<MARCH/APRIL 2012
GONE TO MARKET
The latest venture of Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong, Society Fair (above) brings a bakery, café, butcher shop, wine bar and prepared-food market to Old Town Alexandria—all under one roof. There is also a 10-seat demo kitchen where guests can enjoy three-course fixed-priced dinners from Tuesday through Saturday. 277 S. Washington Street, Alexandria. 703-683-3247; societyfair.net
CHERRY JUBILEE
The Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates its centennial March 20 to April 27 with an expanded line-up of events, including art exhibits, concerts and special menus at restaurants around DC. Don’t miss the Honey Ginger Glazed Muscovy Duck at Ris. risdc.com; nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
COOKING CLASS
On March 24, the Park Hyatt Washington hosts a Master of Food & Wine Culinary Evening focused on seasonal local cuisine. Chef Sebastien Archambault, the new top toque at the hotel’s Blue Duck Tavern, will prepare a spring lamb dinner while pastry chef Peter Brett will teach a cooking class on cherry blossom-inspired sweets. Phone 202-419-6768.
DESIGNER DIGS
Taking inspiration from Dior ateliers in Paris, the St. Regis New York recently unveiled the Dior Suite (left), complete with a subdued color palette, luxurious furniture and haute couture-inspired upholstery. From $8,500 nightly; stregis.com
TENNIS, ANYONE?
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo recently introduced its own regulation grass tennis court—the first at any Four Seasons property worldwide. After a match, guests can relax in luxurious rooms or a one-bedroom canopy suite (pictured here) and watch monkeys and parrots cavort in the treetops. From $1,295; fourseasons.com
SPANISH ESCAPE
The Mandarin Oriental Barcelona boasts contemporary guest rooms and suites by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola. The penthouse suite features two bedrooms, a dining room for eight and two terraces overlooking the city. From $10,500 nightly; mandarinoriental.com
RETRO STYLE
Airstream recently unveiled the Sterling Concept Trailer designed by architect Christopher Deam. The prototype introduces anodized aluminum surfaces and an aircraft-like aesthetic to the modern interiors (left, below), along with Mid Century-style upholstery and Merimekko textiles. airstream.com
TIME MANAGEMENT
The Fortis Limited Edition F-43 (left, below) is the world’s first mechanical watch to combine GMT, alarm and chronometer capabilities with two separate power reserves. The Swiss-made timepiece is water resistant to 165 feet and fitted with a padded strap in blue crocodile leather. $20,850. Available in the U.S. through gevrilgroup.com.
GAME ON
The iCade Mobile (below) brings classic controller configurations to games played on the iPhone and iPod touch. The cradle locks devices in either a portrait or landscape position and features a four-way directional pad, four action buttons and four shoulder buttons. $80; ionaudio.com
HOT WHEELS
The new Bentley Continental GTC V8 (bottom) features a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine; eight-speed transmission; and all wheel-drive. It also boasts a 40 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and emissions over its predecessor, traveling 500 miles on a single tank of gas. $192,000; bentleymotors.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living. Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
A Washington-based nurse recently built a residence in her native Switzerland, where eco-minded features such as geothermal heating and a green roof are not an option—they are a must.
So it should come as no surprise that she took a similar approach to renovating the Dupont Circle row house she and her husband, a DC attorney, have owned for 25 years. When the couple decided it was time to update and expand the early 20th-century property and its English basement apartment, they developed some bold plans with the architects at DC-based Division1. Not only did the owners task them with implementing solar power, geothermal and radiant-floor heating and the District’s very first residential gray-water system, but they also challenged them to break new ground from a design perspective, transforming the interior from a series of dark, fragmented rooms into a modern, flexible space flooded with natural light.
Like many homes on its block, the original front porch had been removed years ago. “The house didn’t look right without a porch,” says Division1 principal Ali Honarkar. “It needed to have its parts back.” In deciding to rebuild the porch, he disputes the notion that modern architects dismiss historic vernacular. “To us, good design is good design. The intention is to preserve anything that’s worth preserving or restoring. We wanted to respect that this is a historic district.” The new porch resembles others on the block except for skylights in its roof. “We wanted it to look clean,” Honarkar explains, “but not necessarily stand out as a modern house.”
Once inside, however, the nod to tradition gives way to a modern interplay of form, light and volume. At its center, an open living area soars to a two-story height. Above, skylights, catwalks and exposed stairs marry raw elements with a sense of refinement. Beyond the kitchen, panels of translucent glass screen off a room that can serve as a bedroom or home office, created in a 14-foot addition suspended from the back of the house.
Honarkar and colleagues Mustafa Ali Nouri and Jin Yong Kim conducted careful light studies and built 3D models to get every detail right. They reduced the color and material palette to a minimum, which helps the narrow residence feel open and airy. Playing with stark white and steely gray, they contrasted porcelain tile floors from Porcelanosa and white lacquered cabinetry from Snaidero DC with exposed steel beams and Viroc—a sustainable cement composite used on the interior stairs and bridges.
Every decision hinged on how to filter the most natural light into the home. Polycarbonate panels screen the white tile staircase to the second floor, where catwalks connect two sun-filled bedrooms, each with its own bath. From here, Viroc stairs lead to a third-floor room and roof deck. Added windows and the front porch skylights even pour light into the revamped basement apartment—which boasts a brand new IKEA kitchen.
Except for two rain barrels that capture water for use outdoors, there are no telltale signs revealing how eco-friendly the home is. “We wanted to design a house that’s green, but the green elements are not in your face,” says Honarkar. “It’s still all about the design.”
Solar panels power LED and low-voltage lighting and appliances. Spray-foam insulation and low-E windows by Pella and Fleetwood keep energy use to a minimum. “Gray” water from sinks and showers is re-used in toilets before leaving the house.
Division1’s first sustainable project, it involved copious research and countless visits to various permitting authorities. One of the greatest challenges was digging the 120-foot-deep holes for the geothermal system behind the home on an area the size of two parking spaces. Only one company in the area had a truck small enough to do the job.
