Ares Home Design

Maclean and Tercket
Inspired by making high-end consumer furniture, art, and accessories available only for the trade, designer Sherrill MacLean recently launched a store within her company’s new studio, McLean and Tircuit, in the historic Laurel District. “I gravitate towards colorful, handcrafted and ethnically diverse pieces,” she says. “I bought many of these products from international markets.” Popups will be shown in the store every month; The following events occur on July 30 and August 27. By appointment only. 617 Main Street, Laurel; 301-430-0723. mcleanandtircuit.com

Architessa
To mark its seventh location, Architessa has unveiled a 3,200-square-foot showroom in Georgetown. Find a curated selection of tiles, natural stone, luxury vinyl tiles, and wood flooring. “Our vision for the future includes supporting DC’s thriving design community,” notes CEO Betty Sullivan. The store offers the city’s largest selection of porcelain tiles and is the only authorized distributor of the Walker Zanger and Artistic Tile brands. A range of exterior surfaces are also available. 2212 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 301-718-8343. architessa.com

Tyler Whitmore Interiors
Home staging experts Tyler Whitmore and Debbie Labonsky have opened a 2,000-square-foot furnishings showroom in Kensington’s West Howard Antiques District, where goods are displayed in elegant petite prints. Inventory of furniture, lighting and art – then refurbish many pieces on site. “We look for things with good bones and great lines and turn them into treasures that become standout pieces,” Labonsky says. Stock is also sold online. 4208 Howard Street, Kensington; 2537-746-202. tylerwhitmoreinteriors.com

While the world was shutting down in March 2020, major changes were afoot for a homeowner in the capital’s NoMa neighborhood. She had just moved out of an old dwelling in the Northwest, and as she remembers, “It was the perfect time to hunker down and nest.”

The new 2,000-square-foot dwelling, which replaced an antique rowhouse, is streamlined and modern. An open plan kitchen/living/dining area dominates the main floor, with two en-suite bedrooms downstairs. The owner, a healthcare consultant, decided to ditch her traditional furniture and start over – with some help. It hired designer Pamela Harvey, whose dazzling array of projects has won her admiration. “I told Pam that I love colours, and I want my house to feel happy,” the owner tells. Beyond that, I trusted her vision. It was a leap of faith.”

Harvey reimagined interiors, embracing the home’s simple lines with a transitional aesthetic leaning toward modernity. The designer has chosen a range of attractive wall coverings that bring vitality to almost every room. “The place was sterile, a blank canvas,” she says. “I added color and pattern to make it warm and inviting—with unexpected touches.”

Q&A with Pamela Harvey

What are the main challenges of the project?
The main floor is basically one room long and skinny, so I had to be careful what I did wasn’t going to be overpowering. The bones are contemporary, with steel stairs and a stylish kitchen. I needed to talk to that while keeping warm and welcoming. The client wanted it to feel modern, but not cold.

How did you achieve this balance?
I’ve used wallpaper throughout the house – but only as an accent, to add warmth and interest without being overwhelming. On the main floor, I covered a long wall that spans the living, kitchen and dining areas. Make a statement and bring it all together.

The living area combines strong patterns and colors yet feels calm. How did it develop?
I tend to design a room as a single unit; Here, I once found the rug, wallcovering, and pillowcase fabric. For me, the rug and the wall covering work together in an unexpected way. The pillow fabric is a modern take on the Chinese style from Brunschwig & Fils. The overall effect is harmonious.

How did you choose the wall covering?
Since townhouses like this often have quite a few architectural features, you need something to give it that texture and architecture. I chose the living room wall covering, which is wood veneer, for this reason. It’s a geometric shape in a gentle, neutral teal with gold stripes that add a touch of sparkle.

Discuss your vision of the little den outside the dining area.
It’s separate and meant to be more casual, like a family room. The gold plate is warm and the wallpaper is a traditional herbal canvas but with a modern graphic print. She brought in touches of teal with lamps and pillows.

Description of living room furniture.
It’s a mix. She combined CR Laine’s transitional stools with more modern cross-sectional and coffee tables from Bernhardt.

How did you define the color palette for the master level?
The art in the den was one of the few things the client kept. I used it as a starting point for my color palette.

