearts.com
Twisted, September 7 to 29: Cross MacKenzie Gallery showcases wall installations and works on paper by Massachusetts artist Lyn Horton, whose minimalist art builds upon hypnotic twists of interwoven lines. crossmackenzie.com
Luca Missoni is the son of Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, who founded the Italian fashion house in 1953. He grew up playing in the factory and began designing his own motifs at an early age. Today, he helps run the company—which now includes home furnishings and hotels—and also directs the Missoni Archive.
Last May, Home & Design caught up with Luca at the Washington Design Center, where he spoke to a full house and revealed Missoni Home’s 2012 line, available in DC at Stark.
How are you inspired to create a new textile?
To create a surface that has depth and feels three-dimensional, you can use color or contrast or the texture itself. It all refers to organic, natural things like rocks, woods, stones, flowers. Between art and nature there’s plenty of inspiration.
What new materials are on the
forefront in textile design?
The history of textiles is so vast and already refined to a point that it’s difficult to find something new. There are some interesting developments in the arts and also in the practical design of objects made from things like plastic bottles or recycled cans. We are not much into those things, but it’s fun to see them as the new organic kind of material.
How much planning goes into the process?
Textiles are always interesting because you never know what you’re going to come up with. Experimenting is the most fun because you make unexpected discoveries. It’s about trying to get an idea with color or pattern to use maybe as a towel, or as a carpet, or as a coat. In the end, experimenting is the most important thing.
Escape in the Greek Isles
Nestled on Ayios Yiannis, one of Mykonos’s most stunning beaches, the Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort is home to 107 guest rooms and suites, a luxurious spa and even a stone amphitheater where yoga sessions for everyone take place. Executive suites boast a private roof terrace with daybed. Rooms from $290. mykonosgrand.gr
Living History
Housed in a former monastery dating back to the 14th century, the Mandarin Oriental, Prague makes a perfect base from which to explore the Czech city’s rich history. The hotel’s tile-roofed buildings overlook the famous Prague Castle, while its Monastery Lounge is housed in a former cloister. Rates from $370. mandarinoriental.com
California Dreaming
Located in Yountville in the heart of the Napa Valley, Bardessono Hotel, Restaurant and Spa pampers guests with spa treatments indoors and out, local farm-fresh cuisine and eco-friendly guest rooms complete with private courtyards or balconies and en suite massage tables. The hotel has received LEED Platinum certification for its sustainable practices. Rates from $550; bardessono.com
Taste of Spain
The original Jaleo in Penn Quarter has undergone a dramatic makeover. Expect a visual feast of products from Spain that nearly rivals the restaurant’s tapas menu, from a custom mosaic-tile floor to beaded curtains hanging above banquette seating and cutting-edge furniture and art. 480 7th Street, NW; 202-628-7949. jaleo.com
West End Debut
Ashok Bajaj has opened a second Rasika in DC’s West End. Designed by Martin Vahtra of Projects Design Associates, it boasts a natural anigre ceiling to evoke India’s national Banyan tree, plus a glass-topped bar and plush seating. 1190 New Hampshire Ave, NW; 202-466-2500. rasikarestaurant.com
Top Toque
Chef Brian McPherson recently took the helm at Jackson 20 and The Grille at Morrison House, both Kimpton restaurants in Old Town Alexandria. At the latter, teatime brings an assortment of house-made scones and sandwiches and seasonally inspired petit fours. thegrillealexandria.com; jackson20.com
Battle of the Rosés
Proof invites guests to sample the summer’s top rosés, available for $35 per bottle on the restaurant’s patio and in the bar and lounge through Labor Day. The wines hail from Spain, Italy, France, Argentina and more. 775 G Street, NW, 202-737-7663. proofdc.com
Will McGovern, who grew up outside of Pittsburgh, loved to comb the city’s architectural relics with his parents. He studied the history of art and architecture at the University of Pittsburgh and eventually enrolled at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he earned master’s degrees in both interior design and historic preservation. The combination could not have been more appropriate for this young designer, who is as much at home restoring centuries-old national treasures as he is designing cutting-edge contemporary lofts in DC’s hippest neighborhoods.
