Oh the Choices!

Guest blogger Jennifer Parker guides you through kitchen renovation selections; from cabinets to the precise shape of hardware this is an intelligent overview of what you may encounter when working with a designer/remodeler.

I like using analogies to describe the design process; so if we’re talking about making renovation/design selections consider this analogy. It’s like constructing a perfectly balanced mobile, one component at a time. Your architecture, fixtures, furniture, fabrics, flooring, wall color, and accessories—they’re all connected. Think creatively but also think holistically.

Say you’ve decided to move forward with the renovation of your kitchen. You’ve engaged an architect and designer, worked with them to nail down a plan and articulate a style direction. Now it’s time for selections to begin.

For the cabinetry, you fall for a beautiful wood-stained maple in a mid tone with a simple rectangular recessed panel and single-bead detail inside the flat frame.

Gorgeous; now to select the countertop; you decide on a natural material, granite, and that you’d like to pull out some of the browns to reinforce the “nature reference” suggested by the wood grain of the cabinet; how about this one:
Are you seeing the relationships; the connections? The organic movement in the wood grain and in the stone; hues from nature—it’s a marriage made in heaven.

As you move forward the architect and designer are looking to guide the selections to ensure there are connections or relationships between each element that will be a part of your completed space. We’re very conscious about the obvious and subtle network of similarities or foils that each and every selection brings to the design “total”; the mobile in perfect balance.

Now you need to choose a profile style for the edge of the countertop; as a general rule consider the level of formality you’re going for as well as the profile of the cabinet door as your inspiration. Your cabinet door has a flat frame with a single-bead detail inside the frame so the edge profile of the countertop should follow suit—pick something simple, not over-worked, and of course, comfortable to lean up against.

There are a plethora of edge styles but you manage to narrow them down to three; the first is a double eased edge. This is the most contemporary choice and looks good with the flat frame around the recessed panel of the cabinet.

The second is a half bullnose which kind of mimics the curve of the bead detail inside the flat frame of your cabinet door.

The third is an ogee edge which looks a little more traditional compared to the others.

Take a look at some of the other types of edges available for countertops. Check out this website for great bite-size blurbs about other kinds of countertop materials and edge styles: ; or go to this website to look at countertop materials with different edge styles actually simulated on the site.

Just like the countertop edge style, kitchen hardware should have some kind of aesthetic relationship with the forms around it.

For the hardware finish; an oil-rubbed bronze to pull out the soft gray and black-brown flecks in the stone looks great.

Handle style? You can go linear and geometric to accentuate the clean lines of the cabinet door frame, balancing the organic with modern. The double eased edge for the countertop relates nicely to this.

Or let’s say you want to reinforce the “nature reference” by choosing a textured handle that plays off of the wood grain of the cabinetry. The half bullnose for the countertop edge looks great with this one; the curves repeat. I call this look “earthy modern.”

Or do you want a more transitional look like this? The raised detail about 1/3 in from each end is called a “bead” and this echoes the wood bead detail running along the inside edge of the frame around the cabinet door.

The ogee edge on the countertop complements the graceful profile of this handle but if you look closely you can find relationships to the other countertop edge profiles as well.

All three picks are aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for your cabinets. All are simple in form, clean-lined and ergonomic choices; one a little more modern, one a little more rustic, and one a little more transitional. If you still can’t decide; take a look at your flatware, your tableware. Look for style clues or motifs in other things you love that will go into the same space.
If you find yourself overwhelmed in the selection process and are asking “How do I choose? What’s the basis?” Well, this is it: appropriateness, aesthetic relationships between your selections, harmony and balance in the design.

Fast forward another thousand-or-so selections (by now you’re a pro) and you’re done!

Remember the design process is a continuum of choices. No selection is isolated, and every change made to your design plan may require a re-examination of subsequent design choices.
And think, just like the best gatherings—where guests have enough in common, and yet enough variety to keep the conversations interesting and memorable—your home should have its own ongoing dialogue between each element carefully selected in the design process.



Jennifer Parker holds a degree in interior design, is an Allied Member of the American Society of Interior Designers, and a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Her background includes an A.A.S. with a major in fine arts and professional experience as a graphic designer with the National Geographic Society. Patera Home was established in the year 2000 and is located in Reston, Virginia.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture cont.d

To finish up this week long celebration, here is a short list of other haunted sites that almost didn't make it on the blog....