Share your philosophy on lighting.
For the lighting to be complementary, the minerals must have some continuity and the patterns must be similar. I would say pendants and chandeliers don’t have to match but you should go to the same party.

Is there a general rule for pairing art and wallpaper?
The two should work in tandem, usually through color or pattern. I use simple frames that don’t take away from the wallpaper pattern. Older homes can be more tolerant of mismatched art because it can create a collected look. A country house like this should be more than a piece.

Describe your lighting plan.
Modern pendants above the kitchen island were present, so I chose a complementary chandelier for the dining area that’s somewhat modern and glamorous. The den fixture is a leather covered hood with a brass interior that feels more comfortable.

How did you decorate the basic bedroom?
The room is small, but the owner chose a large king size bed and adequate side tables. Dress an accent wall in this Schumacher Pyne Hollyhock wallpaper featuring oversized rolled roses with a vintage look. The pattern contrasts with the modern lines of the furniture and reduces its size, as your eye is drawn to the wallpaper.

Favorite design element?
I’ve loved wallpaper since the 80’s. These days, it’s getting a lot more creative – and a lot more expensive. The material is much better. I think it’s really modern now.

What is the next big thing?
When I was at Spring High Point Market, everything was upholstered in beige bouclé, a sort of little chenille. It might be the next big thing – but I hope not!

What direction would you like to see?
A return to elegant living with formal dining and living rooms. I think people crave it. And back to the entertainment.

What is the importance of accessories?
I have a saying: “It’s not the first $1,000 you spend, it’s the last $1,000 that makes the difference.” You don’t need a lot of accessories, but they should be the right ones.

Going to a shopping destination?
I always hit the DC Big Flea in Dulles, which happens every three months. I love antique finds.

Interior Design: Pamela Harvey, Pamela Harvey Interiors, Oakton, Virginia, and St. Petersburg, Florida.

A business degree propelled Anne Pulliam to a career in marketing, but she felt it didn’t materialize. “I’m a creative person and I don’t feel right,” she admits.

Pulliam loved decorating and “house-chasing”—walking through the windows of beautiful homes—but never considered passion a career option until an interior designer friend invited her to a lunch for creative women in the capital. “I met designer Erica Burns, who was looking to hire someone,” recalls Pulliam. “Erica took a complete risk and gave me a job.”

The Apprentice spent nearly five years learning the ropes from Burns and falling in love with the craft. When Covid struck in 2020, William decided to return to her hometown of Richmond with her husband and two child and launch her own business.

With seven projects underway near the capital, Pulliam finds herself often in Washington, but she’s enjoying a quieter pace in the Virginia capital. She and her husband, who welcomed her son last fall, are renting and searching for that perfect historic gem in need of a makeover, she says.

Richmond influenced Pulliam’s approach. “Its historic architecture is what first sparked my obsession with design,” she says. “I love the contrast between modern and traditional and in my designs, I think it shows.”

Interior Design: Ann Pulliam, Ann Pulliam Interiors, Richmond, Virginia.

Family legacies, arts and antiques filled Whitney Wood’s childhood home in Charlottesville. “When I think back, I always rearranged my room,” he recalls. So it wasn’t for long when, immediately after graduating from high school, he got a job with Middleburg interior designer Shoshana Datlo.

“She taught me the intricacies” of the business, says Wood. Four years later, he moved to Washington, DC, where he worked for a special events design firm before launching his own company in 2018.

Wood likes to channel tradition while bringing a fresh, modern feel to his work. “I grew up surrounded by the things that were passed down in my family,” he explains. “So I love using things from a client’s past in their home – it’s basically like telling a story.”

The designer is currently finishing a home in Charlottesville and organizing the interiors for another stay in Gainesville, Virginia, this summer. He recently wrapped up the stylish apartment he and his fiancée share in the capital’s West End. “This project was fun because I included more neutral and modern elements than in our previous home, which was very traditional,” he notes. “I wanted to challenge myself by getting out of my comfort zone — and not overdoing it.”

Interior Design: Whitney R. Wood, WRW Interiors, Washington, DC.

Souda Saleem, who hails from Brooklyn, has always been fond of fashion, history and art. After getting married and moving to Baltimore, I transitioned from a government job to a job in interior design. “I longed for the city life I left behind and its cultural diversity,” she notes. “Design helped me reset it again.”

