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Posted on: February 07, 2019 ! 0 Like

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TRADITIONAL D.C. KITCHEN ENHANCED BY CONTEMPORARY FRENCHACCENTSLocal firm Anne Decker Architects revamped the kitchen and adjacent breakfast room with a little bit ofParisian feel.

By Symone Garvett

With an aim to create a more open and classic feel, Bethesda, Md.–based architecture firm Anne Decker Architects and

builder Potomac Valley Builders transformed a standard L-shaped kitchen with basic features into a traditional, yet

whimsical, space filled with carefully chosen materials and accents.

“We wanted to create a room that also happens to be a kitchen,” says Decker. “It was meant to be a little bit more eclectic

Gordon Beall Photography

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and less built-in.”

The design team was responsible for the Washington, D.C., home’s whole-house

overhaul. Besides the kitchen remodel, the architects wanted to open up the home and

connect its various spaces. To give the rooms a cohesive feel, they chose a neutral palette

of whites and grays throughout the first floor with a variety of metal finishes including

brass and stainless steel.

To establish a strong focal point for the kitchen, Decker and her team centered a stainless custom hood with matching La

Cornue range between two windows with dark-painted French casements. Lower custom cabinetry on both sides of the

stove was given brushed stainless steel drawer fronts. The designers chose larger-scale, round knobs with square mounts on

the stainless steel built-ins, too. Those design choices “give it articulation and a little bit of a Parisian feel” and ensure “it

wasn’t a run-on sentence of cabinetry,” adds Decker.

This focal wall also includes two sets of custom steel open shelving to display glasses and plates. According to Decker, the

addition of the hanging shelves—opposed to typical cabinets—gives the kitchen a more open and airy feel. Plus, a marble

slab backsplash spans the length of the wall to add dimension and the illusion of added height.

For continuity, a similar marble with a more pure white was chosen as the material for the countertops, while light gray

cabinetry was used for the island and mirroring wall.

“We presented the client with a more neutral palette of whites, pale grays, and deeper grays to accent the black and gold,”

says Decker. “We knew we wanted those finishes and hues because they are a nod to the colors throughout the house.”

The marble-topped island boasts seating for three and an undermount sink

with a silver chrome faucet. Above the area, the designers added two brass

statement lighting fixtures with spherical glass shapes and 3-inch recessed

lights. Existing red oak floors were refinished and lightly stained.

Project Details

Location: Washington, D.C.Architect: Anne Decker Architects, Bethesda, Md.Builder: Potomac Valley Builders, Bethesda, Md.Kitchen Size: 428 square feetHouse Size: 7,073 square feetConstruction Cost: Withheld

Gordon Beall Photography

View All 8 Photos >

Foxhall Kitchen by Anne Decker Architects

Opposite the statement wall, 2-foot-deep built-in cabinetry runs from the

floor to the ceiling to counteract the openness of the windows and shelving.

The wall houses a large wine refrigerator, traditional refrigerator, wall ovens,

and various storage areas.

In the adjacent breakfast room, the team applied floor-to-ceiling molding and

added a unique brass lighting feature in tune with the others in the kitchen.

The area also features hidden pantry storage on either side of one of the

room’s entrances. Custom-made panel walls constructed by the builder open

up to reveal even more storage stretching from the baseboards to the crown

molding—enough for the most serious French chef.

“The kitchen used to be a very defined room and now it flows to the breakfast

room,” says Decker. “We opened up the house in a huge way.”

Play slideshow '

SYMONE GARVETT

Symone is a contributing editor for Hanley Wood's BUILDER and Multifamily Executive magazines. She also has stories in other company

publications, including REMODELING and ARCHITECT. She earned her B.S. in Journalism and a minor in Business Communications from

Towson University.

ABOUT THE AUTHORABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Subject:

Design Interior Design Designers Architects Kitchen Cabinets Countertops Remodeling

Location:

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

Organization:

Anne Decker Architects

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