Have A Safe and Happy Halloween!

Blair House
The ghost of President Woodrow Wilson has occasionally been seen in the bedroom rocking chair.

Catholic University -Caldwell Hall
Mysterious lights and the ghost of a priest who fell to his death, following his discovery of one of the last books on performing exorcism is said to be seen in the attic window.

Ford's Theatre
John Wilkes Booth's footsteps have been heard running up the back staircase towards the presidential box.

Fort McNair - Building 21
John Wilkes Booth (even though already dead) and conspirators were hung in the attic of this building following Lincoln’s assassination. The carpenters who renovated this building reported hearing footsteps in the attic and feeling like someone was always following them. Mary Sarat who was convicted for her part, has been seen wandering the building officers trying to convince guests that she is innocent of the crime.

The Hay - Adams Hotel
This hotel was built in 1927 on the site where the mansion of Presidential Advisor Henry Adams had lived. The wife of the original mansion owner, Marian Hooper Adams, appears to haunt the hotel. At night, the scent of Mimosa is in the air on the eighth floor and the housekeeping closet on the 6th floor will NEVER stay locked after repeated lockings with the key by security. You will also notice that the chandelier of the hotel's lobby constantly sways.

Kendall Green – MSSD
MSSD is located in the back part of the campus of Gallaudet University on a hill facing Rhode Island Ave -- MSSD was founded in 1969 and Gallaudet was founded in 1857. The students at MSSD would feel hoof beats going through the campus, possibly the route taken during the Revolution War going towards Pennsylvania.

Marine Barracks at 8th & I
The lower parking garage is haunted by the spirit of a young child that was killed by a vehicle coming up the ramp. Every now and then marines have seen a red ball rolling down the ramp to the upper parking and heard a child's voice calling to them in the early hours of the morning.

Treasury Annex
A woman has been observed on the second floor of the Treasury annex. Workers have reported footsteps and voices after work hours. A late working worker, reported seeing the woman glide in front of her office. She went to report the incident to her supervisor, he was coming out of his office because he thought someone had peeked in his door; that was followed by the ruffle of a dress, similar to when a person is walking.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture cont.d

National Theatre

On Pennsylvania Avenue, three blocks from The White House, is the National Theatre, "The Theatre of Presidents." Almost every great stage performer of the past century has appeared here.
Almost since it’s construction, the National has been haunted by the friendly ghost of actor John McCullough, supposedly shot and killed by a fellow performer. A rusty pistol, perhaps the murder weapon, was unearthed under the stage in 1982, near where McCullough's remains are rumored to lie.

• On the opening night of a new show, the silent ghost can be seen in various parts of the theater, making sure that all is in order.
  
• Some reports tell of McCullough dressed as Hamlet, or his most famous role, the ill-fated Roman centurion, Virginius.
  
• One startled performer, who had known the deceased personally, said he saw McCullough seated calmly in front of the audience.
  
• From time to time, doormen and others report their encounters with the ghost in backstage hallways, on staircases, in dressing rooms, and on the empty Washington stage which he performed on.

St. Elizabeth's Hospital

The campus of St. Elizabeth’s sits on bluffs overlooking of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. It opened in 1855 as the Government Hospital for the Insane. During the Civil War it was converted temporarily into a hospital for wounded soldiers. In 1916, its name was officially changed to St. Elizabeth’s, the colonial-era name for the tract of land on which the hospital was built. Built in the Gothic style by Thomas U. Walter, who also designed the Capitol dome, the building itself has long drafty halls within its fortress like appearance. The campus and stories behind it manifest into it being known as a truly haunted asylum.

• Assassins and would-be assassins were confined at St. Elizabeth's. The man who tried to shoot President Andrew Jackson, the man who did shoot President Theodore Roosevelt and, the man who wounded President Ronald Reagan all ended up there.
  
• During renovations records, photos, and medical equipment have been discovered revealing experimentation, torture, and autopsies taking place in spaces that were condemned.
  