The homeowner has no regrets about the extreme measures—and investment— she and her husband adopted to build green. “I’m convinced that in the future resources are going to be very precious. If we have the sun, why not use it to make your electricity?” she asks. “It’s just a little contribution toward the future.”
Ironically, the owners do not live in the row house—yet. The couple shares a larger home in Woodley Park and has rented out the Dupont house and its basement apartment for more than 20 years. Now that their youngest child has gone off to college, they are planning to move in themselves—or share it with their three daughters—someday. “We are not ready to downsize yet,” says the wife, “but it’s something we’ll do eventually. It just makes so much sense to use less space and have a trimmer footprint.”
Debi Fox is a Washington, DC-based commercial photographer.
RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE: ALI R. HONARKAR, AIA; MUSTAFA ALI NOURI; JIN YONG KIM, Division1 Architects, Washington, DC. RENOVATION CONTRACTOR: DON MALNATI, Renovations Unlimited, Washington, DC.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
MARCH/APRIL 2012
Ensconced in a neighborhood with its own wooded trail leading down to the C&O Canal towpath, Marc Loev, Toni Hawley and their three young boys adored their pristine surroundings. If only their 1980s Colonial home shared a similar reverence for Mother Nature. Its windows were too few and far between to appreciate the views. Outdated mechanical systems and poor insulation made the house drafty and inefficient. It also had an outdated kitchen and disjointed floor plan.
House-hunting forays to find something better led to a simple realization: No other lot in the Metro area could hold a candle to their Potomac gem. So they decided to stay put, and commissioned architect Tom Flach of KohlMark Group to design a renovation—which eventually evolved into the design of a brand new house. “We went through a whole process of designing renovations and additions to the existing home, trying to transform and connect it to the outdoor living space and views,” Flach recalls. “Finally, we made the decision to demolish the existing home and rebuild.”
Unencumbered by the constraints of the original structure, the architect and his clients were free to explore bold new options. They set their sights on a modern home with an open floor plan that would celebrate nature, accommodate parties of all sizes, and project sophisticated style without sacrificing comfort or durability.
Faced with a limited footprint on the two-acre lot, Flach nestled the home around the existing pool without disturbing the mature river birches in the front yard. “The neighborhood was fairly traditional so I worked with traditional forms, but took them to a modern level by removing ornamentation and working with very simple stucco and glass on a stone foundation,” says the architect.
The home’s southern orientation made solar power an easy option—happily for the owners, whose determination to tread lightly on the environment drove the entire building process. Before demolition, Second Chance, a Baltimore non-profit, deconstructed the original house—and was able to recycle two-thirds of its materials. The owners selected insulated low-E, argon-filled windows; spray-foam insulation; low-voltage and LED lighting and low-flow and dual-flush plumbing fixtures for maximum efficiency. The solar system fuels electricity and hot water.
But going sustainable did not mean settling for spartan over über-chic. In fact, many of the home’s features required daring feats of engineering, from walls of glass to a three-level cantilevered, helical staircase to an open “fire pit” hearth in the living room that appears to defy gravity.
During construction, Hawley and Loev hired Baltimore interior designer Michelle Miller to furnish the home in a style that would complement the architecture. Miller painted the walls white to allow the home’s organic materials—Brazilian cherry floors, stone and glass—and the views to take center stage. She designed many custom pieces of furniture using durable fabrics. “The clients wanted to use their home for entertaining, but they also have three boys. We kept it pared down and really simple,” she explains.
Like astute apprentices, Hawley and Loev, both physicians, constantly pitched ideas to Flach and Miller. “They were passionate and very knowledgeable,” says Flach. “Everything that I proposed to them that was pushing the limits, Toni and Marc embraced. At the same time, they also pushed me to take things beyond my comfort zone.”
Miller created a sense of warmth and intimacy in the voluminous rooms on the main level, above which a second-story “bridge” connects the bedrooms. In the dining room, a dark gray wall accentuates a nude by Craig Alan while crystal pendants by Schonbek create a glamorous vibe.
The living room is oriented toward the outside with a two-story wall of glass. A custom rug mimics the line of the ceiling above, and a series of wall sculptures by John Douglas makes a bold statement. The living room leads to a loggia, where a NanaWall opens completely to face the backyard.
Public and private “zones” cater to both family and social functions. A pocket door closes off the kitchen, family room and family powder room, and a back stairway and elevator lead upstairs so the kids can use these spaces during a party—sight and sound unseen.
Hawley, an expert cook, immersed herself in the kitchen design with help from kitchen designer Patty Whitman. Double ovens, sinks, microwaves and dishwashers make the space functional, while Bianco Antico granite countertops and a white back-painted glass backsplash offset dark cabinets and wood floors. In the adjacent family room, oversized windows flank a stucco-clad fireplace.
The master suite, positioned on one side of the bridge above the loggia with the boys’ rooms on the other, is a picture of serenity. Inspired by a hotel the couple visited in Mexico, the bathroom pampers them with smooth limestone and marble tiles and a soaking tub with views of the treetops. “The site lines make it feel like you’re in a private sanctuary,” says Loev.
The second floor also features rooms with en suite baths for each son, a well-appointed guest suite and a kids’ gallery where the parents and boys gather to read and unwind before bedtime. A large third-story playroom prevents toys from straying into other areas of the house.
On the lower level, Loev and Hawley have created a sophisticated “club room.” Unlike their previously dark basement, the new space is bathed in light thanks to the open staircase and bridge near the fireplace. An indoor-outdoor bar, a modular sofa and an etched stainless-steel wall sculpture make this space perfect for large gatherings. A whole-house Lutron lighting system and wireless sound system by SONOS enable the owners to set moods with ease. “We wanted it to be a little sexy down there,” says Miller. The lower level also features an exercise room and a bathroom with a steam shower.
