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
Nothing illustrates the full potential of architecture like a skyscraper—a daring creation that seems to defy the laws of physics and gravity. An exhibit currently at the National Building Museum celebrates some of the world’s most famous skyscrapers on a human scale using a medium that is familiar to audiences of all ages: the LEGO brick.
“LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition” features 15 large-scale models of iconic structures assembled by Adam Reed Tucker, an architect/artist who has been fascinated with LEGO bricks since the age of six. His creations illustrate the sheer grace and complexity of such landmarks as the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center and the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Tucker created his models without the use of blueprints, computer modeling or even pencil and paper. He built and re-built sections five or six times until he felt they were right. “I do not view my models as literal replicas but rather artistic interpretations that capture the essence of their sculptural form,” says the artist. One of 11 LEGO Certified Professionals worldwide, Tucker has created a series of Architecture sets that allow enthusiasts to build LEGO models of iconic structures. (The kits can be purchased on his company’s Web site, brickstructures.com.)
Tucker’s museum exhibit includes an interactive area where visitors construct their own projects with some 300,000 LEGO bricks at their disposal. One work in progress—Tucker’s rendition of the White House, begun last summer—illustrates his artistic process; he will return in the spring of 2011 to complete the piece. The exhibit remains open through September 5th. nbm.org
**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
The demands of work and life often prolong the process of feathering one’s nest. Such was the case for Sandra Braunstein and her husband, Samuel Powell, after they moved into their custom home in Fort Washington, Maryland. “For five years, we lived in the house with the original builder’s beige colors and ugly window shades,” Braunstein recalls. “We hadn’t even put anything on the walls.”
Then a friend invited Braunstein and Powell to a party at his house, recently decorated by interior designer Ricardo Ramos. The couple was impressed; stirred into action, they called on Ramos for help with their own residence. They explained preferences for warm earth tones, along with their desire for modern furniture to replace the outdated pieces they’d lived with for years. “We wanted the house to look good but still wanted it to feel comfortable. We didn’t want to be afraid to sit on anything or touch anything,” says Braunstein, who is director of consumer and community affairs at the Federal Reserve Board.
Ramos started by taking stock of the artwork, furniture and contemporary light fixtures that the owners wanted to keep. Then he created a plan to bring the décor to a new level. “The house needed order, color and a sense of home,” he explains. “It had a beautiful architectural layout but wasn’t being used to its fullest.”
First he studied the way light moves through the house, honing in on a palette of Benjamin Moore earth tones that would work together in the open-plan layout. “Everything has to coordinate and flow, but it doesn’t need to be ‘matchy-matchy,’” says Ramos. “It’s important to have an open mind when choosing colors.”
Ramos took Braunstein and Powell through The Washington Design Center, selecting furniture with a modern sensibility. “They wanted contemporary pieces but nothing too stark,” says the designer. In the living room, he proposed a sofa with soft lines, a leather ottoman that doubles as a coffee table and toffee-colored drapery panels. Durable upholstery fabrics introduce texture and warmth. Ramos also commissioned a glass sculpture by Massachusetts artist Caleb Nichols to fill a niche above the fireplace.
The living room opens directly to the kitchen and sunroom. Ramos freshened up existing furniture in these spaces. He replaced black suede on the breakfast chairs with a lighter metallic material and added accent pillows and a whimsical rug in the sunroom.
Working with existing pieces and selecting carpets and furnishings resourcefully helped keep the project on budget, says Ramos. For example, new rugs by Davis & Davis in the living room and dining room emulate silk but are made in the U.S. of wool and synthetic fibers. The owners “wanted it to be modern and comfortable but didn’t want to put the entire bank account into it,” Ramos explains. “It helps to have a budget. I gave them a high and low estimate and stayed somewhere in the middle.”
In the dining room, the couple retained their existing furniture. Ramos dressed up the space with sea foam draperies, reupholstered chairs and a trio of prints by John Matthew Moore.
Sandra Braunstein, who frequently works at home, located her study on the opposite side of the entry foyer from the dining room. She turned to Ramos for help creating an efficient workspace that would accommodate a large book collection and provide adequate document storage. A new custom desk designed by Ramos perfectly fits the space; it contains plenty of cabinets with smoky glass doors to organize Braunstein’s paperwork out of sight.
The large master bedroom posed a unique challenge, with the bed positioned between windows facing a vast, empty expanse. “It was kind of like an airplane hangar,” recalls Braunstein. To create a more functional and inviting space, Ramos designed a divider wall lined with shelves on the entry side of the room and added a reading nook nearby. The opposite side of the wall anchors the bed, which now faces a luxurious new seating arrangement.
Now that it’s complete, Powell and Braunstein are delighted with their home’s new look. “Ricardo was very meticulous,” says Powell. “He went from square one to square 2,000.”
Photographer Stacy Zarin Goldberg is based in Olney, Maryland.