As is often the case, Slim discovered early on that she had a natural flair for home decor. Years of painting, refinishing furniture, and helping friends in their homes showed her that she could make a career out of it; Today, it employs a support team of two people and completes approximately 12 residential and commercial projects annually. Although she abandoned her studio in downtown Baltimore when the Covid virus hit, it will reopen in July. “I find that I like the separation between work and home life,” reveals the designer, who is a mother of five.

Saleem’s clients tend to be diverse, mundane, well-traveled, and share her interest in fashion and the arts. “I usually design with cultural infusion in mind; African and Asian influences are common in my work,” she says, adding, “I love seeing the potential in the space and being able to turn it into something my clients will love.”

Interior Design: Souda Selim, Souda Selim Interior Design, Baltimore, Maryland.

Michelle Tremont Boyd brings significant experience with her growing design firm, which was launched in 2020. She pursued a degree in architecture from Syracuse University with six years at Studio Sofield, a reputable architectural design firm in New York where she worked on luxury residential and commercial projects. “It was a formative period for me,” she recalls. After that, she spent four years as Vice President of Store Design and Construction at the now closed Barneys New York.

Tremont Boyd and her husband moved to Alexandria during a three-year hiatus from having children – now between two and four years old. Once he arrived, the designer became restless.
“I wanted to get back into a creative space and missed the rigors and challenges of design work,” she notes. “Just as covid was in its heyday, I started outreach – and found it a nice way to learn about the community in Washington.”

Tremont Boyd, who is currently on her own and has five projects on her schedule, prefers a holistic approach. “I do interior architecture and design with a major building and renovation component,” she explains. “I love being part of a project from the ground up – on a large scale and then zooming in to complete the details.”

Interior Design: Michelle Tremont Boyd, Michelle Tremont Boyd Interiors, Alexandria, VA.

Before finding his passion for design, Christian Dau flipped apartments, finished law school and embarked on a law career. He’s always been designing his own interiors and helping out friends in their homes – but it wasn’t until he started an Instagram page to share what inspired him that a new path had emerged.

“I realized that people appreciated my beauty and felt that my tastes were similar to theirs,” he says. “My first clients came from Instagram – they were sponsors who invested in me.” Among them was a friend who offered to match his attorney’s salary so that the Dao could decorate his house. Dow declined the offer—but by then he and his husband (who currently reside in Bloomingdale with their one-year-old daughter) had moved from Southern California to D.C. He was willing to take the leap — “even though I knew I had school debt and had no appreciable design pedigree,” he laughs.

His confidence was steadfast. Founded in 2017, his company now employs six designers and part-time support staff. Lured by his Instagram feed, which has over 400,000 followers, Daw has projects underway across the country as well as in the metropolitan area. “We have a lot of repeat customers,” he says. “We are happy to do everything.”

Interior design: Christian Dau, Christian Dau Design, Washington, DC.

While shopping for a small, historic home, the empty Nesteron from Reston came up with the exact opposite – and they were smitten. The sprawling stone dwelling on 100 rolling acres in Leesburg looked as if it had always existed, but it was actually built in 1995. And the landscape swelled. “At first we said no – but after we rolled through the grass and lawn up to the waist, we sat outside in the back and watched the sun set over the Katuktin Mountains,” the husband recalls. “Then we said yes.”

As the couple, owners of an international management consulting firm, soon discover some surprises. Among them: the discovery that the original owner had used landscape architect Brian Katten, a professor at Virginia Tech, to design a 33-acre arboretum on the grounds—and displaying thousands of specimens of trees imported from around the country. “We had no idea,” the wife marvels. “When we moved into the house, you couldn’t really see through the beds. It was about cleaning them up and rediscovering the landscape.”

Meanwhile, the house also had a story to tell. Inspired by the arts and crafts cottage-style buildings of English architect and designer CFA Voysey (1857-1941), local architect Kevin Rodesey created the 6,600-square-foot, five-bedroom, eight-bathroom building atop a hill with panoramic views. . From the mountains and Katoctin Creek. He decorated the interiors with built-in mills and six stoves; Dark-stained oak floors still unite the main level rooms.