When the project was completed, Loev and Hawley felt “a sense of loss” because their fruitful collaboration had come to a close. “We were very involved,” recalls Loev. “Every element was a collaboration—much to our designer’s and architect’s chagrin,” he adds with a laugh.
“They were the perfect clients,” Flach responds. “There was such a great push from each of us to stretch the limits. That’s what makes great architecture.”
Photographer Greg Hadley is based in Fairfax, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: THOMAS FLACH, AIA, vice president, KohlMark Group - Architects and Builders, Burke, Virginia. CONSTRUCTION: THOMAS FLACH and WADE GREENE, project manager, KohlMark Group - Architects and Builders. INTERIOR DESIGN: MICHELLE MILLER, Michelle Miller Interiors, Baltimore, Maryland. LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Through the Garden, Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home design and building/remodeling features. Wonderful visuals of custom homes and eco-friendly resources are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design and remodeling projects to life.
ALPINE OASIS
Perched atop Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, the recently opened Montage Deer Valley offers five-star luxury in a picturesque mid-mountain setting. Guests choose from 174 rooms and suites and 81 private residences, with restaurant and in-room dining options. Enjoy ski-in, ski-out access, sleigh riding, ice-skating and a spa. Winter rates start at $845 a night. montagedeervalley.com
LONDON CALLING
Minutes from Buckingham Palace, 51 Buckingham Gate Hotel recently unveiled the posh Jaguar Suite. Its two bedrooms, dining space, kitchen and study pay homage to the legendary auto maker with Italian leather, high-gloss metal finishes and Jaguar wallpaper. Guests enjoy a chauffeur-driven Jaguar and butler service. Rates are $8,500 a night. 51-buckinghamgate.com
LUXURY AFLOAT
The antidote to post-holiday blues, the Sunshine to Skyscrapers cruise aboard the Crystal Symphony, from February 7 to 26, explores the wonders of Southeast Asia with stops at—among other ports—Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in Australia, Singapore and Bali. Aboard-ship luxuries abound, from gourmet cuisine to entertainment and a spa. From $11,910 per person. crystalcruises.com
LUCKY SEVEN
The seventh-generation Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet features the world’s first optional seven-speed manual transmission in a passenger car. The convertible reaches 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 187 mph. Its intelligent, lightweight design translates to high fuel efficiency. On sale in the U.S. in spring 2012; $108,000. porsche.com
COOL TOUCH
The Grandoe Bentley leather gloves for men have a special sensor-touch technology that enables wearers to interact with an iPhone screen—a must for texting in cold weather. They also boast a cashmere lining. In Bloomingdale’s stores; $115.
NOSTALSIA TRIP
The Victoria Nostalgic Internet Radio delivers modern-day music options in vintage style. Inside the 1940s-era walnut exterior, it’s an Internet radio that interfaces with Pandora, SiriusXM and more than 50,000 radio stations and on-demand content providers. It also streams music from your PC or Mac. $230; gracedigitalaudio.com
DINING OUTPOST
DC’s sustainably minded Founding Farmers has opened a location in Potomac, Maryland. CORE architecture + design masterminded the eco-friendly space, which features silo-styled booths and reclaimed and recycled materials. 12505 Park Potomac Avenue; 301-340-8783. foundingfarmers.com
IT'S A WRAP
Celebrate Chinese New Year at The Source with (top to bottom) irresistible lobster-shrimp spring roll, chive dumpling, scallop sui mai, pork belly potsticker and chicken dumpling. 575 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW; 202-637-6100. wolfgangpuck.com
EDIBLE ART
Culinary Institute of America-trained Tim Gearhart creates small batches of chocolates by hand using premium Venezuelan cacao and quality fruits, nuts and liquors. His Charlottesville, Virginia, company offers boxed collections (right)—perfect for your Valentine. gearhartschocolates.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living. Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
It would be the first Thanksgiving for Nicholas and Romie Stefanelli in their century-old row house in DC’s up-and-coming Atlas District, and on a sunny November morning the chef had some cooking to do. The next day, 20 guests were gathering at their home—in addition to the 275 patrons awaiting Thanksgiving dinner at DC’s popular Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca.
Tall orders like these are all in a day’s work for 31-year-old Stefanelli, who was named 2010 Rising Culinary Star by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Having quickly climbed the ranks at some of the area’s top restaurants, the Maryland native has little time for entertaining given his six-day work week.
Nick and Romie were introduced by mutual friends in Dewey Beach. They married in 2008 and settled into a condo in Virginia, but Stefanelli soon tired of the commute into DC—and the cramped kitchen. “Once I tried to make a seven-course dinner in the condo,” he recalls. “Guys were coming in with sides of beef and I only had four burners. It was a very long day.” The couple eventually decided to search for a house in the District, a process that would take a year and 60-plus visits with their real estate agents.
When they saw the renovated Northeast row house, it was love at first sight. Developer Ryan Loughlin of Rainbow Properties had created an open plan on the main level and added central air conditioning and a modern kitchen. These upgrades, combined with such period details as original moldings and an exposed brick wall, cinched the deal. “The house had almost everything we wanted,” says Romie, an account director at a marketing firm. They bought it in December 2010.
The main level houses a living area, dining room and kitchen. Family photographs and mementoes collected on their travels dot the walls and tabletops. Upstairs in the master bedroom the Stefanellis removed crawl space to create higher ceilings and added built-in cabinetry. A second bedroom doubles as a guest room and home office.
The house has a small yard where in warmer months the couple grows rosemary, tomatoes and “a plethora of basil,” says Stefanelli. “I think I made four months’ worth of pesto this year and it all grew back.”
With a mother of Greek descent and an Italian father, it is no wonder that Nick grew up in a home where vegetable gardens and cooking from scratch were the norm. But it was fashion—not cuisine—that first lured him to Italy. On a trip to Milan to enroll in fashion school, he got hooked on food instead. “I saw food culture there that the U.S. didn’t have,” he explains. “I wanted to become a part of that.” So he enrolled in Maryland’s L’Academie de Cuisine, landed an externship at Roberto Donna’s legendary Galileo and, later, worked with chef Fabio Trabocchi at Maestro and New York’s Fiamma. “I’ve had very good teachers who gave me some good background,” he understates.
