Jennifer Sergent

Freelance design writer + blogger | Marketing copywriter

DC Power Player Terry Lenzner—And His Home

What a coincidence. Earlier this summer, my friend, photographer Ken Wyner, sent me some eye-opening pictures he took of a home designed by one of my favorite architects, the modernist Travis Price. One thing leads to another, and I ended up writing about Price’s modern design in historic Cleveland Park for this month’s issue of DC Magazine.

Lenzner May 08_49
All photographs by Ken Wyner.

Here’s the coincidence: The home belongs to DC power player Terry Lenzner and his wife, Margaret. Mr. Lenzner was just profiled in The Washington Post last week, the same month we have his home featured in DC!

Those interested in his politics and high-stakes private-eye work will probably be reading Lenzner’s new book, The Investigator: Fifty Years of Uncovering the Truth. But if you have any inclination toward his aesthetics—not to mention the couple’s impressive collection of contemporary art and sculpture—check out these photos:

The copper- and wood-clad house is sculpture in itself.
The copper- and wood-clad house is sculpture in itself.
Sculpture moves through the house, inside to outside.
Sculpture moves through the house, inside to outside.
Travis worked with Thomas Tait of Thomas Tait Gardens to craft the landscape.
Travis worked with Thomas Tait of Thomas Tait Gardens to craft the landscape.
An avenging angel. The Lenzners' friend, the National Gallery of Art's chief designer Mark Leithauser, helped them place all the art in the new house.
An avenging angel. The Lenzners’ friend, the National Gallery of Art’s chief designer Mark Leithauser, helped them place all the art in the new house.
The starkly modern interior looks out across the street to the 17th-century Rosedale Conservancy.
The starkly modern interior looks out across the street to the 17th-century Rosedale Conservancy.
Travis says he likes to "program the view" with strategically placed windows. I love the window wall in the kitchen and the glass backsplash.
Travis says he likes to “program the view” with strategically placed windows. I love the window wall in the kitchen and the glass backsplash.
More programming -- Travis designed the pool to make it look like a waterfall right outside of the living room. The windows at the top and bottom of the side wall make room for the art, and also frame the view out to a manmade stream on the side of the house, and the trees beyond.
More programming — Travis designed the pool to make it look like a waterfall framed by a glass wall in the living room. The windows at the top and bottom of the side wall make room for the art, and also frame the view out to a manmade stream on the side of the house, and the trees beyond.
Here's the stream from the outside, with some more sculpture in the middle.
Here’s the stream from the outside.
The Lenzners requested a niche on the second floor exterior to hold a future art installation.
The Lenzners requested a niche on the second floor exterior to hold a future art installation. You can see the small light at the top so the work will be illuminated a night.
The house is beautifully lit at night.
The house is beautifully lit at night.

Here’s my story. For me, especially after reading the piece in The Washington Post, it seems like this home is an exquisite sanctuary away from the rough and tumble of Mr. Lenzner’s life.

DCML-Oct13-Lenzner-1

 

DCML-Oct13-Lenzner-2

 

DCML-Oct13-Lenzner-3

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. architectdesignblog says

    One of my favorite houses in Cleveland Park! It was featured on the Cleveland Park house tour last year and it was just stunning inside – especially the way the backyard is integrated into the house.

  3. Jean Molesworth Kee says

    Fabulous piece, Jennifer. It is always refreshing to see modernist residences in and around the DC metro area- they are few and far between. This one is a beauty. I especially love the interplay of wood and metal– color and texture on the exterior.

Trackbacks