Alice Lane’s Exuberant Washington, DC Home Remodel

For clients in Washington DC, pros from Alice Lane Interior Design put an exuberant twist on a traditional family home

The serene exterior of this home recently remodeled by Alice Lane Interior Design (ALID) conceals the dynamic transformation within. From the curb, the stately house radiates quiet sophistication and restraint, with its stone-hued paint, handsome brickwork and classic arched entry. But beyond this facade lies a vibrant world of jaw-dropping style.  

“Our clients wanted something that felt custom, something design-driven and special,” says designer Suzanne Hall, who teamed with ALID’s Jessica Bennett and Kristina Kellett to transform the traditional house’s “builder-grade” decor into everything the homeowners craved—and more. 

This project was unique for the Utah-based design firm in many ways. For starters, it was the team’s first Zoom call of the pandemic, Hall recalls. Additionally, the house is located in Washington DC, so the entire project was managed remotely. Despite the distance, the designers—experienced in handling long-distance jobs—didn’t miss a beat. “There were really no major roadblocks, and our clients were so open that anything was possible for them,” Hall says. The young homeowners, who moved in with a baby, also preferred to tackle one room at a time. “They were super thoughtful and wanted it to be authentic to their family,” Hall explains. 

The clients love to entertain, so they began the room-to-room redo with their much-used dining room. Once a ho-hum space, the dining room is now dressed to the nines with the owners’ must-have Gracie wallpaper. Its hand-painted garden scene mirrors the wooded landscape visible through large windows. The same goes for the fern-like forms of a Niermann Weeks chandelier hanging above the large, oval table. Medallion-backed chairs, upholstered in golden yellow leather, add pops of color beneath a green-painted ceiling. “It puts a lid on the room, like a hat box that holds you in,” Hall explains. “The deep color also accentuates the white moldings and shimmering chandelier.”

The same verdant hue crowns the adjoining living room, the next space to be overhauled. Eschewing the tropes of traditional style, the designers composed a heady mix of unmatched furniture pieces that mingle to create a space that is both cohesive and captivating. “It’s like a lot of different characters conversing in a room,” Hall says. Elevated by a palette of luscious mid-tone colors and texture-rich textiles, the congenial grouping includes everything from a tufted velvet chaise and leather wing chair to a sofa-front work table and art displayed over the silk draperies. “There are lots of seating options, interesting graduations of height, and a balance of feminine and masculine elements shaping moments of strength and softness,” Hall explains.

The crew moved on to the two-story entry, where wood-planked flooring, plain walls, predictable moldings and an overworked oak-and-iron stair railing lacked the authentic style and sense of history the owners desired for the space. The designers came to the rescue, adding jaw-dropping paneling and finish work that infused the small entry with dimension and architectural drama. They also fashioned jib doors to disguise entries into a hall closet, as well as a tiny powder room they cloaked in green Gucci wallpaper and goosed with unexpected pink trim. “It’s such a fashion moment,” Hall gushes. A dazzling stair rail adorned with fluted brass balustrades rises to the second level, and grounding it all, a new diagonally patterned marble floor visually expands and animates the foyer. Together, these elements introduce a richness of material and color depth that bridge the entry to the more opinionated and colorful expressions in neighboring rooms. 

Not to be outdone in the wow department, the off-the-entry study offers the most vibrant blast of all. The designers loaded the small room with built-in cabinets, book shelves and a mirror-backed bar. Then, they drenched the entire space with deep cherry-red lacquer. The audacious choice fosters the decor’s historic leanings while flipping any notion of stuffy tradition on its head. Equal parts library and swanky lounge, the room lavishes visitors with an abundance of shimmering surfaces, sumptuous fabrics and an eclectic mix of art and furnishings. A Flemish oil painting shares walls with a fragmented mirror sculpture, while a dishy mix of tables and seating loads the study with sophistication and swagger. 

Despite each room’s distinctive style and compelling colors, the new decor is underpinned with a sense of confidence and continuity that unites its brilliant spaces. “There’s a level of detail and curation that connects them and that makes moving from room to room feel very natural,” says Hall.  Given the project’s magical outcome, it’s clear that she and her team know how to cast a colorful spell.