In 2009, restaurateur Ashok Bajaj tapped Stefanelli to open Bibiana. Two years later, the restaurant earned a three-star review from Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema, who confessed to taking “personal communion with pasta” under Stefanelli’s spell.
Adept at putting a spin on the classics, the chef explores “variables in cultural identity.” Lately, he’s been turned on by seaweed he discovered on a trip to Shanghai. “When you travel, you take back what you learned and apply it. These seaweeds give you an earthy flavor and tie in nicely with mushrooms. They’re not necessarily an Italian ingredient, but there is seaweed in the Mediterranean,” he reasons. “I like being able to put a twist on different things.”
On Sundays, he and Romie catch up with friends and Stefanelli works out on long rides with a cycling team. He also devotes time to worthy causes, from feeding DC’s hungry to promoting school nutrition. On January 22, he will participate in Sunday Night Suppers—when 30 local chefs will cook $500-a-person dinners in private homes; the proceeds will benefit Martha’s Table and DC Central Kitchen.
For now, the Stefanellis are enjoying their new home and looking forward to what the future might bring. In five years, Stefanelli muses, perhaps he’ll have his own restaurant. “Whether it’s with the group I’m with or on my own, time will tell. I’m at a good place right now, and I have the ability to grow.”
Nick Stefanelli’s Chestnut Soup
1 pound peeled chestnuts
1 small celery root, diced
6 shallots, peeled and sliced
10 button mushroom,s sliced
3 quarts of chicken stock
½ pound butter
2 bay leaves
2 cups of Marsala or Madeira
Place a medium-sized stock pot over medium heat and add the butter. Once butter begins to foam, add the chestnuts and gently toast in two or three batches, being careful not burn the burn the butter. Once all the chestnuts have been toasted, remove from the pot and add the shallots, mushrooms and celery root and cook until golden brown. Then deglaze the pot with the Maderia or Marsala. Reduce the wine by half and add the chestnuts, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let cook for about 45 minutes or until the chestnuts are soft. Then pureé in a blender to a smooth and creamy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Photographer Bob Narod is based in Herndon, Virginia.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living. Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
After completing an addition to their traditional Chevy Chase, Maryland, home, the owners approached Larry Rosen to help them design a new kitchen in the space that opens to their backyard. They expressed a desire for a classic, transitional style. “They wanted something nice and clean looking,” Rosen recalls, “but didn’t want it to be boring.”
Rosen worked closely with his clients to help them realize their vision. They selected white Elmwood cabinets with profiled doors, and marble countertops. By breaking the cabinets into two rows that reach ceiling height, Rosen made sure they did not appear too massive. Dark-stained wood floors add contrast. “The dark floors help bring out some of the colors in the marble countertop and make the cabinets pop,” Rosen says. A prep sink near the refrigerator and range makes for an efficient work triangle, while a wall perpendicular to the stainless-steel fridge (not pictured) houses an oven, microwave and warming drawer.
A large island with a breakfast bar is a perfect spot for casual meals, and an adjacent sitting area provides a reading nook overlooking the garden.
Rosen credits his client with selecting some of the details, such as squared-off cabinet knobs and pulls that echo the cabinet profile. “She definitely had a style she was looking for,” Rosen recalls. “I gave suggestions but ultimately the choices were hers.”
Rosen believes that all-white kitchens such as this one have staying power. “There will always be a place for white kitchens in traditional, transitional and contemporary homes,” he says. “There are some trends that come and go, but white kitchens are a constant.”
Photographer Stacy Zarin Goldberg is based in Olney, Maryland.
ARCHITECTURE: MICHAEL FOX, Fox Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. KITCHEN DESIGN: LARRY ROSEN, CKD, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens Inc., Rockville, Maryland. PHOTOGRAPHY: STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG, Olney, Maryland.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
When called in to rescue homeowners from their “disjointed” kitchen, Jennifer Gilmer was forced to think outside of the box. Multiple additions to the Tudor residence in Chevy Chase, Maryland, had left it with a small galley kitchen that opened to a larger kitchen with plenty of prep space—but no stove. “My client was forced to cook in the smallest part of this huge space,” Gilmer explains. “It was the worst case I’ve seen in my kitchen career.”
During the design phase, Gilmer discovered that the crux of the problem was a supporting brick wall that enclosed the galley kitchen. After an engineer determined that the wall could be removed as long as additional structural support was added, Gilmer convinced her clients to tear it down, opening up the irregularly shaped kitchen into a cohesive whole.
In its place, Gilmer designed an efficient wall housing the refrigerator, freezer drawers, a wall oven and cabinetry. A large angled island makes cooking and entertaining a breeze. While CaesarStone tops the workspace, the breakfast bar is made of walnut. “I always tell people to make breakfast bars with a wood top,” says Gilmer. “It’s very uncomfortable putting dishes on granite.” She offset dark walnut cabinets—chosen to complement the tenor of the Tudor home—with innovative materials such as a glass-tile backsplash and panels of acid-etched mirrored glass that depending on the light “go from gray to green to blue to reflective,” according to Gilmer. A butler’s pantry that replaced the former galley kitchen is perfect for entertaining; during parties; the wife stows dirty dishes there—and closes the door.
She is now “ecstatic” about her new kitchen, says Gilmer. “A lot of people try to fight the shape and make a squared-off kitchen in an angled space. I tell my clients that the space tells us what it wants. You have to honor the space.”
Photographer Bob Narod is based in Herndon, Virginia
KITCHEN DESIGN: JENNIFER GILMER, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath Ltd., Chevy Chase, Maryland. Contractor: M.R. Thornton & Sons, Inc, Woodbine, Maryland.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
Homeowners in Oakton, Virginia, needed help with their small, lackluster kitchen and approached John Heltzel to design an expansion. “Their previous kitchen didn’t communicate well with the rest of the living space and was hard to move around in,” Heltzel recalls. “It didn’t take advantage of the views and was isolated from the rest of the house.”
