Design Decadence

At Morton’s

Laura Lim, director of sales and marketing for Morton’s The Steakhouse Tysons Corner and Designer Lynni Megginson.

Lynni Megginson, owner and principal of L&M Designs, hilariously recounted the story of how she called Senior Staff Writer Emily Lyons every day for a weeks to try to get Emily to tell her if her glorious bedroom project had won an award. Emily wouldn’t budge. Lynni then said she cried on the day the magazine was published, assuming she had not won (although she hadn’t yet seen the issue). When her husband called her at work the next day to congratulate her, she yelled at him for playing such a cruel joke. “I’m looking at the magazine,” he told her. “You won.” She cried again – this time it was tears of joy.

Eric Kole of Vastu with Washington Spaces Senior Editor Jennifer Sergent, Account Executive Rashida Creque, and Vastu Marketing Director Janelle Tracy

Eric Kole, one of the principal designers at Vastu, who was honored for his sophisticated bedroom design, said his hip DC design source and furniture store has acquired clients from as far away as New York and Miami. Here in DC, he said many people come in with copies of Washington Spaces, asking him to replicate a look they saw on our pages.

Camille Saum receives her award

Camille Saum, whose charming, summery dining room was also a winner, was floating on Cloud Nine with smiles and hugs all night.

Andreas Charalambous receives his award

Andreas Charalambous, principal of Forma Design, looked calm and cool in a retro-styled shirt. His winning bedroom, with its sleek built-ins and streamlined furniture, reflects that personality. You can see it also in his projects that are featured on HGTV’s Designer’s Portfolio.

Ken Lartey, Lorna Gross of SAVANT Interior Design, who received an “Outstanding” award for a stylish living room, and Jennifer Berman

Designer Karen Marvaso of Amber Fields Interiors, whose sumptuous dining room was a winner, is flanked by her colleague Ellen Roberts and Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter

Designer Diane Gordy, right, of Diane Gordy Interiors, whose bedroom/sitting area was an “Outstanding” winner, soaks up the attention from Barbara and Robert Small.

At Boffi

Boffi Studio DC’s stunning showroom

Washington Spaces Senior Staff Writer Emily Lyons, Account Executive Mary Sue Jedele, Associate Publisher Heather Heider, Boffi Studio DC Owner Claude Zein, and Editor in Chief Trish Donnally

Architect Travis Price stands with his girlfriend, jewelry designer Heidi Hess, at right. At left is Shawn Afsharjavan, owner of Integrated Design Solutions and his wife Maria.

Architect Travis Price, looking elegant with his signature scarf draped around his neck, was admiring the beauty of the surroundings. “Don’t you feel like you’re in a home?” he asked. A very nice home at that. Boffi’s contemporary style is a perfect match for Price’s renowned modernist aesthetic.

Darryl Carter relaxes with his colleague Ashley Baumgarner at left and Washington Spaces Editor in Chief Trish Donnally at right. Greg Gaddy, sales associate with Tutt, Taylor & Rankin Sotheby’s International Realty, enjoys the evening, too.

Designer Darryl Carter was also impressed with the showroom, where sculptural bathtubs were filled with water, palm fronds, and floating tea lights and complete kitchens were camouflaged beneath sliding countertops.

"It was astoundingly eye-opening in terms of the possibilities. It’s so refreshing for DC. The design was so innovative, it was inspirational,”"says Carter, whose book The New Traditional (co-written with our Editor in Chief Trish Donnally) will be out in the fall.

Michael Merschat with Designer Karen Luria and Washington Spaces Senior Editor Jennifer Sergent

Architect Matthew Ossolinski and Designer Michael Merschat of Ossolinski Architects, who recently designed a “green” home renovation in Arlington that will be featured in our fall issue, also stopped by to check out the scene.

Meanwhile, designer Karen Luria was chatting up Tim McBride of BoConcept, (whose Cady’s Alley showroom is just up from Boffi’s) to talk about how comfortable her new BoConcept bed and mattress are.

In our ideal modern world, a BoConcept bedroom and a Boffi kitchen sounds just right.

Haluk Ilikyel and Jeannie Gregori, owners of Gallery Anatolian in Georgetown.

The treats were as delectable as the surroundings

– Written by Jennifer Sergent, Photography by Magenta Livengood