A couple looking to relocate closer to their children’s school from the suburbs snatched up a 1931 stone abode in DC’s Spring Valley. They then faced the challenge of transforming the stately acquisition into a family home for their brood of three kids, then aged seven and under, plus a dog. “This house could easily turn very formal,” relates the husband, who works in the investment industry. “It goes back to a different era. I could picture a butler serving in the dining room.”

That vision didn’t jibe with the family’s reality, where the dining room is more likely to see Lego construction than silver service. The new owners needed help creating spaces that would honor the home’s provenance while supporting their relaxed, no-room-is-off-limits lifestyle. They knew designer Kristin Peake, who brought fuss-free panache to their previous roost, would be able to thread that needle.

“The house is magnificent, and they wanted that feeling to resonate throughout the whole interior as well,” recounts Peake. “But it had to function for their family and how they live.”

Her plan would enhance interior architecture and bolster functionality in strategic spots before instilling polished yet hard-wearing style throughout. The project scope soon expanded to include a rear addition that would serve as an indoor-outdoor hangout and entertaining space.

Today, the five-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot home welcomes guests into a foyer leading back to the dining room. To the right, the living room connects to the wife’s office. The family room, kitchen/casual-dining area and mudroom are housed to the left, now joined by the new extension. Upstairs sit the primary suite with his-and-her baths and the kids’ three ensuite bedrooms. The husband’s office and a playroom rest on the third floor, while the lower level comprises guest quarters, a lounge and a gym.

Although the home had been recently renovated before the owners’ purchase, its pristine interiors lacked the level of detail, not to mention color, the couple craved. “It was pretty much white drywall everywhere,” recalls the wife, a stay-at-home mom. Peake embellished that vanilla shell with ceiling treatments, painted built-ins, bespoke wall finishes and more.

As for furnishings, the owners decided to start fresh. Peake developed space plans and timeless schemes for every room on all four levels. “The aesthetic is traditional, but we mixed in bits and pieces of modern as well,” she notes.

In the long living room, back-to-back sofas create two gathering areas. All the seating comes in handy during big-game viewing parties, made possible by a large-screen television enclosed in a custom cabinet. The husband reveals, “We usually entertain informally because that’s how we like to roll.”

In the dining room, a hand-painted Chinoiserie wall mural lends a garden vibe. Red linen drapes and a sleek pendant keep stuffiness at bay. Providing the requisite durability, steel-blue performance fabric adorns the host chair, while neutral, easy-to-clean wool herringbone covers the side chairs.

“Everything Kristin selected stands up to the way our family operates,” enthuses the wife. “But this room dresses up really well too. It can look more formal when we want it to, but we’re not afraid to have the kids do Legos and eat pizza in here.”

The kitchen was relocated to an addition during the previous renovation. Its white-painted cabinetry and marble counters stayed put, and Peake added user-friendly furniture. In the nearby family room, navy-blue paint enlivened existing white built-ins.

To establish a stylish mudroom, Peake tricked out an empty back hall with bespoke, blue-painted cabinetry designed to meet the family’s specific storage needs. New, white oak ceiling beams lend character. “This space is a beautiful illustration of form following function,” the designer avers. “That’s really how we designed the whole house.”

Upstairs in the primary bedroom, new layers—from the charcoal-stained plank ceiling to the upholstered bed wall—create coziness. Though overhauled earlier, the his-and-her bathrooms received a few upgrades. In his, for example, Peake repainted the existing white vanity a deep blue-gray and hung new brass-and-leather sconces above it.

Visiting grandparents often stay in the lower level’s well-appointed bedroom. Peake redid the existing ensuite bath, specifying white oak cabinetry, a marble countertop and a custom, metal-framed shower enclosure. A practical-and-pretty kitchenette adds thoughtful function to the adjacent hangout.

What was initially envisioned as a freestanding pool house ultimately morphed into a 700-square-foot, all-season extension off the kitchen. Architect Addison Nottingham presented plans for a timber-frame structure with a vaulted ceiling. Multi-fold, glass doors wrap around two walls for seamless access to the pool terrace. “We tried to make the space as open and glassy as possible,” he relates. “The doors fold and stack so they don’t interrupt the family’s enjoyment of the outdoor area.” Contractors Randal Fleming and Bill Saar executed the plan.

The addition channels a spirit of escape. Its interior is meant to transport family and friends to Maine, where the couple owns a vacation home. “Maine is our happy place,” shares the husband. “We wanted to bring some of that feeling to our DC life by making the porch a little rustic.” Dark-wood planks on the ceiling and walls, plus locally sourced stone around the fireplace, achieve the desired effect. The final result, he adds, “is a great party space.”

Then again, the family—and guests of all ages—enjoy every room in the house. As Peake sums up: “This home is made for living.”

Interior Design: Kristin Peake, Kristin Peake Interiors, Rockville, Maryland. Addition Architecture: Addison Nottingham, RA, LEED AP BD+C, ACG Architects, McLean, Virginia. Landscape Design: Sisson Landscapes, Great Falls, Virginia.

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT
Interior Cabinetry & Built-Ins: lyndonheathcabinetry.com. Home Technology: bethesdasystems.com. Windows: marvin.com through wdshowplace.com. Folding Doors: centor.com through qualitywindowanddoorinc.com. Faux Finishing: artstarcustompaintworks.com.

LIVING ROOM
Sofas: Custom. Sofa Fabric: hickorychair.com; fabricut.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com. Twin Table Lamps: jamieyoung.com. Wood Cabinet: lyndonheathcabinetry.com.

DINING ROOM
Table: Custom through highlandhousefurniture.com. Chairs: leeindustries.com; hollandandsherry.com. Chair Fabric: quadrillefabrics.com. Host Chair: hickorywhite.com. Host Chair Fabric: shellibreidenbach.com. Chandelier: urbanelectric.com. Drapery Fabric: kravet.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com.

MUDROOM
Cabinetry Paint: Stone Cutter by benjaminmoore.com. Light Fixture: palecek.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Cabinetry Color: Hale Navy by benjaminmoore.com. Ottoman: hickorychair.com. Ottoman Fabric: samuelandsons.com. Rug: carpetimpressions.com.

HALL
Stair Runner: carpetimpressions.com. Round Table: Antique. Frame Chair: gabby.com. Frame Chair Fabric: ralphlauren.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Headboard & Fabric: vanguardfurniture.com. Throw & Accent Pillows: legacylinens.com. Loveseat: hickorychair.com. Motorized Shades: hartmannforbes.com through abenetworks.com. Drapery Fabric: kravet.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com.

PRIMARY BATH
Window Treatment Fabric: kravet.com; samuelandsons.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com. Wall Color: phillipjeffries.com.

LOWER-LEVEL BEDROOM
Wallpaper: phillipjeffries.com. Bed: bakerfurniture.com. Nightstand: vanguardfurniture.com. Sconce: curreyandcompany.com. Accent Pillows: ralphlauren.com.

LOWER-LEVEL BATH
Vanity Top: caesarstoneus.com. Floor Tile: Architessa.com. Wallpaper: winfieldthybony.com. Shower Tile: waterworks.com. Ottomans: rogersandgoffigon.com. Dark Green Cabinetry: Andiron by sherwin-williams.com. Drapery Fabrication: everettdesign.com.

POOL HOUSE
Sectional & Woven Chairs: bakerfurniture.com; vanguardfurniture.com. Ottomans: rockvilleinteriors.com. Ottoman Fabric: perennialsfabrics.com. Chandelier: buzzellstudios.com. Backsplash: architessa.com.

Unspooling over 500 acres in New Jersey’s Somerset County, the Pendry Natirar is a mere four hours from Washington, DC, but its pastoral setting feels more like the Cotswolds. The luxury resort occupies a 1912 Tudor revival manse (left), restored by CosciaMoos Architecture with interiors, such as the Raritan Suite (above), by DesignAgency. Amenities include farm-to-table restaurants Ninety Acres and Ladd’s Tavern (terrace view, top), a cooking school, spa and horseback riding. Rooms from $585. pendry.com/natirar

Carolina Herrera’s latest men’s collection delivers understated staples that balance urban sophistication with functional comfort. Mid-weight pieces, such as a tailored gray blazer (right), are work and date-night appropriate paired with black trousers or denim, while an olive-green utility jacket (above) takes weekend wear to stylish new heights. Emphasizing classic tailoring and modern silhouettes, the line ensures a seamless, sartorial transition from winter to spring. Find at the CH Carolina Herrera boutique in CityCenterDC. chcarolinaherrera.com

“Once upon a time, the formal living room was just a pretty space, often left untouched and unused. I like pushing clients to think outside of the box and ask themselves, ‘What could this room be?’ Your home needs to be reflective of you, and it should have varied spaces for activities, depending on your season of life.” —Laura Fox, Laura Fox Interior Design, LLC

“I prefer to design screen-free living rooms for my clients, to make them areas for quiet reflection, conversation and reading. This encourages human connection over digital distraction. Now more than ever, the living room should be a sanctuary, separate from the business of other rooms in the house.” —Barbara Hawthorn, IFDA, Barbara Hawthorn Interiors, Ltd.