INTERIOR DESIGN: RICARDO RAMOS, IIDA, Allied Member ASID, Studio Ramos, 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.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011
Evelyn Avery knows a thing or two about displaying art. For almost 20 years, the proprietor of Avery Studios has been a go-to source for top designers seeking European period paintings and one-of-a-kind custom frames for their clients. Until recently, Avery would travel to DC from her home base in Atlanta and settle into a suite at The Willard or The Jefferson, where she would show designers her latest artwork and frames, then take special orders back to her factory. But last August Avery made a bold change: This Southern doyenne of gold leaf and gesso shuttered her Atlanta studio and relocated her workshop to Alexandria, Virginia. She moved into a permanent residence in DC’s tony West End that doubles as a gallery where she welcomes clients by appointment almost every day of the week.
Since Washington has accounted for more than 90 percent of her sales in recent years, it made sense to head North when Avery Studios’ lease expired last summer. “I took a great big gulp and moved myself and the studio in six weeks,” Avery says. “It’s been the most monumental task of my life.” The move entailed shipping equipment and 50,000 feet of linear molding, building out a new 5,000-square-foot workshop and furnishing her modern new penthouse, which offers fabulous vistas of Georgetown, Rock Creek Park and the National Cathedral.
With glass walls on three sides, the residence is hardly the typical backdrop one would expect for an 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century European art collection. But just as she embraces the challenge of creating a unique frame, Avery tackled head-on the dilemma of how to display classic art in such a hip, modern setting. Luckily, she also had some help from friend and longtime client, interior designer Barry Dixon, whom she first met in the mid-1990s when they collaborated on a show house.
In drawing up plans for Avery’s pied-à-terre, Dixon addressed the fact that its main open living area left precious little space for hanging art. He suggested dividing the main room with screens made of woven bamboo panels. “We created a gallery on one side of the screen and a working/dining space with a big table where Evelyn can spread art out on the other,” Dixon explains. “On each end of the large rectangle, you have living spaces, one more intimate and casual and one a little bit more formal as a reception area for clients.” The screens provide a sense of intimacy without blocking light.
Furnishings are a mix of antique and new pieces—many designed by Dixon. They complement the art in the modern space because of the designer’s fresh take on scale and proportion. Shades, rather than draperies, control light while curvaceous elements, from a large ottoman at the dining table to a round rug in the casual seating area, add a sense of play to the apartment’s clean lines. “I needed to throw in a curve or two, literally,” Dixon explains.
Avery displays her collection according to theme, with pieces carefully hung throughout the home. A visit can take hours because, like a well-curated museum, the apartment is full of works that capture the eye and the imagination—from timeless engravings to landscapes and portraiture. The formal gallery is devoted to 19th-century art while the kitchen houses still lifes. In the dining area, miniature mirrors showcase the many period frame styles that Avery Studios can create. A print room brims with works on paper, while the bedroom is reserved for tranquil seascapes.
Ironically, Avery, who has no formal training, found herself in the art business almost by accident 20 years ago. She began selling prints to help care for her ailing mother. “I didn’t have a clue what I was doing,” she recalls. The petite blonde with a keen eye, boundless energy and a knack for salesmanship soon began collecting finer pieces, focusing on 18th- to 20th-century European art. A buying trip to London fueled Avery’s passion for restored and original frames. “To me, the frame is kind of the completion of the art,” she explains. “I decided I wanted to make frames and opened Avery Studios.” The company focused on restoring antique frames (and, later, furniture and lamps) as well as creating reproduction and modern frames using Old World materials and techniques.
Along the way, hard work, an entrepreneurial spirit and a series of fortunate breaks sealed Avery’s destiny. A few years ago, she was commissioned to procure and frame 1,000 pieces of art during The Jefferson Hotel’s multi-million-dollar historical restoration. And in 2010, her artists created a line of mirrors for Barry Dixon and Fortuny that are on display in the company’s New York and Venice showrooms, both recently designed by Dixon.
Barry Dixon envisioned an artist’s atelier while creating Avery’s apartment. “You’re visiting a home but also an art dealer. You used to see a lot of places like this in the ’20s and ’30s in Paris and New York,” he explains. “Though it has no street presence, there is a hidden gallery of possibilities in this penthouse. It’s as quixotic and varied as the artwork Evelyn might have for sale.”
Avery couldn’t be happier in her new DC home. “It’s been really nice to see the modern come together with the art,” she says, attributing the project’s success to Dixon. “Anything I’ve ever done with Barry over the years, whether it’s working on a show house or designing this apartment, has taught me. I’ve learned so much from him.”
Photographer Michael Ventura is based in Silver Spring, Maryland.
INTERIOR DESIGN: BARRY DIXON, Barry Dixon, Inc., Warrenton, Virginia. ART & CUSTOM FRAMING: EVELYN AVERY, Avery Studios, Alexandria, Virginia.
