Private Air New York Magazine
Issue link: https://privateair.uberflip.com/i/1496087
www.privateairny.com Private Air | Spring 2023 75 DESIGN T ucked away on a tree-lined street in Washington DC's prestigious Embassy Row neighborhood, this 1930 Georgian-style property had great bones and an illustrious past but needed an update for the new owners and their young family. ey wanted all the comforts of modern family life and the ability to entertain formally. Interior designers Jose Solis Betancourt and Paul Sherrill of Solis Betancourt & Sherrill and Architect Ankie Barnes of BarnesVanze Architects, both Washington DC based firms, worked closely with the clients to give the property a much-needed refresh. e goal was to honor the grandeur and elegance of the neo-classical envelope and also bring the estate into the 21st century. Designer Paul Sherrill notes that "e clients wanted something comfortable with a slightly contemporary aesthetic. Everyone on the design team was interested in balancing traditional and modern design." All infrastructure was updated, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, electronics and security systems. Architect Ankie Barnes reconfigured the original service stairway connecting the basement floors into a compact spiral staircase that reached all five floors. is not only made the house more navigable for staff and family but also freed up space, permitting a seven-foot expansion of the family room along with a huge new triple window. In another effort to create more natural light and a deeper connection to the garden views, Barnes had bay windows installed in the sitting area and master bedroom and the doors and windows on the master stairway landing were expanded to create a grander link to the garden terrace. Interior Design: Solis Betancourt & Sherrill Architecture: BarnesVanze Architects For the entry vestibule designers Jose Solis Betancourt and Paul Sherrill worked with John Procario through Todd Merrill Studio to design whimsical light sculptures to fit within the existing niches. This contemporary element contrasts with the traditional paneling and serves as a prelude for the interiors to follow. In the entry hall a decorative plaster finish imitating rusticated limestone creates a subtle texture and visual interest. For the divan the designers specified a fluted base that alludes to the Art Deco style.