“Creating distinct zones within the living room allows for a seamless transition between functions while maintaining the integrity of the design. Integrating elements that are both timeless and adaptable—like classic furniture juxtaposed with modern touches and multi-functional pieces—preserves aesthetics while ensuring the room remains practical for the needs of a family.” —Jamie Merida, Jamie Merida Interiors

“We’ve seen a shift from traditional living room to multi-function space. Giving purpose to it with a game table or a piano for practice and lessons drives use into that space, instead of it being a room that is rarely seen.” —Rebecca Penno, Penno Interiors

“Living rooms have transformed over the years, with contemporary homes that increasingly favor a great room concept over a separate living room. This approach allows homeowners to maximize functionality, as the living area and kitchen are integrated into one big space. The unused living room can become a sitting room, study or office.” —Dennese Guadeloupe Rojas, Interiors by Design

Samantha Sopp-Wittwer Interior Concepts, Inc. interiorconceptsinc.com PHOTO: Geoffrey Hodgdon

Laura Hildebrandt Interiors by LH ​interiorsbylh.com Photo: Christy Kosnic Photography

Bonnie Ammon Bonnie Ammon Interiors bonnieammoninteriors.com

Sarita Simpson Interior Matter interiormatter.com

Lisa Tullai Annapolis Interiors annapolisinteriors.com

When it came to building a summer getaway in Longport, New Jersey, Bethesda residents Marla and Barry Beck had a vision. The power couple, who co-founded the luxury beauty retailer Bluemercury, wanted an heirloom-quality abode where they could gather with their three grown children, family and friends. They began by acquiring a prime oceanfront lot, then hiring the right team.

“I was brought on board by the Becks. We’re friends and they were familiar with my work,” explains interior designer Sandra Meyer of Ella Scott Design. From its 2019 inception to its completion in 2021, she collaborated on the project with Mark Kaufman of GTM Architects and Jim Leeds of Leeds Builders.

“Our clients wanted a traditional-looking beach house from the street side, with a contemporary rear maximizing the use of glass and taking advantage of its striking views,” says Kaufman of what would be a seven-bedroom, 8,000-square-foot home spanning three floors, with indoor/outdoor living spaces on each level.

From the street, the dwelling reads like a Dutch Colonial, with cedar shakes and a gambrel roof atop a stone-veneer foundation (FEMA requires a two-foot-above-base flood elevation). But the rear elevation is another story, seamlessly marrying those traditional features with expansive, hurricane-rated glass windows and sliders that spill out to ipe decks rimmed with marine-grade, stainless-steel railings. “All exterior materials are designed to withstand the salt air and hurricane environment,” Kaufman notes. For instance, “retractable Kevlar storm screens roll down in front of the sliding-glass doors and windows to protect them off-season or during a storm.”

In addition to waterfront balconies—one off the top-floor primary suite and the other extending the width of the second level—a covered terrace, deck and patio beckon beside a swimming pool and spa. “The patio is comprised of a floating paver system that sits atop pedestals over the sloped substrate,” explains Kaufman. “This system maximizes the height of the patio, which in turn maximizes the view over the dunes to the ocean.”

Visitors enter through a ground-floor foyer that leads past the staircase to a spacious rec room equipped with a fireplace flanked by built-in banquettes, a sectional and an eight-foot-long wet bar with a beverage fridge. A covered terrace and pool are accessed through glass doors.

The second story houses a great room that spans the back of the house and encompasses the custom kitchen and chic living and dining areas. A wall of sliding glass doors opens to a covered deck furnished for optimal entertaining.

Three bedrooms and a sitting room also occupy the second level; a third story houses three more bedrooms and the primary suite, which opens to a private roof deck. Each level has its own stone-clad fireplace to ensure the home lives cozily and comfortably in every season; an elevator connects all three floors.

Like the architecture, the interiors focus on indoor-outdoor connectivity, with understated furnishings that emphasize the views. “It’s not stereotypical in a beach-house way,” says Meyer of her design approach. “We used restraint. Our clients wanted a well-crafted and distinctive home with a clean, chic and timeless feel.”

Rooms suited for large-scale entertaining spill out to comfortable outdoor living spaces. Furniture profiles are low and unobtrusive—minimalist and unfussy with pre-treated upholstery to withstand coastal living. “We definitely didn’t want that typical overstuffed or slipcovered beach look,” Meyer notes.

She and her clients nodded subtly to the nautical setting with wide-plank white oak floors and white-painted, nickel-gap-paneled walls throughout that serve to unify the interiors. “I used neutrals that mimic the sand in different lights, and blues that play off the sky and the sea; the colors are so perfect for the setting,” Meyer enthuses. “I love that the indoor design elements don’t detract from the view but complement it.”

In the sleek kitchen, the designer clad the base of the island and the hood in nickel-gap panels painted an inky-blue shade that contrasts with white cabinetry and marble countertops and backsplash. Another moody blue makes a statement in the third-floor office, where the hue envelops built-in cabinetry, walls and ceiling. Meyer added a textured Romo wallpaper to the desk wall for interest.

Having office options in their home was important to the couple, who sold Bluemercury in 2015. Barry is the founder and CEO of Evenly Technologies, a tech and telemedicine company, and Marla invests, advises and sits on the boards of several public companies. So the design team added offices on the second level and on the third floor off the primary suite.

The Becks’ bedroom is notable for its ocean-facing picture window that follows the lines of the gambrel roof; a linear corner fireplace and private balcony complete the haven.

The finished project is all the owners wanted—and the process of getting there was seamless. “Everything ran like a dream,” Meyer recalls. “Having the right team and amazing clients made all the difference.”

Architecture: Mark Kaufman, AIA, LEED AP, GTM Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Interior & Kitchen Design: Sandra Meyer, Ella Scott Design, Bethesda, Maryland. Builder: Jim Leeds, Leeds Builders Inc., Margate City, New Jersey.

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT
Windows: marvin.com. Sliding Doors: westernwindowsystems.com.

DECK
Lounge Seating & Fabric, Dining Table, Wooden Table & Dining Chairs: shopharbour.com. White Pedestal Tables: rh.com. Pillow Fabrics: ryanstudio.com.

FOYER
Chandelier: urbanelectric.com. Table: thebrightgroup.com.

LIVING AREA
White Sofas & Side Chairs: artisticframe.com. Sofa & Pillow Fabric: romo.com. Coffee Table: brickerandbeam.com. Rug: stantoncarpet.com. Side Chair Fabric: markalexander.com. Large Window Shade: lutron.com. Small Window Shade: conradshades.com. Art: bradleyduncan.com. Paint: Simply White by benjaminmoore.com.

KITCHEN
Cabinetry: cabico.com through colmarkitchenstudio.com. Large Pendants: urbanelectric.com. Dining Fixture: rollandhill.com. Dining Table: brickerandbeam.com. Dining Chairs: bassamfellows.com. Bar Stools: rh.com. Countertops & Backsplash: marblesystems.com. Cooktop: subzero-wolf.com through handlersappliance.com.

POOLSIDE
Umbrella & Outdoor Seating: gloster.com.

CABANA
Sectional: verellen.biz. Sectional Fabric: romo.com. Rug: stantoncarpet.com. Sofa Table & Cocktail Table: brickerandbeam.com. Stools: crumpandkwash.com. Floor Lamps: arteriorshome.com. Countertop: marblesystems.com. Paint: Simply White by benjaminmoore.com.

NOOK
Pillow & Cushion Fabric: romo.com. Light: alliedmaker.com. Table: Custom through brickerandbeam.com. Chairs: janusetcie.com. Paint: Simply White by benjaminmoore.com.

STUDY
Cabinetry Design: colmarkitchenstudio.com. Cabinetry Fabrication: cabico.com. Cabinetry Paint: Kensington Blue by benjaminmoore.com. Backsplash Wallpaper: romo.com. Chair: thebrightgroup.com. Lamp: visualcomfort.com. Sofa: kravet.com. Sofa Fabric: romo.com. Window Shade: conradshades.com.

BEDROOM
Bed: dmitriyco.com. Rug: stantoncarpet.com. Chair & Ottoman: hollyhunt.com. Chair & Ottoman Fabric: cowtan.com. Floor Lamp: visualcomfort.com. Pillow Fabric: romo.com. Throw on Bed: matouk.com. Pedestal: palecek.com. Chandelier: gabriel-scott.com.

PRIMARY BATH
Countertop: innovativecuttingconcepts.com. Cabinetry: taylormadecabinets.com. Hardware: emtek.com. Faucets: kallista.com through artistichardware.net. Paint: Simply White by benjaminmoore.com.