During a summer internship with The Hillier Group in DC, McGovern worked on the restoration of the Virginia Capitol, originally designed by Thomas Jefferson. After graduating he landed a job with Forrest Perkins, where he was named lead designer on the multi-million-dollar restoration and renovation of Washington’s venerable Jefferson Hotel. As such, he was responsible for all of the interior architecture and design facets of the project down to the tiniest detail.
When the Jefferson was complete, McGovern took the leap and opened his own firm in 2010. “I always knew I wanted to be on my own,” he explains, “and because of how involved I was in almost every aspect of the Jefferson’s restoration, it seemed like a natural breaking point for me to leave when it was done.”
Today McGovern keeps busy with residential work and multi-family and hospitality projects that range in style from modern to traditional. “I like to switch gears and design styles to keep things fresh and exciting,” McGovern says. “A lot of my clients say, ‘You really have a diverse portfolio, but even your most traditional projects have a clean, modern eye.’”
INTERIOR DESIGN: WILLIAM M. MCGOVERN, ASID, McGovern Design Studio, LLC, Washington, DC.
Other Hot Talent:
ELIZABETH REICH
Jenkins Baer Associates
Baltimore, Maryland
JUILE DASTVAN, ALLIED ASID
Dastvan Designs, LLC
Darnestown, Maryland
DARLENE MOLNAR, ASID, LEED AP
Darlene Molnar LLC
Washington, DC
J. ALLEN
Perceptions Interiors, LLC
Washington, DC
Cruise Control
Though the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 (above) is two inches longer and wider than the previous model, its aluminum body is more than 200 pounds lighter. Top-down driving has never been easier: With the touch of a button, its fully retracting hardtop opens or closes in less than 20 seconds. A Harmon/Kardon audio system is standard. From $106,375; mbusa.com
Power Phone
Porsche and BlackBerry have partnered on the Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry. The sleek device boasts a forged stainless-steel frame and leather back cover; a 1.2 GHz processor; HD video recording; a five-megapixel camera; and eight gigs of memory. $2,000; blackberry.com
Surf's Up
Noted fashion designer Paul Smith has teamed up with British surfboard maker Swami’s to create a line of clothing and complementary boards. Made to order in a limited quantity of 50, each board is signed by Sir Paul himself. From $3,440; swamis.com
Outdoor Entertainment
Toshinaer’s outdoor HDTVs are designed to resist the elements and their screens can adjust to changing light conditions. The company recently unveiled 42- and 52-inch LCDs and a 60-inch LED screen model. All three feature 1080p high-definition resolution and marine-grade speakers. From $4,600; toshinaer.com
Made to Fit
Dupont Circle’s Alton Lane makes classic bespoke apparel for men. The shop uses a state-of-the-art 3D body scanner to take accurate measurements, leaving the guesswork out of suiting up. 1506 19th Street, NW, third floor; 646-896-1212. altonlane.com
Off the Cuff
Paul Smith’s Half-stripe Cufflinks for Bloomingdale’s are the perfect complement to a summery suit and tie. $95; bloomingdales.com
Smooth Moves
The Art of Shaving’s Power Shave Collection includes a “smart” razor with built-in spotlight by Gillette, an automated brush and customizable stand. From $400; theartofshaving.com
Fresh Fragrance
Lacoste’s newest scent for men, Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Rouge is a spicy blend of black pepper, ginger and cardamom—designed to energize. $62; lacoste.com
Darlene Molnar always wanted to be an interior designer. When she was growing up in New Jersey, she shared a room with her sister. “Her side was a typical kid’s room, but mine would be perfectly staged as if a photographer were coming in,” she recalls. Her first design decision was to pick out a pedestal sink from Home Depot for the family bathroom. “My parents were the first clients who trusted me,” she says.
Molnar has an adventurous streak that has taken her around the globe to study, work and travel. After earning a degree in communications in Honolulu (where she interned for a design firm), Molnar enrolled in the graduate interior design program at DC’s Corcoran College of Art + Design. She has studied contemporary design at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, took a furniture design course in Copenhagen and attended Parsons New School of Design in Paris. She also spent three months living in Kenya. “It’s always influential to get out of the city you’re in and see how people live. Travel has opened my mind up to a lot of different styles,” says Molnar. “It makes me more educated when I talk to my clients.”
