hangs above a chest in the living room. And a miniature desk—
probably a furniture maker’s model—holds court in the library between two leather armchairs.
In the dining room, Proxmire kept things light and airy with a
glass-topped table on pedestals and pale animal-print wallcovering by Schumacher. Whimsical mirrors framed with weathered
wooden slats add a touch of whimsy. “They’re not the expected
mirrors,” she says. “I just loved the rustic look.”
The dining room is a study in contrasts, with light and dark wood
chairs and solid and print fabrics creating a visual interplay. Dressmaker details—from the antique nailhead trim on the chairs to the
braided edge on the wool drapes—finish the space with style.
The dining room opens to a kitchen complete with seating and
breakfast areas. Proxmire pulled another fabric—a Vervain floral—from her favorite fabric file for the drapes. Chippendale-style
chairs, selected for their architectural profile, have seats covered in
faux leather with a reptilian pattern for another unexpected touch.
From the breakfast table, the owners can survey the Potomac River all the way to Key Bridge. “I told them, ‘I wouldn’t do much here
if I were you,’’’ Proxmire jokes. “‘You can just look out and watch
the crew teams go by.’”
The blue palette shifts to green in the family room, where a sleep
sofa is covered in apple green Jane Churchill fabric to complement
the existing grass cloth on the walls. Wood carvings from Atlanta
and a large, round mirror complete the space. The family room and
a guest room—both with their own full baths—can accommodate
the couple’s two college-age children on visits to DC.
An expert at threading color schemes and fabric motifs throughout a home in way that’s cohesive and never jarring, Proxmire
modestly explains her process. “As we were putting it together, I
closed my eyes and could see it all in my head—the balancing of the
colors, the balancing of the textures, the scale, the finishes. That’s
Walls in sage green create a soothing backdrop in the master suite
(opposite and top), where the owners retained the existing carpet
and armoire. The master bath designed by architect Outerbridge
Horsey (above) features a spa-like shower clad in green-glass tiles.
why we’re the designers, right? These clients trusted me.”
The master suite was in such good shape that the new owners
kept the existing wall-to-wall Wilton carpet and armoire in place.
Soothing, sage-green walls create a calming effect. The room opens
to a terrace overlooking the Watergate courtyard.
Proxmire set out to make this second home both pretty and
practical. “If it’s pretty and not practical, forget it. And if it’s practical and not pretty, forget it,” she quips. “The two have to go together—and in this home, they do.” ?
Photographer Angie Seckinger splits her time between Potomac,
Maryland, and Spain.
SEE PAGE 192 FOR RESOURCES.
110 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 • homeanddesign.com
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