LOCKER ROOM
Cabinetry Design: colmarkitchenstudio.com. Cabinetry Fabrication: cabico.com. Cabinetry Paint: Denim Wash by benjaminmoore.com. Flooring: cottodeste.us.

PRIMARY CLOSET
Closet Design & Fabrication: colmarkitchenstudio.com. Window Shade: conradshades.com.

There’s more to the ceiling sculpture in Mariela Buendia-Corrochano’s family room than meets the eye. One hundred twenty-three panels of lacquered wood, each embedded with LED lights, make up the dramatic, undulating work of art. It’s one of many moves conceived by the designer during a recent renovation that turned her 1970s-era residence into a modern masterpiece. 

The makeover reimagined the McLean home’s interiors and introduced a crisp, minimalist palette to showcase bold artwork collected around the globe. An airy new family room replaced an indoor pool that had seen better days.

“The pool was an integral part of our family,” recalls Buendia-Corrochano of the time when she, husband Gerardo Corrochano and their two young sons moved into the 5,700-square-foot home 20 years ago. “We used it all year round.”

With the boys now out of college and living in New York, the empty nesters decided during the 2018 renovation that the pool should go. But instead of sweeping it away without a trace, Buendia-Corrochano celebrated the beloved amenity with the ceiling sculpture. “The curves are an interpretation of the DNA of water. It’s not only a piece of art that I wanted to design for the house, but it is also about creating a reminiscence of what existed before,” she explains. 

The renovation remedied a number of design flaws. The owners love to entertain, but the floor plan cramped their style. The foyer opens on the left to a double-height living room with a piano room beyond. The dining room and kitchen were crammed in on the right, leading to a narrow, sunken family room—all small, inefficient spaces. Along the back of the home, the pool was the only spot that enjoyed prime views of their wooded property, which backs onto parkland and Pimmit Run, a tributary of the Potomac.

“We love the natural environment, but the existing house didn’t take advantage of it,” explains Buendia-Corrochano, a design principal at Gensler who also takes on residential projects through her own firm, estudio_MBC. “And the back of the home wasn’t connected to the front. We wanted to have free flow so we could use the whole house.”

Her redo added doorways and centered off-kilter openings, which set a clear axis from the dining room to the piano room. Glass panels replaced wooden spindles on the stairway and landing above. “As an architect and a designer, I’m very focused on trying to create internal vistas,” Buendia-Corrochano notes.

She expanded the dining room and kitchen from the front to the back of the house, taking over the sunken family room. Its floor was raised to make way for the new kitchen, now equipped with custom, white-lacquered cabinetry and a large island. 

In lieu of the pool, the designer created an open breakfast area and a new family room, where wide expanses of glass maximize views of the landscape. State-of-the-art lighting and audio systems now let the owners control sound and mood throughout the home.

Taking cues from nature, Buendia-Corrochano chose reclaimed white oak flooring stained gray. Black travertine embellishes fireplace surrounds and the kitchen backsplash. “I’m a total modernist. I love natural, earthy finishes and patterns,” she declares. “It’s a minimal use of materials but their impact is what matters. All the finishes, materials and textures work together harmoniously.”

No detail was too small for Buendia-Corrochano to articulate. “I’m very focused on the whole experience,” she says. “Everything is curated and thought through.” Panels of brushed stainless steel mark passageways. Cabinets sport precise, mitered edges. And in lieu of grout, open joints rim each travertine slab to make it look like the stone is floating.

The subdued palette, says the designer, “created a canvas for our collection of furniture and art.” She and Gerardo, a former World Bank director and now an executive at the Inter-American Development Bank, have been traveling and collecting treasures together since meeting in their native Peru four decades ago. Timeless, iconic furnishings acquired over the years fit perfectly into their updated spaces, where paintings, sculptures and artifacts from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas are displayed gallery-style. “Art is such a special part of who we are,” reflects Buendia-Corrochano. “Our Latin and Peruvian heritage is also really important to us.”

Many pieces hail from Mexico, where Buendia-Corrochano opened an office for Gensler in 2014. When they returned to Washington after spending four years in Mexico City, the couple considered downsizing to an apartment. 

“It was just the two of us,” she recalls, “but we really love the house and its surroundings. We decided that an apartment wouldn’t foster the strong relationship and ties that we have with our kids and extended family. In order to lure our kids back when they have families in the future, we wanted the house to be the hub that it has always been.”

No apartment could have replaced the connection to nature that the couple enjoys on their woodsy property. “There’s nothing better than waking up early, getting a cup of coffee and looking out over the forest,” reflects the designer. “When it’s winter, I turn on the fireplace. Even when I’m working, it’s so soothing to be here.”

Though they initially bemoaned the pool’s demise, the owners’ sons gave the renovation a thumbs-up. “If you bring me grandkids,” their father told them, “I’ll build a pool outside.”

Former Georgetown residents Vickie and Miguel Innis fell in love with Middleburg on weekend getaways. So when they began to crave more space to spread out during the pandemic, the Virginia hamlet seemed like the perfect place to give full-time country living a shot. They found a house on a 10-acre plot right outside town, on a quiet street surrounded by 100-acre properties. “We weren’t ready to jump on a larger property, not having had this lifestyle before,” says Vickie. “And—fun fact—our neighbor is Wexford, Jackie and John F. Kennedy’s former estate.” 

Despite its outdated flow and finishes and lack of air conditioning, the circa-1980s abode had character. The couple, whose two children were in high school and college at the time, hired architect Sarah Armstrong of Studio 360 and BOWA builders to improve its functionality, bring in natural light and update it as a “modern Colonial with a hint of rustic farmhouse,” explains Vickie. Room locations follow the standard center-hall floor plan: From the foyer, the living room on the right runs front to back, the dining room is on the left and the kitchen straight ahead. The kitchen connects to a smaller, gambrel-roofed wing containing a den, Vickie’s home office and a laundry room.

As the hardworking heart of the home, the kitchen received the most attention. Armstrong improved light and flow immensely by bumping out its exterior wall about eight feet, raising the ceiling height to match the rest of the first-floor rooms, removing part of the wall between the hall and the kitchen and installing pocket doors to the dining room. The kitchen’s new but salvaged heart pine flooring is sympathetic to the 100-year-old heart pine floors that had previously been installed elsewhere in the house. 

“We exposed the nail heads and, in some places, even fauxed them in to make them complementary,” Armstrong notes. “Yet you can see where the floor is new and different—we didn’t want to fake it. The house tells the story of what’s been added over time, but the changes coordinate really well.”

In another significant move, the architect made a clean sweep of the center hall by tucking a protruding powder room under the stairs and adding glass doors on the front and rear entrances. “Historically on these homes you have a straight shot through the house to the rear yard,” she notes. “This house didn’t have that. With the glass doors, you can see straight through the hallway and out the back.”

Upstairs, where the wood floors were sanded and refinished, updates included a new primary suite bath and closet, and a new hall bath that serves the two children’s bedrooms. The smaller wing—walled off from the rest of the second floor and with its own back stair—contains a new guest suite and Miguel’s study. To improve the larger volume’s exterior proportions, Armstrong also added front-facing dormers on the third floor, which is intended as a future lounge.

Realizing that country houses benefit from a strong connection to the landscape, Armstrong made deliberate decisions to remedy this one’s shortcomings. Windows were replaced, centered and enlarged. “The black window frames have a cleaner aesthetic with the new white board and batten on the larger volume and stonework on the smaller section, whose gambrel roof we preserved,” she explains. “The idea was to make it look like a house added to over time, like a farmhouse would have been.” 

New bands of stone around the porch foundation and on the two chimneys help tie the volumes together. Inspired by Middleburg’s historic National Sporting Library & Museum, the stonework is “over-grouted,” a distinctive Virginia technique whereby masons over-fill the joints and use a rough trowel to clean them up. “We did many samples—some were too messy, some were too clean—until we got it right,” Armstrong recalls. 

The enlarged front porch has an open gable with black metal tie rods, offering the gift of a grander entrance. The redo replaced a small rear terrace with a covered porch, where the owners enter from a detached garage; it’s a comfortable place to sit and survey the south lawn. In addition, asphalt roofs were traded for standing-seam metal befitting a farmhouse.

Finally, new insulation and zoned heating and cooling made the 4,000-square-foot residence fully ready for 21st-century living. “We touched every surface in the home but were able to preserve its humble character by reusing as much as we could,” says Armstrong. “It’s an appropriately sized house for this family and the property.”

When gifted interior designers, architects and owners come together with a single vision for a home’s future, the results can seem like kismet. Especially when that home, rising among the stately residences of Embassy Row, imparts a distinguished architectural past. Completed in 1930 for a financier whose taste and fortune rose above the Great Depression, the elegant Georgian Revival house presents a gracefully balanced façade, as well as generous, gracious proportions within.