Heltzel studied dozens of possibilities, creating both three-dimensional models and sketches. Eventually, they decided on a plan that would bump the existing footprint out about 10 to 12 feet to create a large kitchen that opens to the dining room. “It has a central presence to other parts of the house and people when they entertain,” Heltzel says. Picture windows frame views of the wooded backyard.
Jay Huyett and Robert Templon of Studio Snaidero DC collaborated on the layout of the new kitchen. Plenty of workspace atop a long, central island and a parallel bank of cabinets create efficient areas for cooking and casual dining, while copious cabinets and drawers provide plenty of storage. Sleek cabinets juxtapose high-gloss lacquered fronts in brightly hued cedar green with base units in a brushed-wood matrix finish. “The color really helps lead the eye through the space,” says Huyett, “and makes it more lively and fun.”
A built-in desk by the windows allows the owners to enjoy the view while they work. From here, they can also watch the flat-screen TV that hangs on the opposite wall of their new light-filled kitchen.
“It took a lot of time and thought to get it right,” says Heltzel. “But in the end everything fell into place.”
Photographer Greg Hadley is based in Fairfax, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: JOHN F. HELTZEL, AIA, John F. Heltzel, AIA, PC, McLean, Virginia. KITCHEN DESIGN: JAY HUYETT, AIA, and ROBERT TEMPLON, Studio Snaidero DC, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: HELZTELHAUS INC., McLean, Virginia.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
As the holiday season winds down and the last ornaments are put away, most people are happy to take a break from entertaining. But spending time indoors with family and friends can add some spice to the otherwise dreary months ahead.
For hosts who want to entertain in style but don’t have the time or talent to fuss over tabletop designs, flower arrangements and the like, help is at hand. Manvi Drona-Hidalgo, a Takoma Park stylist and blogger (mochatini.net), is an authority on creating chic tablescapes for any occasion. When she’s not staging vignettes for HGTV, she helps clients create one-of-a-kind looks at home—without breaking the budget.
First, she meets with the client to discuss the scope of the party. “We talk about what’s on the menu and the flow of the event,” Drona-Hidalgo explains. “I see what they have at home and if we can buy one or two more elements.”
Drona-Hidalgo recommends that homeowners purchase a set of white dinner plates, which can be dressed up with colorful but less expensive dessert and salad plates as accents. “I might run to a thrift store and see if there’s anything in a color scheme we can play with,” she says. One of her favorite sources for unexpected finds is the Salvation Army. “You’d be amazed at what people in the Washington area give away—without knowing what they’re actually giving away.”
Drona-Hidalgo’s novel schemes may involve repurposing wallpaper as a table runner, creating napkins out of vibrant fabrics, and crafting fabulous centerpieces using unexpected materials—from ornamental oregano to hollow birch bark. She also helps clients fashion easy floral arrangements.
Another business, H.Bloom (hbloom.com), is generating local buzz for its flower subscription service. The startup, which also operates in New York, delivers fresh flowers to consumers’ doorsteps at an affordable price point, starting at $29 per delivery. “The last thing you want to worry about the day of a party is trying to find the right flowers to put the finishing touch on your space,” says Sean Wainwright, manager of H.Bloom in DC. “We’re completely open to rescheduling your delivery and getting you a fresh bouquet right before your event.”
Another new company, Host a Toast (hostatoast.com) puts a spin on the typical dinner party with special wine and spirits pairings led by wine experts or mixologists. “We bring an educational aspect to the typical party,” says founder Jacqueline Geyfman. “We focus on engaging guests and giving them a memorable experience so they walk away gaining something new.”
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living. Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
It is not uncommon for a designer to play the role of diplomat when a husband and wife don’t share a common aesthetic. Such was the case when Herndon, Virginia, homeowners approached kitchen designer Lois Kennedy to revamp their bland, white builder-grade kitchen. “It was really a matter of balancing his taste and her taste,” says Kennedy. “He would’ve gone very contemporary. And she would’ve gone Old World traditional. They left it up to us to make the transition.”
Kennedy’s design created a functional and efficient layout without changing the footprint of the original kitchen, which she describes as “dysfunctional to the nth degree.” The main sink wall now features a 36-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator above freezer drawers, a clean-up area and coffee and snack center. The perpendicular wall houses a six-burner Wolf range flanked by pull-out spice cabinets. A multi-level island serves many functions, with its prep sink, round serving table, sit-up bar and hidden appliance lift.
In terms of detail, Kennedy walked a fine line between her clients’ preferences. Warm wooden cabinets, an understated hood and leaded-glass cabinet doors are traditional without being too ornate. Natural materials, including granite counters on the periphery and island, rich woods and copper sinks, focus on quality and craftsmanship rather than show. Cylindrical pendants made with hand-blown glass and wrought ironwork are “modern and whimsical all at the same time,” says the designer, who enjoyed the couple’s give and take during the design stage. “They negotiated in a wonderful, good-natured way,” Kennedy explains. “She would have liked a little more fuss. He would have gone more sleek. But I am very pleased about how it all came together.”
Photographer Lydia Cutter is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
KITCHEN DESIGN: LOIS KENNEDY, CKD, Portfolio Kitchens, Vienna, Virginia. CONTRACTOR: VINCE LOPARO, Still Waters Group, Lovettsville, Virginia.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
A disjointed Oakton, Virginia, kitchen lacked a direct route to the dining room. It also suffered from outdated appliances, a shortage of natural light, and an obtrusive peninsula with no space for seating. The frustrated owners called on kitchen designer Savena Doychinov for a total overhaul.
