May/June 2011
Determined to push the limits of green building, architect Marcie Meditch decided to design a home that would generate as much energy as it consumes. The fact that there was no client on board didn’t stop her from going forward with the project as a spec home. Meditch approached Nash Construction, which has a proven track record in green practices, to build her zero-energy home on a lot in Bethesda that backs to a community center and park.
First, the outdated house on the property had to come down; neighbors were invited to salvage building materials during demolition. “People took windows, flooring, plantings and sliding glass doors,” Meditch recalls, “so we were able to recycle the house back to the neighborhood.”
Another lucky turn came a few months after construction had commenced. Ann Luskey, an ocean conservationist, heard about the project and decided to buy the home before it was finished. “Ann was very committed to the idea and was a perfect buyer as far as I was concerned,” says Meditch. Also an interior designer, Luskey got to work with Meditch selecting surfaces, finishes and materials that were not only stylish and modern, but eco-friendly.
A year later, the completed five-bedroom, 3,500-square-foot house embraces all of the tenets of green building. It is designed to keep energy needs—and consumption—as low as possible with its ultra-insulated skin and high-performance windows. Solar panels fuel most of the electricity and hot water—and cycle surplus energy back into the power grid. A geothermal system efficiently keeps the house warm in winter and cool in summer, while zoned heating and cooling can shut down in certain rooms when not in use. Energy Star-rated appliances and lighting help reduce energy needs.
Landscaping also plays an integral role in the plan. A green roof and rain garden help minimize storm water runoff while strategically planted trees as well as solar window shades and a large trellis screen out the summer sun.
The home’s LEED certification is pending and hopes are high that it will receive the highest rating, Platinum. But what makes Meditch most proud is the fact that there are no clues—aside from solar panels on the roof—that distinguish the zero-energy house from any other stylish new home in the area. “Most people were surprised that it is as inviting and comfortable as it is,” she says. “There’s a lot of behind-the-wall things that we did, but it looks just like a regular house. There’s no reason why any house can’t be this way with a little bit of thoughtfulness up front.”
ARCHITECTURE: MARCIE MEDITCH, AIA, and JOHN MURPHEY, AIA,
Meditch Murphey Architects, Inc., Chevy Chase, Maryland.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTuRE: JOAN HONEYMAN, Jordan Honeyman Landscape Architecture, LLC, Washington, DC. CONSTRUCTION: Nash Construction, Marshall, Virginia. STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: ROBERT SILLMAN & ASSOCIATES, Washington, DC. Photography: ANICE HOACHLANDER, Hoachlander Davis Photography, 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.
MAY/JUNE 2011
WHEN IN ROME
The Portrait Suites envelops guests in style and romance in the heart of the Eternal City. Its swank interiors designed by Michele Bönan feature marble bathrooms, black-stained French oak millwork and views of Monte Mario and the Spanish Steps. From about $740. designhotels.com/portrait_suites
LONDON CALLING
The brand new Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane recently opened its doors near Hyde Park. It boasts a glass-walled rooftop spa with views of the city, plus 192 elegant rooms and suites and a restaurant, Amaranto, serving afternoon tea with Italian flair. From about $600. fourseasons.com
TROPICAL ESCAPE
The W Retreat & Spa Bali—Seminyak mixes cutting-edge design with local influences. Its luxurious villa retreats offer refreshing pools while its 24-7 AWAY Spa pampers guests in a pure oxygen-filled lounge before treatments. From $388 with breakfast through June 30. whotels.com/baliseminyak
LET THE SHOW BEGIN
Dining becomes theater—literally—at Sensorium,a pop-up restaurant housed in a 36-foot geodisc dome near National’s Park stadium. Artists choreograph performances in sync with the presentation of a 12-course repast created by chef Bryon Brown. Dazzling dishes may include an oyster medley or pork belly with sautéed asparagus and a potato ring. $150 per person through May 22. sensoriumdc.com
GOOD LIBATIONS
Bartender Brennan Adams has introduced fruit-laced cocktails at DC’s Masa 14 just in time for warmer weather. Choices include lychee lemonade, which pairs lychee purée and a splash of Bacardi Razz, and a cherry-margarita or a cherry-tequila smash, both containing tequila that’s been infused overnight with dried cherries. 1825 14th Street, NW; 202-328-1414. masa14.com
CAPITAL INFUSION
Manelle Martino, whose great-great-grandfather was a tea grower, is keeping the tradition alive with Capital Teas, a shop offering 120 loose teas from around the world plus teapots and accessories. After opening her first location in Annapolis in 2007, she is now expanding her empire with new outposts in National Harbor, Bethesda’s Wildwood Shopping Center and Georgetown, with Dupont Circle coming soon. capitalteas.com
SET SAIL FOR SUMMER
Designed by Bruce King in 1995, the Hinckley Sou’wester 70 is still turning heads in harbors around the globe. Its minimal, six-foot, six-inch draft enables the graceful 70-foot yacht to anchor almost anywhere. Below deck, Hinckley configures the cabins, salon, galley and dining areas according to captain’s orders. hinckleyyachts.com
COVER-UP INTRIGUE
Gottex’s Aquarelle Flower Cover-up brings high fashion to the sands with its deep caftan neckline, loose three-quarter sleeves and imported Italian silk. $398. It complements a matching strapless one-piece bathing suit, $178. neimanmarcus.com
RAISING CANE
Nothing conjures up the heyday of stylish travel like the proper handbag. Two Tiffany creations, the Eliza bucket tote, $695 and the Avery top handle bag, $895, combine classic caning, natural grain leather and palladium-plated solid brass hardware. Both made in Italy. tiffany.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.
