For a family preparing to make the move to a new home in Maryland, the design process began before they even signed on the dotted line. Studio Vous was brought in to envision how the early-aughts Craftsman could evolve over time, creating a thoughtful foundation for a growing family. Photographed by Brian Distad, this home pairs traditional details with unexpected color, art, and personality.
From Studio Vous… Our clients had made up their minds: they were quickly outgrowing their current home, and their three boys were only getting bigger. They were considering a new house and, before even putting pen to paper, reached out with a unique brief: they wanted us to walk through the space with them before the purchase and help them envision a smart, manageable phased redesign. We had only recently left our previous firms and hung our own shingle when their email came through. They had heard about our new endeavor and that we were looking for a project that could help springboard the business. It felt like the perfect opportunity to establish a sense of home from the beginning while leaving room for the spaces to evolve alongside their family.
The house is a 6,800-square-foot early-2000s Craftsman, and the bones were solid. We updated the electrical plan, adding sconces and ceiling fixtures, changed out stone, and reconfigured built-ins. We found a way to blend the wife’s affinity for Parisian elegance, with its soft textures, considered details, and timeless grace, with the husband’s taste for bold, bright motifs and sculptural forms. We played with different art mediums, including photography (Bonnie Schiffman), textile art (Steph Trowbridge), and oil paintings found in Paris. Designing for a busy household with three boys under ten requires an unwavering commitment to durability and flow, but functionality shouldn’t have to mean sacrificing beauty or interest. The core design narrative of this house lives in the tension between two distinct aesthetic worlds.
Our favorite workaround was the fireplace surround. We turned it into a literal one-of-a-kind piece of art, hiring a decorative painter to create a marble motif since the existing framework didn’t support a rip-and-replace.
The multifunctional front room was also fun to see take shape. It is equal parts home office, music jam room, and Mahjong room.
Discover the talent behind the story… Interior Design: Studio Vous · Photography: Brian Distad
