Special Section: At Home In Style

• A Matter of Proportion
• Restoring Your Treasures
• Home Health Rooms
• Resource Directory

  A Matter of Proportion

  The most beautiful landscaping projects are complementary: they exist in harmony with the homes they surround. Part of the designer's task is to create a space that enhances the existing structure. As these Annapolis-area properties prove, success is a matter of proportion.

  Southern Charm

  The creation of an elegant, sun-dappled pool and step-down patio for this Murray Hill residence in Annapolis coincided with construction of an addition to the home. The owners wanted an outdoor living space that reflected the lush, slightly formal ambiance of New Orleans.

  McHale Landscape Design, Inc. won the Landscape Contractors Association 2003 Award for the outstanding stonework on the project. They completed all the walls, drainage, stone and plantings. O'Neil Pools installed the shallow "cocktail" pool, so named because it's just the right size for cooling off and enjoying a cocktail.

  "This project couldn't have come off any better," commented Steve McHale, president. "Everyone worked together well, even though we were up against a big deadline and the plans kept evolving."

  Foliage added to the new landscaping included Nikko blue hydrangeas, mature Lily Stephens hollies, boxwoods, flowering dogwood and fall-blooming cherry-and, of course, Southern magnolia.

  The Pier Principle

  Tying together this Gibson Island home and its spectacular waterfront was the goal of this landscaping project. The priorities were beautifully simple: link the house to the pier, keep the views as open as possible, and add summer color.

  McHale Landscape Design's solution was to extend the pier into the yard itself, creating a semi-circular landing for a sitting area. Faux pilings set around the platform integrated it with the pier. Swaths of color from vivid perennials added to the backdrop: beebalm, coreopsis, lavender, and butterfly bushes. Near the house, purple coneflowers and Shasta daisies continued the color theme. Panicum, a variety of native grass, found a home on the waterfront. This project earned McHale an LCA Award for 2003 in the Outdoor Living category.

  Garden Rooms

  Each of these outdoor spaces by Exterior Image & Woodscape relies on unexpected plantings and natural building materials to create transitional "rooms"-spatial environments that join inside to outside. In the first, an angled flagstone walkway (with boulder insets and a bench for relaxing) softens the entry to a Crownsville home. Liriope, sedum, pennisetum, and coreopsis along the edges lend it a garden feel.

  The pergola, which connects to a flagstone patio via flat stepping stones, creates instant privacy for a backyard escape in Edgewater. It adds a shaded area to the sunny yard, plus ample splashes of color. The charming garden path, which beckons walkers into a verdant "room" of perennials and evergreens, uses flagstone steps separated by touches of ajuga. Joe pyeweed and black-eyed susans brighten the walkway and invite visitors to enter.

  Stone Solutions

  A creative combination of hardscaping (stonework) and landscaping brought visual harmony to the grounds of this recently-built Annapolis home. Chesapeake Landscape and Design's master plan replaced the existing standard features with a generous, cohesive approach more in keeping with the scale of the property. Among the to-do items: replacing the standard concrete front walk; enlarging foundation beds near the house; creating a raised bed to camouflage exposed pipes in the front yard, and building a two-level patio at the rear for entertaining. The project utilized matching concrete pavers for front and back, evergreen and perennial planting materials and a built-in irrigation system for the spacious lawn.

  The same pavers used for the wider, curving front walk appear at rear of the home, where a large, open patio is accented by a smaller, circular patio just right for intimate dining.

  Restoring Your Treasures:
  Take care as you clean and repair
  by Nadja Maril

  It's spring, and with springtime comes spring cleaning. The annual ritual of getting the home ready for warm weather and outdoor entertaining has come to mean more than mopping, washing and scrubbing.

  As we enter the 2lst century, spring cleaning has come to mean the process of tossing out the old and replacing it with the new. When it comes to furniture, however, you can take a different approach: repairing, restoring and enhancing what you already have.

  "Many times you don't need to remove the finish on an old piece," says Luigi Di Cataldo. He specializes in furniture restoration utilizing the traditional technique of French polishing, a labor intensive process in which successive layers of shellac (made from bug secretions) are hand rubbed into the wood's surface. "It may just need a cleaning. Whenever possible, you try to retain the old finish and stain. You should respect a piece of furniture's patina. It's very important."

  There are many cleaning products on the market that promise to speed the work of removing dirt and dust, but unfortunately there are no short cuts to caring for antique furniture and finishes correctly. Some of these products, such as spray-on furniture polish and waxes, actually cause damage to antique furniture due to the presence of silicone, which builds up and can become particularly cloudy and sticky as the weather turns humid. "If a piece has been restored and sealed," says Dick Bullock, owner of Bullock's Furniture Restoration, "you really don't need to do anything but gently remove the dust and dirt with a damp cloth. Avoid products like Endust and Pledge."