May/June 2011
Yoga takes on deeper meaning when practiced in a sustainably designed guesthouse overlooking Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. This idyll in the woods with an arced wall of glass was built by the owners of a DC yoga studio as an offshoot of their vacation home on the same five-acre property.
Architect Jim Burton built the main house as an “early try at sustainable design” 17 years ago. When its current owners approached him about adding another bedroom onto the home, they discovered that zoning laws would not permit an addition, but building a separate, freestanding structure was okay. So they asked Burton to design a guesthouse where they could accommodate friends and family and enjoy yoga sessions with views of the surrounding wilderness.
With the project confined by regulations to a mere 600 square feet, the architect had to make the most of every inch. Compact in form yet graceful in line, the completed structure embraces nature in its design as well as its modest carbon footprint. In fact, the yoga studio became the first LEED for Homes Gold Certified House in the southeastern U.S.
The clients requested that Burton and interior designer Michelle Timberlake get inventive with their use of materials—and they happily complied. The studio’s exterior walls and roof are constructed of curved, prefabricated SIPs (structural insulated panels). Its base is clad in TX Active pollution abatement cement, a product that actually cleans the air, in its first-ever usage in the U.S. In lieu of drywall and paint, interior walls are sheathed in stretched canvas and coated with a beeswax and resin finish.
The curved window wall takes advantage of passive solar energy and also creates wider volume in the main living space, while Burton “pinched” the ends of the structure to conserve precious square footage in secondary spaces such as the doorways, mudroom and bath. “Not only is the arc tracking the passive solar quality of the sun moving across the sky,” says Burton, “but it also reveals panoramic views towards the valley and the rock ledge and the trees. It all works in harmony.”
Panels in the reclaimed poplar floor open to reveal three built-in beds in the main living space. Moveable furnishings have organic lines that mimic the curves of the architecture. Wool upholstery adds punches of color, but there is otherwise no superfluous ornamentation.
“We talked about the idea of not having any artwork in the project so that there are no metaphysical distractions in the space,” says Burton. “It’s all about the nature, the light, the material, the detailing of the building and the people.”
ARCHITECTURE: JIM BURTON, AIA, Carter + Burton Architecture & Interior Design, Berryville, Virginia. INTERIOR DESIGN: MICHELLE TIMBERLAKE, ASID, IIDA, Carter + Burton Architecture & Interior Design. CONTRACTOR: CHARLES SNEAD, Boyce, Virginia. Photography: DANIEL AFZAL, Alexandria, 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.
May/June 2011
The white shingle-style model home on Bradley Boulevard in Bethesda has generated considerable buzz since its debut last fall. Designed by architect George Myers of GTM Architects, the spacious five-bedroom residence boasts a welcoming front portico, an oversized gourmet kitchen and luxurious bathrooms. But there’s more beneath the stylish amenities and architectural detail than meets the eye.
Dubbed the Bradley Green Home, it is a modular house constructed in half the time it would take to build a typical custom home. It takes advantage of practical green-building methods such as geothermal heating and cooling, solar-powered hot water and a rainwater-collection and -irrigation system. Designed with a tight building envelope using high-efficiency windows and insulation, it is expected to be 40 percent more energy efficient than a traditionally built home (its LEED certification is pending).
New Classics by Sandy Spring Builders—an affiliate of Sandy Spring Builders, which has a 30-year-track record of building upscale homes in the region—developed the model. “The house shows that you can take a beautifully designed, architecturally detailed, well-constructed home that is along the lines of what many people are looking for in a new home,” says Mimi Brodsky Kress, one of New Classics’ principals, “and incorporate sensible, practical green features.”
New Classics partnered with Haven Homes, a Baltimore-based company that creates energy-efficient, air-tight modular homes, to build the Bradley Green Home using George Myers’s design. It was completed in less than 16 weeks from foundation—half the time associated with typical construction techniques. Since finished modules were transported to the site in a single day, the builders avoided the material waste and transportation costs involved in conventional building. The shorter construction time also reduced prolonged disruptions and noise pollution in the neighborhood. The Bethesda Green Home is now serving as a model for similar homes to be built throughout the region.
In the backyard, a small, freestanding guesthouse with French doors flanked by columns is also open for tours. The home was designed by architect Russell Versaci for Retreats, LLC, a venture he launched last year with Sandy Spring Builders. The company has introduced a line of systems-built cottages that range from 475 to 1,100 square feet in size. Delivered to home sites in just 45 days, they can serve myriad purposes, from offices and studios to guesthouses and in-law suites. Also based on modular construction, Retreats are energy-efficient and minimize waste as well as construction time.
The Bradley Green Home and its Retreat have struck a chord among consumers and sales of similar models are on the rise. Kress attributes their success to an educated public who can differentiate between “feel-good green” and “practical green.”
