A New Home Gets a Colorful, Classic Design

A pristine white Colonial Revival house sitting serenely on a tree-lined street in Bethesda, Maryland, actually has a couple of secrets lurking up its sleeve. First of all, it’s not circa 1920s, but rather the year 2019. And while studied efforts were made to keep the original 1950s home, and simply renovate, it soon became clear to the homeowner and team that they needed to start from the ground up.

Kelley Proxmire designed family room in shades of green and warm neutrals. Armchairs recovered in a solid Romo fabric with jaunty Fabricut trim on the skirts. — The family room off the kitchen shows off shades of green and warm neutrals. Kelley took her client’s existing armchairs and recovered them in a solid Romo fabric with jaunty Fabricut trim on the skirts.

One of its best assets, however, didn’t need any work at all—the home’s lot directly borders the backyard of one of the owner’s daughters on a parallel street. Also, with a new build, she was able to realize a floorplan exactly suited to her needs. “There’s a primary suite downstairs with an attached office repurposed from the original living room, and it’s separate from the rest of the home almost like an apartment,” explains architect Luke Olson of GTM Architects. “The kitchen opens to a family room and laundry space that’s entered from the garage; there’s great flow and wide hallways.”

Facade of a Colonial Revival style with classic columns, pediment, and windows, white façade with black accents — The Colonial Revival style home’s exterior includes classic character stemming from the columns, pediment, and windows. The white façade with black accents is a timeless pairing.

Stairway in a foyer with an elegant chandelier and a trellis-patterned Thibaut wallpaper in the Kelley Proxmire designed space. — The stairway in the foyer brings a dramatic note accompanied by an elegant chandelier and a trellis-patterned Thibaut wallpaper. “Kelley found such beautiful pieces when we needed them,” says the homeowner. “This blue rug looks like it’s been custom woven.”

Luke incorporated many traditional architectural details that bring age to the new home’s exterior including ionic columns set on a fieldstone base, a sunburst window and matching sidelights; classic front door and shutters; and a diamond paned window over the pediment. The interiors reveal a spacious foyer, a graceful stairwell, wide plank walnut floors, and an extended barrel-vaulted archway that adds elegant gravitas.

For the dining room, Kelley Proxmire used her client’s existing table and side chairs and painted the buffet a soft gray for an easy update. New hostess chairs in a large-scale Schumacher botanical print adds lively pattern against the textured grass cloth wallcovering. — For the dining room, Kelley used her client’s existing table and side chairs and painted the buffet a soft gray for an easy update. New hostess chairs in a large-scale Schumacher botanical print adds lively pattern against the textured grass cloth wallcovering.

The other secret involves some of the interior design choices. While one would hardly associate Bethesda with Bermuda, in fact the island where the owner grew up and all of her four children were born and raised played a part in the decision making in several spaces. A beloved painting by noted Bermudian artist Sheilagh Head inspired the palette in the dining room with its palm green Phillip Jefferies grass cloth wallcovering; exuberant blue, cream, and green Schumacher botanical print; and blue edged chandelier shades.

Armchair in the foyer reupholstered in a blue and white Cowtan & Tout tapestry. Oakleaf hydrangea branches in vase on table. — Blue, a favorite of the homeowner's that speaks to Bermuda, pops up in many spaces throughout including this armchair in the foyer reupholstered in a Cowtan & Tout tapestry that’s also used for a pillow on a nearby bench.

Painting of a Cuban landscape slips perfectly into the kitchen with its greens and hints of yellow. — The client’s painting of a Cuban landscape slips perfectly into the kitchen with its greens and hints of yellow.

“We were able to incorporate many of my client’s existing pieces from her home in Massachusetts all throughout just reimagining them with fresh fabrics, trims, and paint,” says interior designer Kelley Proxmire. “In the dining room, her table slipped right in; we updated the side chairs in a green Manuel Canovas woven print with blue trim. The traditional buffet was painted a dove gray to break up the wood tones and give it a more modern look.”

The homeowner’s study that includes her Moroccan rug, hand-carved jaguar, and desk. Kelley Proxmire employed a pale blue Lee Jofa fabric to dress the windows bordered in a cucumber green trim that ties everything together. — A lovely statement in blue and green for the homeowner’s study that includes her Moroccan rug, hand-carved jaguar, and desk. Kelley employed a pale blue Lee Jofa fabric to dress the windows bordered in a cucumber green trim that ties everything together.

