A Serene Custom Transformation

Written by Trish Donnally Photography by Morgan Howarth

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Ali and Farzaneh Saadat didn’t simply renovate their home in McLean, VA, they transformed it. They bought their original house, a rambler, in 1990. Three years later, however, a fire destroyed much of it. They rushed to rebuild so they and their two sons could move back in four months later. “But I always felt uncomfortable around the house, so last year, we decided to build around what we like and our lifestyle, regardless of the resale value,” Ali says. The Saadats carefully considered their needs – the fact that they love to entertain and fundraise on a large scale, that no matter what, people always congregate in the kitchen, and that Ali did not want to walk into his bedroom and find five guests had wandered in there to socialize during a party. Some space needed to be private.

‘Liquid Space’

Collaborating closely with Farshad Farahi, their architectural designer and Farzaneh’s brother; general contractor Shawn Afsharjavan, owner of Integrated Design Solutions; and Brian Fell, design consultant at Artefacto, the Saadats expanded their home from 5,700 square feet to 10,000 square feet. The transformation far surpassed the Saadats’ expectations.

“I wanted one space where all of my guests could gather,” says Ali, president and CEO of FedBid Inc., who might invite as many as 100 guests for an evening. In fact, he now has a glorious atrium that is almost 28 feet high at its apex, has angled walls of mirrors, tiny lights that shimmer like stars in the evening, and a dramatic staircase of wood, aluminum, and tempered glass.

“From the morning ’til evening, we have light inside the house,” says Farahi, who strategically placed skylights to take advantage of the sun, and even included glass windows in interior walls, such as above the kitchen cabinets. He also eschewed doors. In some cases, when he did build walls, such as in the enclosed foyer, they are glass.

“I worked with the flow of light,” Farahi says. He also worked with what he calls “liquid space.” “We have the same components as most houses,” he says, mentioning the living room, family room, and media room, among others, “but nothing is blocking; it’s liquid space.”

Farahi also integrated feng shui principles into his design to create a harmonious house. “According to feng shui, there are five elements – fire, metal, water, wood, and earth – and they relate to north, south, east, west, or the center of the house,” he explains. In the Saadat home, Farahi reflected these elements through wall colors, art, furnishings, and finishes. A red wall in the media room towards the south of the house, for instance, represents fire. To the north, a large turquoise=canvas in the atrium represents water. In the living room, a large silver mirror and mirrored coffee table represent metal. To the east, the trees that are easily visible represent wood. And in the center of the house, the kitchen features warm, sunny yellow cabinetry, which represents earth.

‘Continuous Surface’

The new Pedini kitchen designed by Roy Wellman is one of Farzaneh’s favorite areas of her new home, utilizing every square inch of space efficiently. The design contrasts greatly with her old traditional kitchen, which included dead space she didn’t use.

“It’s simpler and more beautiful; there’s more open space and more of a connection with the outside. It really does make a difference in your psyche. It’s more calming. Everything is very well defined,” she says, adding that she loves the spectacular view of the pool from the kitchen. Dramatic folding glass doors open to create an inspiring connection with the outdoors. “I feel like the pool is in the house, and the sound of water is just beautiful,” Farzaneh says.

In the past, when guests congregated in the kitchen, it felt claustrophobic, but these days, they spread to other parts of the property, too. The fact that the Saadats preserved the kitchen from their former house and moved it to the lower level helps. Now the caterer can work in a complete kitchen (which includes double ovens, a dishwasher, and refrigerator), rather than in a makeshift space in the garage.

Farahi created a wonderful sense of flow with several design elements, including the floor throughout the first level. He used Ardex Engineered Cements, “a patented colored concrete,” so one space flows into another, or as he says, “there is one continuous surface.”

A Bit of Privacy

Ali specifically did not want a typical, dark, enclosed home theater. Rather, he preferred a media room that would be comfortable for reading and listening to music as well as watching movies. The bedroom was also given special consideration.

“Our bedroom used to be near the front door,” Ali explains. And inevitably, whenever they’d have a party, if he took a break and headed into his bedroom, he’d find guests gathering and talking there. He wanted a space that would be totally private. Now, the whole second floor is an exclusive flat with the owners’ bedroom, extensive closets, a beautiful bath with a steam shower inside, and a large hot tub on a deck outside. “We did not build this for the next buyer; it’s for us,” Ali says.

Harmony

Throughout the house, Brian Fell and Farahi worked to harmoniously integrate antiques the Saadats already owned with more modern pieces from Artefacto. The end result is smashing. “It’s just the perfect combination of everything,” Farzaneh says. “There is nothing I would have done differently. Everything is the way I wanted it to be.”