Storm’s Coming
As we all wait to see what Hurricane Earl will do to our beaches today, I want to send you off on the holiday weekend with this stunning — and stormy — shot of the Washington Monument that a former Washington Spaces photo intern, Matthew Dandy, shot from atop the W Hotel downtown. Happy Labor [...]
Morgan Howarth’s Architectural Photography
When it comes to using pictures on a blog, most of us rely on our amateur point-and-shoot skills to bring you an image of a beautiful room. At times photos are provided, or we snatch them from elsewhere on the Web. But none of us, I think, ever has the money to actually hire a [...]
Modern Renaissance: Gold Leaf Studios
Take a look through this gilder’s frame studio — just a quick browse: Now, I ask, where do you think you are? A centuries-old atelier in Florence, or maybe Paris? Wrong! If you’ve been out sipping beer at the Brickskeller near Dupont Circle lately, it’s right beyond the rear wall, accessible down the alley and [...]
John McDermott’s Elegy: Reflections on Angkor
I had one of those days where nothing turned out how it was supposed to be. I won’t bore you with the details, but it made me think of photographer John McDermott‘s photographs of Cambodia — his use of infrared film and the way he develops his pictures make you see these places as if [...]
See You — and the Blossoms — Next Week
According to the National Park Service, our cherry blossoms have just entered the “peduncle elongation” phase that precedes the blooming. (See the full bloom schedule right here.) They predict that the peak blooms should arrive right smack in the middle of the Cherry Blossom Festival, which starts Saturday. That means by next weekend, we’ll be [...]
A Trip Down Memory Lane with Ken Wyner
My former editor, Trish Donnally, just sent me a link to the new Web site of photographer Kenneth M. Wyner, who had done gorgeous work for Washington Spaces through the years. I was overjoyed to see a section of his site dedicated to the work he did for us, which includes images that never made [...]
Architectural Illustration: Maria Morga and Michael Hampton
It’s always fun comparing the architectural drawings of a room to the completed product — I especially love it when Candice Olson does that on HGTV’s Divine Design. But come to find out, there are other examples of great artists right in our backyard, and I saw their work in action last week at the [...]
Art Shopping at the Willard with Evelyn Avery
I blogged about Evelyn Avery for Washington Spaces last fall, and was pleased to see her — and her huge suite at The Willard — back again this month. When you step into Suite #510, you’ll see rooms and rooms full of antique oils, works on paper, handmade frames and mirrors, and other curiosities scattered [...]
Roger Foley’s Winter Photography
I’m sure we’ve all taken pictures of all the snow by now, but I’m also sure our collective snapshots don’t amount to THIS: Landscape photographer Roger Foley, who lives within jogging distance of us in Arlington, told me he would send me some of his snaps from our recent snowstorms. The picture above is the [...]
Design Army’s Invasion
Interior designers and architects can craft the most beautiful buildings and spaces, but speaking as a magazine editor, they’re no good in print unless the photographs and accompanying text are arranged perfectly on the page. In that respect, Design Army has invaded DC, creating illustrations, layouts, and photo shoots to make the names and pictures [...]

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 @