Jennifer Sergent

Freelance design writer + blogger | Marketing copywriter

DC Design House: Opening for Business

The Washington Post just came out this morning with a great story, designer tips, photos, and video tour on the DC Design House, which you should definitely check out. I will add a couple more images here that were not contained in the story, but I’m telling you, they are nowhere near all the incredible details you will see in this huge mansion, which is so worth your $20 to see.

Nestor Santa Cruz designed the reception room between the foyer and the living room. "I don't do cute and I don't do pretty," the architect and interior designer says. "I like modern, I like classical, I like art deco." Photographs by Angie Seckinger
I love this 19th century French industrial side table, made with steel and bronze.

Basha White commissioned Keith Fritz to design a circular dining table for this space. “Round is wonderful,” Keith says. They fit more people, and they’re more egalitarian. Fritz, who used to be based in DC, now lives in Indiana, where he makes his custom furniture and trucks it himself back to DC once a month.

Photograph by Jaime Windon for Children's National Medical Center

Victoria Sanchez, who did an online Q&A with The Post’s Jura Koncius today, designed the library.

This wallpaper was back ordered, so Victoria used her peronsal stock, intended for her own home, in here. She purchased the Picasso reproduction prints from Evelyn Avery of Avery Fine Art. Photograph by Jaime Windon for Children's National Medical Center

Upstairs, Celia Welch created a master bath that, frankly, I would never want to leave in the morning.

Antique glass fills the upper portion of the closets, which were made by her carpenter. The simple-but-elegant chandelier comes from Gragg Studios. Photograph by Angie Seckinger
The slate gray (and eco-friendly) washed-linen chair is from Lee Industries. The sheers and shades are natural fibers. Photograph by Angie Seckinger

Now, it’s on to the airy artist’s studio by Tracy Morris.

It took two days to paint the floor so it looks like limed planks -- even the "nails" look real. An 1890's Oushak rug lies on top, with a Thomas Moser chair at the desk. Photograph by Angie Seckinger
The art is by Susan Calloway Fine art. Photograph by Angie Seckinger

So, I think I’ve exhausted the teasing without giving the whole house away. The house opens Saturday and lasts about a month. Enjoy the tour!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jeanette Stieringer says

    I visited today and came home very inspired and in awe over the beautiful work by talented designers. It was nice to meet some of the designers behind all this great work. It’s one thing to see it in photos but another to see it in person. Definitely worth the drive.

  3. Jeannine @ Small and Chic says

    I disagree that the blogs will hurt ticket sales. I go because I see the pictures on the blogs. Until the pictures showed up on Notting Hill and here, I didn’t think I was going to make the trip up (I’m in Charlottesville). Now, I know I’ll be heading up next weekend. 🙂

  4. Sanity Fair says

    Worth waaaay more than a meager $20. This year has to be the best yet. And no, I would never leave that master bath in the morning. Good luck getting me to work! The walls in the Cruz room are hands down my favorite though. Stunning.

    • Jennifer says

      SanityFair — the walls in the cruz room are faux-painted limestone, and they were left intact from the previous owners! Nestor used them as the foundation for his design.

  5. Wayne says

    I think this could be the year when modern technology and the bloggers and the twitters could help eliminate the number of people attending any “showhouse” or other public evetnts. Everyone is so busy and by the time you see all of the images that have been posted you feel as if you have already attended the event. Advanced publicity can be a good thing, but I actually preferred just the small sound bites that were earlier posted to the detailed shots and the video done by the Post. I hope this doesn’t keep people from attending and not only supporting the cause, but seeing all of the work involved that the designers donated!

  6. Susie @ Maddie's Nest says

    I was actually disappointed to have seen the post article yesterday…..it was like someone telling me the end of the book before I had started it. But, I’m still excited to go see it all in person. Love that art in the dining room.

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