For a tour of Avery Studios 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. 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 2010
When Dan and Beth Concannon moved into their 1970s Colonial on two acres in Potomac a few years ago, they hired architect Jim Rill to design a renovation even before all the boxes were unpacked. Complete with all the trappings of its era—closed-in rooms, a cramped kitchen and dysfunctional closets—the house lacked connectivity. “Outside, it was so symmetrical and cold. And inside, it had a segmented, boxed-off kind of feel,” Beth Concannon recalls. “We needed to open it up.”
Jim Rill designed a plan to make the property more inviting, both inside and out. On the exterior, cosmetic and structural changes would bring the home architectural integrity and scale. A generous addition of windows would pour more light into the interiors, where Rill proposed changes that would vastly improve flow and create a connection to the outdoors.
To establish a welcoming first impression, he designed a front portico, which helps balance the new bay windows that expanded the breakfast room on one side and the dining room on the other. A freshly painted brick exterior and dark trim impart an English Country flair.
Since the Concannons entertain often, they decided to turn the formal living room to the right of the entry foyer into a large dining room. In turn, the existing dining room became a sun-filled breakfast room that opens directly to the kitchen now that the wall separating the two spaces has been removed. “Opening up the views was a big part of this addition.” says Rill. “It celebrates the outside.”
Kitchen designer Robin Lynch updated the once-cramped kitchen in a style that would complement the casual yet well-crafted feel of the home. New cabinets and appliances and marble countertops rim the perimeter walls, while an expanded island topped with teak serves as a prep space and homework station for the Concannons’ two sons. Just off the kitchen and breakfast room, a small addition to the existing garage now houses a home office, a powder room, a mudroom and pantry.
At the rear of the house, a two-story extension of the family room on the main level and the master bedroom above centers around a stone chimney. Large bay windows now flank the new fireplace in the family room. Interior designer Deborah Kernan helped the family select durable furnishings and a color scheme of rich neutrals here and throughout the home.
Upstairs, a sitting area in the reconfigured master bedroom also features a fireplace along with doors leading to twin balconies overlooking the pool. The renovation also provided the owners with a luxurious new master bath and copious closet space.
Envisioning the back as a courtyard, Rill designed inviting elements on all four sides of the pool, including a trellised pergola with a fireplace and a stone grotto with a hot tub built into what was an empty slope of grass. He also revamped the freestanding pool house with detailing to reflect the style of the main house.
The renovation realized major changes with only minor alterations to the home’s original footprint. “We found that we could fix the flow without adding much square footage,” says Rill. “We created rooms that are utilized instead of just adding space. And there are now great vistas in every room of the house.”
Lydia Cutter is a photographer in McLean, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: Jim Rill, AIA, lead architect; KAI KIM, project architect, Rill Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. RENOVATION CONTRACTOR: W.C. HOMES, Potomac, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN & STYLING: DEBORAH KERNAN, Distinctive Designs, Potomac, Maryland. LANDSCAPING: FINE EARTH LANDSCAPE, INC., Poolesville, Maryland.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010
ALMOST HEAVEN IN THE FRENCH ALPS
The five-star Hôtel de Charm Les Airelles—nestled in the slopes of Courchevel ski resort—features all the accoutrements of a proper winter escape, from a luxurious spa to a horse-drawn carriage designed by Hermès. Now, the hotel has outdone itself with the refurbishment of a new 5,900-square-foot private apartment complete with four bedrooms, fireplace, home theater and private Jacuzzi overlooking the mountains. Hotel rooms from $1,300 a night; the private apartment starts at $48,500 a night. airelles.fr
NEW EDITION IN HAWAII
The Waikiki EDITION is the first in a new luxury hotel brand combining the creative direction of Ian Schrager (Studio 54, Grammercy Park Hotel) and the management of Marriott International. Interior designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg of Yabu Pushelberg and landscape designer Deborah Nevins collaborated on the palm-studded resort near Waikiki Beach, where the rooms exude a sense of organic luxury. Rates from $375. editionhotels.com
SWIFT AND SVELTE
Porsche’s 2011 Boxster Spyder has dropped 176 pounds—and gained 10 horsepower—over the Boxster S, making it the lightest Porsche on the market today. Travel in style in this sexy new 3.4-liter, six-cylinder model . It boasts 320 horsepower and hits 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, making it the perfect play toy for your inner speed demon. $61,200. porsche.com
TROPICAL GETAWAY
At St. Lucia’s Anse Chastanet, owner/architect Nick Troubetzkoy designed the rooms with louvered windows and doors to catch the prevailing trade winds. Many of the accommodations overlook the island’s twin volcanic peaks, Les Pitons. The resort offers guided kayak tours, among many other nature-oriented activities. And its Kai Belte Spa features a range of massages and special treatments, including a loofah and sea salt body scrub. Rates from $350 per night. ansechastanet.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 2010
This year’s Georgetown Jingle, which takes place on December 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, promises to be more fun and festive than ever. Twelve interior design teams will decorate the hotel with seasonal finery for this family-friendly fundraiser. Now in its fifth season, the Jingle has raised $1.3 million for Georgetown University Hospital’s pediatric oncology programs.
