Demi Brings New Life to This D.C. Family Home
Our latest service proves you don’t have to start from scratch to fall in love with your home
Longtime ZF clients (and friends!) Alex and Gavin Coleman needed more space. With three young boys and busy careers, room to romp, work, and study was at a premium.
They found square-footage in spades in a 1920s farmhouse in Washington, D.C.’s Palisades neighborhood, but it was a bit traditional for the family’s contemporary taste. See how our new Demi service helped them fall in love with their expansive new digs without taking it down to the studs.
Family matters
The family room footprint was made for lounging—all it needed was a new space plan to accommodate movie night. The Demi team swapped the formal seating for a massive custom sectional upholstered in a performance velvet (snacks always allowed).
This room is big—cavernous, even. You could practically use it for a game of indoor soccer (unlikely to be endorsed by the adult members of the residence). To make the space feel cozier, we enlisted a favorite trick: built-ins.
The daybed was a game-changer, and here's why:
Defined the space: It instantly created a separate zone within the room, perfect for homework and reading, giving the room a sense of purpose and structure.
Added warmth: Comfy cushions and throw pillows brought in a much-needed dose of warmth and personality, and helped the room feel not quite as large.
Maximized functionality: It became extra seating for guests, and built-in bookshelves and drawers provided extra storage.
The heart of the Home
If you're looking to modernize your kitchen without the time, expense, and dust of a full renovation, we've got the perfect solution: paint and a statement island.
Never underestimate the transformative power of a fresh coat of paint. Painting your existing cabinets can dramatically change the look and feel of your kitchen. Here, we swapped out the creamy white with Farrow & Ball’s Red Earth, which felt fresh and unexpected.
Replacing the existing island with one wrapped in reeded walnut instantly injected modern style and warmth. The rich brown tones and millwork details lent a grounding element to the bold colors while avoiding the construction chaos that comes with a gut renovation.
Garden Partying
Need more evidence of the power of color? Look no further than this wallpaper-wrapped dining room, accented by inky black window trim. We extended the space into the room behind the original dining area, opening it onto an exterior wall with windows. This change ushered in sunlight and beautiful views of the family’s verdant backyard.
First impressions
Leaning into our Demi specialty, we achieved a dramatic transformation in the living room by maximizing the existing space with clever design choices. We approached the furniture as functional art: sculptural seating and layered occasional pieces make the room feel formal and ready to entertain, but not stuffy. We added interest by experimenting with colors, materials, and shapes—a new marble fireplace, and walnut built-in bar and punchy accent tables.
A custom built-in bar and new marble fireplace make the space feel like a totally different room without changing the square footage. Just off of the home’s main entry, the formal living room speaks to the owners’ eclectic style and sophistication—a striking first impression for visitors.
The living room before.
POWDER ROOM
The pièce de résistance may be one of the smallest rooms in the house—the powder room. We at Zoë Feldman subscribe to the idea that a powder room should be an experience. A diminutive space used infrequently sets the stage for bold design (that is to say, you won’t get tired of a few off-kilter creative choices).
An amoeba-shaped mirror, a marble slab with heavy veining, and a dark limewash on the walls converge to create a dark and moody yet playful powder room for guests.
Ready to transform your space but not ready to take a sledgehammer to the whole home? Submit your Demi project to get started.