Her ambitious plan would improve functionality and circulation between the kitchen and the rest of the house. It involved the removal and replacement of the existing kitchen’s walls and the installation of two French doors and a triple window to bathe the space in natural light. The project demanded major structural work. “A lot of things that you don’t see had to be done to ensure proper support and quality construction,” says Doychinov.
The open design centers on a large island housing the cooktop and a breakfast bar. A wide doorway flanked by glass-fronted cabinetry leads to the dining room, while an adjacent wall features a 90-inch-long, counter-height divider between the kitchen and den. Where a closet once contained the laundry and basic shelving, Doychinov installed a refrigerator and freezer drawers, a speed oven and a pull-out pantry.
Her clients requested a “handcrafted, Asian” look that would not be too contemporary for their Colonial home. Doychinov rimmed the upper cabinets with cherry planks and selected warm, organic materials, from wrought-iron hardware to honed Pietra Gray marble countertops. “You want to modernize and upgrade, but you have to respect the existing architecture,” she says. “I think we hit a happy medium.”
The National Kitchen and Bath Association clearly agreed: The organization bestowed its “Best Before and After” award for 2011 on this cheerful, innovative project.
Photographer Bob Narod is based in Herndon, Virginia.
KITCHEN DESIGN: Savena Doychinov, CKD, principal; Dimiter Doychinov, project manager, Design Studio International Kitchen & Bath, LLC, Falls Church, Virginia.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
Washington-based Nestor Santa-Cruz first discovered the work of the late French designer Jean-Michel Frank when he was 17 years old and an aspiring architect. “I used to get ten dollars from my grandfather every month and I would buy Architectural Digest,” he recalls. “One of my first copies was a 1976 issue with the Paris apartment of Yves St. Laurent that was believed to have been designed by Frank.” The same issue featured an essay on Frank by Van Day Truex of the Parsons School of Design in Paris, where Frank taught a class and designed the classic Parsons table. Santa-Cruz has admired Frank’s pared-down interiors and iconic furniture designs ever since.
Today a design director for Gensler who also has his own residential interiors practice, Santa-Cruz often pays homage to Frank in his work. Such was the case in an Alexandria, Virginia, home, recently completed for a couple and their three sons. They approached Santa-Cruz after seeing his work in magazines and a show house. “Of his projects I’ve seen, even though there are threads of commonality, they are very much suited to the client,” says the wife. “With Nestor, I knew I wouldn’t get another cookie-cutter design. I felt like I was going to get my own look.”
She and her husband asked Santa-Cruz to create quiet, slightly masculine interiors in the elegant Belle Haven home that they had recently updated with help from Texas-based architect Pedro Aguirre. The 1948 residence, with its stone façade and simple form, lent itself to a restrained approach. “To me, there’s a Puritan kind of lack of decoration on the exterior that makes sense with my clients’ interest in a minimal look—not a lot of tchotchkes or unnecessary things,” he explains. “It fit very well to do this sort of pared-down minimalism that is warm and comfortable.”
Before he lifted a pencil, Santa-Cruz introduced the homeowners to Frank. He gave them a copy of The Stylemakers: Minimalism and Classic Modernism 1915-1945, written by his friend Mo Amelia Teitelbaum, which details the designer’s work in Europe and Argentina. “I wanted to help them understand that this current design aesthetic—minimalism—comes from the history of design and show them how we could connect it to modern living,” says Santa-Cruz.
“When you look at Paris and what was going on at the time, Frank came out of that brilliant era,” says the wife. “I saw where Nestor was going and just loved it.”
Once the vision was clear, the designer set about furnishing rooms with a spare touch—emphasizing precious materials and textures but, in true Frank style, limiting art and accessories to a few carefully chosen pieces. An overall palette of grays and creams creates a subdued backdrop that the designer likens to a cashmere sweater.
In the foyer, he juxtaposed an English-style console with a modern stool of his own design, inspired by a Frank piece. A classic sofa in chenille and two Holly Hunt bergères invite repose while a waterfall table in shagreen—one of Frank’s favorite materials—lends texture and pattern to the look.
In the dining room, a Murano glass chandelier found in Argentina adds a hint of color above the table. Shades of gray reappear in the kitchen, where Aguirre combined the latest appliances with marble countertops and other details that suit the home’s vintage.
Santa-Cruz achieved a sense of serenity in the master bedroom. A parchment bench, a Louis XVI chair and a Niermann Weeks table lamp called Le Michel all pay tribute to Frank’s aesthetic.
Aside from the study, the homeowners have left the windows bare to make the most of views that include glimpses of the Potomac River during the winter. But remaining open to change is part of the Modernist oeuvre. “The house really became a canvas they can build upon,” says Santa-Cruz. “We may add draperies; maybe not. But in the meantime the story is complete with their intent.”
The homeowners could not be happier. “It is amazing what Nestor put us in touch with—pieces from Paris, Argentina, L.A.—that we would never have known about. He’s so well traveled and able to pull from his sources all the time,” says the wife.
“We ended up with this little jewel of a comfortable home,” Santa-Cruz observes. “I was certainly influenced by the work of Frank, yet it has its own personality.”
Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac, Maryland, and Spain.
RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE: PEDRO AGUIRRE, Pedro J. Aguirre Architect, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: NESTOR SANTA-CRUZ, IIDA, LEED AP, Nestor Santa-Cruz Decoration, Washington, DC.
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs. Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Perched on a crest overlooking the Potomac River in Glen Echo, Maryland, the steel, concrete and wooden house stands just as majestic as the parkland surrounding it. Washington architect Robert M. Gurney designed the boldly modern main house, the detached garage/home office and the open, airy spaces they contain to celebrate this enviable site with minimal impact on the sylvan landscape.
After purchasing the property and tearing down its outdated house, a Washington developer approached Gurney to design his residence. The owner’s wish list included a swimming pool, an unexpected material palette and an emphasis on the views. Preserving mature-growth trees was also a priority.
