Oak Park Comes to Kensington
July 21, 2010 by Jennifer
Filed under Architecture
I wanted to share a few more pictures of a house I wrote about on DC Urban Turf this week, which architect Jim Rill designed for developer Judy Whalley, who has always loved the Arts & Crafts style since she lived in an Oak Park, Ill., bungalow after she graduated from college.
Jim told me that he wanted to create a “Chicago architectural gem” in this neighborhood that is not far from the hustle and bustle of Rockville Pike. He and Whalley also sought to make it totally green. You can read all the details in my Urban Turf post right here.
The half-walls on the porch, unlike open railings, are a signature of Frank Lloyd Wright designs that are prevalent in Oak Park. All photos unless otherwise noted are by James Ray Spahn.
Porches are on three sides of the house. Jim Rill says he meant for the indoor and outdoor spaces to have a seamless relationship.
This open porch flows right onto the expanisve lawn.
The family room, just inside from the porch. You will see lots of natural wood moldings and built-ins throughout the house.
The kitchen is adjacent to the family room. I love the pale blue island, which breaks up all the brown of the wood. The counters are IceStone, which is made from recycled glass. Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg.
The living room is capped with intricately detailed molding. The handmade tiles were produced by artisan Norm Lewellen in Bellingham, Wash., who is known for his environmentally friendly practices.
I adore this stairwell, with the shelves of pottery to the left. Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg.
Judy told me that she would like to buy more land and continue to build and sell Arts & Crafts houses in our area. As a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright and Greene & Greene, I would love to see more of their inspiration around here!
The listing information for this house is right here.
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 @
While I love the style of this house, the kitchen is way too contemporary. Would have been nice if they had stuck to the classic design aesthetics of the period and simply updated. And all that woodwork in the stairwell, etc would have really stood out if they’d used quartersawn instead of plainsawn oak.
Great pics… we love arts & crafts homes!
Eddie & Jaithan
Thanks for writing in E & J — great to hear from you!