  For those who are not ready to take the plunge and take a piece of furniture in for a new finish, an application of paste wax can hide imperfections and blemishes, recommends Bullock. Using fine steel wool to apply the wax and slowly rubbing it into the surface will also help loosen and remove accumulated dirt.

  "Be very careful to work on one area at a time-an area no larger than twelve square inches," cautions Di Cataldo. "Otherwise what happens is that the wax will dry out before you've had the chance to thoroughly rub it into the wood."

  Not all cleaning of antiques is as labor intensive as the cleaning of furniture, although you definitely need some elbow grease when tackling the jobs of polishing silver and brass. A coating of crystal paste wax on metals that are not used for eating can protect them from getting re-tarnished quickly.

  While you've got the wax out, you can also use the crystal variety to protect marble top tables, since marble is porous and can stain. There are also various marble waxes available at specialty stores and on the Internet. A household remedy for removing stains is a poultice of baking soda and lemon juice left on for several hours. Maintain the cleanliness of white marble with soap and warm water.

  If your furniture is in need of repair, spring and summer can be a good time to get the work done. Common problems are chairs with loose joints which need gluing, furniture with broken or missing pieces, chairs and couches that need new upholstery, marred table tops and darkened and tired finishes. Schedule a time now to get those furniture renovations accomplished, because the process can be lengthy.

  "Generally it takes four to six weeks for a piece of furniture to be refinished," says Daniel Batigne, owner of Annapolis Furniture Doctor. Batigne prefers to refinish with lacquer based products, particularly natural cellulose lacquer which is both flexible and durable. "I like the lacquers," says Batigne, "because you have a lot of control and can achieve a duller or shiner finish depending on what is desired."

  "Part of the reason some antique furniture becomes so dark," Dick Bullock explains, "is because they used to use a cleaning solution during the Victorian era which was one part turpentine, one part linseed oil and one part vinegar. The linseed oil over time tends to turn black. It's amazing the difference, once the surface has been refinished."

  Bullocks offers a wide range of choices in both finishes and glues, depending on the age of the piece and the type of restoration required. Plan on waiting at least twelve weeks to have a piece of furniture redone at the Bullock's workshop, which employs ten workers including Dick Bullock and his wife Carolyn. "The waiting list has grown so long," Bullock explains, "that we're running out of storage space, so I'm asking people to give me a small deposit to save their space in line."

  "I may be able to get a chair re-glued in one or two weeks," says Luigi Di Cataldo, "but other larger products may take several months. The important thing is if you are planning on restoring of a major piece of furniture for Thanksgiving or Christmas, think ahead and have the work done over the spring or summer."

  Special Additions:
  Private Spas and Home Gyms
  by Mary Lou Baker

  Scented candles and New Age music set the tone for the year-old sunroom/spa in Elaine and Butch Atkinson's home on a private, woodsy cul-de-sac in Annapolis. Their 14' x 12' addition has become a refreshing refuge, serving as a meditation site for Elaine after a stressful work day as well as a place the couple can relax together and "get the poison out of their pores."

  The spa, built by Universal Energy with walls of high-grade steel and a 6" thick ceiling of sandwiched core foam material, is one step down from a guest bedroom at the rear of the ranch-style house. Simply furnished with a pair of cushioned wicker chairs and an antique table, the room is dominated by a 6'x6' cedar sauna with a 4'x6' glass door and a three-person hot tub equipped with spiral jets that massage the spine as well as the shoulders.

  Sliding windows on three sides of the room bring the outdoors in, providing a natural mural of trees and a garden accented with Elaine's collection of birdhouses. Decorative accents include three-dimensional boxes displaying shells the couple has collected over the years. Handsome Italian-made marble tiles in soft beige add elegance to the décor and hanging plants thrive in the moist atmosphere.

  The couple uses the spa about three times a week, alternating between the hot tub and the sauna. "Fifteen minutes in the sauna improves circulation, raises the heart rate and eliminates toxins from the body," she says. Lava rocks pre-heated by an electrical device emit steam when water from a wooden bucket is poured over them.

  Butch had been dreaming of building a sauna himself since his first experience with a Scandinavian steam bath 20 years ago. And although the Atkinsons' spa is far more elaborate than his original idea, he considers the $37,000 investment well worth it. "It has definitely improved our quality of life - and our marriage," he says.

