When the homeowner of this 1939 Del Ray rowhouse connected with interior designer Stacey Dobrovolny of 2 Navy Lane, he was clear about his design objectives.
“I wanted the remodel to be period-appropriate for the early life of the home, keeping as much as possible to design elements from the ’30s through the ’50s,” he says.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,300-square-foot house is compactly spread over three floors, with a guest suite in the basement, an open layout plan (kitchen, living, and dining) on the first floor, and two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. The homeowner, who is a bachelor and works as a consultant, uses the upstairs bedroom as his home office.
“It was a fun directive,” says Dobrovolny. “I relished the idea of blending the eras of the ’30s to ’50s. It felt like bringing life back to the home.”
The rowhouse features an arch separating the living and dining areas, as well as the original plaster walls and oak wood floors (both repainted and refinished by the prior owners). Even the light switches, reintroduced by the current owner, are the toggle-style brass plate light switches of the home’s architectural period. All of this and the fresh base paint gave Dobrovolny a good starting point.
“On the main level, it was about taking the functional and abstract shapes of the Bauhaus movement and incorporating them into the overall design,” she says. “We took those geometric shapes and utilized them with our vision for the spaces.”
The living area showcases a geometric wool rug that plays with triangular forms and the home’s rapidly evolving color palette. The homeowner favored orange and blue, to which Dobrovolny added teal and ochre, along with punches of black. The sectional has plenty of seating and a mass of throw pillows, with a variety of tone-on-tone mini-geometric prints.
“The homeowner’s existing glass-topped coffee table is a vintage midcentury-modern piece. We used it as a point of inspiration,” says Dobrovolny. “Its wood base has an organic shape that works so well with our overall design.”
It is worth noting that a variety of light fixtures, both the living area’s standing lamp and the pendants and chandelier that respectively define the dining and kitchen areas, also ring true to the art deco period. Meanwhile, the furniture selections, with their clean silhouettes and warm touches of wood, carry the midcentury-modern look.
“Our client is a bachelor who travels a lot, but when he is home, he likes to entertain family and friends. The dining room was an important space to get right,” she says.
A striking blue-and-gold Phillip Jeffries patterned wall covering defines the dining area of the open plan, along with an art deco–inspired rug.
“We did a wood dining table, with a caned base for texture and interest, and paired it with navy blue velvet chairs detailed in brass for contrast,” says Dobrovolny.
A trimmed cornice set off the window in this space, which features a bench seat and built-in minibar. It’s the perfect setup for entertaining, with an island separating the dining area from the kitchen’s workspace.
“Though the house isn’t large, the open floor plan of the first floor and its overall design flows from one area to the next, allowing for easy living and entertaining,” says the homeowner.
Kipp Stewart originals that the homeowner already owned furnish the main bedroom.
“Kipp was an artist, architect, and furniture designer from California who worked with Charles Eames,” Dobrovolny says.
She enhanced the bedroom with an area rug and window treatments, again playing with geometrics.
Dobrovolny designed the basement’s en suite bedroom from scratch.
“We really embraced the art deco vibe down here, with the teal swan wall covering, black velvet channeled headboard, and curved nightstand,” she says. “It takes you right back.”
Dobrovolny also popped in two curved-back swivel armchairs and a tiny cocktail table for even more glamour, as well as a spot for a nightcap.
“I love the home and the design Stacey and her team achieved over the course of our remodel,” the homeowner says. “From the art deco–style light fixtures to the midcentury-modern living room, the home brings a smile to my face every time I walk back in the door.”
Feature image by Christy Kosnic
This story originally ran in our February issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