To realize their ideas, the new owners gathered a present-day dream team including interior designers Jose Solis Betancourt and Paul Sherrill, partners in Solis Betancourt & Sherrill, along with Ankie Barnes of BarnesVanze Architects. As Sherrill recalls, “The client respected the traditional architecture of the house and wanted to embrace and restore that.” 

At the same time, the family with children wanted “something a little bit more contemporary and comfortable,” adds Solis Betancourt. “They entertain, so they needed large rooms and lots of seating areas. Everyone was interested in balancing traditional and modern design.”

To achieve that balance, Barnes introduced more natural light through new bays and larger glass doors and windows along the back. These changes were matched by the designers’ monochromatic palette of very light colors, from faux limestone walls in the entry to celadon in the dining room and buttery strié in the owners’ bedroom. “We were trying to keep it very subtle and peaceful, maintaining as much lightness as possible,” notes Sherrill. A foundation of contemporary, upholstered furnishings sporting clean, classic forms mingles nimbly with gilded antique chairs, restored marble fireplaces and artwork from the owners’ collection. 

A hint of what’s to come welcomes the visitor. In the entrance vestibule, modern light sculptures in graceful swirls were commissioned by the interior designers to fit existing niches. The 30-foot-long entrance hall unfurls ahead—its promenade of spaces defined by paired columns and glistening marble floors detailed with dark borders. At its terminus, a small seating area nestles at the foot of a grand staircase.

“For that space, we designed a narrow perching bench,” says Sherrill, likening its carved wood base to fluting on a column, its gilding influenced by Art Deco. Throughout the home, the designers subtly referenced classical revival elements of that period, which, Sherrill points out, “would have been high style when the house was built.” Enfolded by the staircase curve, a life-sized marble figure echoes ancient Rome while opposite, the designers choreographed twin images of ballerinas by artist Umberto Ciceri. As in a hologram, the dancers are set in motion when family or visitors walk by. 

Suffused with light, this area benefits from renovations made to the four-story, six-bedroom house by Barnes, collaborating with project manager Matthew Fiehn. On the staircase landing, enlarged glass doors, newly surrounded by sidelight and fanlight windows, lead out to a sweeping stone terrace. “The connection from the house to the garden on the back was not as strong as it could be,” Barnes explains. “And to my mind the principal rooms were not as well-connected and as generously lit as they should be.” The architect admires the home’s piano nobile plan, in which primary living spaces are placed one floor up. “It means you can organize public rooms in a very grand manner, not complicated by the need to enter,” he observes. “The house is wonderful in that regard—and many others.”

The central stair leads to the main floor’s commodious hall and formal dining room, its entrance framed by symmetrically arranged, sculptural console tables. Above, large paintings by Wolf Kahn bring luminous color to the gently modulated tones that flow through the hall, dining room and living room. Underpinning all three areas, glimmering carpets were custom-woven in tempered patterns to suit the expansive spaces, including the nearly 34-foot-long living room. An archival-design Vladimir Kagan sofa was recreated  for this room; its curves point the way toward a classical Crema Marfil marble fireplace.

Added onto the back of the living room, a new glass bay overlooks the verdant garden. This intimate seating area has become a favored spot for the owners to host small luncheons and teas. In addition to a thorough upgrade of the home’s infrastructure, architectural interventions ordered other spaces for modern living. One floor above, a similar glass bay extends the owners’ bedroom. Three additional bedrooms and a library-cum-family gathering space also grace that floor while on the fourth story, the architects created a sky-lit playroom. 

In the informal wing on the main floor, Barnes transformed darker spaces into a procession of lofty, light-filled rooms that extend from the back of the house to the front. Replacing service stairs behind the elevator with a more compact spiral stairway gained seven feet for the new family room, formerly a 12-foot-wide office. The home’s architectural formality extends into this wing, from the family room facing east to the kitchen and delightful breakfast area on the west-facing front.

Carrara marble, first viewed on the entrance-hall floor, reappears on kitchen countertops, backsplash and deep window wells. “It’s beautiful to have this continuity and uniformity of materials,” muses Sherrill, adding that in traditional European homes it was standard practice to use local stone, with variations, throughout. That refined restraint corresponds to ideas embraced by both the architect and owners, who, Sherrill maintains, “wanted a peaceful and harmonious experience.” 

Solis Betancourt concurs: “It was a real, true collaboration.”

RESOURCES
GENERAL
Window Treatments: gretcheneverett.com.

ENTRY HALL
Divan: ferrellmittman.com. Divan Fabric: zimmer-rohde.com. Chair by Divan: Owners’ collection. Chair Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Photographs & Sculpture: Owners’ collection. Stair Runner: galleriacarpets.com. Sconces: bagues-paris.com. Chairs: Owners’ collection. Chair Fabric: larsenfabrics.com. Fire Screen: johnlyledesign.com. Art: Owners’ collection.

MAIN HALL
Console: kellywearstler.com. Art: wolfkahn.com; owners’ collection. Rug: galleriacarpets.com. Chair by Console: Owners’ collection. Chair Fabric: zimmer-rohde.com. Paint Color: lenorewinters.com.

LIVING ROOM
Drapery Fabric: coraggio.com. Drapery Trim: cowtan.com. Sheer Fabric: Carleton House; 301-330-6400. Window Treatment: gretcheneverett.com. Curved Sofa: vladimirkagan.com through hollyhunt.com. Curved Sofa Fabric: dedar.com. Art: Owners’ collection. Sconce: wired-designs.com. Round Coffee Table: 1stdibs.com. Paint: lenorewinters.com. Sofa: lonadesign.com through johnrosselli.com. Sofa Fabric: kirkbydesign.com. Pillow Fabric: bakerfurniture.com. Side Tables: Owners’ collection. Table Lamps: vetrilamp.it/en. Painting & White Armchair: Owners’ collection. Glass Pedestal: johnrichard.com. Nesting Tables: augousti.com. Chairs by Windows: dennisandleen.com. Chair Fabric: edelmanleather.com. Corner Bar Cart: Owners’ collection. Chairs: Owners’ collection. Chair Fabric: bakerfurniture.com.

DINING ROOM
Table Top: keithfritz.com. Table Base: bernhardt.com. Dining Chairs: Owners’ collection. Dining Chair Fabric: romo.com. Painting & Chair by Fireplace: Owners’ collection. Mirrors: michaelsmithinc.com. Sculptures: Owners’ collection. Drapery Fabric: Donghia through kravet.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com. Rug: starkcarpet.com. Wall Covering: phillipjeffries.com.

KITCHEN
Cabinetry: themasterswoodshop.com; Maryland Custom Cabinets, 301-898-0357. Countertops & Backsplash: rbratti.com. Range: vikingrange.com through abwappliances.com. Hardware: baldwinhardware.com through weaverhardware.com; nanz.com. Hood Design & Fabrication: ventahood.com. Plumbing Fixtures: waterworks.com through weaverhardware.com; dornbracht.com. Bar Stools: R Jones. Bar Stool Fabric: ultrafabricsinc.com. Paint: lenorewinters.com.

BREAKFAST ROOM
Table Top: keithfritz.com. Table Base: centuryfurniture.com. Chairs: fendi.com. Chair Fabric: ultrafabricsinc.com. Chandelier: papillonlighting.eu/en through wired-designs.com. Sheers: Carleton House; 301-330-6400. Drapery Fabric: estout.com. Drapery Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com. Cabinet Design: solisbetancourt.com; barnesvanze.com. Cabinet Fabrication: themasterswoodshop.com. Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Sculpture: Owners’ collection. Paint: lenorewinters.com.

FAMILY ROOM
Sofas: hollyhunt.com. Sofa Fabric: pollackassociates.com; fretfabrics.com. Pillow Fabric: fschumacher.com. Coffee Table with Ottomans: James Duncan through profilesny.com. Ottoman Fabric: garrettleather.com. Rugs: starkcarpet.com. Sculpture: Owners’ collection. Table Lamp: visualcomfort.com. Prints: Owners’ collection. Paint: lenorewinters.com.

OWNERS’ BEDROOM
Rug: pattersonflynn.com. Bed: studioliaigre.com. Bed Fabric: zinctextile.com. Bedding: matouk.com. Sham Fabric: scalamandre.com. Pillow Fabric: hollandandsherry.com. Pillow Fabrication: gretcheneverett.com. Sunburst Mirror: Owners’ collection. Chandelier: vetrilamp.it/en. Paint: lenorewinters.com. Bedside Table: keithfritz.com. Table Lamp: Phoenix Gallery; 212-759-1153. Glass Tables: johnrichard.com. Divan: ferrellmittman.com. Divan Fabric: zinctextile.com. Divan Trim: samuelandsons.com. Chair: dennisandleen.com. Chair Fabric: hollandandsherry.com. Bench Fabric: edelmanleather.com.