Designers’ themed trees and holiday vignettes will go on display at the hotel and in The Washington Design Center on December 1 and will be on sale for a “buy it now” price. During the Jingle, a silent auction will offer the remaining creations along with vacation packages, spa treatments and more. The Jingle also features children’s activities, live music and food from top local restaurants. georgetownjingle.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.
COMFORT FOOD, ITALIAN STYLE
BLT Restaurant Group has gone Italian with the recent opening
of Casa Nonna in Dupont Circle. Executive chef Amy Brandwein channels the quintessential fare of a nonna (Italian for grandmother) with a menu of fresh pasta, wood-fired pizzas and homey meat entrees. New York-based Guerin Glass Architects designed the space, which features leather pincushion banquettes, large-scale artwork and a marble-topped pizza bar. 1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW; 202-629-2505. casanonna.com
CAJUN EATS
James Beard nominee David Guas opens the doors to his long-awaited Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery in Arlington on November 1 and we can already smell the beignets. The Louisiana native will serve his signature sweets along with savories that celebrate the Big Easy. 1515 N. Courthouse Road; 703-243-2410. bayoubakeryva.com
SEASONAL SPARKLE
Top area sommeliers reveal sparkling wines they’ll uncork for the holidays
Francesco Amodeo, Bibiana
Murgo Rosé 2008, Emanuele Scammacca, Sicily, Italy
This sparkling wine is made of the native Nerello Mascalese grape, a national treasure grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Etna. It has an antique pink color, an intense aroma of cherry and fruit and a long, mineral finish.
Julian Mayor, Bourbon Steak
Vilmart Cuvée Rubis, Champagne, France
This rosé Champagne (approximately 90 percent Pinot Noir) changes all preconceived notions of rosé. It is full-flavored, extremely rich and dry. Powerful and elegant, it pairs well with duck, lamb or braised pork belly.
Matthew Carroll, 2941
Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay, Virginia
A joint effort between Claude Thibaut and Manuel Janisson, this sparkler is a Virginian homage to Janisson’s native Champagne. It has a beautiful texture complemented by aromas of crisp pear and green apple.
THE ULTIMATE BAR TOY
Los Angeles designer Alexander Purcell juxtaposed two disparate images—a blowfish and a World War II sea mine—when he dreamed up the whimsical Sake Bomb. The ceramic vessel holds eight ounces of hot or cold sake; four small cups perch on its spines when not in use. The bomb is available in white, black orange and blue. $98. sakebombstore.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 2010
Deborah Kalkstein, owner of Contemporaria, is expanding her domain with the October 21 opening of DC’s first Alessi showroom in Cady’s Alley. The Italian company’s innovative, modern and often playful objects for the home, table and office will be the perfect complement to Contemporaria’s furniture and lighting collections.
“I grew up admiring the company’s extraordinary pieces and admired all the famous architects and designers who were committed to the concept,” says Kalkstein, “so I always thought that both my world and the Alessi world were totally connected.” Alessio Alessi, CEO of Alessi, will be present for the opening celebration. Alessi DC is located at 3319A Cady’s Alley in Georgetown; 202-298-0407. alessi.com
**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 2010
PRECIOUS SCENT
No. 1 by Clive Christian—once a favorite of Queen Victoria—is billed as the world’s most expensive perfume. Bottles are handmade of lead crystal encircled with a diamond solitaire. Fragrances for men and women available in limited quantities at Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase and Nieman Marcus in Tysons Galleria. $5,500. clive.com
ON THE RUNWAY
Sex and the City costume designer Patricia Field was guest of honor at the ALL ACCESS: Fashion at Tysons Galleria runway show on October 1 spotlighting Paul Sinclaire’s fall/ winter women’s wear collection. Pictured, the Benson Frill Coat ($495) and Skinny Lindsay pants ($225). Exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue. saks.com
CHIC BOUTIQUE IN GEORGETOWN
Jaclyn Mason opened Charm Georgetown (above) earlier this year to showcase hip but affordable jewelry and accessories by designers such as Michelle Guest, Alexis Bittar and Melinda Maria. J. D. Ireland Interiors designed the boutique; its dazzling white interior and crystal chandelier give the merchandise room to sparkle. 2910 M St. NW; 202-298-0420. charmgeorgetown.com
BLUE SUEDE SHOES
Thick black lace covers blue satin on designer Ann Roth’s new Sashay booties, which are all tied up with a black suede bow. It’s a look that’s not to be reckoned with. $595, exclusively at Simply Soles in Georgetown Park and National Harbor.
simplysoles.com
MOROCCAN STYLE
Paloma Picasso’s new Marrakesh dome pendant for Tiffany evokes a Moorish vibe with 18-carat gold detailing set over a red jasper stone. The Marrakesh collection also includes other
pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets. $5,400. 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.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010
It is a sunny September morning and sisters Amelia and Annalise nibble on bagels in the kitchen while entertaining baby brother Luke. After brewing a pot of coffee, Jennifer Griffin and her husband, Greg Myre, usher their daughters off to school in a domestic scene playing out at thousands of households around the country. But for this couple, such routine is hardly the norm.
