Classical Contemporary

Classical Contemporary

When he and his wife, a telecommunications consultant, discovered their dream home was finally for sale, they jumped to buy it. The interiors needed updating so they turned to Rob Brown and Todd Davis, who had remodeled rooms in their previous house. “They know how to integrate clean, modern furnishings with older homes in which the preservation of the historic details is essential,” says the wife. Brown and Davis, who have offices in Bethesda and Miami Beach, are best known for decorating the Washington, DC, and Chappaqua, New York, homes of former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as Hillary Clinton’s former Senate office.

In the living room off the stair hall, Brown and Davis unified the seating groups with a Chinese-inspired rug of their own design. Contemporary interior design,modern decoration
In the living room off the stair hall, Brown and Davis unified the seating groups with a Chinese-inspired rug of their own design.


Hardly the typical Washingtonians whose conservative tastes run to wing chairs and Oriental rugs, the well-traveled homeowners prefer more stylish, pared-down designs. “In essence, we are Bauhaus admirers,” says the husband. “We dislike clutter, excessive ornamentation and overly decorated spaces.” At the same time, he and his wife appreciate the historic charm of Georgetown and made sure renovations respected the architectural character of their 1883 home. “The challenge was to find the right balance between preserving the best of a 19th-century structure and furnishing it with designs that are clean, simple and elegant,” he says.

In the dining room, golden drapes warm the north-facing windows. The rosewood table, upholstered chairs, banquette and rug were designed by Brown Davis, interior decorating ideas small apartment interior design ideas

Brown and Davis addressed both modernity and history by setting sleek furnishings into rooms outlined in elegant architectural details of their own making. “The façade is gorgeous but the interiors did not match that,” says Brown. “To either side of the central hallway was a jumble of rooms. It was time to give the house new life.” On the main level, archways between the hallway and flanking spaces were widened and raised to improve flow. A small room behind the living space was replaced with a coat closet and a powder room with a sculptural stone sink.

Brown Davis designed new paneling in the family room, where they repurposed furniture from the couple’s previous home. The print is by Robert Motherwell, house design sydney australia house design front bedroom design ideas pictures
Brown Davis designed new paneling in the family room, where they repurposed furniture from the couple’s previous home. The print is by Robert Motherwell.

At the rear, the kitchen was completely overhauled by Poggenpohl with contemporary cabinets, glass backsplashes and stainless-steel appliances. It now opens to the rebuilt back porch overlooking the terraced garden and pool. The room across the hall from the kitchen was framed in new paneling and built-in cabinetry to create a family space. Chairs and sofas were recycled from the couple’s previous home and reupholstered to provide comfortable seating for reading and watching TV.

Throughout the house, the décor reflects what Brown and Davis call “classical contemporary,” a luxurious but streamlined look that has become their signature. “One of our trademarks is the juxtaposition of old and new, and bringing colors together in unexpected ways,” Davis says.


The contemporary was revamped by Poggenpohl, house designe architect modern kitchen cabinets modern interior home BEDROOM FURNITURE SETS Design Ideas

Across the hall, a similar contrast is evident in the dining room, which also serves as a music room for the couple’s three children. A baby grand piano faces upholstered chairs pulled up to a rosewood table and a banquette in front of the windows. As in the living room, the piano and furnishings are linked by a large rug in subdued tones to match the upholstery. In both living and dining rooms, marigold silk draperies add a jolt of color. “These rooms tend to be dark because they face north,” says Brown. “We chose a golden tone to warm them up.”

Abstract prints by noted American artists Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg and Richard Serra, and large paintings by Spanish artists Miguel Angel Campano and José Freixanes underscore the contemporary feeling. “We think the art reinforces the importance of simple furnishings—the furnishings do not collide visually with the art,” says the husband.

In the master bedroom, Donghia wallpaper provides a dark backdrop to light-colored furnishings and a sleek stone fireplace mantel, modern kitchen cabinets bedroom decorating ideas Designing of house photos House interior idea steel and glass house Washington design minimalist small nyc apartment decor bedroom decorating ideas
In the master bedroom, Donghia wallpaper provides a dark backdrop to light-colored furnishings and a sleek stone fireplace mantel.

Upstairs in his study, Brown and Davis extended the same strategy applied to the living and dining rooms, but reversed the approach. Instead of ornamenting the walls with intricate moldings, they used streamlined cherry paneling and shelving as a modern backdrop to traditional furnishings, including four chairs the designers originally created for the British Embassy.