Curtis Residence

ChevyChase, MD

The clients, a couple in their sixties, acquired this small, turn-of-the century home in Chevy Chase, MD. After living in a farmhouse in northern Italy for fifteen years, they wanted to recreate its features on a quarter-acre lot, which included a new lap pool and pool/guest house. To accommodate their art and furniture collection, the design solution involved opening up all the walls on the first floor to create larger, more spacious rooms. A new formal dining room was “inserted”, as well as excavating for a wine cellar, and the attic roof was raised to create a painting studio.

Curtis Before - The existing house was more of a cottage, with rooms off a small central hall and minimal foyer. The clients had collected large and unusual pieces of furniture and we suggested that larger rooms would have to be created to incorporate these pieces.
Curtis Remodel - The design solution required opening up the very compartmentalized floor plan. This involved moving the front door from the center of the house to the side, creating a more generous entry foyer and sweeping hallway. A larger living room was created, a new dining inserted at the rear of the house between the two existing wings, and the main stair was opened up and became a major design element. A pool house and small lap pool were also introduced into the rear yard.
The enlarged living room accommodates comfortable furnishings, with a new fireplace and integral wood storage with slate fins.
The new foyer opens to a curving wall and generous center gallery. The previously enclosed stair has been enlarged and spills out into the hall with custom wrought iron railings designed and fabricated by the clients’ son.
The dining room is the only major addition to the house. Sitting between the kitchen and new main gallery, it creates a gracious sequence of spaces for entertaining. A view of the new lap pool and pool/ guest house expands the sense of spaciousness of this compact yet comfortable home.
The library/study accommodates the owners' collection of books and rare furniture. The home office and media area are separated by several steps. The leaded glass doors in the office cabinet were repurposed from the original doors to an outdoor terrace.