In 2003, two newly married lawyers bought their first home, a three-story, red-brick Colonial in Northwest DC’s Tenleytown neighborhood. At 1,960 square feet, the three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath abode desperately needed an update. The couple waited until 2007 before embarking on a renovation that enlarged and refreshed the bathrooms;  finished the attic and basement; and enclosed the back patio to create a new kitchen, dining and family room area. Those changes brought the home to 3,400 square feet.

As it turns out, the construction was not what it should have been. By 2008, says the wife, “kitchen tiles started moving and loosening.” A consultant cited construction and installation issues; though they replaced the tile in 2012, it cracked again—indicating continued flaws.

As the years went by, the couple and their two teens faced a choice: Move to larger suburban digs or turn their starter house into a stylish forever home. They opted to stay put within walking distance of schools, favorite shops and restaurants and the Metro. In 2017, they engaged Eric Carle, co-principal of Runningdog Architects, to implement a whole-house redo that would enlarge and modernize their living space while remedying structural issues. In fact, tearing down and replacing the troubled house would have been easier, but would have required long waits for permitting and more time spent in temporary quarters.

“We tore down everything but the three original brick walls in front and on the sides, to respect Tenleytown’s modest 1940s homes,” Carle notes. “Inside and behind that brick exoskeleton, we built a new, 6,050 square-foot, four-level modernist residence.”

The architect teamed with contractor John Allen whose firm, AllenBuilt, Inc., overhauled the foundation and attached the surviving walls to new construction. “Metal rods were epoxied into the brick and then bolted to the wood framing,” Allen explains.

With its foundation correctly designed and executed, the home today is roughly the same 30-foot width as the original. The existing brick front has been subtly contemporized with minimalist, metal-framed Andersen windows and the same vertical, cement-board siding accenting the roofline. Meanwhile, its modern rear addition—clad in white stucco and vertical, steel-look cement-fiber-board slats—is intentionally concealed from the street of traditional dwellings. 

Inside, the front staircase—once a hindrance to sightlines and circulation—was relocated to an unobtrusive back corner within the original footprint. The new center hallway leads back unimpeded to the open family room and kitchen. A fireplace in the dining room was removed to create a wall for art.

The main level of the addition encompasses the open kitchen/family room. Carle collaborated with Sugarloaf Kitchen & Cabinet Works on the expansive, streamlined kitchen featuring Kountry Kraft cabinets topped by white quartz counters. In the adjacent gathering space, a gas fireplace and flat-screen TV tucked into a ceiling-height stucco surround front an L-shaped sectional—the perfect spot for cozy movie nights. Glass doors open onto an inviting porch, partly screened for bug-free dining and partly open for grilling and chilling. The backyard—reachable by a staircase of ipe wood planks and steel railings—was leveled to accommodate a sport court.

The expanded second floor boasts a large primary bedroom and sleek new bath, plus en-suite bedrooms for the kids; a laundry room; and a pair of hall closets for the couple. The new third level includes a guest room, full bath, the husband’s office/library and access to a deck offering drop-dead panoramas. “I can’t stop taking pictures of the amazing sunsets,” says the husband. The basement now includes a bedroom, bathroom, gym, mud room and laundry.

Following the renovation, the family finally moved back into the home in late 2020. Since a neighbor’s oak was toppled by a storm, their view expanded to take in acres of woodland, the winding Potomac and the Tysons skyline along with those gorgeous, ever-changing sunsets.

“The end result is fantastic,” says Carle. “It’s a lot of house built in a tight space. It’s unpretentious, with an open plan and great views. It’s made for a real family.”

DRAWING BOARD

How do you keep a big, modern project from clashing in a modest, older neighborhood?

Eric Carle: Contextualists take design cues from the style and scale of nearby homes, but sometimes the architect or owner wants something that will stand out. Since this is the clients’ home, we listen to their wishes first and turn them into architecture.

What is your go-to building material and why?

EC: We come from the world of commercial architecture, so we always look at glass. That material informs every design decision we make. We consider the impact of light and shadow in a space; how it affects the way one feels; and the ability to bring the outdoors in and vice versa.

As someone who does a lot of modern work, what is your approach to traditional commissions?

EC: Leaning modern relates to plan layouts, circulation and window arrangements. But we approach every project as a design opportunity, no matter the style.

The two-acre site facing Battery Kemble, a national park in Northwest Washington, was a tangle of bamboo and invasive weeds when the developer assembled a design team. For architect Wouter Boer, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects and the building company Zantzinger, the challenge began with a steep, eroding slope and ended with two boldly contemporary houses and a modern landscape complementing a 270-degree view of the treetops.

On a recent morning, sunlight illuminated the high modern achievement: a white stucco-and-glass house set into a slope bristling with native grasses. In form, the dwelling resembles randomly stacked boxes, their flat roofs topped with sedum.

Boer, principal of his eponymous Dupont Circle firm, leads a tour of the first of two houses he designed on the site. Completed in 2021, this one is not yet occupied (and is on the market for $11.95 million). The second is occupied by the project’s developer, Bryce Arrowood of Cliveden Group, LLC, who walked over to join the tour. Both men are unapologetic about departing from the classic Tudor-and-azalea persona of the surrounding Wesley Heights neighborhood.

“I wanted it to feel modern for today,” says the architect. Over the years, he contributed his share of historically styled residences to the cityscape in partnership with architect David Jones. But since Jones retired in 2020, Boer has given license to his own Bauhaus leanings. “I’ve always had a passion for modern architecture,” he says. “Mies van der Rohe is sort of my hero architect.”

For this house, Boer drew inspiration from Mies’ iconic 1945 Farnsworth House. A masterpiece of white steel and glass, the weekend cottage in Illinois contains just one room. In contrast, Boer’s homage boasts 8,600 square feet of pristine plaster and floor-to-ceiling glass, with six bedrooms and seven and a half baths; its four levels are linked by a steel-and-glass staircase with floating oak treads (plus an elevator).

Boer calls the house “sparsely detailed,” yet the material palette is anything but spartan. Portuguese limestone paves the main level, warmed by radiant heating, while white oak flooring prevails elsewhere. Gleaming accent walls and kitchen cabinetry are teak veneer. The primary bedroom closet bears 17 layers of high-gloss white lacquer. As Boer observes, “modern architecture is all about the quality of the materials”—and in this case, luxurious surfaces are more than a sleek backdrop. “The [lack of] ornament becomes the ornament,” the architect explains.

Anodized aluminum doors on the two-car garage shimmer in the morning light. From the spare entry court, a three-story, glass-walled hall leads to a dramatic, 65-foot-long rectangular living space. A floating teak partition holds a two-sided-fireplace. The room’s long, west-facing wall offers floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the adjacent park. Beyond, a streamlined kitchen with Calacatta Covelano marble counters opens to a terrace nearly 30 feet above grade.

Four of the six bedrooms are organized on the second floor, while the top level is devoted to a private study with a terrace set above the tree canopy. A lower floor with extra bedrooms, a 1,000-bottle, glass-walled wine cellar, a yoga studio and gathering space gives way to a terrace and a 25-foot-long, infinity-edge pool. In the living room, Boer points out slim steel columns that almost disappear in alignment with the silvery window frames. Not visible is the footing—15 feet wide and eight feet deep beneath the pool—which stabilizes the entire house. “It takes a lot of structural finesse to make it look so simple,” the architect affirms.

Before this project even began to take shape, an existing house had to be demolished and the street extended to enable access. (That spur is now a private drive to the two houses Boer designed, as well as a third dwelling in a transitional style.)

“We literally had to carve each lot out of the woods,” recalls Zantzinger construction manager Gavin Stannard, who spent three years on site during construction. Landscape architects Kevin Campion and Stephen Makrinos planted 40-foot-tall pin oaks to screen a barely visible neighbor to the south while also dealing with stormwater interventions. Managing the flow opposite a national park engaged the Army Corps of Engineers and required multiple bioretention features. A six-foot-wide swale filled with 80 tons of large gray rock snakes along the drive in front of the houses.

“It’s not a small amount of water,” points out Makrinos, who was pleased that there was a budget for plantings to make the area look more natural. “There is an allée of river birch coming out of the grasses; it feels modern, like the architecture.” Golden groundsel, blue camassia and amethyst blazing star soften the hardscape surrounding the house.
Flat roof surfaces, visible from within, were planted with sedum by Furbish, a Baltimore green-roof specialist. “Aesthetically, you’re bringing the landscape up to the house,” Makrinos says. “All you see is green.”

As for realizing Boer’s vision, the challenges appear to have been met. Stannard observes that in modern architecture, “All the conventions, everything you know about making a house, go out the window.” Specialized craftsmen are required, tolerances are small and framing must be precise. If everything is ordered carefully, it all works. In Stannard’s opinion, this project was close to flawless. “Wouter Boer,” he concludes, “is an artist.”

Architecture: Wouter Boer, AIA, principal; Phillip McGee, project architect, Wouter Boer Architects Inc., Washington, DC. Landscape Architecture: Kevin Campion, ASLA, principal; Stephen Makrinos, senior associate, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Builder: Zantzinger, Inc., Washington, DC. Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan, Washington, DC.

