The traditional appeal of Chevy Chase Village harkens back to the early 1900s and the development of the ideal American suburb. Today, mature trees line the streets and brick sidewalks, and shared drives endure as well-preserved features of the neighborhood.  Residential construction is tightly controlled to maintain the Village aesthetic and the goal for this project, which required complete renovation, was to match the character and quality of the environs while elevating classic details.

The enclosed front yard is pure Americana replete with a white picket fence and a broad porch surrounded by white hydrangea, white drift roses, and catmint. Beneath century-old trees, ferns, Hostas, Astilbe, Anemone, and Dogwood frame the lawn and thrive in the dappled shade. Richardson & Associates carries the brick of the public walkway through the gate in a herringbone pattern that leads to the porch. The street side of the fence is planted with heartier varieties of Shasta daisy, Pennisetum, and boxwood while the narrow side yard is a buffer zone planted with Nepeta and Amsonia. Anchoring the corner of the house, a Hinoki Cypress offers some privacy at the dining room window and a year-round evergreen in a primarily three-season planting scheme. The cobbles employed in the new curb and gutter of the drive are repeated in a practical turf and stone surface used for overflow parking.

At the rear, the previous terrace footprint and a mature walnut tree determined the space for the new pool and bluestone deck, leaving room for a screen of evergreen trees, Virginia sweetspire shrubs, and mixed perennials. The existing garage is resurfaced with pebble dash and doubles as a pool house while the wing wall and gate—perfect examples of the architectural charm distinctive to houses of this era—have been retained and elegantly refreshed.