A newly crafted Chevy Chase house receives its design finishes and aesthetic direction.
Designer Catherine Ebert is known for her modern classic interiors.
THE PROJECT
Some homeowners look at a newly completed home—the design equivalent of tabula rasa—and shudder. Those empty spaces, white walls and bare floors can be overwhelming. A Chevy Chase couple with teenage daughters moved into a new 7,300-square-foot home and needed a cohesive design plan that showcased their aesthetic and functioned perfectly for everyday living.
THE TEAM
The couple selected Catherine Ebert, founder and principal at Catherine Ebert Interiors (catherineebertinteriors.com). The designer, whose design leans toward modern classic, favors edited and uncluttered interiors with bold sculptural shapes, unique colors and textures and a sophisticated mix of furnishings. “I aim always to discover the best version of the client’s wants and then introduce a few surprises,” she says. “Comfort and practicality are of utmost importance so that every square inch of the home is used and well-loved. This requires lots of listening so the home feels like their own.”
Winter Lake Blue from Benjamin Moore offers a vibrant yet soothing feel to the living room with drapery from Rockville Interiors: the open and bright family room.
THE GOALS
Ebert, who tackled the design of the main level and primary suite, says the wife had a comfort zone of neutral colors but specifically wanted to be drawn out of that palette—without going too far. “The husband thought some Scandinavian design would suit the home’s architecture but also requested a bit of a cocktail lounge vibe in the front rooms,” says Ebert.
LIVING AND FAMILY ROOMS
Ebert painted the room with a sophisticated shade of steel blue (Winter Lake in satin by Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com), which looks stunning throughout the day and evening. The custom-designed red sofa, lined in Romo (romo.com) crushed velvet, pairs perfectly with vintage 1970s marble coffee tables from South Loop Loft (thesouthlooploft.com) and low-slung Scandinavian wood-framed chairs by Julian Chichester (julianchichester.com) covered in Larsen (larsenfabrics.com) fabric.
A racetrack table from Hellman-Chang and blown-glass chandelier from Gabriel Scott grace the dining room.
“The generous windows required miles of sumptuous ivory wool drapery—fabricated by Rockville Interiors (rockvilleinteriors.com) in wool from Mark Alexander (markalexander.com)—that matches the drapery in the dining room across the hall,” says Ebert. “The settee was a retail find, upgraded with sophisticated silk, but the slender legs and rounded edges were perfect here and allowed you to see through to the beautiful garden beyond.”
Other standout pieces include an Allied Maker (alliedmaker.com) chandelier from Urban Electric (urbanelectric.com), a side table from Julian Chichester and a custom wool-and-silk rug from Galleria Carpets (galleriacarpets.com).
The design team added cabinetry from Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens.
The open and sunsplashed family room is a functional home run. Ebert brought the space together with exceptional pieces, including a sofa and Eames lounge chair from DWR (dwr.com), motorized solar shades from Rockville Interiors, a cocktail table from Rochel Bobois (roche-bobois.com) and a bench from 1st Dibs (1stdibs.com).
The foyer boasts a console table from Ferrell Mittman (ferrillmittman.com), a Kelly Wearstler (kellywearstler.com) lamp from Visual Comfort (visualcomfort.com), a mirror by Bower Studios (bower-studios.com) and Japanese rice paper walls by Aesthetics (aestheticswall.com).
DINING ROOM
“This might be my favorite room!” says Ebert. “This room is visible from many points around the house, so I wanted it to pull your eye from afar but also envelop the room in a cozy cocoon that makes you want to linger over the second glass of wine.”
The primary suite features a custom bed designed by Ebert
The racetrack oval dining table from Hellman Chang (hellman-chang.com) anchors a space that includes a multicolor blown-glass chandelier from Gabriel Scott (gabriel-scott.com) and chairs from Anees Furniture (@aneesfurniture) covered in Harlequin (harlequin.sandersondesigngroup.com) fabric.
“The windows are flush to the floor and facing the street, so functional curtains from Rockville Interiors with Mark Alexander were necessary,” says Ebert. “When they are drawn, this room is ready for the swankiest dinner parties.”
the primary bath offers a soothing escape.
KITCHEN
“The kitchen cabinetry and stone were already in place, so we added some discreet barstools, a Saarinen-designed table from DWR and Eames chairs for daily meals,” says Ebert. “The chairs are covered in navy leather from Edelman Leather (edelmanleather.com), making them easy to care for and divinely comfortable.” Ebert’s team added custom cabinetry from Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens (jackrosen.com).
PRIMARY SUITE
“Calm and serene was the couple’s request, and this spacious suite boasts a generous deck outside the sliding doors—a modern version of an English garden was my first thought,” says Ebert, who discovered charming, falling-leaf fabric in blue and taupe from Hodsoll & McKenzie (@hodsollmckenzie). Ebert custom-designed a bed with blue mohair and layered the room with quiet touches, including a rug from Carpet Impressions (carpetimpressions.com), lamps and a floor lamp by Vaughan Designs (vaughandesigns.com), wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries (phillipjeffries.com) and drapery from Rockville Interiors.
“The clients are avid readers, so a comfortable lounge chair with books in easy reach was also a must,” says Ebert, who used a console table from Lawson Fenning (lawsonfenning.com) with open shelving to double as a dressing table and book storage.
A transition between indoor and outdoor spaces is seamless
HOW THE HOME IS LIVING
Ebert reports that her clients adore their new home. “The house is bigger than they originally wanted, but we’ve made each room so unique and personal that it now feels like home,” she says. “They joke that we really made it a party house— and now they need to throw more parties!”
A “napping couch,” designed by Ebert, invites comfort in the sunroom.
HOME DETAILS
HOME TYPE
Single-family
LOCATION
Chevy Chase
DESIGN
Catherine Ebert
Catherine Ebert Interiors
RESOURCES
Allied Maker
Chadelier via Urban Electric, living room
alliedmaker.com,
urbanelectric.com
Anees Furniture
Chairs, dining room
@aneesfurniture
Benjamin Moore
Winter Lake satin paint, living room
benjaminmoore.com
Carpet Impressions
Rug, primary suite
carpetimpressions.com
Gabriel Scott
Chandelier, dining room
gabriel-scott.com
Galleria Carpets
Rug, living room
galleriacarpets.com
Hellman Chang
Table, dining room
hellman-chang.com
Hodsoll & McKenzie
Fabric, primary suite
@hodsollmckenzie
Jack Rosen
Custom Kitchens Custom cabinets, kitchen
jackrosen.com
Julian Chichester
Chairs and side table, living room
julianchichester.com
Phillip Jeffries
Wallpaper, primary suite,
phillipjeffries.com
Rockville Interiors
Drapery, living, family and dining rooms, primary suite
rockvilleinteriors.com
Romo
Sofa fabric, living room
romo.com
South Loop Loft
Tables, living room
thesouthlooploft.com
Vaughan Designs
Lamps and floor lamp, primary suite,
vaughandesigns.com
Photography by: STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG
