Rich, textural, warm, welcoming. These were the terms that bonded new homeowners in the Greenwich Forest neighborhood of Bethesda, Maryland to interior designer Sara Swabb of Storie Collective. As the new guardians of a Colonial Revival residence nearly 100 years in age, the homeowners had a modern vision for their historic home – one that was just as much about honoring the past as it was about ushering in the future.
“The home was built in the 1930s,” Swabb explains. “And whenever we’re coming into a home that’s historic, we really want to be respectful and study all the details that could have been from that period.” She notes her firm’s research into the home’s original period is reflected in everything from the antique and vintage finds sourced for the project to the stair moldings and custom millwork they added to the interior architecture. “Our use of antique and vintage pieces and balancing them with a modern aesthetic really drew the client to us,” Swabb recalls, “so we wanted to incorporate that throughout.”
While the family loved their new home’s history, the interior was decidedly dated – a mix of traditional and midcentury design elements and rooms that lacked individual personality and contemporary appeal. Swabb set out to morph the 4,500-square-foot home, which includes six bedrooms, six full baths and two half baths, into a hospitable and inviting experience that would better suit their daily life.
The renovation was extensive and involved both aesthetic and structural design decisions. A series of softly sculpted arches were added to both gracefully separate spaces and lend cohesion to the home overall; furnishings, and even entire rooms, were drenched in sumptuous textiles, like velvet and Loro Piana mohair; and saturated hues were carried from walls to ceilings to create a warm and embracing atmosphere. The redesigned kitchen – where two awkward islands and visually obstructive support columns were replaced by modernized support and a single larger, more functional island – now serves as the home’s central gathering place, with a layout designed for both cooking and socializing.
“They have a big family,” the designer shares, noting they can now fit up to 20 in the dining space. “Now it’s a home where they can bring the family and really experience life together.”
The reimagined home is an exercise in both modern drama and historic preservation, and Swabb’s philosophy for intentional and sustainable living is evident through every curved archway. “There was a level of communication and trust,” she shares of her working relationship with the homeowners. “It was about honoring the home’s history, and about honoring the clients and giving them a space they would love for years to come.”
Photography by Stacy Zarin Goldberg.
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