Despite its great bones, the house is getting old. “It kind of froze over time, with red velvet wallpaper, heavy drapes and drapes,” says the wife. “Our vision was to simplify the spaces and let the outdoors in. Because we traveled a lot, we collected artwork and other items that we wanted to incorporate. We also wanted to acknowledge the influence of Voysey.”

When it came to implementing their ideas, the couple found the size of the rooms and the size of the house enormous. “It became a mixture really fast,” says the husband. “We needed harmony and cohesion across the rooms that could be seen to each other. So, we made a backup and said ‘OK, we need help.'”

Enter designer Erika Bonnell, who has been tasked with pulling it all together while guiding opinionated customers who are worried about the outcome of cookie-cutter. “The project happened in a piecemeal fashion because they enjoy putting together and organizing and they don’t want to be left out of the process,” Bonnell says. “They both have strong individual aesthetics that lean in different ways. I needed to stay respectful of both.”

The owners’ eclectic preferences include Victorian antiques, mid-century furniture, Scandinavian furniture, and bold modern art. To incorporate these disparate elements, Bonnell created a neutral background throughout that also fulfilled the goal of enhancing the perspectives. “The outdoors are a huge part of this home’s visual experience, and we wanted to connect with it at all times of the year—from gray winters to full summers,” she says. Quilted rugs, beige linen upholstered seats and pale solid-colored curtains created the foundation she wanted.

Visitors enter the grand foyer, which lends an eclectic feel to the interior by combining vibrant Mexican art, a modern console and a pair of Voysey chairs inspired by the originals on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum. To the right, the airy living room is grounded with neutral sectional chairs and swivels that highlight color paintings by Spanish artist Eduardo Aranz Bravo. Left, the dining room is a statement-maker, covered in teal wallpaper by Schumacher. Bonnell notes that “although it’s a busy pattern, there aren’t too many contrasting colors in it to compete with summer scenes.” The pair commissioned a craftsman at Newport News to make a live edge walnut table to the designer’s specifications; She paired it with wishbone chairs and a dramatic Regina Andrew chandelier.

The open-plan kitchen/family room extends to the back of the house, flowing into a covered porch and renovated stone patio. A few ingenious changes modernized the kitchen, where dark granite countertops gave way to white quartz slabs, glazed backsplashes, and ceramic tiles. The island’s base is painted a fresh blue-gray and eye-catching Hubbardton Forge fixtures are installed above. “This massive and sculptural chandelier made a huge difference,” notes Bonnell, who chose dynamic, modern lighting throughout the interiors.

An off-kitchen suite featuring a solarium and an owners suite on the ground floor, with a guest apartment above. Four bedrooms upstairs are accessed through the main staircase in the foyer, which showcases a vast gallery wall, designed by Bonnell, for the owners’ art and antiques.

While improving the dwelling, the couple also revitalized the landscaping, upgraded the pool and implemented English, perennial and vegetable gardens as well as an apiary and orchard. The wife says, “We were thrilled to be able to bring this property back to life.”

Interior design: Erica Bonnell. Erica Bonnell Interiors, Sterling, Virginia.

Sources

Fower
console table: madegoods.com. voice reproduction chairs: nrhillerdesign.com. Drawing over console: Rufino Tamayo.

Living room
Sofa and swivel chairs: kristindrohancollection.com. rug: greenfront.com. Demi-lune console: antique. Artwork above the control panel: Eduardo Aranz Bravo. Wall paint: Almira White benjaminmoore.com. Sofa floor lamp: Circalighting.com. Double stool: antique. curtain fabric: fabricut.com. Console table fabric: Lee Jova through kravet.com. Lamps on a decorative console table: curreyandcompany.com. Wooden chair and ottoman: thosmoser.com. Chair floor lamp: Owners group. hide rug: trophyroomcollection.com.

kitchen
Island base color: Custom by byerswallpaper.com. countertop: silestoneusa.com Across sky-marble.com. backsplash: architessa.com. Lighting fixtures above the island: hubbardtonforge.com.

dinner room
Wall paper: fschumacher.com. buffet: lumens.com. Lamps on the sideboard: vintage. Mirror on the sideboard: madegoods.com. wishbone chairs: roveconcepts.com. rug: greenfront.com. chandelier: Reginaandrew.com. Curtains: fabricut.com. swan photo frame: Framemasters.com.