Houzz Tour: Modern Maryland Retreat Gets Cozy
A sleek glass and metal weekend home gains warmth from wood detailing and vintage finds
“I’ve always believed that a weekend home should embrace the hand-me-down look,” interior designer Joe Ireland says. “You should bring the old coffee table to the cabin and buy a new one for your main home.” Though this weekend retreat on the banks of Maryland’s Corsica River includes a combination of new and vintage finds, the notion of embracing the past has created a space that can constantly evolve and include new (or old) layers as it ages.
The custom cinderblock fireplace is a stylish presence in the open living area, but interior designer Joe Ireland didn’t feel compelled to arrange the furniture around it. “I’m a big believer that rooms don’t need to be designed around the fireplace,” he says. “Historically, fireplaces are there to provide a function, not to be the focal point of a room.” Instead, the curved sectional sofa is situated to take advantage of the view of the river out the windows.
The homeowners were hesitant at first to add artwork to the large expanse of wall above the kitchen, but Ireland convinced them that the stainless steel-clad corner needed something to soften it. An abstract painting by Washington, D.C., artist Janis Goodman was selected for the space. The dining table and chairs are both from Europe. The chair seats are upholstered in a pixelated fabric from Romo.
A wood reindeer salvaged from a German carousel is stationed atop the second-floor landing. “It was the first thing I bought for the house,” Ireland says. “I put it in this spot and surprised the homeowners with it, and it hasn’t moved since.” A hand-stitched quilt from the 1910s hangs from the wall and adds a classic country-cabin feel.
A space connecting the garage to the rest of the house was originally intended to be a fitness room, but its great views and natural lighting prompted the homeowners to turn it into a home office instead. An antique picnic table serves as the desk and is paired with a modern black leather chair to blend the modern and rustic character seen throughout the rest of the home.
Armchairs: 1930s steamer chairs upholstered in Osborne & Little fabric
Armchairs: 1930s steamer chairs upholstered in Osborne & Little fabric
The master suite features a custom-made bed frame and headboard. The headboard is constructed of reclaimed wood stained with a mix of indigo paint and stain. The antique nightstands are painted sage green to tie in with the leafy vistas from the second-floor windows.
The master suite’s seating area includes a contemporary sofa and two barrel-back swivel chairs that allows one to face the sofa or spin around and take in the views. All of the bedrooms include plush wool rugs that cover the concrete floors, helping bare feet to stay warm.
Torchio designed the master bathroom to allow for both a stand-up shower and deep soaking tub to fit along the side of the wall. The shower and tub are surrounded in a large-format subway tile in navy blue. To protect feet on chilly winter mornings, the concrete floors have radiant heating.
The media room in the basement keeps the noise contained with cork floors and sound-dampening pads on the walls and the ceiling. With a flip of a switch, the room’s integrated lighting can be changed to any color in the rainbow. The vintage Plexiglas disks on the back wall were once storefront window displays.
The screened-in porch is a great place for the homeowners to enjoy the sights and sounds of the surrounding woods without worrying about bugs, the hot summer sun or rainy days. All of the porch furniture is weather-resistant.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Location: Centerville, Maryland
Size: About 3,500 square feet (325.2 square meters)
Designer: JD Ireland Interior Architecture + Design
Architect: Torchio Architects
Architect Gregory Torchio designed a home situated on top of a sloping hill that takes full advantage of its spectacular views. A glass window to the left of the front door allows one to look directly through the home and out the back windows to the river below. The exterior of the house is a combination of black corrugated metal and galvanized steel.