• There were always stories of staffers hearing noises from parts of the building which had long been since abandoned. Moans and groans, along with footsteps and numerous cold spots forced some to avoid that building at all cost.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture cont.d

The Octagon House Museum

The Octagon House was designed for John Tayloe III by architect William Thornton, the first architect of the United States Capitol. Built between 1799 and 1801, this was the first house to be completed "in the neighborhood" of the White House.

• One of Tayloe's fifteen children either fell to her death through the center of the grand staircase. Stories include a strange candle-shaped shadow on the staircase and the faint sound of a falling scream.
  
• A second daughter, while pregnant, died in the house by throwing herself from the top banister upon finding out her father had done away with her soldier lover, whom he disapproved of. Her ghost is said to roam the halls.
  
• Occasionally visitors have claimed to seen John himself walking the halls of the home along with slaves performing their daily routines.
  
• A somewhat more pleasant ghost, reported to have been seen dancing and enjoying the lilacs, is assumed to be Dolley Madison who adored her stay in the house.

The Octagon House Museum Web Site



Healy Hall-Georgetown University

Officially, the fifth floor of Healy Hall does not, and never did, exist. The high Victorian design of the building, which was constructed in the late 1870's during the presidency of Patrick Healy, lends itself to speculation about secret sealed-off floors and ghostly inhabitants.

• One story of how this floor came to be haunted dates back to when Georgetown was a liberal arts college. A young Jesuit student accidentally opened the Gates of the Underworld when reading forbidden chants in a book about exorcism within a secret room in Healey Hall that is now sealed off.
  
• A second tale involves another Jesuit, who was crushed to death by the hands of the clock while working in the clock tower and now wanders the floor moaning in pain.
  
• Other Georgetown ghost stories tell of trapped spirits in the University's underground tunnel system.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture cont.d

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

Next to the West Wing of the White House know as the Old Executive Office Building before it was renamed in 1999 and rededicated in 2002, is the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The building design, based on an addition to the Louvre, is in an ornate style that is known today as the French Second Empire Style, built between 1871 - 1888 (17 years total). As one of the most grand buildings in D.C. the Eisenhower Building has witnessed accidental and natural deaths, as well as a few suicides, possibly leaving a number of souls wandering the halls.

• Staff members working overnight in the building have reported seeing ghosts in the halls, especially in the early morning hours, but never in the offices. Who wants to work in the after life anyway…
  
• On the ground floor beneath the northeast monumental stair is the location for two accidental deaths, a White House Historian has said to have witnessed evidence of activities that he can't explain, which has caused many to think that spot is haunted.
  

Stephen Decatur House Museum

Celebrated Naval hero, Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., and his wife, Susan Wheeler moved to Washington, D.C. in 1816 and purchased a plot on Lafayette Square for their new house. Benjamin Henry Latrobe designed their Federal style home to reflect their high class and prominence in social circles. It was the first private residence built on the President's Park, neighboring the White House. The couple moved into their grand house in 1819 and hosted a number of extravagant parties. Soon after, a thirteen year quarrel ensued between Decatur and an old college friend, which finally resulted in a duel where Decatur was fatally wounded and died several hours later at his home.

• Near by residents have claimed the home is haunted by Stephen Decatur, whose spirit can be seen as a shadowy figure gazing out of the second floor window or stealthily leaving the house from the back door. The numerous sightings have caused the windows to be covered to prevent gawking.
  
• There is an unexplained sound of mournful weeping many stories attribute to the ghost of Stephen's widow, Susan, who moved out of the house following the death of her husband.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture cont.d

The National Building Museum

Only a few blocks from Capitol Hill, in Penn Quarter, lays an example of an Italian Renaissance Revival, The National Building Museum. A sought-after spot for gala events, including many Presidential Inaugural Balls, and the site of multiple ghost sightings. Originally the National Pensions Building, it was renamed when converted into a museum in 1980.

• There have been multiple reports of a soldier on horseback with his sword, identified as civil engineer and Army General Montgomery C. Meigs who designed the building in 1881.
  
• Among the tops of the eight 75-foot Corinthian columns, ­ among the tallest interior columns in the world ,­ visitors claim to see swirling unrecognizable faces.
  

