An Elegant Domain

Project Details

Location — Embassy Row in Washington, D.C.

Press — Good Housekeeping and Luxe Magazine

Photography — Andrew Frasz

For this stately, circa-1930s manse, the homeowners — a couple well known for their hosting — entrusted us with the gut renovation and redesign of their upper floors. After refreshing a number of the home’s grand ground-floor entertaining spaces, we were now tasked with creating a more private, personal experience for the family and special visitors.

The home’s overall tonality is very neutral — an opportunity for us to take one essential idea and speak to it from multiple vantage points, and celebrate soft, earthy shades like taupe, ivory, and blush without being boring. The wife’s admiration for craftsmanship encouraged us to push the limits when it came to bespoke finishes. Instead of simple plaster and paint, bedrooms are wrapped in mural wall coverings or upholstered in toile.

The biggest challenge in this home was meticulously coordinating the very intricate architectural and design features our team came up with, bringing them to life with uncompromising craft, and then populating the spaces with a “collected” mix of family antiques, artwork, custom pieces made especially for the purpose, and finds picked up at auction. The final effect is rich, elegant, and cultured.

Elegant interior of a home with a staircase, large plants, framed artwork, and chandelier lighting.
Elegant dining room with a round table set for a meal, surrounded by vintage armchairs, with floral centerpiece, overlooking large windows and decorated with framed art and ornate moldings.
A formal dining table set with fine china, crystal glasses, silverware, and decorative placemats. The table is covered with a cream-colored tablecloth featuring embroidered patterns, with a centerpiece of white flowers in a glass vase. The background
A formal table setting with a gold and blue patterned plate, white dinner plate, and intricate silverware on a white napkin. The table has a woven placemat, crystal glasses, a flower arrangement, and decorative silver ornaments, all on a tablecloth w
Elegant interior room with a carved wooden cabinet, a classical bust sculpture, framed architectural drawings, and a vintage gold wall clock with surrounding artwork and decorative lamps.
Spiral staircase with beige carpeted steps, white balustrades, and wooden handrail in a bright, elegant interior. Green potted plants and framed artwork on the walls contribute to the sophisticated decor.
A marble bust sculpture of a woman's head and shoulders on a pedestal, behind a light-colored wall with framed architectural drawings and a wall-mounted lamp with gold accents, in an elegant interior setting.
Vintage gold wall clock centered between two framed architectural blueprints, flanked by table lamps, with a bust sculpture on the right and green plants on the left, all on a wooden console table.
Elegant bathroom with cream and gold accents, featuring a marble bathtub, vintage chair, and large mirror, with intricate ceiling moldings and gold light fixtures.
A cozy living room with large windows allowing natural light, a green velvet couch with various pillows, a round wooden table with decorative items and a vase of green hydrangeas, framed artwork on the wall, a white ornate mirror, and a mix of classi
Bright and elegant living room with large windows, greenery, and classic furniture including armchairs, sofas, and a wooden coffee table.
A cozy living room corner with beige and gold patterned furniture, including two armchairs with green pillows, a round coffee table, a beige ottoman, and decorative artwork on the walls, with natural light coming in from a window.
A wooden table with a green sofa in the background. The table has a glass vase with green hydrangea flowers, a decorative stone urn, two nearby books, a wooden jewelry box, and a vintage-style book. Part of a cream-colored armchair and patterned pill
A bedroom with black and gold bed frames, detailed black and white nautical-themed wallpaper, a window with a valance, and various furniture and decor including lamps, artwork, and a red patterned armchair.
Interior of a room with a large maritime-themed mural, a wooden desk with a floral-lined lampshade, a vase of white flowers, a framed photograph, and a wooden chair with a pink-patterned cushion.
A bedroom with black and gold bed frames, white bedding, decorative pillows, and a detailed black-and-white mural of a historic harbor scene with ships, people, and castles.
A cozy living room decorated in a classic style with a red and white patterned armchair, a matching footstool, a gold decorative vase, and black-and-white nautical-themed wallpaper depicting ships, the coast, and sea scenes. The room has large window
Interior view of a luxurious hallway with black and white vintage illustrations on the walls, ornate furniture, and a red wallpapered room featuring zebra patterns visible through a doorway.
A decorative room with a marble fireplace, a round ornate gold-framed mirror, a vase of red roses, and a black and white mural depicting ships, mountains, and people in historical attire.
A luxurious bathroom with red and zebra-patterned wallpaper, marble countertops, and gold accents. Decor includes a large mirror, framed artwork, lamps, and a vase of red flowers. Towels are neatly stacked below the sink.
Bathroom with red wallpaper featuring white zebras and black arrows, bathtub with gold clawfoot legs, black and white marble walls, a toilet, a marble countertop, a framed vintage botanical print, a wicker basket with towels, and ceiling crown moldin
A vintage bedroom with a four-poster bed topped with green curtains, a wall mural of a landscape scene, and decorative paintings. Tall lamps and a fireplace are also visible.
A bedroom with a white bed, decorative blue and patterned pillows, and green curtains. A wicker side table holds a stack of books, a cream-colored lamp, a small sculpture, and a vase of green flowers. A landscape mural featuring green hills, trees, a
Interior of a room with a marble fireplace, green drapes, twin candlesticks with glass hurricane covers, a painting of three women in a landscape, and patterned tile flooring.
A living room corner with green curtains, a painted mural wall depicting trees and a river, a white fireplace mantel with a gold-framed portrait of three women, and decorative vases and small furniture.
Living room with large window, green curtains, a white sofa with blue and white patterned pillows, a wooden side table, a table with books and a lamp, a vintage clock, and a mural mural depicting a landscape with trees and water.
A room with a large leafy mural wallpaper, a wooden desk with intricate inlay design, an open book, and a white chair with blue patterned upholstery. There is a large mirror with a decorative frame, two lamps, a potted plant, and a framed sword displ
A wooden table with gold floral inlay, displaying an open book about Japanese art, a teacup filled with tea, a green book titled "Deception," a closed blue book, a chessboard, and shelves with books and decorative items. A large green plant with budd
A luxurious bathroom with a white marble sink, a large mirror, and wall-mounted lamps. A towel and decorative items are on the sink, and a towel rack holds two neatly folded towels. The decor is elegant with greenery accents and framed artwork visibl
A luxurious bathroom features a vintage black clawfoot bathtub with ornate silver feet, against a wall with decorative white paneling and framed landscape paintings. A small side table holds a rolled white towel and a bath brush, and a window with li

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