Molnar is now an adjunct professor at the Corcoran. She launched her own design firm in Georgetown in 2011 and is currently working on a number of residential and commercial projects, including Quench, a new restaurant in Rockville.
Molnar’s mission is to avoid settling into one particular look. “I never want to get locked into one style or be a one-trick pony,” she says. “One of my best qualities is that of listener and observer. It allows clients to speak.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: DARLENE MOLNAR, ASID, LEED AP, Darlene Molnar, LLC, Washington, DC.
Other Hot Talent:
ELIZABETH REICH
Jenkins Baer Associates
Baltimore, Maryland
JUILE DASTVAN, ALLIED ASID
Dastvan Designs, LLC
Darnestown, Maryland
WILLIAM M. McGOVERN, ASID
McGovern Design Studio, LLC
Washington, DC
J. ALLEN
Perceptions Interiors, LLC
Washington, DC
Home & Design shot its 2012 up-and-coming designers portrait in Ligne Roset's new showroom in Upper Georgetown. Above, Ligne Roset's David Zein (left) and Olivier Valette (center, standing) relax with designers (left to right) Elizabeth Reich, Darlene Molnar, Julie Dastvan, Will McGovern and J. Allen.
To view these designers' recent projects, follow the links below.
ELIZABETH REICH
Jenkins Baer Associates
Baltimore, Maryland
JUILE DASTVAN, ALLIED ASID
Dastvan Designs, LLC
Darnestown, Maryland
WILLIAM M. McGOVERN, ASID
McGovern Design Studio, LLC
Washington, DC
DARLENE MOLNAR, ASID, LEED AP
Darlene Molnar LLC
Washington, DC
J. ALLEN
Perceptions Interiors, LLC
Washington, DC
Passing through the front door of designer Zach Sherif’s Victorian row house in DC’s Bloomingdale neighborhood virtually transports visitors to a decidedly different time zone. An eclectic blend of European antiques, Oriental rugs, Chinese furniture and Middle Eastern art creates a delectable departure from typical Washington fare. A lifetime of travel and a love of beauty and craftsmanship have inspired Sherif to collect all forms of decorative objects, from textiles to Buddhas to silver trays. His talent lies in the ability to display these finds with such aplomb—along with fantastic chandeliers of his own creation—throughout his renovated 1901 home.
“I think eclectic is probably one of the most challenging styles,” says Sherif, who shares the home with his husband, Paul Cerruti. “But if you follow your gut and pick things that move you, they will magically blend together.”
The Egyptian-born designer split his childhood between Cairo and New York, where his father was a director at the United Nations. He earned a degree in social sciences and art at Parsons, studying “how art, color and light affect the psyche.” Later, he worked as a men’s fashion editor and opened a restaurant in New York, then moved to Cairo where he became a top creative director for TV and music videos. When he needed three chandeliers for a set and couldn’t find the right look, Sherif crafted them himself out of hand-blown glass and later hung them in his apartment.
Soon, friends and acquaintances were requesting chandeliers of their own, and Sherif inadvertently launched his next career. He moved back to New York and opened a boutique selling his chandeliers—which now grace the homes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Whoopi Goldberg, Madonna and Alex Rodriguez.
Over the years, Sherif made frequent trips to DC to visit his mother, who lived in the Watergate. “A few years ago when she got ill, I came to take care of her,” Sherif recalls. “In the process, I discovered that Washington was an amazing town.” Shortly before she passed away in 2011, Sherif and Cerruti relocated to DC. “I consider it a gift from her,” Sherif says. “She re-directed my life.” Sherif now designs residential and commercial interiors and continues to create light fixtures. He plans to launch a new collection and open a DC showroom this fall.
