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Inside 10 Great Homes

From a funky DC townhouse to a charming manor in the Virginia countryside, here’s a look at beautiful homes. First up: a 22,000-square-foot Potomac mansion that’s surprisingly cozy.

By Sherri Dalphonse , Mary Clare Glover , Leslie Milk Published Wednesday, April 01, 2009

“We wanted a nice home but a home that was warm and family-friendly,” says Jean-Marie Fernandez as she sits in her kitchen and watches her three-year-old son race his scooter on the wood floor.

The flooring is reclaimed Russian white oak, which was fumed—a finishing process that gave it a patina. “People always comment on the floor,” she says. “It was supposed to look aged and beaten up. It’s great with kids. The more dings and scratches, the better.”

Jean-Marie and her husband, Raul Fernandez—he’s chair of ObjectVideo and a co-owner of the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics—spent two years designing and then two years building their Potomac home, where they live with their three children.

The eight-bedroom, 13-bath house is very large—22,000 square feet plus 2,000 more for the poolhouse—but textured fabrics, soothing colors, sunlit rooms, and family photos give it an unstuffy feel. No room is grand in size; even the two-story foyer, with its castlelike wooden front door and Jerusalem Gold marble, feels intimate and welcoming.

“We’re attracted to French style, but this is more Normandy, less formal,” says Jean-Marie. “Raul is not a formal person, and neither am I.”

Resources

Architect: Anthony “Ankie” Barnes, Barnes Vanze Architects, DC

Builder: Gibson Builders, DC. Project manager: Larry Graham

Interior designer: José Solis, Solis Betancourt, DC

Iron railings and ironwork: Patrick Cardine, Cardine Studios, Bealeton, Va.

Wood floors: Classic Floor Designs, DC

Woodwork finishing: Valley Craftsmen, Baltimore

Landscape architect: DCA Landscape Architects, DC

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Comments

Amazing homes I wonder if any are for sale and where the pictures of these home are at? http://jkrealtyaz.com

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Posted by: fsdgdf, Aug 28, 2011 07:45:11 AM

Any chance of posting some photos? We want to see some of the homes for sale in the region, see if it’s worth leaving Bethesda.

http://bethesdahomesforsale.com

Posted by: Bodhidharma, Jul 12, 2011 11:05:05 AM

I agree the french style is one of my favorites. I’ve been looking at <a href="http://www.TheBellaCasaRealty.com">homes for sale</a>, and I definitely got some ideas from you. I’m with Ann, where did the curtains come from?

Posted by: Jane Austen, Jun 13, 2011 03:52:56 PM

The house is huge love it because im gay and me and my boyfriend james will love it .

Posted by: Rex mongerty, Nov 26, 2009 04:03:47 PM

About the curtains, I was referring to the Brody House -- the curving shades in the living room. Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Posted by: Ann, May 06, 2009 08:51:38 AM

Where can I get those curtains? They look beautiful.

Posted by: Ann, May 06, 2009 08:46:55 AM