Gurney carefully considered the site and the challenges it posed. He located the house on the previous home’s foundation to minimize excavation. He wanted to integrate the pool on the home’s main living level—but the lot’s steep incline would make that next to impossible. Gurney solved the dilemma by literally suspending the pool off the rear living space. This dramatic feat of engineering (the pool is supported 20 feet off the ground with massive concrete buttresses) creates a visual drop-off from the living room to the shimmering water to the untamed woods beyond.
“Because we suspended the pool, we didn’t have to take down one mature tree, which is pretty amazing given that in essence this is a wooded lot,” Gurney explains. “Sixty percent of the house was built on the existing foundation; we only increased the footprint by 40 percent with the garage. We were able to design a decent-sized house without taking down many trees, which is one of the nice things about the site. You really feel as though you’re in a tree house.”
On approach from the street, visitors are greeted by an orderly pea gravel courtyard framed by stucco walls. The main house, clad in Red Balau wood and soft gray terne-coated stainless steel, sets a decidedly modern tone. A tranquil reflecting pool separates the residence from the detached garage, which also houses an office and a guest suite. After sunset, the garage appears to glow, thanks to panels of Kalwall, a translucent material resembling Shoji screens. “The idea,” says Gurney, “was to allow the garage to act as a lantern and light up the whole carport in front of the house.”
The reflecting pool serves as a threshold, ushering visitors from the everyday into another realm. Gurney laid out the floor plan in a linear fashion, oriented along the ridge so that every room on the first and second floors—with the exception of one bedroom—enjoys dramatic views.
Once inside, subtle detailing defines the living, dining and kitchen areas in what is essentially an open space surrounded by trees. A quarter-sawn white oak built-in concealing a TV and media system, and a wide panel of lava stone containing a fireplace, anchor the living room. Gurney juxtaposed the horizontal direction of the stone with a vertical slot that opens to the front hall. “The whole piece floats away from the wall at the far end of the living room,” he says.
White oak built-ins also rim one side of the dining area. In the kitchen, two islands—one housing ovens, a cooktop and down-draft exhaust fan and the other a sink and dishwasher—provide plenty of space for cooking. The refrigerator, freezer and small appliances are hidden away in aluminum-faced cabinetry.
With so much room for storage, the clutter-free living spaces are defined by carefully crafted organic elements, from the Pompeii Scarpaletto floors to the lava-stone fireplace surround. “I tried to break up the space with a series of elements—the fireplace element, the built-in element in the dining room,” explains Gurney. “I didn’t create spaces with walls but did it with millwork and finish materials.” Interior designer Therese Baron Gurney, who is married to the architect, selected pared-down furnishings with a low profile that are perfectly proportioned to the space.
The minimal palette allows the views to take center stage. Says Gurney, “It’s a site where you’re really close to downtown DC but you feel as though you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
The second floor features two guest bedrooms with en suite baths plus a large master suite encompassing a bedroom, a small office and a luxurious bath. The lower level, with a living area, game room and mechanical space, opens to the backyard at grade, since the pool is suspended above it.
Gurney and builder Lewis Bloom worked hard to design and build the project sustainably. They employed structural, precast concrete planks as a floor base, which minimized construction time and waste and also enabled them to easily install energy-efficient radiant heat flooring. Large overhangs reduce solar gain in the summer. “Basically, between the radiant-heat flooring and the overhangs on the south and west, the owner’s utility bills are minimal despite all the glass,” Gurney says.
With his office ensconced in the detached garage, the owner was also able to lighten his carbon footprint by eliminating a commute. “He wanted the office to feel like he was not in the house, but to be part of this complex so he didn’t have to drive to work,” says Gurney. “The office is a very nice space, but you have to leave the house to get to it.”
Photographer Maxwell MacKenzie is based in Washington, DC.
ARCHITECTURE: ROBERT M. GURNEY, FAIA, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: THERESE BARON GURNEY, ASID, Baron Gurney Interiors, Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: LEWIS BLOOM, Bloom Builders, Washington, DC.
The crisply detailed Victorian, with its wraparound porch, bay windows and cedar-shake exterior, looks as true to its century-old roots as the other homes lining its peaceful Chevy Chase street. But beyond the prim façade, tradition gives way to the 21st century and a thoroughly modern interior unfolds.
Initially, the owners had no intention of embarking on a large-scale project; they simply wanted to finish their basement so that their three sons would have an indoor play space. The existing basement, according to builder Laurence Cafritz, was a wet, leaky mess with low, six-foot ceilings. “It was pretty grungy down there,” he says.
Creating usable space in the basement would involve major excavation. As the owners weighed their options, they decided to expand the scope of the work and renovate the entire house, which had other pitfalls including an antiquated kitchen and an awkward 1980s rear addition.
Tearing down the house would be faster, easier—and far less expensive—than retaining part of the original. But the owners were concerned about preserving the historical integrity of their street. “They wanted a modern home,” says Cafritz. “But they didn’t want to disrupt the whole streetscape. They wanted to save the front and certain elements that are really appealing.”
The owners approached architect Andreas Charalambous to execute their vision, preserving the façade and front rooms of the original house, then transitioning to a modern, open program. Charalambous drew up the conceptual plan and then architects Steven Spurlock and J. Garrett Pressick of Wnuk Spurlock took over, completing the working drawings and finish details. About 1,000 square feet of the original house remain intact, with 7,000 square feet of the new or remodeled space making up the rest in the first and second floors and new, fully finished basement.
Beyond the foyer and front living room on the main floor and front bedrooms above, the existing house was demolished. Cafritz and his team had to design and build support systems to preserve the old structure and its roof during the excavation and new construction. “We had to put our heads together and build temporary frames, columns and beams,” he recalls. “Then we had to figure out how to build the new and remove the temporary without compromising anything. When it’s done, you have no idea that we had to go through that process.”
Today, visitors enter what Spurlock and Pressick call a “portal” where the now-restored stair rail, moldings and double-sided fireplace mantels convey the home’s architectural heritage. The traditional detail gives way to modern in the gallery, with its recessed flush baseboards and halogen lighting. On the right, the gallery leads to the dining and family rooms, where the octagonal 1980s addition once stood.