RESOURCES
Windows: westernwindowsystems.com through thesanderscompany.com. Upper & Lower Level Wood Floors: classicfloordesigns.info. Kitchen Range: subzero-wolf.com through build.com.

Scenic Lake Barcroft, a manmade, two-and-a-half-square-mile body of water in Falls Church, anchors a community of about 1,000 homes. Unspoken-for properties on its coveted waterfront are few and far between—so when a couple with a yen for lakefront living came across a vacant, one-and-a-half-acre lot for sale along the shore, they grabbed it.

In fact, their vision extended beyond lifestyle and deep into architecture-and-design territory. “We wanted to build an ultra-contemporary house, and we wanted a local architect we could spend time with, to make sure they understood us,” recounts one of the owners, a management consultant whose husband currently stays home with their two young kids. “We also wanted someone with distinction and their own style,” he continues, “to ensure what we’d be getting in terms of quality and design sense.”

Given the requirements, acclaimed modernist Robert Gurney turned out to be the perfect choice. He signed on for the job, which took about five years from conception to its completion in November 2020. He assembled a team that included colleague Nicole de Jong as project architect; Potomac Valley Builders; Vincent Sagart of Poliform | sagartstudio as kitchen designer; interior designer Therese Baron Gurney; and landscape architect Kevin Campion.

The lot is enviably positioned with lake views in two directions. Waterfront-lot regulations “allowed us to build within 50 feet of the water,” Gurney notes, “so I designed the house to literally wrap around the site following the 50-foot setback lines.”

At 7,000 square feet, the completed six-bedroom, six-bath dwelling is angled to capitalize on both vistas. It harmonizes expanses of steel, glass and wood in two three-story volumes that tuck into the steeply sloped site, concealing its mass. “While the slope was a challenge, it makes for a more interesting building,” Gurney comments. “But it meant you couldn’t enter on the living level, you’d have to walk down to it.”

Nearly every room faces the water and the lake is visible immediately from the entry. The front door opens into a second-floor foyer with a staircase to the third floor and a separate, floating stair of painted steel and white oak down to the main level. “We made sure the different levels communicate,” Gurney says. “There are sightlines pulled from different orientations.”

An open plan was a must. “We had an idea of how things should flow,” says the owner. “We wanted the living room connected to the dining room but distinguished from it. The central stair, which bisects the spaces, gives just enough separation.”

Along the back wall of the living area, a sleek kitchen complements the space, with a fully loaded prep kitchen around the corner. “The goal was to integrate the kitchen with the architecture,” explains designer Vincent Sagart. “It helps create the space—but it’s all about the views.”

The second floor does double duty as front entry—complete with mudroom and two-car garage (an engineering feat in its location over the kitchen)—and guest quarters. There are two spare bedrooms as well as an apartment with a full kitchen, also designed by Poliform | sagartstudio. The third level is for family: The kids’ bedrooms line a short hall, with the primary suite above the guest apartment and a family lounge that the owners call “the loft.” An ipe deck is accessed from the children’s rooms, hallway and loft, creating indoor-outdoor flow.

On the main level, the living area opens out to an expansive ipe deck with a wide stair bordered by Corten steel leading down to the backyard. Landscape architect Kevin Campion devised access from there to the water while thoughtfully balancing other objectives. “It was a sensitive slope with drainage issues, dead trees and restrictions that required preserving and restoring woodland,” he relates. “We took down the dead trees and planted dozens of natives. And we moved the water around the house, managing the drainage so it doesn’t dump into the lake.” Pervious lawn stairs create a picturesque path to 250 feet of lakefront, where the owners dock a pontoon boat for tooling around on the water. A layered plant palette along the slope provides year-round color and interest and prevents erosion.

With the living spaces all facing the water, Gurney tucked the prep kitchen, storage, and operating systems such as HVAC, geothermal and Lutron and A/V on the street side of the house. Spray-foam insulation, low-E glass and passive glazing contribute to energy efficiency. According to the homeowners, solar panels are imminent.

When it came to the interiors, the clients also knew exactly what they wanted. They purchased major furniture pieces themselves, then relied on interior designer Therese Baron Gurney, Robert’s wife and a frequent collaborator, “to pull it all together and give it that extra something,” explains the owner. Against a backdrop of glass, polished concrete floors and wall panels of mahogany and shou sugi ban, low-slung, modern furnishings in quiet, neutral colors keep the views center stage. Says the owner, “I feel like I’m at a resort when I get home at night. Washington is just 20 minutes away—and I get to come home to this.”

Architecture: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, principal; Nicole de Jong, AIA, project architect, Robert M. Gurney, FAIA Architect, Washington, DC. Interior Design: Therese Baron Gurney, ASID, Baron Gurney Interiors, Washington, DC. Kitchen Design: Vincent Sagart, Poliform | sagartstudio, Washington, DC. Builder: Daryl Landis, Potomac Valley Builders, Bethesda, Maryland. Landscape Architect: Kevin Campion, ASLA, principal; Lindsey Tabor, PLA, associate, Campion Hruby Landscape Architects, Annapolis, Maryland. Landscape Installation: Evergro Landscaping, Glenn Dale, Maryland.

RESOURCES

GENERAL
Home Automation: gramophone.com. Windows: westernwindowsystems.com. Lighting: lutron.com. Outdoor Audio: coastalsource.com. Outdoor Lighting & Irrigation: nature-unlimited.com.

LIVING ROOM
Sofa: Rodolfo Dordoni through minotti.com. Chairs: patriciaurquiola.com through bebitalia.com. Coffee Table: Carlos Baladia through ethnicraft.com. Table: roomandboard.com. Rug: cavancarpets.com.

DINING ROOM
Dining Table: emmanuel-gallina.com through poliform.it. Chairs: Jean-Marie Massaud through poliform.it. Trolley: Hella Jongerius through artek.fi. Chandelier: Gabriel-scott.com.

KITCHEN
Faucets: dornbracht.com; kwc.ch/us; mountainplumbing.com. Lighting: Andreas Tosetto for lodes.com. Cooktop, Ovens, Coffee Machine & Warming Drawers: mieleusa.com. Refrigerator: subzero-wolf.com.

LOUNGE & MEDIA ROOM
Sofas: Philippe Bouix for roche-bobois.com. Armchair: Cedric Ragot for roche-bobois.com. Coffee Table, Stools & Side Table: bludot.com. Cushion: roneljordaan.com. Rug: cavancarpets.com.

PRIMARY BEDROOM
Bed: Rodolfo Dordoni for poliform.it. Night Table: Paolo Piva through poliform.it. Armchair & Side Table: Jean-Marie Massaud through poliform.it. Rug: bic-carpets.be. Floor Lamp: Lievore Altherr Molina for vibia.com. Closet: poliform.it.

LOWER DECK
Lounge Chairs: Rodolfo Dordoni for rodaonline.com. Side Table: gordon-guillaumier.com through rodaonline.com. Side Table: tihanydesign.com through rodaonline.com. Pouf, Sun Lounger & Side Table: Rodolfo Dordoni for rodaonline.com. Parasol: Barlow Tyrie through teak.com.

UPPER DECK
Coffee Table: Gordon-guillaumier.com through rodaonline.com. Chairs & Sun Lounger: newhemisphere.com.

BALCONIES
Armchairs: Patricia Urquiola for andreuworld.com. Tables: Llevore Altherr Molina for andreuworld.com.

LAWN
Chairs: cane-line.com.

PRIMARY BATHROOM
Faucets: Franco Sargiani for fantini.it. Bathtub: Lievore through noorth.it. Cabinets: michelemarcon.it through noorth.it. Toilets: Sfrea through catalano.it. Mirrors: noorth.it. Handles & Hinges: fsbna.com. Lighting: Philippe Starck for usa.flos.com.

Following a 45-year stint in Washington, Suman Sorg set her sights on New York. After most of the assets of her eponymous, 45-person architecture firm were sold, she was about to launch a nonprofit and the big city seemed like fertile ground for growth. So she moved into an apartment on Central Park—and then the pandemic hit.

“I went downstairs, rented a car and came here automatically,” recalls Sorg from the light-filled living room of her summer home in Sherwood, Maryland, overlooking the shimmery Chesapeake Bay. “I thought I’d be here for two or three weeks, but spent 18 months here full-time.”

Little did she know, her instinctive decision to take shelter on the Eastern Shore would have ripple effects on her future.

Sorg had conceived the home near St. Michaels in the early 2000s as a spot where she, her then-husband and their daughter could enjoy quick getaways from DC. It was one of several adjacent properties she’d designed with the late landscape architect James van Sweden, co-founder of Washington-based OvS. In a barter deal the friends worked out, she designed his house and he designed her seven-acre parcel for free. “At first I thought that wasn’t an even trade, but then my garden cost as much as the house,” she laughs.