Searching for their new home, Sherif and Cerruti fell in love with Bloomingdale—a burgeoning neighborhood north of Capitol Hill—for its architectural integrity. “Bloomingdale is young, vibrant and aesthetically pleasing, with one block after another of beautiful townhouses,” says Sherif. They bought the second home they saw despite its “rough” condition. “At one point, it was turned into a boarding house and divided into 10 apartments with lots of strange walls,” he notes, “but I could see the potential. You could see that the bones were good.”
Sherif, Cerruti and their contractors “delved into an eight-month marathon renovation, pretty much 24/7,” Sherif recalls. They gutted the home’s ceilings and half the walls and replaced electrical, plumbing, lighting and HVAC systems. However, Sherif insisted on preserving the home’s 1901 character. “I didn’t want a whitewashed renovation,” he says. “We kept all of the original doors, floors, trim and fireplaces. Why would you buy a 1901 house and make it look like a New York loft? My attitude is not to rip out all of the walls, but give a home an update by the way you furnish it.”
That is exactly what Sherif did, as guests discover in the foyer where a contemporary Egyptian painting plays off the home’s preserved staircase and original wood floors. Bright green walls pop in the living room amid a mix of antiques. “I wanted something unpredictable and at the same time wanted it to be a happy color,” Sherif explains.
The home’s 10-foot ceilings, grand staircase and original pocket doors play up its legacy, but the owners break with tradition in what was once a formal dining room. Sherif and Cerruti instead use it as a flexible space between the kitchen and living room, perfect for reading or sipping aperitifs under Sherif’s intoxicatingly beautiful “A Thousand and One Nights” chandelier, with its pierced metal cups casting reflections all over the room.
The renovated kitchen, with its Chinese slate floors and Carrara marble-topped island, makes the perfect backdrop for any meal. Sherif loves the “reflectiveness” of the kitchen. “It’s very Old World and reminds me of a French bakery,” he says. The kitchen opens to a rear courtyard the owners affectionately call “The South of France.” It’s an apt name for the garden alive with plants, a Moroccan mosaic-topped table and a pergola fragrant with wisteria.
The upper level houses three bedrooms and two baths. One of the bedrooms has become the “Arabic room,” a TV lounge where casual seating is covered in textiles from Morocco, Turkey and Egypt. A traditional Middle Eastern stripe is painted on the walls, topped by a Moorish-style motif of Sherif’s own design. He made the chandelier from an antique tray that he pierced and hung with teardrops of multi-colored glass.
Sherif clearly considers his home a laboratory that shifts and evolves. “A home should never become stagnant,” he declares. “I don’t think you can furnish a house overnight; it’s a process. In six months, it will look completely different.”
Stacy Zarin Goldberg is a photographer in Olney, Maryland.
LIGHTING & INTERIOR DESIGN: Zach Sherif, Enlightened Design, Washington, DC.
Although Elizabeth Reich studied accounting in college, her first love was always design. After graduating and landing a job in sales, she recalls, “I spent all of my free time scouring design magazines. It was ridiculous. I was good at math, but realized that I wasn’t following my passion.” Reich enrolled in an interior design classes at night and found her calling.
After she earned a bachelor’s degree, Reich honed her skills at Patrick Sutton Associates, an architecture and interior design firm in Baltimore. “That was my best education. I learned a lot there because we had to develop certain technical skills such as creating millwork drawings,” she says. “It was about more than just making everything look pretty.”
In 2010, Reich joined the Baltimore firm Jenkins Baer Associates, where she caters to a broad group of new and repeat clients throughout the entire DC Metro area. Recent projects include the redesign of a family home in Lutherville, Maryland, and an Arlington residence where she created a his-and-hers home office for the owners.
Reich’s work embodies a fresh perspective, with an emphasis on comfortable, unfussy furnishings and a novel use of materials and finishes. “I want my clients to be happy with the end result,” she explains, “and feel that their home is a reflection of them that they didn’t even know existed until I presented it to them.”
While her accounting skills may come in handy, this busy designer has never looked back. “I’m so glad that I made a change when I did,” she reflects. “It changed my life. I don’t consider what I do work. And when I’m not working, I’m still looking at design magazines."
INTERIOR DESIGN: Elizabeth Reich, Jenkins Baer Associates, Baltimore, Maryland.
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