City Gem
Traversing the streets of Georgetown, even harried passersby can’t help but pause to admire the neighborhood’s charming homes. Row houses steeped in period detail…
Modern Aerie
The concept of home-as-sanctuary was important to Old Town Alexandria residents Jerry Penso and Andrew Heinle, whose soaring, 3,140-square-foot penthouse comprises two conjoined condominiums….
Old + New
The interiors of the ’40s-era Arlington home shared by husbands John Palmer and Ray Taylor were showing their age. A tight layout within the…
Vintage Spin
For Liz Mearns, decorating homes in the Arlington community of Aurora Hills is a regular part of her business. “I have worked on about…
Mudroom Magic
CHECKMATE When designer Tracey Morris of Gillis Interiors and her family bought their house in Potomac, it had been a rental property for 12…
And the Winner Is…
Each year, a panel of building-industry professionals chooses nominees for the Great American Living Awards. Sponsored by the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association, the…
Sitting Pretty
When Sean and Lisa Creamer purchased a 1914 farmhouse on a sublime stretch of Oak Creek near the Miles River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore,…
Tower Vista
“The house was a rambler that had rambled a little too far,” says architect Mark McInturff, who was called in to remedy the shortcomings…
Ask the Pros: Custom Building
How do homebuyers ensure they are purchasing a house that’s built to withstand a waterfront climate? When looking to purchase an existing waterfront property,…
Vintage Charm
Little did Vesper Mei know she’d landed a diamond in the rough when she purchased a Capitol Hill row house in 2002. The 100-plus-year-old,…
Before and After
THE BOYS CLUB In her show house space, designer Quintece Hill-Mattauszek set out to transform a lackluster bedroom into “The Boys Club,” a swanky…
Ask the Pros: Architecture
How do you define Tidewater style and how did it evolve? What architectural elements are part of this vernacular? Tidewater-style homes typically include wrap-around…
Building Blocks
SLEEK SURFACE Ariostea, an Italian manufacturer of porcelain tile, just debuted CON.CREA., a surface that mimics the contemporary look of concrete. Available in five…
Home Maintenance
Your home may be the biggest investment you’ll make. Regular maintenance is necessary to preserve its value and ensure it will provide comfortable, safe…
Before + After: Build
Greg Wiedemann and his team created an expansive, Victorian-style farmhouse by adding a volume that mirrors the existing structure. A small corner porch became…
History Reborn
Looking at the front of the vintage row house Patricio Asfura-Heim and Christine DeWitt recently remodeled, little seems to have changed from a century…
Poolside Paradise
The scenic Severn River set the stage for the overhaul of a lot in Crownsville, Maryland. Spearheaded by McHale Landscape Design, this whole-property renovation…
Cutting Edge
MOODY BLUES Rich blue hues shot through with streaks of white and gray distinguish Van Gogh, a marble-look porcelain tile from Spanish tile company…
Custom Fit
Five years after leaving a career in New York to start her own design firm (and a family) in Baltimore, Laura Hodges got a…
Study In Contrast
Rustic and modern meet in this renovation of a century-old log cabin in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Somerset. The original structure has been…