In 2002, the duo also collaborated on an HGTV Dream Home next to Sorg’s; it was given away in a raffle, then sold immediately to a savvy New York buyer for $1.3 million. “Theses three are the only super-modern houses in the area, and became quite a tourist attraction—especially after the HGTV house,” notes Sorg.

In the design of her own residence, the architect took inspiration from a nearby 17th-century farm, its manor house surrounded by agrarian outbuildings. Her compound consists of three structures shaped like abstract barns. The main, central hub contains the kitchen, a living and dining area with 22-foot-high ceilings and a loft where Sorg works when on site. Two identical offshoots house bedroom suites—one for the homeowner and another for guests. Decks and elevated wooden walkways connect the buildings—surrounded by lawn, meadow and billowing seagrasses. A round swimming pool, enveloped in greenery and a flagstone terrace, awaits on the arrival side of the home.

The layout proved ideal during covid, as city friends dropped in while Sorg sequestered on the bay. “People would visit and never have to enter the main house,” she explains. “I’d cook in the kitchen and serve on one of the decks.”

Those 18 months marked the first time Sorg experienced the property and its estuary environment year-round. “A friend of mine says nothing happens here during the winter. But lots happens,” she says. “You just have to notice it.

“The leaves change, the insects disappear,” she continues. “Different kinds of birds come through. The bay freezes up—it’s actually lovely. Then butterflies arrive in March.”

During that time, Sorg befriended neighbors, joined a local book club and discovered more community in the area than she’d ever imagined. “I was super-busy before covid and can’t say I used the house enough to make it worthwhile,” she recalls. “There came a time when I said, ‘it’s too much work—let’s tear it down.’ But I’m so glad I didn’t.”

Ultimately, the architect abandoned her move to New York. “It wasn’t meant to be,” she explains. “I’ve begun to think Washington is city enough.” She decided to establish her nonprofit in DC (where she has a primary home near Rock Creek Park) and now spends more time on the Eastern Shore. And instead of a demolition, her 2,800-square-foot bay escape was recently treated to a complete overhaul.

“The major systems were not working well,” she says. “The bay is a pretty punishing environment, weather-wise.” Insulated metal cladding replaced rotting plywood siding on all three buildings. Sorg reappointed the kitchen and baths and installed a new roof, a new A/C system and energy-efficient Marvin windows and doors.

Respect for the environment has always guided Sorg’s approach, from the many multi-use, government and multi-family projects Sorg Architects has completed around the world to her intimate bay habitat. “This house has a small footprint, but it’s enough,” she asserts. “I didn’t want to heat and cool something unnecessarily. And because there are three buildings, I can live in one and shut the others down completely.”

The interiors remained the same. Finishes riff on materials prevalent in local farm buildings, juxtaposed with iconic modern furnishings. Refined panels of veneer-finished marine plywood flank the living room’s working cinderblock chimney. Concrete floors painted a pale gray reflect daylight and help keep the interiors cool. The architect designed platform beds and cabinetry for the sleeping suites, also using marine-grade plywood—a natural foil that doesn’t distract from ever-changing views out the windows.

Sorg spent the entire past summer in the bay house with her grown daughter, son-in-law and five-year-old grandson, who were on holiday from Scotland. Her lofty office, she reports, is an inspiring spot to work on her nonprofit. Called A Complete Unknown, the startup now employs 21 design pros around the globe dedicated to developing innovative solutions to empower underserved populations—people and animals alike.

Sorg’s humble Maryland abode has played a surprisingly oversized role as her next chapter unfolds. Reflecting on recent years, she says,“The renovation project in these strange times not only saved the house, but opened my heart to the real architecture of our lives, the nature around us and all the creatures that live in it, including us humans.”

Almost four years ago, a dermatologist and an architect met at the DC preschool their sons attended. Talk turned to home design and their shared modernist sensibility. The doctor and her husband, also a dermatologist, soon visited EL Studio, founded by architects and business partners Elizabeth Emerson and Mark Lawrence—the schoolmate’s dad. He also showed the house-hunters his own custom digs. Friendship ensued.

In 2019, the physicians, who love to cook and entertain, bought a four-level, 3,730 square-foot 1880s row house near Dupont Circle. Despite an undesirable first-floor layout and primary bathroom—“unlivable for our style,” the husband declared—it did have four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a fenced backyard and great potential. They hired EL Studio, which focuses on modern architecture, to spearhead an overhaul.

First, virtually all appliances, cabinetry and fixtures had to go. “The previous owner had renters and used off-the-shelf, contractor-grade everything when renovating a few years back,” says Lawrence. The existing galley kitchen, with facing walls of tall, dark cabinets, was sequestered at the back of the house and the living area was in the front; the dining room was between the two.

The new owners didn’t mind that the home’s historic detailing was long gone. “We have a very clean, organized, practical aesthetic and wanted the design to flow. We always had kitchens that were closed-off so if you had people over you were isolated,” says the husband, a serious wine collector. “We wanted the open look of lofts in Soho and Brooklyn that my wife had lived in.”

The renovation, which took much of 2020, totally opened and reorganized the main level, creating an expansive kitchen with a large island in front, a central dining space and a living area in back. Simultaneous work on the first floor and basement streamlined the upgrade of a powder room and full bath, plumbing, electrical, gas and HVAC systems on each level, says contractor Chris Brauss of Tarpon Construction.

Several redeeming features were retained. Angular, four-window bays on all three floors still overlook the quiet, tree-lined street. A concealed steel beam revealed for a hint of urban grit bisects the main-level ceiling. Since cutting new roof openings was deemed too costly, a trio of existing skylights illuminates unexpected parts of the owners’ third-floor suite—including one above the commode in their spa-worthy bathroom.

Other elements were easily altered. The original 19th-century exposed brick along the home’s entire left wall is now painted white. The 21st-century oak flooring got a paler finish, and the banisters and balusters leading upstairs and down gave way to sculptural, gallery-like white and pastel rail panels of furniture-grade birch plywood.

For the creative hosts—think specialty cocktails and gourmet meals—the coveted open kitchen is a triumph. Cabinets along the right wall are covered in furniture-grade, dark-blue, textured Forbo linoleum, which is thinner than flooring material and easy to clean. Custom concrete counters bookend the BlueStar gas range and top the white-stained oak island that houses the sink and accommodates four jaunty bar stools. Yet another eating option awaits in the window bay, furnished with a small, round Eero Saarinen Tulip table and custom, cushion-topped floating benches.

A table and Eames Eiffel Tower chairs anchor the dining area. The resident mix- ologists make frequent use of the space’s wet bar and hidden half-fridge tucked into a niche created by reducing the size of the powder room behind it.

The adjacent sitting room is furnished with a sofa, chairs and a low table, allowing adults to drink, snack, chat and watch the children playing outside. Glass-paneled doors open into the yard, covered in cool, smooth pea gravel. A terraced wooden container garden next to the steps leading outside is filled with fresh herbs.

The family—including their then-three-month-old baby boy—moved into the house in June 2020 as the renovation wound down. The two brothers live on the second floor down the hall from the guest room, and share the dual-sink bathroom with a tub and shower that Emerson calls a hybrid of premium tile and Ikea cabinets.

The owners’ top-floor bedroom suite includes two wide rows of freestanding closets, with custom doors clad in pale-blush Forbo and fitted with Elfa hardware. The wife’s small but elegant built-in vanity is flooded with light from a nearby window. And, oh, that bathroom, with dual sinks, high-end tile and a window along the back wall. The large glass-enclosed shower was the trickiest part of the renovation, says Emerson. “It has a recessed pan that teak planks sit on and integrating it seamlessly was a bit of work.”

Like most basements, this one is multi-purpose: family movie and game room, children’s play space, laundry area, full bath, home gym. But the most prominent feature awaits at the foot of the stairs: a tall, gleaming 200-bottle wine chiller. Now that the renovation is done, the husband muses, he might just create “a proper cellar” someday.

Renovation Architecture: Elizabeth Emerson, AIA, and Mark Lawrence, AIA, EL Studio PLLC, Washington, DC. Renovation Contractor: Chris Brauss, Tarpon Construction LLC, Washington, DC.

DRAWING BOARD
Q&A with architect Elizabeth Emerson

How do you decide what to change in a move-in-ready home?
Often there are obvious layout issues if existing space is badly used, like bathrooms with poorly arranged fixtures, or kitchen cabinets on both walls but no center island. You can reposition spaces so they work for you, and upgrade off-the-shelf features with custom millwork.

How do you maximize natural light in a dark row house?
You can put skylights in the roof plane (above), add clerestory windows or install glass transoms over doors. Also consider glass enclosures for stairways, exterior doors with large glass panels and lightening dark colors on the walls, floors and cabinetry.