“Practical green is something like the geothermal heating and cooling,” she explains, adding that while these alternative methods cost more than traditional systems, the payback and tax credits are worth the investment. “With rain harvesting, you’re saving on your water usage but you’re also recycling nature’s rainfall. You’re helping the environment and you’re saving money in utility bills and in consumption.
“As we did our research and looked into things,” Kress concludes, “it made a lot of sense.”
MAIN HOUSE ARCHITECTURE: GEORGE MYERS, AIA, GTM Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. RETREAT ARCHITECTURE: RUSSELL VERSACI, Russell Versaci Architecture, Middleburg, Virginia. CONTRACTOR: NEW CLASSICS BY SANDY SPRING BUILDERS, Bethesda, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: URBAN COUNTRY, Bethesda, Maryland. LIVING RETAINING WALL: FINE EARTH LANDSCAPE, INC., Poolesville, Maryland. LANDSCAPING: CLEARWATER LANDSCAPE, Ijamsville, Maryland.
**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.
MAY/JUNE 2011
Perched on a bluff overlooking the Chesapeake Bay, a home with stone and stucco walls and red clay roof tiles appears to have been plucked from the foothills of Tuscany. Which is exactly what its owners envisioned when they approached architect Wayne Good to transform the outdated circa-1900 home they had recently purchased. Itinerant travelers, the couple had long dreamt of buying a villa overlooking Italy’s Lake Como. But with children and grandchildren firmly planted on the East Coast, they passed up the Alps and instead decided to settle into a vacation property on U.S. soil.
The owners saw potential in the home that was built “upside down” as Wayne Good describes it, with the bedrooms on the lower level and the grand living room elevated to take advantage of the water views. The brick structure had two side wings added on in the 1950s, one of which contained “the most convoluted kitchen” Good had ever seen. They decided the narrow, poorly built additions would have to go, but the original house would be left intact as they planned an elaborate renovation and expansion according to the couple’s shared vision. “The clients are in love with Italy,” says Good, “so we set out to reflect an Italian sensibility in the design. It’s a collage of many different Italian influences. The stone reflects a Tuscan farmhouse but the form and symmetrical formality were inspired by Palladio’s Villa Barbaro [in Veneto].”
The architect wanted to establish a sense that the villa was built over time with a variety of materials. Fieldstone on the front façade gives way to stucco and limestone detailing on the sides.
Good’s plan enveloped the original home with new construction. On the eastern side, a library and private guest suite were added on the main level, with a circular stair tower leading down to the master bedroom suite below. In the western wing, a new family room and kitchen occupy the main level with a garage and staff quarters below. A loggia on the rear of the property connects the two new wings. Its walls are painted with Tuscan scenes and its French doors spill out to a renovated pool with water views. On the front façade, a new central pavilion plays upon Villa Barbaro with a basilica-like entry flanked by a pair of gabled forms (an exact reverse of Palladio’s design). A stained-glass window with a floral motif installed above the massive front door is a reference to the name the owners gave the home: Villa dei Fiori.
The entry leads to a conservatory displaying a collection of sculpture. Arched doors open to the grand hall where visitors get their first panoramic glimpse of the bay beyond. “In waterfront homes,” says Good, “I like to have the house unfold and choreograph how you ultimately get the view.”
When construction began, the owners hired designer Erin Paige Pitts to help execute their vision throughout the interiors. Acting as the liaison between the constantly traveling couple and the builder, Winchester Construction, she also managed the entire three-year project. During monthly client meetings, Pitts discussed finishes and furniture, lavishing attention on every detail down to register returns and hardware.
The designer remained true to the owners’ well-articulated vision. “Since they had traveled so extensively, our clients would take pictures of details, particularly in ruins and old historic structures. It was through this type of imagery that we established most of what we did,” says Pitts. “I loved the opportunity to work in a specific vernacular.”
No expense was spared on authenticity; composites, veneers and other shortcuts were not an option. From the floors to the mantels and the window casings to the columns, all of the stone is real and carved by hand. Teams of faux painters were enlisted to perfect the finishes, from the hand-stenciling on the restored trusses in the grand hall to the rich Venetian plaster in what Pitts calls the “voluptuous” powder room that combines silk Fortuny drapes, a custom marble vanity and antique mosaic flooring.
The couple requested a shared study where a terracotta relief by British sculptor Paul Day would take center stage above the fireplace.Wayne Good painstakingly designed the mahogany millwork to offset the art. “Trying to work the study was an intricate piece of sculpture in itself,” he recalls. “It was quite a feat to get the sculpture insulated from potential heat from the fireplace and lighted from above.”
In his design of the kitchen millwork, Good echoed the proportions of the adjacent grand hall. Pitts helped design the travertine hood, which was hand-carved by artisans from Monte Regalo, and adapted the iron chandelier, which was original to the house, with blown glass leaves.
A circular stairway with a decorative iron rail in a floral motif descends to the lower level. A picture of serenity, the master bedroom combines a silver-leaf tray ceiling, a blown-glass chandelier and luxurious silk draperies. “When I design any bedroom, I feel like it should be a tranquil, restful place where your heartbeat slows down,” Pitts explains. “The owners’ goal is for their entire family to use this house. At the same time, it’s nice to have a place to retreat to.”