  Serious Stuff for Serious Athletes

  "Just Do It" says the bold black and white sign at the entrance to the serious fitness room at the home of Ron Bowman and his wife Lynn. This is the mantra (also on his license plate) by which the USNA graduate and longtime triathlete lives his life-and encourages his wife Lynn to do the same. Lynn, a self-described "lapsed athlete," commutes from Annapolis to her job in Herndon, Virginia-an arduous journey that had left her too drained to work out at a commercial gym or swim laps in a public pool.

  To solve the problem - and to provide both of them with an at-home facility boasting all the bells and whistles of a health club - Ron and Lynn decided to build an addition to their house. A 15' x 8' state-of-the-art resistance pool is the centerpiece of the 20'x22' room, built by Bayside Construction. Eight long windows on three sides overlook the woods surrounding the couple's secluded property in Annapolis.

  Lynn, a computer specialist, used software to design not only the room, but also an extension to their deck and the re-landscaping required to accommodate the addition. Plans were refined with the assistance of Bayside President Joe Knight, taking into consideration that the pool would take up most of the space. "Joe was a big help to us," said Lynn.

  Ron wanted a design by Endless Pools ™, a company in Aston, Pennsylvania, that manufactures and sells a range of counter-current swimming machines for residential and commercial use. Small enough to fit in the addition, but providing all the benefits of a full-size lap pool, it is freestanding, comes with a copper/silver water purification systems that eliminates the need for chlorine, and can be filled with a garden hose. A large propeller in a stainless-steel box produces a broad, deep, non-turbulent current with an adjustable speed. No permitting was required and the $20,000 cost was within their budget, which already included about $50,000 for the addition and exterior landscaping.

  Ron swims daily and can actually complete a triathlon (one-hour swim, 25-mile bike, six-mile run) without leaving his house. He uses the stationary bike and treadmill that occupy one side of the room, together with a stair climber, weights and the recumbent bike that Lynn likes because it is easier on her back.

  When Ron and Lynn, 50, retire in the next five years or so, they have no intention of following a leisurely path of least resistance. The couple plans to travel the country competing in triathlons and marathons, training for these arduous challenges right in their own home. An impressive mix of the couple's individual medals decorate one corner of their fitness room, reminding them of victories past as well as those to come.

  'The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running," quotes Ron.

  Guide to Advertisers

  Directory – At Home In Style

  Guide to Advertisers

   

  Accessories and Home Furnishings

   

                          East Euro Trade Furniture

                          10805 Tucker St.

                          Beltsville, MD

                          301-352-9100

   

                          Echoes & Accents                   

                          224 Chinquapin Round Rd.

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-280-8800

   

                          Fairy Tales         

                          Festival at Riva Center, 2303D Forest Drive

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-897-8499

   

                          Lawson’s on the Hudson   

                          42 Hudson Street

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-266-3040

   

                          The Kid’s Room

                          3460 Crain Hwy.

                          Bowie, MD

                          301-352-9100

                         

  Tin Can Allee

  914 Bay Ridge Rd.

  Annapolis, MD

                          410-626-1250

                          www.tincanallee.com

   

  Appliances

  ApplianceLand, Etc.

  2045 West Street

  Annapolis, MD

  410-897-1000, 301-970-2222

   

  Appliance Source          

                          1823 George Ave.

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-267-7110               

                         

  Carpeting & Flooring

   

                          Carpet Quarters

                          410-974-4888

   

  Elite Hardwood Flooring        

                          8945 St. Andrews Drive

                          Chesapeake Beach, MD

                          410-257-6976

   

                          K&W Anchor Floor Coverings                    

              1811 McGuckian St.

              Annapolis, MD

              410-268-7528

   

   

   

   

   

  Framing

                          Framing of the Shoe

                          921 B Chesapeake Avenue

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-263-0300                    

   

                          Side Street Framers

  558L Ritchie Hwy.

  Severna Park, MD

  410-544-9050

  www.sidestreetframers.com

   

  Furniture Repair and Restoration

              Bullocks Furniture Restoration

              1702-D Midway Rd.