Can you replace or replicate missing historic elements?
For fireplaces, it is doable if the flue remains, and it can be unblocked and relined. It’s possible to design new molding that suggests a specific period. Old mantels, lighting and reclaimed wood for flooring and cabinetry can be sourced from architectural salvage companies.

During their complete overhaul of a 1912 Mount Pleasant row house, architect Christopher Snowber and interior designer Kate Abt bridged old and new in its reimagined primary bath.

They gutted and slightly expanded the cramped existing lavatory (which had a combination bathtub/shower), making way for a more efficient layout that includes a soaking tub, a walk-in shower and a water closet opposite the vanity. Dual skylights more than compensate for the room’s lack of windows. “The goal was to create a bright and clean oasis, accentuated by a carefully detailed mix of modern components,” says Snowber.

Walnut millwork and Dolomite marble on the floor and tub surround nod to tradition but are applied in a modern way. “It’s very much streamlined, without a lot of fuss,” says Abt. “And the wood vanity warms up the marble.”

A countertop in stain-resistant quartz was selected as a matching but practical alternative to stone. Black metal accents in the form of Visual Comfort sconces, a heated towel warmer and the steel frame of the custom shower enclosure convey a crisp, industrial edge. “The steel-framed partition became a driver of the design,” explains Snowber. “It serves as a way to separate the spaces while bringing a surprisingly sensuous feel to the room.”

CREDITS + DETAILS—Renovation Architecture: Christopher R. Snowber, AIA, Hamilton Snowber Architects. Interior Design: Kate Abt, Kate Abt Design. Renovation Contractor: AllenBuilt, Inc. Dolomite Marble Tile: architessa.com. Tub: ferguson.com. Plumbing Fixtures: brizo.com. Shower Door Fabrication: wellbornwright.com. Sconces: visualcomfort lightinglights.com. Quartz Countertop: rbratti.com.

Preserving history was a priority in the recent renovation of a couple’s 1815 manse on Smith Row in Georgetown. Architects Dale Overmyer and Laura Rowland and interior designer Tracy Morris balanced the husband’s classicist aesthetic with the wife’s penchant for modern glam. “This was not a small undertaking,” says Morris about the project, which included the transformation of a sitting room off the primary bedroom into a new owners’ bath.

The architects drew up a plan for a large, open space housing a tub and custom vanity as well as a separate shower and WC. Determined to salvage the room’s existing fireplace, the owners decided to cover its original brick with a new material. When they discovered book-matched slabs of Aurora Blue quartzite on a shopping trip with Morris, “Their eyes lit up and I knew it would be a stunner,” the designer recalls.

Overmyer and Rowland detailed the protruding fireplace wall to integrate seamlessly with the room’s architecture. Crown molding pays homage to Greek Revival style while contemporary touches—from the vanity’s tapered legs to the sculptural tub—place the project firmly in the 21st century. “Tracy wove a real compromise between the clients,” says Rowland. “They were very adventurous and open-minded in a lot of ways.”

CREDITS + DETAILS—Renovation Architecture: Dale Overmyer, AIA; Laura Rowland, Overmyer Architects. Interior Design: Tracy Morris, Tracy Morris Design. Contractor: Goldsborough Design Build. Marble Floor Tile: architessa.com. Quartzite Fireplace Slab & Marble Countertop: marblesystems.com. Tub: vandabaths.com. Tub & Sink Fixtures: kallista.com. Custom Vanity: jtdylaninc.com. Mirror: riverglassdesigns.com. Sconces: circalighting.com.

In the late 1980s, an Annapolis college professor with deep Virginia roots bought 40 acres and a hilltop home outside Charlottesville. For nearly three decades, he and his wife passed summers and holidays in that 2,000-square-foot farmhouse overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains and foothills, welcoming their adult progeny and grandchildren.

Seven years ago, the widowed academic, now 87, gave the property to his son and daughter-in-law. They sought to preserve and expand the house, creating a compound where life seemed slower and gentler and the family—and visiting friends of all ages—could gather together or spend time alone.

They enlisted Stephen Muse, principal of Muse | Kirwan Architects, and project architect Kuk-Ja Kim—who both designed a starkly contemporized addition behind the couple’s Tudor-style Washington home—to rehab the two-story, 1890s abode and conceive several modernist outbuildings close by.

The architects kept the farmhouse remodel simple, adding 375 square feet to the existing structure. “I wanted to give them only the space they needed, nothing more,” recounts Muse. “There was already a living room addition on one side of the house. It would have been seductive to put a matching addition on the other side—but it’s a farmhouse, not a manor. It didn’t need symmetry.”

It did, however, need lots of work: foundation repair and a new roof; electrical, heating, plumbing and cooling systems; and new doors, windows, porches and paint. But first on the agenda: a three-bay garage where the family could store their possessions during the 10-month renovation. Muse and Kim also conceived a decidedly contemporary guest cottage close by, which spills out to a new pool.

Geoff Pitts of Ace Contracting in Charlottesville handled the project and recalls his “disgruntled” workers rooting for a farmhouse teardown so they wouldn’t have to contend with the deteriorating stone foundation, mud-floored cellar and tight crawl spaces. By project’s end, however, the Ace team proudly marveled at what they’d created. “The project was ideal,” Pitts says, “because we got to bring an ancient house back to life while also building a contemporary garage and guest cottage.”

Indeed, there was plenty to preserve. Original pine floors and stairs were refinished. The library to the left of the entrance, a favorite of the professor, got new custom cabinetry and bookshelves. The wood-burning fireplaces in both rooms were refurbished.

The biggest changes were to the rear of the house. A wall at the far end of the dining room was replaced by pocket doors that open the view from the front entry to the back porch and beyond. The kitchen was extended by 10 feet in the rear. The right wall bump-out, measuring 12 feet long and 30 inches wide, houses new cabinets below the stovetop, sink and dishwasher and ceiling-height windows above. A seating and storage island anchors the room, while the new L-shaped porch provides another alluring gathering space. Directly over the kitchen, the larger, updated primary suite features added windows and a sleek new bathroom. The kids, now teenagers, sleep down the hall in a pair of reconfigured en-suite bedrooms.

Interior designer Kim Caplan says her longtime clients, both lawyers, had a clear mandate: It’s a country home, and they wanted it to be relaxed. “I tried to incorporate the antiques they agreed on without making the house a museum,” she notes. The family room, a stone-floored addition dating back decades, was furnished for comfort. Pale, neutral walls play up the changing light and landscape.

Muse and Kim took inspiration from both the farmhouse and local vernacular materials in their conception of the property’s stained-cedar outbuildings, with their gabled metal roofs and clean interior and exterior lines. The wife calls the single-story guest cottage “fabulous,” explaining that “we wanted it all on one level for mobility reasons.”

The cottage would have been too big as part of the main house, says Muse, so it became a separate, two-volume structure, “one for the bedrooms and one for the living room—with a connecting hyphen that contains the kitchenette, laundry and storage.” Reducing the building’s overall scale, he adds, gave it “a better relationship with the adjacent pool pavilion,” a diminutive third structure just steps from the minimalist pool.

The garage now boasts stairs leading to a game loft for playing ping-pong and darts. And nearly hidden down a steep slope is the latest building, finished in 2020: a tractor shed and workshop where the husband likes to tinker.

The family spent many pandemic months in Virginia, working and learning remotely as well as hiking, biking, gardening, reading and watching movies. An outdoor fireplace with a tall chimney was constructed behind the shed and quickly became a favorite hangout.

What did the family patriarch think when he first visited? “I was impressed. I thought they did a marvelous job,” he says. As for his cherished library, “It’s pretty much unchanged except for a new look.”

Or as Kim observes, “you build buildings, and you build memories.”

DRAWING BOARD
Q&A with architect Stephen Muse

How do you meld different styles in an older home?
Because few homes are tied to aspecific style, we seldom focus on that when designing renovations. After analyzing every feature of the existing home, we extend and celebrate what is good, mitigate problems and maximize site potential so it looks as if it could have always been there.

What is a common remodeling mistake?
We often see designs focusing on the project’s new architecture rather than the entire home, which can result in a product that is not fully integrated. Additions should only be considered successful if the entire house is greatly improved.

What are the advantages of a multi-structure site?
A multi-structured compound allows more possibilities. A comprehensive site plan locates and organizes the main house and all outbuildings within a series of gardens and terraces. This approach yields a smaller, more energy-efficient main house, with secondary buildings for guest rooms, artist studios and home offices.

Renovation Architecture: Stephen Muse, FAIA, principal; Kuk-Ja Kim, AIA, LEED AP, project architect, Muse | Kirwan Architects, Bethesda, Maryland. Interior Design: Kim Caplan, KC Interior Design, Sarasota, Florida. Renovation Contractor: Geoff Pitts, Ace Contracting, Charlottesville, Virginia. Landscape Design: Anna Boeschenstein, PLA, ASLA, Grounded Landscape Architecture & Design, Charlottesville, Virginia.