A series of French doors in the nearby loggia opens to the gardens. Landscape architect Jay Graham restored and updated the pool flanked by two pergolas that provide dreamy waterfront views. The grounds include a vegetable garden, often tended by the owners and their grandchildren.
Indeed, Villa dei Fiori meticulously brings to life its owners’ dreams and expectations—for the enjoyment of all who go there.
Photographer Geoffrey Hodgdon is based in Deale, Maryland.
ARCHITECTURE: WAYNE GOOD, FAIA, Good Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN: ERIN PAIGE PITTS, Erin Paige Pitts Interiors, Gibson Island, Maryland. CONTRACTOR: Winchester Construction, Millersville, Maryland. LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: JAY GRAHAM, FASLA, Graham Landscape Architecture, Annapolis, Maryland. LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE: Walnut Hill Landscape Company, Annapolis, 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.
MARCH/APRIL 2011
HOT EATS IN SIN CITY
Chef José Andrés of Minibar and Jaleo fame has taken his game to Vegas with China Poblano, located in the Strip’s newest luxury resort, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The eatery serves a fusion of Mexican and Chinese flavors, including noodles, tacos, ceviche and kao lao lao noodles (above). Designed by New York-based Seed Design, the interior features red concrete, bleacher-style seating and a ceiling made of 100 bicycle wheels interspersed with red glass lanterns. chinapoblano.com
A BOWL OF CHERRIES
The Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off March 26 with Family Day and an opening ceremony at the National Building Museum. The festival will feature fireworks on the Southwest Waterfront, a Japanese street fair and of course, the parade on April 9th. Area restaurants will celebrate the season with cherry-laden dishes and cocktails. Pastry chef Chris Kujala of RIS restaurant in DC’s West End puts a sweet spin on the fruit with a decadent black forest cake with chocolate cherry sauce. risdc.com; nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
**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 2011
Tackling the kitchen and bath renovation of a historic Georgetown row house seemed straightforward enough to Daniel Steinkoler, president of Superior Home Services, Inc. Until demolition day, that is, when his team started pulling down walls and discovered extensive termite damage throughout the entire 1865 property. “The minute we put a hammer to something we saw daylight on the other side of the house,” he recalls.
Steinkoler had to break the news to his clients that, despite recently passed home and termite inspections, the second home they had just purchased needed more than a cosmetic fix. “It was a disaster,” he says. “The house was in danger of collapse. The whole thing was held together by flooring and trim.” His team immediately braced the house with temporary walls while his clients figured out a course of action.
With damage beyond repair, the owners decided to rebuild. But because of the home’s historic pedigree, this was far from simple. Any changes made to the exterior of a historic Georgetown home are subject to the scrutiny of three independent organizations. Regulations stipulate that original elements of the structure in good condition must be preserved and new construction must match the original down to the very last detail. Teardowns are simply not tolerated.
“The challenges of this property were enormous,” Steinkoler recalls. “You’re not allowed to tear it down because it’s historic. But you have to rebuild the entire house. So what do you do?”
First, the owners hired architect Thomas French to draw up plans that would replicate the home’s exterior style down to the siding, shutters and trim, using its neighboring “twin” house as a guideline. Project requirements dictated several presentations to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission and the Commission on Fine Arts, before they finally received a DC building permit.
Thus began a painstaking restoration. “Basically, it was a case of shoring and bracing as we moved to deconstruct and rebuild at the same time,” says Steinkoler. “There were no nails, screws, fasteners or joists in the original house. Everything was hand-cut with axes and knives and built with mortise-and-tenon joinery. It posed a lot of challenges because everything had to be slowly braced and taken apart.”
During the process, the crew had to salvage all remnants from the original structure that were still in good condition. As a result, some 30 to 40 pieces of hand-sawn North Carolina heart pine dating back to 1865 now float inside the new framing on the front and side of the house. Serving no structural purpose, they are hidden remnants of the building’s past. The original cornice and dentil trim at the home’s roofline, also in good condition, stayed in place during the entire two-year project. “Everything from the new roof to the new framing was replaced without taking it to ground level,” Steinkoler marvels.
When the team began work on a new bathroom on the basement level, they unearthed additional red flags. They discovered that the home’s concrete slab was badly cracked. “A little more exploration uncovered a brick foundation wall that was lacking footers,” Steinkoler says. “The house was sitting on a brick foundation on a dirt base. If you don’t have footers, you basically have no support for the kind of weight that would go onto those brick foundation walls. Structurally, we couldn’t rebuild the house unless we underpinned the existing foundation.” Another building permit was granted for this phase.
With such a major project underway, the owners decided they might as well excavate the basement to increase its existing ceiling height—which averaged only about six feet, five inches—to a more comfortable eight and a half feet. In the limited quarters of the narrow row house, this entailed digging up and removing tons of dirt by hand through an alley window.
During the process, crews discovered another surprise under the foundation: a three-inch-thick bed of oyster shells, probably used to prevent moisture from seeping into the foundation.
Now that construction is finally complete and the owners have settled in, plans call for one of these oyster shells to be affixed atop the newel post as a finishing touch to the new stair rail that connects all three stories of the home. Works of art themselves, the stair rail and banister are a testament to the level of craftsmanship found throughout the home, inside and out.