              Odenton, MD 21113

              800-252-5938; 410-519-9100

              www.annearundelcounty.com (bullocks furniture)          

   

  Galleries

                          Annapolis Marine Art Gallery            

                          110 Dock Street

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-263-4100

                          www.annapolismarineart.com

   

                          Chesapeake Photo Gallery                  

                          92 Maryland Ave.

                          Annapolis, MD

              410-268-0050

                          www.chesapeakephotogallery.com

             

                          Main Street Gallery

                          109 Main Street

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-280-2787

                          www.mainstreetgallery.com

   

   

                          McBride Gallery

                          215 Main Street

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-267-7077

                          www.mcbridegallery.com

   

                          Troika Gallery

                          9 So. Harrison St.

                          Easton, MD

                          410-770-9190

                          www.troikagallery.com

   

  Heating & Air Conditioning

                          Belair Engineering

                          15881 Commerce Ct.

                          Upper Marlboro, MD

                          1-888-8 BELAIR

   

                          Coastal Heating & Air Conditioning

                          25 Hudson Street

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-266-8317                   

   

  Home Builders

                          Brightview Builders                   

                          1220 Hillcrest Rd.

                          Arnold, MD

                          410-647-3100

                          www.brightviewbuilders.com

   

                          Narrows Pointe/Magnum Properties

                          300 Narrows Pointe

                          Grasonville, MD

                          410-827-7500, 410-827-5128

                          www.narrowspointe.com

   

                          Rivercrest Design & Build              

                          202 Legion Ave., Suite 4

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-626-1241

                          www.rivercrest.com

   

   

   

  Interior Design

                          Carlos Interiors, Inc.

                          2421 Crofton Lane, Suite 15

                          Crofton, MD

              410-721-0762, 301-261-6035

                          www.HDWFG.com/carlosinteriors

   

  SQ Design

  13113 Idlewild Drive

  Bowie, MD

  301-440-3550

  www.sqdesign.biz

   

   

  Irrigation

  Complete Landscaping & Irrigation

  2410 North Crain Highway

  Bowie, MD 20746

  800-383-0440; 301-218-1800

  www.completelandscapingservice.com

   

  Landscaping

              Chesapeake Landscape & Design

              3262 Superior Lane, Suite 115

  Bowie, MD

              800-659-6868

   

  Driveways & Patios Plus

                          1385 Defense Highway

                          Gambrills, MD

              410-451-9830

   

                          Garden Girls

  443-223-9299

   

              Landscape Design Center 

              3468 Pike Ridge Rd.

              Edgewater, MD

              410-956-5292

              www.landscapedesigncenter.net

                

  Sommerscapes  

                          P.O. Box 4323

                          Crofton, MD 21114

                          410-721-8228

                                     

                         

  Lawn Care

   

  Natural Lawn of America                  

                          800-875-4727

  www.NL-Amer.com 

                         

             

   

  Nurseries

                          Arnold Farms  

                          1355 Ritchie Hwy.

                          Arnold, MD

                          410-544-7573

                         

                          Greenstreet Nursery   

                          391 West Bay Front Rd.

                          Lothian, MD

                          410-867-9500

   

                          Willow Oak Flower and Herb Farm               

                          8109 Telegraph Rd.

                          Severn, MD

                          410-551-2237

                         

                         

  Oriental Rug Service

                          McDowell’s Oriental Rug Service

                          9588 Deereco Rd.

                          Timonium, MD

                          410-252-3555

   

  Patios & Paving Stones

                          Earthscapes

                          1113 Paca Drive

                          Edgewater, MD

                          410-798-4460

   

                          Patios Plus

                          1385 Defense Highway

                          Gambrills, MD

                          410-451-9830

   

  Ponds & Water Gardens

                          Tropic Bay Water Gardens

                          600 W. Central Ave. (Rt. 214)

                          Davidsonville, MD

                          410-798-1800

                          tropicbay@att.net

   

  Pools & Spas

                          Stevenson Pools

                          1925 Norfolk Drive

                          Owings, MD

                          410-257-6512

                          www.stevensonpools.com

   

  Slip Covers

                          Tom Dunphy Custom Slip Covers

                          3002 Gumwood Drive

                          Hyattsville, MD

                          301-927-4565

                         

  Tile

              European Tile Design              

              157-F Ritchie Hwy.

              Severna Park, MD

              410-544-1666

   

  Title Company

                          Homeland Title & Escrow

                          770 Ritchie Hwy., Suite W-8

                          Severna Park, MD

                          410-544-6700

   

  Wallpaper

              Wallpapers To Go       

              8125L Ritchie Hwy.

              Pasadena, MD

                          410-544-5270

   

  Windows & Doors

   

                          Marvin Window & Door Planning Center

                          1825 George Ave., Suite G

                          Annapolis, MD

                          410-260-0060

                          www.wdpc.com

                          1430 Joh Avenue, Suite D

                          Baltimore, MD

                          410-242-3000

   

                          Thompson Creek Window Co.

                          8805 Annapolis Rd.

                          Lanham, MD 20706

  800-886-7274

                          www.thompsoncreek.com      

   

  Window Treatments

   

  MKB & Associates/Unique Window Solutions 

  601 Old County Rd.

  Severna Park, MD

  410-647-2868