Only a week before, Griffin, FOX News national security correspondent, awoke in the tumult of Kabul, Afghanistan, where she landed an exclusive interview with General David Petraeus. She and Myre, a senior editor at National Public Radio, have spent more than 15 years together as foreign journalists in South Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Russia and Israel.
The couple met in South Africa in late 1989 when Myre was covering the imminent release of Nelson Mandela for the Associated Press and Griffin was a cub reporter for The Harvard Crimson. A long-distance relationship unfolded; Griffin remembers taking “romantic” satellite calls in her college dining hall from Myre, in Kuwait covering the first Gulf War. After graduating, she launched her freelance career in Somalia, where Myre was reporting for AP, and later they moved to Pakistan. Married in 1994, they honeymooned in a sandbagged house in Kabul as rockets rained down on the city.
Their work took them to Cyprus in 1995, Moscow in 1996 and Jerusalem in 1999, where Myre was a correspondent for The New York Times and Griffin joined FOX News. Eventually, their daughters Amelia and Annalise were both born in a Jerusalem hospital overlooking the Old City. Myre and Griffin continued to cover the Middle East from Israel until FOX offered Griffin a position in Washington in 2007.
After sharing five temporary residences in seven countries, they finally bought the very first house of their own. The 1925 Neo-Classical gem in Embassy Row attracted the itinerant journalists as an “urban oasis” with its private garden and pool and unique neighborhood. “It’s very international,” says Griffin. “We’re surrounded by embassies and ambassadors’ homes. We also have the National Cathedral, the largest mosque in the city and one of the main synagogues up the road. It feels like a mini-Jerusalem.”
As the couple and their girls settled in, they turned to interior designer Marlies Venute to upgrade the home’s interiors, which had not been touched since a renovation in the 1960s (designed in part by DC architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen).
Venute’s plan utilized every inch of the house for the family of four who then had a baby on the way. She upgraded the kitchen, adding a built-in bar for breakfasts on the run. She replaced the drafty French doors in the living room and restored its original fireplace. Doorways were widened and soffits eliminated to let in natural light and views of the home’s leafy surroundings.
On the second floor, a pull-down stair led to the attic; Venute shifted a few doors and walls to make way for a permanent staircase. Now the attic, once suitable for storage only, houses Annalise’s bedroom, a spacious new bathroom and Myre’s home office.
A neutral palette lets the dazzling art, antique maps and Oriental carpets Myre and Griffin have collected abroad take center stage. Venute designed glass shelves to display their mementoes in the dining room, while hand-painted tiles from Jerusalem and Armenia embellish the kitchen backsplash and the new shower wall.
“It was important to us that the house be a scrapbook of our 15 to 20 years spent overseas,” says Griffin. “Every piece in here was bought at a moment in time when we were covering a particular story. All these pieces are not necessarily valuable, but truly valuable to us because of the memories.”
As the family adjusted to life in the nation’s capital, Griffin prepared a cozy nursery for Luke, who was born in March 2009. Then, she created a headline of her own. While nursing her son, Griffin detected a lump and was diagnosed with Triple Negative breast cancer. What ensued was a brave and public fight that saw this intrepid reporter through a double mastectomy and 17 rounds of chemotherapy.
Griffin took refuge in her home, her friends and her family. She set up her bedroom and sitting room as a self-contained area where she could read, watch TV or work on a laptop. “All the sublime colors we chose for the walls were so healing,” she recalls. “This was our cocoon. When you’re in the year that you fight breast cancer—which too many women have to go through—you want to be surrounded by the people you love, the things you love and you want to be reminded of what it is you’re fighting for. All of these pieces represented how we love to live life and the places we’ve gone and so they just inspired me.”
Griffin was buoyed by a support system that circles the globe. Friends in Israel sent her “evil eye” necklaces and slipped pink-colored notes of prayer into cracks in the Western Wall. A producer in Russia arranged for the delivery of healthy meals.
“People I hadn’t seen since second grade found me on Facebook,” Griffin marvels. We took the diagnosis front on,” she continues. “We never said, ‘Why us?’ I feel like all the skills we’ve acquired overseas as journalists, in conflict zones [helped]. We attacked this in the same way we would attack a tough story.”
Myre agrees. “I’ve often said to myself, ‘Look how these people are coping in extraordinary circumstances, showing remarkable resilience and not complaining about their situations.’ There’s a good lesson in that.”