“I don’t like to be wasteful or too extravagant, so I’m extremely pleased about how many of my things Kelley was able to update and include into the décor. A favorite rug from Morocco worked well in my study/office and the colors in the room spring from that,” says the well-traveled homeowner. “And my hand-carved Brazilian jaguar found a home under the desk.”

Kitchen with a fresh yellow, green, and white palette and pleated Visual Comfort pendants with brass accents. A Thibaut botanical print perks up the window over the sink. Vase of oakleaf hydrangea foliage on island and orchids with napkins on table. — The cheerful kitchen sings with a fresh yellow, green, and white palette and pleated Visual Comfort pendants with polished nickel accents. A Thibaut botanical print perks up the window over the sink.

The designer sprinkled more blue and green hues from the island painting and Moroccan rug to other rooms, mixing in additional shades in each space for a unique appeal. “The morning light is on the front of the house, not the back, so a bright white and yellows felt right in the kitchen with hints of green,” says Kelley.

A Thibaut print is used as wallpaper in the mud/laundry room with plenty of welcome storage. A built-in bench holds shoes topped with a cushion in small geometric Schumacher print bordered in a yellow Samuel & Sons tape trim. — The same Thibaut print is used as wallpaper in the mud/laundry room with plenty of welcome storage. A built-in bench holds shoes topped with a cushion in small geometric Schumacher print bordered in a yellow Samuel & Sons tape trim.

Sunny yellow continues in the mud/laundry room turning it into a very cheerful place for chores with a large-scale botanical Thibaut wallpaper. Another Thibaut wallpaper graces the foyer and climbs up the stairwell to the second-floor landing. While perhaps not intentional, its trellis pattern evokes gazebos often seen in seaside settings. The primary bedroom’s custom floral upholstered bedroom and duvet print also speak to Bermudian style. “The British introduced chintz and country house influences to the island, and this reminds me of my house in Bermuda,” says the homeowner.

Pprimary bedroom with a classic chintz-covered headboard and duvet accented with soft pink and dark green tones. — The primary bedroom’s appeal springs from a classic chintz-covered headboard and duvet accented with soft pink and dark green tones. Kelley reworked her client’s armchairs and ottoman outfitting them in Perennials fabric with contrasting cording. Visual Comfort chandelier and bedside table lamps.

While the client certainly got what she wanted—a light and bright, pretty and polished, home, so much of her joy springs from its more intangible gifts—the four bedrooms upstairs with ensuite bathrooms always at the ready to welcome her four children and eight grandchildren; a nearby capacious window seat and bookshelves brimming with children’s titles for reading and snuggling; a screened-in porch to enjoy indoor/outdoor living that extends the season well beyond her previous Massachusetts residence; and that hop, skip, and a jump to her daughter’s backyard where cousins and siblings can go back and forth.

A reading and lounging nook where the homeowner can curl up and read to her grandchildren, filled with a mélange of pretty prints for the pillows and cushion. — A reading and lounging nook was one of the homeowner’s requests so she can curl up and read to her grandchildren, filled with a mélange of pretty prints for the pillows and cushion.

“This house has become such a constant in our lives since my children’s childhood home in Bermuda is currently rented,” says the owner. “Given this circumstance, this home gives me and my family everything we need.” And that’s no secret.

By Alice Welsh Doyle

Photography by Kip Dawkins

Styling & Florals by Kelley Proxmire

See more from Kelley Proxmire on her website and by following her on Instagram.

See more from GTM Architects on their website and by following them on Instagram.

Sources

Foyer

Sheers: Vila Nova, V3140/03.
Wallpaper: Thibaut, T4051/Green
Fabric (client’s bench): Gaston y Daniela, GDT5200-001.
Trim (bench): Nina Campbell, NCT511-04
Fabric (chair & pillow on bench): Cowtan & Tout, 11267-01
Area Rug: Galleria Carpet, Kuma, 165120 color Royal Blue

Family Room

Sofa: Kravet/Lee Jofa, Custom Workroom Sectional
Fabric: Kravet, 33832-616.
Fabric: (client’s own lounge chairs): Romo, 7867/61
Trim (skirts): Fabricut, Gisele color 12.
Fabric (Hepplewhite Chair): Jasper, JO 2041
Sconces: Shades of Light, Long Arm Classic Connection Sconce
Pillow fabrics: Lee Jofa, 2006188-37; Romo, 7867/61; Colefax and Fowler, F4333-05; Schumacher, 75370; Jane Shelton, 1810-03
Pillow trims: Schumacher, 63110; Samuel & Sons, TF-58536 color 04; Fringe Market, Loopy color Natural Cotton
Fabric (draperies): Pindler, P6343 Whitaker color Marigold; and trim: Jim Thompson, TR1006/02