While its façade conforms to period style, the interiors lean toward modern, with a nod to the past. Interior designer Cyndy Alsaif carefully blended traditional elements such as moldings, trim and quarter-sawn oak floors, with modern lighting, kitchen cabinetry and millwork. On the main level, the fireplace (a converted coal-burning stove) now boasts a sleek cast-stone surround. The space opens into a dining area and the kitchen—complete with glossy cabinetry by Mouser, a stainless-steel, six-burner stove and a built-in microwave drawer. Whole-house lighting, sound and security systems deliver the latest 21st-century amenities.
A far cry from the cramped original, the basement level has morphed into a cozy living area with a floating wood-burning fireplace—which was at floor level prior to the excavation. A built-in bar with an Italian tile backslash and granite countertop houses dual wine refrigerators while an adjacent desk area serves as a study for the husband. A guest bedroom features a full period-style bath complete with a clawfoot tub. Basement floors are heated with a hydronic system that can be set to heat the whole level or each room individually.
Upstairs, the master bedroom houses an ethanol-burning fireplace flanked by touch-latch cabinetry concealing storage behind the walls—a smart space-saving strategy. French doors open to a second bedroom where the owners’ children may stay during visits. Beyond this room, an îpe deck overlooks a patio and parking pad accessed via automated gate.
Given its breadth and complexity, it’s no wonder that Superior Home Services won six 2010 Contractor of the Year awards for the project, including the Grand award for Historical Restoration. (The news came after the firm was named one of Remodeling Magazine’s “Big 50” nationwide.)
The success was even sweeter because of a personal connection Steinkoler has with the property. “When I started in this industry 21 years ago, the first project I ever did was the paint job on this house for previous owners,” he recalls. “I’d just graduated college and since then I’ve learned enough to restore this gorgeous, historic property. It was really a labor of love.”
Photographer Lydia Cutter is based in McLean, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: THOMAS FRENCH, AIA, Thomas French Architect PC, McLean, Virginia. INTERIOR DESIGN: CYNDY ALSAIF, Thomas French Architect. CONTRACTOR: DANIEL STEINKOLER, principal, MIKE MARTIN, senior project manager, Superior Home Services, Inc., 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 2011
THE GILDED AGE
In its first collaboration with a fashion designer, the Italian jewelry and accessories house Bulgari recently unveiled a collection of handbags by Britain’s Matthew Williamson. The Matthew Williamson medium clutch is made of gold, hexagon-printed water buffalo with antique gold-plated hardware. $1,950. us.bulgari.com
GO FOR THE GOLD
Tadashi Shoji’s Gold Woven Dress is a modern expression of glam; it features studs and beaded embellishments around the neckline and shoulders. Also available in Natural color. $328. bloomingdales.com
WHEN IN ROME
Italian designer Giuseppe Zanotti channels the Roman Empire with his sexy new Embellished High-Heel Sandal. It's T-strap is encrusted with multi-cut coral stones while golden beads and tan crystal insets adorn the ankle strap. $1,150; neimanmarcus.com
DESIGNER JEWELS
Diane von Furstenberg has collaborated with H.Stern on the Sutras collection of gold bracelets, pendants, earrings and rings. Rock crystals set in each piece have been cut using a new technique that produces a mirror-like effect. On the pendant’s back, mantras by the designer such as “Freedom” and “Harmony” are engraved in her handwriting with a darkened finish. $12,500 at H.Stern Boutiques and Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria. hstern.net
**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 2011
ROAD TRIP
To gain 10 horsepower over its predecessor, the Cayman S, Porsche’s 2012 Cayman R has shed 110 pounds of options, including its radio and air conditioning system (both are still offered as add-ons for sissies). Its body has been lowered and its suspension retuned to provide even better road-hugging performance. Sporting a new Peridot Metallic exterior (pictured), the Cayman R is coming to showrooms this spring. $66,300. porsche.com
THE WRITTEN WORD
Forget emails, instant messages and tweets; Loiminchay’s exquisite calligraphy pens give your missives real staying power. The Caoshu Calligraphy III fountain pen set, made of ebonite with 18-karat gold rings and nibs engraved with dragons, depicts in delicate lacquer and gold leaf the ancient Chinese tale of the Luo River Goddess. Available in 28 limited-edition sets; $15,000 each. loiminchay.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 2011
ESCAPE DOWN UNDER
New Zealand’s Matakauri Lodge re-opened its doors in late 2010 after a makeover by interior designer Virginia Fisher. Its 11 contemporary suites (above) enjoy fabulous views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkable Mountains. Chef Dale Gartland showcases fine local produce and wines at this getaway only seven miles from Queenstown. Nightly rates from $530. matakaurilodge.com
A GRAND REVIVAL
Reopened after a three-year restoration, the 19th-century Grand Hotel Villa Cora in Florence is now welcoming guests to its 46 elegant accommodations, the opulent Mirror Room (left, top), a swank restaurant and a spa complete with Turkish baths. Nightly rates from $330 through April 30. whythebesthotels.com
LUXURY INN THE BLUE RIDGE
Fresh from a multi-million-dollar renovation and expansion, The Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, Virginia, is now open and pampering guests with butler service, afternoon tea and gourmet farm-to-table cuisine. New owners have infused the historic 1778 property (the former Willow Grove Inn) with an “urban-meets-plantation” vibe; accommodations boast Anchini linens, flat-screen TVs and stone-tiled baths (left). Nightly weekend rates from $295. 540-672-7001; innatwillowgrove.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 2011
For before photos click here
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
This statement, made by Leonardo da Vinci, still rings true today. In fact, it perfectly embodies a newly completed loft in DC’s Adams Morgan, where simple forms and finishes convey a powerful sense of elegance and repose. This apparent simplicity, however, belies a number of challenges that faced its designers, Robert Cole and Sophie Prévost.
A busy Washington attorney, the homeowner initially hired the husband-and-wife principals of ColePrévost, Inc., to help furnish her new industrial-style abode. Little did they know, they were about to embark on an involved project that would drastically alter the space from a hip but generic shell into a custom-tailored cocoon that wholeheartedly embraces the owner’s aesthetic and lifestyle.
With its exposed ductwork and concrete ceilings, the property had a cool urban vibe. But as Cole and Prévost became better acquainted with the two-story, two-bedroom condominium, they uncovered a handful of trouble spots. A leaky roof was ruining the bamboo floors. The master bedroom suite, with its compartmentalized rooms, defeated the purpose of open loft living. And exposed metal transoms in the upper-level office, with clearance at just over six feet, rendered the space practically useless. Addressing these dilemmas ultimately led the owner to decide on a complete renovation that, in stages, would replace her existing roof, kitchen, bathrooms and floors; remove walls that were closing off the kitchen and bedroom spaces; create a usable office and gym on the upper level; and build out an expansive roof terrace complete with an herb garden and al fresco kitchen.
As the project evolved, Cole and Prévost took a holistic approach, considering not only the interior architecture but also the furniture, lighting and color schemes along the way. Because their client was open to new ideas and willing to experiment, they devised a number of highly customized features. The kitchen adjacent to the main entry, once blocked off by drywall partitions, became a showpiece in itself. Inspired by a kitchen the homeowner saw in Belgium, the designers installed a wall of hot-rolled stainless steel that can be opened when cooking is underway but otherwise conceals most of the kitchen’s inner workings. “In the composition, we thought it would be really nice if it wasn’t so obvious that it was a kitchen,” says Prévost. “We wanted it to look like a cool object.” The kitchen’s translucent ceiling houses LED lights that can be set to glow in white—or any color of the rainbow. Stainless steel, pre-scratched to create a ready-made patina, clads the maple cabinetry while the island countertop is a pre-cast concrete slab with a black walnut sideboard at one end.
This material palette, along with the same rigorous attention to detail, prevails throughout the loft. To keep the plan open and free of clutter, Cole and Prévost devised novel, built-in solutions for storage, seating and even watching TV. “There was a general understanding between us that minimal was good,” says Prévost. In the main sitting area, they designed two low walls made of black steel laminated onto a frame of black walnut. Along one of the walls, a low concrete bench provides additional seating and the fuel reservoir for a built-in fireplace. A flat-screen TV behind the fireplace is raised and lowered via hydraulic lift and is concealed when not in use.
Wide-plank black walnut floors are a warm, organic foil to the industrial steel and concrete. A cool silver and blue palette creates a soothing backdrop, from the walls and fabrics to the custom Odegard rug and gossamer dining room drapes. “Our client works very hard and needs to come home to a calm space,” says Prévost. “We played up the contrast with really beautiful materials like the wood and the fabrics, finding a balance between luxury and softness and the raw, industrial edge.”
A sense of serenity also dominates in the master suite, located on the other side of the kitchen. ColePrévost’s plan traded a series of enclosed spaces (bedroom, closet, bathroom) for a more open and airy layout. Opposite the bed, a floating partition displays a flat-screen TV on one side while the other side contains the owner’s spacious closet and dressing area. The luxurious bath boasts a honed limestone vanity and a wooden Agape tub. The designers also revamped a second bathroom on the main level near the guest room, with muted glass tiles and a custom vanity.
Up the stairs, which were re-built in the renovation, a dramatically different home office awaits. Gone are the metal trusses; a new roof and a ceiling structure created a vaulted space where the owner now enjoys a custom desk at one end and a workout area on the other. From here, she can view the lower level over a steel and walnut balustrade with acid-etched glass panels, and also access her newly completed roof garden.
Designed by ColePrévost, the terrace was finished and planted in late 2010. As this oasis matures, the owner will tend her herb and lettuce garden and entertain guests under an arbor of wisteria; the well-equipped outdoor kitchen includes a refrigerator, icemaker, professional-grade grill, sink and granite countertops. A row of planters filled with ornamental grasses offers a screen of privacy.
Reflecting on how the project evolved over time, Cole and Prévost recall the many hours spent discussing ideas with their design-savvy client and working with contractor Alan Kanner, lighting designer Wayne Hinson, A-V specialist Ivan Duran and metal worker Steve Prudhomme to make their shared vision a reality. The result is a clean-lined, minimal space that looks deceptively straightforward.
“It’s almost maniacal how much work you have to do to make it come out right,” says Cole. “The best part is if you’ve done it right, it just looks simple.”
Photographer Timothy Bell splits his time between Washington, DC, and New York.
ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN: ROBERT COLE, RIBA; SOPHIE PREVOST, ASID, ColePrévost, Inc., Washington, DC. CONTRACTOR: Alan Kanner, Added Dimensions, Takoma Park, MD.
**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 2011
After completing several renovations of their DC home, the owners decided it was time to address its lackluster kitchen. When they bought the house 16 years ago, they installed new cabinets in the cramped 1950s galley kitchen—and then tolerated its lack of work and storage space. “We do a lot of entertaining,” says the homeowner. “It was tough. We wanted a more functional space for cooking.” Another sore subject was the fact that the kitchen didn’t blend well with the inviting breakfast and family room area that had been added to the back of the home a few years ago.
So the couple turned to kitchen designer Jennifer Gilmer, who’d recently completed a neighbor’s kitchen, to update theirs in style. Gilmer worked with interior designer Jodi Macklin to develop a program that expressed their clients’ preferences for clean lines and modern finishes, but one that would also complement the home’s traditional heritage.
The proposed layout created a more efficient use of space. Gilmer suggested moving the refrigerator, located by the range, to the opposite wall for increased countertop area. To save space, she proposed a narrower, 27-inch model with separate freezer drawers stacked to its left, where a previous renovation had placed a poorly designed closet under an angled support wall. Above the freezers, she installed a Miele Speed Oven, which cooks in microwave or convection modes or a combination of the two. This hybrid augments the main oven under the range, eliminating the need to take up space with a stand-alone microwave. Clad in stainless steel, the oven and freezers become a sleek tower element.
On the opposite wall, a vertical support beam presented another challenge. Gilmer covered it in stainless steel to echo the tower and built in a narrow stainless-steel cabinet under it for continuity. Solid wenge shelves, hung from a support beam on the ceiling (another creative solution), keep everyday china and glassware in easy reach. “We took obstacles in the kitchen which would normally be eyesores,” Gilmer says, “and in finding a way to solve the issues, we came up with a more interesting design. They become aesthetic elements.”
The designers chose a warm yet neutral color palette. White lacquer cabinets add shimmer and contrast when paired with oak rift veneer cabinets in a wenge stain—both by Sterling Custom Cabinetry of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Countertops made of two-inch-thick Valley Gold marble in an antique finish bring light and weight into the space. Macklin selected brown subway tiles, in matte and shiny finishes, for the kitchen backsplash.
“The whole kitchen is really warm, but it shines,” says Gilmer. “Even though this is not a modern house, the kitchen fits in nicely because of the warmth.”
Her client agrees, “I love the different colors and textures. It’s so simple in tone and earthy, but it’s got a lot of texture so it’s not boring.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: JODI MACKLIN, Jodi Macklin Interior Design, Chevy Chase, Maryland. KITCHEN DESIGN: JENNIFER GILMER, CKD, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath Ltd., Chevy Chase, MD.
For more kitchens featured in this issue click here.
**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.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
ROAD TRIP IN STYLE
Bentley’s new 12-cylinder Continental GT four-seat coupe (above) boasts a sculptural exterior and a raised output of 567 horsepower. The handcrafted interior features a touch-screen “infotainment” system complete with state-of-the-art navigation and advanced speaker technology. $182,800. bentleycollection.com
CELL PHONE SYMPHONY
Painstakingly assembled by a single craftsman, Vertu’s new Signature
cell phone (left) features a sapphire crystal surface, platinum or gold trim and 4.75 carats of solid ruby bearings. The ringtones were written by an Academy Award-winning composer and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. Priced from $12,600 to $39,000. vertu.com
For more Indugences click here.
**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 2011
Technology to Go Go
Protect your investment with Oscar de la Renta’s Degradé Python iPad Clutch (above). Lined with ultrasuede, the case snugly holds your iPad in style but opens with a snap. $390.
oscardelarenta.com
Bejeweled
Faceted Martellato, Roberto Coin’s stack of gold bangles and rings (left, top), pairs 18-carat yellow, white and rose gold with purple amethyst, blue topaz and diamonds for a playful array that is eye-catching and unique. Available exclusively in Neiman Marcus stores; phone Mazza Gallerie at 202-966-9700 or Tysons Galleria at 703-761-1600.
The Eyes Have It
Launched in Toulouse, France, 30 years ago, Anne et Valentin Eyeware puts a fresh twist on classic spectacle styles. These red frames (left) with tortoiseshell sides are called The Andrea. They also come in dark tortoise, light tortoise, green and blue. Anne et Valentin Eyeware is available at Wink Eyecare Boutique in Potomac, Maryland, and Georgetown Opticians and Insight in DC. anneetvalentin.com
Hot Haberdashery
Thomas Pink’s latest collection of men’s gloves (left, below) keeps winter warriors warm and stylish. All are $185 at Thomas Pink shops in DC’s Mayflower Hotel and Tysons Galleria. thomaspink.com
Time on Your Side
Celebrating its 100th anniversary, Swiss watch-maker Fortis is releasing a limited edition of its classic B-42 Stratoliner (left, bottom). Only 100 of the individually numbered timepieces will be available. The rose gold model features an 18-carat bezel and a 25-jewel movement. Water-resistant to 200 meters. $10,075. fortis-watches.com
For more Indugences click here.