The White House

On October 13, 1792, construction of The White House began of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style. President John Adams and his wife Abigail Adams were the first to live in the Executive Mansion in 1800. In 1814, during James Madison’s presidency, the British burned the building. The building was immediately repaired and repainted and was called The White House from that point on. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the home in 1801, he, with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades which were meant to conceal stables and storage.

• Many presidents have felt a connection to past presidents while living at the White House, especially to President Lincoln. Lincoln's ghost has appeared most often in the area of the Lincoln Bedroom and second floor corridors. There have been reports of a pacing spirit, pensively posed with his hands clasped behind his back. Winston Churchill refused to sleep in the Lincoln Bedroom after he witnessed the ghost of Abraham Lincoln walking the room. Footsteps and knocking in the night have been reported by both staff members and visitors. Mary Todd Lincoln, held several séances in the Green Room to try to contact her dead son, Willie. Following the murder of her husband, she sought contact with him and claimed she had succeeded.
  
• White House members of staff have seen the spirit of Abigail Adams cleaning her laundry in the East Room.
  
• When the wife of President Woodrow Wilson, First Lady Ellen Wilson, wanted to dig up the rose garden the spirit of former First Lady Dolley Madison supposedly told the workmen not to ruin the garden.
  
• Some claim to hear Andrew Jackson laughing loudly in his former bed chambers, the Red Room
  
• A menacing British soldier has been spotted trying to set a fire with a blazing torch, possibly the same soldier from The Capital building?
  
• A version of the story of Washington's Demon Cat, place the phantom cat in the White House basement.

See videos about some of these encounters at the White House Web Site.

Tricks and Treats of D.C.'s Architecture

It doesn’t have to be Halloween to be spooked. Washingtonians have been altering their routes after dark for years due to the haunting characteristics of homes and buildings in the area. In honor of the upcoming holiday we will be posting the a list of DC’s most well-known architectural sites whose style and history have invited legends, ghost stories, and strange visitors….

U.S. Capitol Building

The #1 tourist destination in Washington DC is the United States Capital. Like many other buildings in Washington, DC the U.S. Capitol is based on ancient Greek and Roman designs reinterpreted into a Neoclassical style. Construction of the Capitol building began after President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson chose the winning design of William Thornton in 1792.

• Legend tells that during the construction of the Capitol building, an irritable carpenter smashed the head of a stones man and buried the body in a wall. The stones man has allegedly been spotted walking the halls.


• In 1814, the British tried to burn the Capital building down. Damage was sufficient that congress had to relocate to a hotel. One story tells of a British soldier who runs the halls with a torch, evidently he doesn’t know the war is over.


• In 1890, Congressman William Taulbee was shot by Charles Kincaid, a reporter, on the marble steps of the Capitol building. Taulbee died 11 days after the incident but the bloodstain can still be seen today on the marble steps leading up to the House Press Gallery. When reporters pass that area, they sometimes trip, which is said to be caused by Taulbee enacting his revenge.


• In the late 1800's General John Alexander chaired meetings in the Military and Militia meeting room of the Senate’s wing. At 12:30 am, everyday, the General is said to appear outside this room looking upset.


• The cast-iron dome, replacing the original wooden structure, was constructed between 1855 and 1866. The ghost of a worker killed when he fell from the dome has been reported floating around the rotunda carrying a tray of tools.


• During the Civil War the Capital served as a hospital to treat soldiers. On occasion visitors have claimed to see soldiers dashing through the halls. One story tells of a man who appears and salutes, then vanishes.


• The Library of Congress once inhabited the rooms to the west of the Rotunda. A male librarian allegedly haunts the area, looking for $6,000 he stashed in the pages of some obscure volumes. (The money was found in 1897 when the collection moved to the Jefferson Building.)


• The best known legend is of D.C., Demon Cat, who lives in the basement of the U.S. Capitol Building, possibly in the room known as the Crypt. When it appears a national disaster is likely to occur within a short period of time. Some versions of the story, warns that while the Demon Cat may first appear as a helpless looking kitten, it grows in size and becomes threatening as people approach him.


• When guards walk through Statuary Hall, which used to be the early meeting place of Congress, they claim to be followed by footsteps. Guards have admitted to trying to outrun the footsteps, but are tackled by someone unseen. Some guards say theyt have seen John Quincy Adams leading a session of Congress, circa 1850, who died in that hall.