By Michael McCarthy By Michael McCarthy | April 7, 2023 | Home & Real Estate,
A North Potomac home receives a glam revitalization from the designer who tackled the same property more than 15 years ago.
A Kravet sectional graces the comfortable and highly functional living room.
THE PROJECT
It’s always enlightening to retrace one’s steps in life—to discern decisions and recalibrate as we evolve and move forward. Such was the case for the design choices a couple recently made in their North Potomac home. They initially purchased the property roughly 15 years ago and razed an existing home that sat on the land and built anew. Now with two children in high school and college, the couple wanted to rethink the entrance foyer, living room, breakfast room, great room and kitchen.
THE TEAM
When the couple built their new 6,500-square-foot home years ago, they chose designer Syntha Harris (synthaharrisinteriors.com) to conjure beauty and function in every room. They turned again to the renowned visionary, who describes her aesthetic as transitional to contemporary with mostly neutral palettes and contrasting pops of rich earth tones. Harris’ rooms are always warm, clean and livable. “Most of my clients have families with children and pets,” says Harris. “I endeavor to create an interior that looks and feels luxurious, while being livable with performance fabrics and natural materials that can hold up to wear.”
THE GOALS
Harris says her clients desired an updated, fresh look in their home. “Since we were keeping many of the main structural elements, such as beams and a fireplace that leaned traditional, we needed the kitchen’s design to balance those elements with a sleek, contemporary feel,” says Harris. “The homeowners enjoy family time, so ample seating was important, as were sturdy fabrics that hold up to a family of four with two dogs.”
Two slabs of marble make up the new large kitchen island.
THE CHALLENGES
Like many projects during COVID-19, supply chain issues wreaked a little havoc. “We did a lot of construction work on the main floor, so we needed more than just furnishings, including building materials, kitchen cabinets, electrical and more,” says Harris. “The clients decided early on that we would wait for the items that we really wanted and build a schedule moving from the longest lead time to items that were in stock.”
Harris says another hurdle was the kitchen island counter, which, in the existing floor plan, featured two islands—the new plan had one large island with two slabs. “The Cambria material we used has a great deal of movement, and we needed the two slabs to look seamless where they meet,” says Harris. “After a number of computer designs, we ultimately came up with the layout that was perfect. Dominion Granite & Marble (beautifulgranite.com) patiently worked with us until it was exactly what we wanted.”
Smart storage and exceptional design characterize the lovely North Potomac home.
LIVING SPACES
Before the refresh, the existing home had arched doorways and molding connecting each room; the look was decidedly traditional. So, Harris and her team raised the door frames for a cleaner, more contemporary look. She also added contemporary molding that supported the new design.
“One important element the clients wanted was seamless flooring throughout the main level,” says Harris. “In the original space, there were three materials used. We chose a wide wood flooring with warm gray neutrals to bring in the organic, warm, livable feel we were seeking. It complemented the natural stone fireplace.”
The light-filled dining room.
The living room’s standouts include a Kravet (kravet.com) sectional and an Old Biscayne Designs (oldbiscaynedesigns.com) coffee table. In the breakfast room, Harris changed the design of the original bar to accommodate a beverage refrigerator. “We wanted that area to be the beverage station, from coffee in the morning to cocktails at night,” she says. “We tied it together using the same materials as the kitchen.”
The kitchen’s table and chairs are by Belle Meade Signature (bellemeadesignature.com), with cabinets by UltraCraft (ultracraft.com), countertop by Cambria (cambriausa.com) and backsplash by Architessa (architessa.com). Custom-designed millwork added a contemporary feel to the space.
The home is perfect for entertaining.
HOW THE HOME IS LIVING
“The homeowners and I have worked on a number of homes together—this is our third—so we have fine-tuned our design partnership process,” says Harris. “They also know what they like and prefer to be involved in the design through each stage. For me, a collaborative approach is ideal. I like to get feedback along the way so there are no surprises from lack of communication.”
And the homeowners’ rating of this project? “They absolutely love their home; it was exactly what they had waited for,” says Harris, proving that the best working partnerships can last a lifetime.
HOME DETAILS
HOME TYPE
Single-family
LOCATION
North Potomac
INTERIOR DESIGN
Syntha Harris
synthaharrisinteriors.com
RESOURCES
Kravet
Sectional, living room
kravet.com
Old Biscayne Designs
Coffee table, living room
oldbiscaynedesigns.com
Belle Meade Signature
Table and chairs, kitchen
bellemeadesignature.com
UltraCraft
Cabinets, kitchen
ultracraft.com
Cambria
Countertops, kitchen
cambriausa.com
Architessa
Backsplash, kitchen
architessa.com
Photography by: STYLED BY CHARLOTTE SAFAVI PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROBERT RADIFERA