**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 2011
The ability to tackle a million details at once is one of the hallmarks of a good kitchen designer. And in a kitchen where the design is driven by a high level of decorative detail, the challenge is even greater. Such was the case in a Great Falls, Virginia, home where kitchen designer Lois Kennedy and interior designer Maria Galiani collaborated on a kitchen brimming with Old World style. Their client had toured a kitchen Kennedy designed years ago in a National Symphony Orchestra show house, and loved its Gothic elements—especially the chestnut range hood hand-carved with a griffin motif. She wanted to achieve a similar look in her home.
The designers got to work, first figuring out how to transform the lackluster kitchen into a larger, more functional space. Kennedy’s colleague Victoria Feldman drew up plans to bump out the odd, triangular room into the backyard to gain space. She also created a new breakfast room housed in a turret framed by windows.
As their design took shape, Galiani and Kennedy devised ways to marry today’s state-of-the-art amenities with the handcrafted, traditional look their client desired. Behind the custom finishes, the carefully planned layout revolves around the demands of a busy family with two active teenagers. A large L-shaped island features raised tables built into either end for casual dining on stools. The side of the island closest to the refrigerator and range houses an oversized copper prep sink with built-in cutting and drainage boards and a dishwasher—one of two in the kitchen—to make cooking and clean-up a breeze. Cabinets conceal 21st-century conveniences, from a full-size water cooler to a microwave, coffee maker and trash and recycling bins.
“We spent hours and hours mulling over the tiniest details,” says Galiani. Throughout the kitchen, travertine floors, iron, copper and distressed wood materials evoke a Baroque Mediterranean style, as do architectural details such as barley twists, moldings and medallions. The kitchen incorporates nine different doors styles, hardware from 11 different manufacturers and trim from eight sources.
Kennedy attributes the success of the project to “having a cabinetmaker who doesn’t say ‘no.’” Pennsylvania-based Premier Custom Built incorporated all of the trim and hardware the designers sent them, then began a seven-step finishing process to create the distressed, crackle finish on the light caramel maple cabinets and the deeper hue on the darker butternut accent pieces.
“There’s a mystical quality to the colors,” Kennedy says. “They’re very warm.”The kitchen is just what the homeowner wanted, thanks to the fruitful collaboration between Kennedy and Galiani. “Maria has been a real source of inspiration to develop this style, an Old World mixture of French, Italian and the Middle Ages,” Kennedy observes. “It’s been synergistic working with her.”
INTERIOR DESIGN: MARIA GALIANI, Galiani Design Group, McLean, Virginia. KITCHEN DESIGN: LOIS KENNEDY, CKD, principal, and VICTORIA FELDMAN, associate designer, Portfolio Kitchens, Vienna, Virginia.
For more kitchens featured in this issue click here.
**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.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
It took a flood to inspire the owner of a DC home overlooking Rock Creek Park to renovate his kitchen. With help from interior designer Therese Baron Gurney, he had already decorated his Colonial home with decidedly modern furniture and art. But his kitchen lagged behind—until a pipe burst while he was out of town and left the home’s lower level beyond repair. It was time to renovate.
The owner had visited a modern kitchen designed by Therese’s husband, architect Robert M. Gurney, and liked the way the sleek space blended with the traditional language of its Craftsman-style home. So he asked Gurney to redesign his own kitchen in a distinctly modern style.
The architect proposed a plan that would combine the former kitchen’s compartmentalized rooms—the main kitchen, a walk-in pantry, a butler’s pantry and a breakfast room—into a single, open space. It would be clean-lined and devoid of the traditional moldings and trim found in other rooms of the house.
Gurney’s first task was to establish a clean slate, eliminating bulkheads and trim. “The challenge was to get past the structural stuff and make sure we could open the space up so that it didn’t have drop beams and bulkheads,” he explains. “I wanted a continuous ceiling. There’s some steel work up there to hold the masonry above.”
Once the divisions were gone in the newly enlarged space, Gurney accentuated its spare lines to create a sense of drama. He placed cabinets, countertops and appliances along the two long walls of the kitchen and a 20-foot-long island that cuts through the room on an axis with a new wall of windows, drawing the eye toward a dining area with a dazzling view of Rock Creek Park.
He and Therese selected a palette of simple, timeless materials that would complement the home’s traditional vernacular. Limestone floors, Calcutta Gold marble on the island and quarter-sawn white oak cabinets by Bulthaup are paired with aluminum wall panels, also by Bulthaup, that add a quiet sheen.
The minimalist space maximizes functionality and precision. A stainless-steel countertop along one wall with twin sinks is a convenient workspace. The island does double duty as a cook center and hub for serving. Guests can watch the chef at work from a built-in, raised oak bar with stools.
Gurney went to extremes to establish a sense of lightness: All of the cabinetry and appliances appear to hover in the space. Even the twin Gaggenau ovens are virtually suspended on one wall. “Everything sort of floats off the floor, even the refrigerators,” says the architect. “We just felt that it would be a lot more open and spacious, and we wanted to do something a bit unexpected.”
ARCHITECTURE: ROBERT M. GURNEY, FAIA, Robert M. Gurney Architect, Washington, DC. INTERIOR DESIGN: THERESE BARON GURNEY, ASID, Baron Gurney Interiors, Washington, DC.
For more kitchens featured in this issue click here.
**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.