Declared cancer-free on April 20, 2010 (her birthday), Griffin returned to work with a bang. The ever-chic reporter with now-short (and fashionably gray) hair, steely blue eyes and a dazzling smile boarded a plane to Kabul on her first day back on the job. She spent two days with Petraeus and asked the commander some tough questions during her live interview, which aired in late August.
The General, who had worked with Griffin before, emailed her periodically during her illness. Also a cancer survivor, Petraeus invited her to go running with him when she was better. Though Griffin presented him with a pair of pink-trimmed running shoes in Kabul, they didn’t have time for the run. “He challenged me to some sit-ups and I feel very confident with my abs these days because I’ve been doing pilates,” jokes Griffin. “So we have a standing date to do some ab work.”
The future looks bright for the family as Griffin feels stronger than ever and Luke starts his first year of preschool. In March 2011, This Burning Land, a book Myre and Griffin co-authored on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, will be published by Wiley.
Despite her busy workload, Griffin continues her fight against breast cancer. She still makes almost daily entries in her blog (jengriffinblog.blogspot.com), where she has shared everything from the loss of her long, glamorous tresses to nutrition advice and updates on Triple Negative research. Griffin receives—and answers—countless emails from newly diagnosed patients. She supports Look Good, Feel Better, which donates cosmetics and lends support to cancer patients dealing with hair loss. Also an advocate for Susan G. Komen, Griffin will serve as ambassador for the first Race for the Cure in Jerusalem on October 28, 2010.
“I had a wonderful response to my cancer treatment, but for the next three years I’m still in a pretty dangerous position where recurrence can happen,” explains Griffin, sitting with Myre by her side in the home that has been their haven. “I need things to be discovered yesterday and therefore, we are very active in raising money and awareness.
“I feel that my role, psychologically, is to help women say to themselves, ‘You’re going to have a tough year, you’re going to get through this and your family is going to get stronger,’” she continues. “You can never pay back all the people who helped you. But you can certainly pay it forward.”
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. 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 2010
When Dan and Beth Concannon moved into their 1970s Colonial on two acres in Potomac a few years ago, they hired architect Jim Rill to design a renovation even before all the boxes were unpacked. Complete with all the trappings of its era—closed-in rooms, a cramped kitchen and dysfunctional closets—the house lacked connectivity. “Outside, it was so symmetrical and cold. And inside, it had a segmented, boxed-off kind of feel,” Beth Concannon recalls. “We needed to open it up.”
Jim Rill designed a plan to make the property more inviting, both inside and out. On the exterior, cosmetic and structural changes would bring the home architectural integrity and scale. A generous addition of windows would pour more light into the interiors, where Rill proposed changes that would vastly improve flow and create a connection to the outdoors.
To establish a welcoming first impression, he designed a front portico, which helps balance the new bay windows that expanded the breakfast room on one side and the dining room on the other. A freshly painted brick exterior and dark trim impart an English Country flair.
Since the Concannons entertain often, they decided to turn the formal living room to the right of the entry foyer into a large dining room. In turn, the existing dining room became a sun-filled breakfast room that opens directly to the kitchen now that the wall separating the two spaces has been removed. “Opening up the views was a big part of this addition.” says Rill. “It celebrates the outside.”
Kitchen designer Robin Lynch updated the once-cramped kitchen in a style that would complement the casual yet well-crafted feel of the home. New cabinets and appliances and marble countertops rim the perimeter walls, while an expanded island topped with teak serves as a prep space and homework station for the Concannons’ two sons. Just off the kitchen and breakfast room, a small addition to the existing garage now houses a home office, a powder room, a mudroom and pantry.
At the rear of the house, a two-story extension of the family room on the main level and the master bedroom above centers around a stone chimney. Large bay windows now flank the new fireplace in the family room. Interior designer Deborah Kernan helped the family select durable furnishings and a color scheme of rich neutrals here and throughout the home.
Upstairs, a sitting area in the reconfigured master bedroom also features a fireplace along with doors leading to twin balconies overlooking the pool. The renovation also provided the owners with a luxurious new master bath and copious closet space.
Envisioning the back as a courtyard, Rill designed inviting elements on all four sides of the pool, including a trellised pergola with a fireplace and a stone grotto with a hot tub built into what was an empty slope of grass. He also revamped the freestanding pool house with detailing to reflect the style of the main house.
The renovation realized major changes with only minor alterations to the home’s original footprint. “We found that we could fix the flow without adding much square footage,” says Rill. “We created rooms that are utilized instead of just adding space. And there are now great vistas in every room of the house.”
Lydia Cutter is a photographer in McLean, Virginia.