To the left, the gallery opens onto a completely refurbished kitchen with Poggenpohl cabinetry, a custom raised breakfast bar and TurboChef ovens. A former screened porch has been converted into a keeping room with a built-in desk for homework. Abutting the kitchen, a new entrance leads to a mudroom where lockers for each family member keep clutter at bay. It contains a family powder room, while a more formal powder room is located off the gallery. Both gallery and kitchen offer access to a terrace in the backyard, where the clean-lined rear façade reflects the home’s new modern aesthetic.
Second-floor updates include an airy landing with skylights, a master suite with a spa-like bath complete with a steam shower, and new bedrooms and bathrooms for the boys. The sons now enjoy a full basement with a home gym and a large play area where “abuse-resistant” walls can withstand incoming hockey pucks. There is also a drum room for budding musicians, a full kitchen, a guest room and a full bath with a large, tiered steam room.
The transition between the new and old sections of the home are seamless, both indoors and out—no easy feat to accomplish. “It’s really hard to explain to clients how incredibly difficult it is to make something look simple and clean,” says Spurlock. “It’s a lot easier to make it look fussy.”
Greg Hadley is a photographer in Fairfax, Virginia.
RENOVATION ARCHITECTURE: ANDREAS CHARALAMBOUS, AIA, FORMA Design, Washington, DC; STEVEN SPURLOCK, AIA, LEED AP, partner in charge; J. GARRETT PRESSICK, AIA, LEED AP, project manager, MARCY GIANNUNZIO, AIA, LEED AP, project architect, Wnuk Spurlock, Washington, DC. BUILDER: LAURENCE CAFRITZ, Laurence Cafritz Builders, Bethesda, Maryland.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Luxury Afloat
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises has unveiled the new S.S. Antoinette (above)—an 82-cabin ship with interiors inspired by Versailles. The Baccarat chandelier that once hung in New York’s famed Tavern on the Green is a focal point in the lobby. Suites (left) are appointed with lavish linens and marble baths. Itineraries along the Rhine River this fall start at $1,999. uniworld.com
Bermuda Escape
The first new luxury resort to be built on Bermuda in 40 years, Rosewood Tucker’s Point is nestled on 240 lush acres. It features a luxurious spa plus an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts—and an elevated yoga and tai chi lawn. The pool (pictured) overlooks Castle Harbour. Rates from $495. tuckerspoint.com
Hip Hotel Debut
Brooklyn has never been more happening, and the Aloft New York Brooklyn has pumped up the volume even more. The new hotel sports mod interiors by the Rockwell Group, a pool table in the lobby (left), a rooftop bar with views of Manhattan and a check-in process that eliminates the front desk altogether. Rates from $229. starwoodhotels.com
Style on Wheels
The 2012 Audi R8 Spyder is high on looks and performance. Buyers choose between two engines: the V8 and the V10, which goes from 1 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds. Among the many options is a seatbelt microphone which minimizes wind noise for hands-free talking on the phone with the top down. From $127,700; audi.com
Wake-Up Call
Stem Innovation’s TimeCommand audio alarm clock (left) makes mornings a little easier. Equipped with a free iTunes app, the dock integrates with your iPhone, iPod or iPad to allow you to drift off to sleep and wake up to your favorite music. The device also offers free Internet radio and even links with your bedside lamp to switch it on when it’s time to rise and shine. $100. StemInnovation.com
Just in Case
Protect your iPad or Kindle fashionably with the zip-around leather case by Tory Burch (below, left). It boasts interior pockets for documents and a suede lining. Available in turquoise or black, it measures 10 by 8 inches. $225; bloomingdales.com
Pure Sound
Soul Electronics’ new SL300 noise-cancelling headphones (bottom) were made in collaboration with Grammy award winner Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. The over-ear product is designed to seal in sound and block out ambient noise, promising a studio-quality listening experience. Available in gold or black and white. $299; soulelectronics.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living. Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Endless Summer
Hank’s Oyster Bar is fresh from an expansion that has doubled its size. O’Neill Studios spearheaded the project, which includes a new charcuterie room (above) with a ceiling painted in a striking modello motif. 1624 Q Street, NW; 202-462-4265; hanksdc.com
Miss Saigon?
Get your fix of Vietnamese bánh mì sandwiches, spring rolls and innovative salads at BONMi. The new DC spot opening in late October was designed by Mangan Group Architects using sustainable bamboo, glass and granite. The organic look complements the eatery’s fresh, wholesome fare. On left, the ingredients for a pineapple Caesar salad. 900 19th Street, NW; 202-785-0012. eatbonmi.com
Nostalgia Trip
Chef Jeff Tunks has opened District Commons on Washington Circle. Sleek interiors boast banquettes embellished with sepia-toned photographs depicting the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of yesteryear. The menu features classic American fare with a modern-day spin. 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW; 202-587-8277; districtcommonsdc.com
Night Moves
The Necklace Halter Gown by Aidan Mattox in dark teal silk is sure to make a statement with its bejeweled neckline. $440; available in select Bloomingdale’s stores and bloomingdales.com
Boot Camp
There’s nothing subtle about the Moura ankle boot (below, left), which marries a 4.7-inch stiletto heel with an ostrich leather shoe and metal fasteners. It’s $1,995 at Bally, the Swiss leather purveyor that recently opened a shop in Tysons Galleria. bally.com
Heavenly Scent
BODY (bottom), the latest women’s fragrance by Burberry, boasts green absinthe, freesia and peach top notes and natural rose, iris, and sandalwood at the heart. Its multi-faceted glass bottle is engraved with the company’s signature check in rose gold. From $75 for eau de parfum and $50 for body oil or body milk. burberry.com
**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs and coverage of luxury living. Wonderful visuals of luxury getaways and dining options are combined with inspired decor to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing luxury to life in home interiors and beyond.
