After taking inspiration from the course of seasons and how the woods of McLean in Virginia change throughout the year, the owners decided to integrate the forest into their new residence, bringing the outdoors in. Thanks to this intervention, the house becomes not only a place for gatherings but also a showcase for the family’s collection of artworks and furniture, always opening on an ever-changing arboreal landscape right outside Washington D.C.
The renovation of the 1970s-era house was supervisioned by Mariela Buendia-Corrochano, both owner of the residence and award-winning interior designer specialized in corporate workplaces. During the process, Mariela first acted on the layout and size of several rooms – in particular the dining and family rooms – for a better entertainment of family and friends. She also incorporated different elements to close off the kitchen and breakfast area so that caterers could work during the many parties hosted by the owners. One of the home’s most striking elements is an homage to a long-gone indoor pool – which the couple’s kids enjoyed during their childhood – in the form of a parametrically designed ceiling resembling rippling water. Also the carpet’s pattern and color recall the no-longer-existing pool.
However, the real renovation was brought by the connection between house and nature, as a matter of fact, the residence offers a breathtaking view on the forest and on the Pimmit Run – a stream that connects to the Potomac River. Mariela, in order to further strengthen this bond, integrated several new windows and large glass doors. In addition to this aspect, she designed the remaining parts of the residence as a blank canvas for their collection of artworks and furniture from the whole world. The overall intervention became a symbol of forward-thinking humanism and transformed the house in a unique experience for the family connecting them to nature.
Location: McLean, Vancouver, USA
Completion: 2021
Architect: Mariela Buendia-Corrochano
Consultants
Lighting: Evoke
Structures: Watkins Engineering
Images courtesy of Mariela Buendia-Corrochano