ARCHITECTURE: Jim Rill, AIA, lead architect; KAI KIM, project architect, Rill Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. RENOVATION CONTRACTOR: W.C. HOMES, Potomac, Maryland. INTERIOR DESIGN & STYLING: DEBORAH KERNAN, Distinctive Designs, Potomac, Maryland. LANDSCAPING: FINE EARTH LANDSCAPE, INC., Poolesville, 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.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
A Modern Mix
When architect Robert M. Gurney gutted his clients’ 1876 Washington, DC, row house, his intent was to create a clean, minimalist aesthetic while respecting the property’s historic lineage. Its master bath is a case in point. From the bedroom, a crisply detailed bank of oak cabinetry leads into the space. The architect juxtaposed floors and walls in white Calcutta Gold marble—which plays to a historical context—with a long L-shaped stainless-steel sink. Transparent glass tiles echo the simple color scheme. “We wanted to keep the overall palette light,” says Gurney, “and the design timeless but modern.” The sculptural tub, stainless-steel sconces, contemporary faucets and fixtures and sandblasted glass tile in the toilet area—all from Waterworks in Georgetown—reinforce the architect’s vision. These amenities have transformed the once-outdated bath into a veritable home spa. “The shower is basically a water park,” says Gurney, “with a bench, a hand-held shower, two rain showers and a standard shower. You can spend a lot of time in there.”
ARCHITECTURE: ROBERT M. GURNEY, Robert M. Gurney Architect, Washington, DC. PHOTOGRAPHY: MAXWELL MACKENZIE.
A Soothing Escape
Overlooking rolling hills and pastures in Ashland, Virginia, this new master-bath addition brings luxury and style to a Southern country manor. Architect Doug Bowman and interior designer Jennifer Stoner created a new wing off the owners’ bedroom, converting the existing bath into his-and-hers wardrobes, each of which opens to angled hallways with separate vanities and water closets for the husband and wife. The hallways converge at an archway leading to dual showers and an octagonal room framed in windows. Here an oversized soaking tub and two chaises create a “light and airy spa-like retreat where the homeowner can come and soak at the end of the day,” says Stoner. The 17-foot-high space boasts a hand-troweled and domed ceiling with a dramatic Currey & Co. chandelier, a mosaic marble floor, granite countertops, a coffee station and heated floors. The owners can enjoy the views of their surrounding farm—or drop the automated shades for complete privacy
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ARCHITECTURE: DOUG BOWMAN, Doug Bowman Designs, Inc., Midlothian, Virginia. INTERIOR DESIGN: JENNIFER STONER, Jennifer Stoner Interiors, Richmond, Virginia. CONTRACTOR: A. D. Whittaker, Ashland, Virginia. DECORATIVE PAINTING: CHRIS LOMBARD, Liquid Concepts, Richmond, Virginia. PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN MAGOR.
Eco-Friendly Retreat
The concepts of green living and health and well-being often go hand in hand. Ernesto Santalla designed a modern bath retreat that embodied these ideals in last year’s CharityWorks GreenHouse—a sustainably built showhouse in McLean,
Virginia, that was sold to a family who toured it.
All of the materials, furnishings—and even the art—Santalla selected are sustainable. A centerpiece of the space is the shower wrapped in cedar with a wall of river-rock stones and a cascading waterfall (using re-circulated water) that introduces sounds of nature into the mix. Artwork includes a large abstract piece by Dan Steinhilber made with recycled plastic bags (over the day bed) and a delicate hanging sculpture made by Barbara Josephs Liotta from remnants of black granite hanging near the cedar shower enclosure.
Santalla’s creation illustrates how a spa can fit into any space in a home. “A bathroom doesn’t have to be fully enclosed,” he says. “You can expand the notion of a spa to include a living area with a relaxation space.”
ARCHITECTURE & INTERIOR DESIGN: ERNESTO M. SANTALLA, AIA, LEED AP, Studio Santalla, Inc., Washington, DC. PHOTOGRAPHY: GEOFFREY HODGDON.
Worldly Opulence
When a homeowner purchased a McLean, Virginia, residence, he put it on a fast track for renovation. The design team, including architect David Cooper and interior designer William Paley, found inspiration in the many luxe hotel bathrooms their client has visited, and combed the globe for materials of the highest quality that would create a completely unique sanctuary, according to Patricia Tetro, project leader for BOWA, the renovation contractor. Custom elements include lacquered doors from Hong Kong, mosaic tiles from Italy, a travertine tub from Mexico and shagreen vanities from France framed by verre élgomisé panels gilded in platinum-leaf Arabic letters.
From private dressing areas, a stone passage leads past twin vanities toward the tub—which is so large that it had to be lowered into the space by crane. To the left is an open shower with a rain shower and a waterfall shower. Here glass doors open to a soothing steam room with wood slats mounted to the wall and a sculptural bench made of reclaimed timber by Jerome Abel.
“It’s all very courant, but still very livable,” says Tetro. “It’s not just a showpiece. The clients use it every day.”
ARCHITECTURE: DAVID COOPER, ACG Architects, McLean, Virginia.
INTERIOR DESIGN: tonychi and associates, New York, New York.