Dining Room

Chandelier: Visual Comfort, Oslo Medium Chandelier
Shades: Royal Designs
Trim (shades): Samuel & Sons #977-44930-088
Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries, 8493 Stately Green
Host Chairs: Thibaut Fine Furniture, Hudson Chair
Fabric (host chairs): Schumacher, 177372.
Fabric (side chairs): Manuel Canovas, 4891-04
Fabric (draperies): Thibaut, W775444; and trim: Samuel & Sons, BT-58251 color 09
Rug: Custom from Couristan, Cap Ferrat color Cool Mist
Table, chairs, sideboard, art, accessories: client’s own

Kitchen/Breakfast Room

Stools: Ballard Designs, Harris Counter Stools with Welt. Dimensions: 19.5″W x 21″D x 38.5″H, 26.5″Seat Height. COM Fabric: Colefax & Fowler, F4608-01
Chairs: Canadel #5158. Fabric: Jasper, JP 7252. Finish: 80 Canvas – Antiqued.
Table: Canadel, Wood Top Table 4268
Roman Shades (floral fabric): Thibaut, F92947. Contrast banding & contrast welt: Fabricut “Wrangler, Driftwood”
Pendants: Visual Comfort, Grosvenor Large Single Hanging Shade/Polished Nickel
Chandelier: Visual Comfort, Country Small Chandelier / Belgian White.
Custom Shades (chandelier): Fenchel Shades Fabric: Michael S Smith, T3004-02

Mudroom

Window treatment fabric: Colefax & Fowler, F4608-01; Trim: Fabricut, Capri / Buttercup
Wallcovering: Thibaut, T2947.
Bench cushion fabric: Schumacher, 70540. Tape trim to go along front and sides of cushion box: Samuel & Sons, 977-41246 color 07. Self-welt

Office

Fabric (draperies): Lee Jofa, 2017224-5; and trim: Evans & Sheldon, Empress Garden – Georgie Girl – Cucumber
Chair and Ottoman. Fabric: Kravet, 33345 color 130. Contrast Cord: Samuel & Sons, 981-26621 color 079
Fabric (French chairs): Cowtan & Tout, 11453-01
Desk, accessories, art: client’s own

Primary Bedroom

Chandelier: Visual Comfort, Country Small Chandelier
Custom Upholstered Headboard. Size: King. Fabric: Lee Jofa, 889300-LJ. Self-Welt.
Custom Duvet Cover: Duvet Front Fabric: Lee Jofa 889300LJ. Duvet Back Fabric: Kravet, LCT1028-001
Custom Bedskirt fabric: Lee Jofa, BFC-3631 color 7
Custom King Pillow Shams. Fabric: Lee Jofa, BFC-3631 color 7. Trim: Samuel & Sons, 977-39809 color 01
Draperies: Fabric: Schumacher, 177762. Tassel Trim: Samuel & Sons, TF-57251 color 01
Bench: Hickory Chair, Babette Bench1537-00. Fabric: Schumacher, 43278. Dark Green Contrast Cord: Samuel & Sons, 981-26621 color 169
Bedside Lamps: Visual Comfort, “Sazarec Large”
Re-upholster client’s own lounge chairs & ottoman: Fabric: Perennials, 972-124. Contrast Cord: 981-26621 color 168
Client’s own bedside tables, circular side table, lamp, accessories

Second Floor Hallway

Wallpaper: Thibaut, T4051/Green
Fabric & trim (window seat cushion): Fabric: Lee Jofa, BFC-3520-153. Contrast Cord: Samuel & Sons, 981-26621 color 079
Fabric & trim (22” pillows): Stroheim, Vivi – Color 01. Brush fringe: Houles, Riviera – 33019
Fabrics (20” pillows): Pillow Front – Lee Jofa, BFC-3520-153 (same fabric as bench cushion); and Pillow Back and Flange Fabric – Dogwood 2298-56
Fabric & trim (16” pillows): Molly Mahon, 179731. Brush Fringe: Fringe Market, 2″ Cut Fringe Outdoor/Indoor color Skye
Fabric & trim (lumbar pillow): Thibaut, W80011; and Stroheim, Guadalupe DG #16