Kitchen/Bath
SKD Studios Transforms MD Kitchen
I always joke around that I can frequently lose my train of thought if someone
A Glorious Gilday Kitchen Renovation
I've been slowly digesting the October issue of Washingtonian, which contains a
Hollin Hills Delight with Brian McGarry
I'm in before-and-after mode this Labor Day weekend, especially since this
Shopping
The Washington Winter Show: Jan. 6-8
I was thrilled to get an invitation this year to the opening party of the annual
The Crushing Weight of Restoration Hardware
I didn't first see Restoration Hardware's new 616-page fall catalog. I heard it.
Bellwether Dry Goods’ Yummy Quilts
I don't know where this comes from, but I have SUCH a thing for gorgeous quilts.
Designers
Brown – Davis’ Villa Nirvana
Nirvana indeed. Just check out the entry to this place: This is the Miami home of Todd Davis and Robert Brown, the talents of Brown Davis Interiors who are responsible for decorating the Clinton homes in DC and New York, as well as the ambassador's residence at the British Embassy, among other A-list projects around town. I received a phone call this month from Todd -- out of the blue … Read More
Julie Dastvan’s Inaugural Showhouse
It's amazing what designers can do when they are unencumbered by the wishes and whims of a client. Julie Dastvan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting earlier this year when she was nominated as an up-and-coming "One to Watch" at the Washington Design Center, completed her first decorator showhouse this fall. I am completely bummed that I never got the time to go out to Ellicott City, MD, … Read More
The Psychotherapy of Design
I feel so cleansed. We just spent two days DIGGING out of our storage room. Multiple trash bags, an impromptu yard sale and a carload of stuff bound for Good Will later, we have a room that works. There is a point of design to be made here, even if the storage room is far from beautiful. The reason I have such an incredible lightness of being about this project is that we … Read More
ASID Metro Awards 2011
WELL, why do your own work when someone else can do it for you? Arcadia Home, an online retailer, approached me about doing a guest post. I get approached a LOT about that, but mostly it's by marketing people who want to hawk their own brands. Susi here is just writing about desgin she loves, in exchange for using the retailer's link. Fair enough, I say. Here she goes: Hi, I'm Susi Prescott … Read More
Nate Berkus on Design… and DC
I was flattered that Nate Berkus' team reached out to me one their quick-turnaround to DC yesterday, and I got to chat with him at the NBC Washington bureau after his interview with Barbara Harrison -- it turns out that he has a lot of DC connections, and a lot to say about the design offerings in our city. First thing out of his mouth when we sat down: Sixteen Fifty Nine, the fabulous MCM … Read More
HGTV in Search of Best DC Master Suite Re-Dos
Producers are coming to DC for an upcoming episode of HGTV's "Bang for Your Buck," which compares similar-costing renovations to see which one earns the biggest resale "bang." This time, they want recent master-suite re-dos. According to the press release: "HGTV’s Vern Yip and a local real estate expert will determine how the renovations impact each home’s value, and the renovation they … Read More
Goodbye, Dear Sweet Michael
This weekend, much of the DC design community -- in addition to friends, family, and even those who didn't know him -- said goodbye to a treasured friend. Michael Schmidt was designer Barry Dixon's partner -- in EVERY way. Not only were they life partners for at least 20 years, they were business partners as well. But beyond that basic description, Michael was simply, as the gorgeous card from … Read More
Accolades for Paul Corrie
DC Designer Paul Corrie is ON FIRE these days. He's been recognized so frequently that it's almost comical, until you take a look at his work and realize that, on both macro and micro levels, the former lawyer's designs are like exquisite still life's. First, let's tally the accolades, which, tellingly, have all flowed from Traditional Home magazine. -- Paul's home is featured in the October … Read More
Designer Dolly Howarth: From Billiards to Baubles
I have a story in today's Washington Examiner about how designer Dolly Howarth made Lisa and Martin Standiford's new house in Alexandria into their dream home. She served both their needs, from Martin's love of pool to Lisa's home office, where she designs jewelry under the name Lisa Latham. "We wanted it to be so many things, but we just couldn't make that first step in realizing our vision," … Read More
Sue Burgess’ Town and Country
It's not uncommon for designers to partner with great photographers to shoot their projects. In this case, designer Sue Burgess married hers. Gordon Beall, whose work can be seen in Architectural Digest, The Washington Post, and Darryl Carter's book The New Traditional, has taken pictures of the town and country homes they share in Chevy Chase and Upperville, Va. I profiled both houses … Read More
Jennifer Sergent. Native Washingtonian. Former editor at Washington Spaces magazine and HGTV. Currently searching for – and writing about – DC’s design voices. Write to me @