RENOVATION CONTRACTOR: PATRICIA TETRO, project leader, BOWA, McLean, Virginia. PHOTOGRAPHY: JIM TETRO.
**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.
The Boffi showroom in Georgetown just reopened after its franchise owner shuttered the business in early 2010. The Italian kitchen-and-bath manufacturer decided to launch a direct-trade showroom in the Cady’s Alley space. “We really believe in the DC market and want to be represented here,” says store manager Julia Walter.
The redesigned space displays a wider range of products, including a new line of lighting. 3320 M Street, NW. www.boffi.com
**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.
GET THEE TO A SPA IN TUSCANY
Adler Thermae Spa and Resort in Tuscany’s Orcia Valley is luring guests with a romantic spa break package this fall. Aside from access to the resort’s saunas and thermal pools (above), guests enjoy daily breakfasts and candlelight dinners, a bath in an underground salt grotto and a two-day vintage car rental. Rates for four nights are about $1,124 per person through October 30.
www.adler-thermae.com
GRANDE DAME OF STYLE
After three decades as a loyal guest, Diane von Furstenberg (left) has designed 20 rooms and suites in Claridge’s of London. Inspired by her travels around the world, von Furstenberg created her own fabrics, rugs and furniture, from vintage-style writing desks to glamorous dressing tables. The rooms, which will also display travel photos taken by the designer, start at about $1,050 per night. www.claridges.co.uk
BEDECKED IN COLOR
Etienne Perret, a Camden, Maine-based jewelry designer, has released a new collection of ceramic pieces set with precious gems and diamonds. Available in black, white, pink, blue, brown and grey, the ceramic material is durable yet lightweight and can be left matte or polished to a high gloss. On the left, a black ceramic ring and bangle bracelet with colored diamonds set in 18-karat white gold. Prices upon request. www.etienneperret.com
A TASTE OF SPAIN
Mark Kuller, owner of Proof in Penn Quarter, has opened a new hot spot in DC’s trendy 14th Street Corridor. Estadio serves up traditional Spanish tapas, small plates and entrées—and has garnered rave reviews for its frozen libations. The interiors sport wrought-iron panels, colorful tiles and an open kitchen. 1520 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC; 202-319-1404. www.estadio-dc.com
OUT WITH A BANG
Marc Jacobs recently unveiled Bang, his first men’s fragrance in more than a decade—and it entered the scene with just that. Its sleek, modern bottle and spicy masculine scent caused such a stir that the product disappeared from shelves in Marc Jacobs shops and Bloomingdale’s, where it was sold exclusively over the summer. It is now available at retail outlets worldwide. $55 for 1.7 ounces. www.marcjacobs.com
BOHO BAG
Angela Missoni, a third-generation member of the venerable Italian design clan, has entered the fray with her own accessories collection for fall 2010. Her Coco B bag, with its typical Missoni colors and trademark zigzag pattern, is available in a small pom-pom style (below, left) as well as in full handbag size. Price: $185 for pom-pom and $1,480 for handbag. www.missoni.com
HIP TUNES
Konnet Technology’s iCrado is a chic metallic charge and sync dock for iPhones and iPods that cradles these devices in style. The iCrado’s reflex design also enhances speaker quality and microphone reception while the device is in use. Best of all, it’s available in silver, magenta, violet, green, red, black, yellow, orange, cyan and pink. $29.99. www.konnetonline.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.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2010
A treat is in store for visitors to The Washington Design Center this fall: the Halls of Fame 2010 Design House, a collection of eight stylish rooms created by members of the Center’s Hall of Fame. Located in a newly completed space on the fifth floor of the building, it is blessed with natural light—as opposed to its former venue in the Center’s subterranean concourse level.
A few common threads unify the designers’ innovative spaces: creativity, a touch of the unexpected and a generous dose of glamour. Their vignettes, which showcase products offered in Design Center showrooms, are sure to enlighten design buffs of all persuasions.
Inspired by a Park Avenue home, Kelley Proxmire’s Foyer contrasts black-and-white motifs with bright turquoise accents. Michael Roberson imagined a Garden Room with furnishings covered in crisp whites and a montage of botanical photographs taken in her own backyard.
The Living Room by David Herchik and Richard Looman of JDS Designs mingles modern and retro pieces with edgy art and exotic textures. Victor Shargai’s elegant Dining Room was designed to evoke a 20th-century British mystery novel, while Frank Babb Randolph’s Portico mixes antiques and handcrafted pieces to create a classically styled gathering place.
French decorator Madeleine Castaing was a muse for Nestor Santa-Cruz, who honed in on her dazzling blue shades and combined them with art and accessories to make the Study a personalized space.
Olvia Demetriou’s Master Bedroom boasts sleek modern furnishings and a minimalist bath while the Family Room by Rita St. Clair represents a multi-functional space designed for a well-traveled client.
The Design House is open Monday through Saturday until December 4. Visit www.dcdesigncenter.com.
**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.
