The recipe for the grand house on a wooded bluff above the Potomac River in Bethesda called for a dash of Tennessee, a pinch of Europe and a blending of old and new.
The house, which was completed in 2013, took two years to build. It is on the site of the former home of Chalmers Roberts, the late chief diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Post, who wrote “The Washington Post: The First 100 years.”
The inspiration for the house — which was designed by Franck & Lohsen Architects and Darryl Carter and built by Leonard Nurmi of Custom Design Concepts — was the owner’s grandmother’s house in Tennessee. The design is not the only homage to the Volunteer State. Reclaimed wood from a barn in Tennessee was used for the wine cellar, and a map of Tennessee adorns the cabinetry behind the wet bar on the lower level.
Old World touches can be found on the fireplaces mantels, which were imported from France and Italy, and on the ceiling of the covered patio next to the pool deck. Captivated by a similar ceiling in France, the owner drew a rough sketch on a napkin and asked Nurmi to re-create it.
Reclaimed bricks from Baltimore were used in the construction of the house. Steel was added to reinforce the structure. The roof is covered with Ludowici terra cotta tiles. The mahogany shutters on the windows were made in Montana. The 2¼-inch-thick windows were produced in Canada.
The black and white tiles in the vestibule come from an old movie theater in New York. Hand-scraped white oak floors, laid in a chevron pattern, are found in the study, the living and dining rooms, and the master bedroom. Every floor is heated.
The kitchen island countertop is an enormous slab of marble that took nine workers to carry. The turret between the kitchen and the family room serves as a breakfast room with panoramic views of the Potomac’s Little Falls.
The master suite has a balcony, a sitting room, his and her bathrooms, three walk-in closets and a fireplace in the bedroom. All six bedrooms have en suite bathrooms with Ann Sacks tiles.
An exhaust vent installed behind the outdoor grill draws smoke away from the pool area. The heated swimming pool has a multicolor light display.
While the house has its own grandeur, its sweeping view of the Potomac and the radiant sunsets are even more spectacular. Almost every room in the house overlooks the river.
Source: https://wapo.st/37mXTgA
