This 1870s Capitol Hill rowhouse had been converted into a three-unit apartment building. “It was an incredible house,” says architect Steve Lawlor, “and no one was touching it because it required so much work.”

Though he had helped design dozens of award-winning projects around Washington, Lawlor had never created something from scratch for his own family. He and his wife, Susan Ades, director of exhibits at the National Zoo, decided this was their chance.

When Kevin and Kelly Walker bought an early-1900s Victorian in Winchester, Virginia, their first mission was to overhaul the kitchen. The tiny space—160 square feet—hadn’t been renovated in 35 years. Kevin, an architect at Reader & Swartz Architects, and Kelly, a health educator, had a budget of $25,000. Kevin did the demolition himself, including tearing out a wall of built-in cabinets that closed the kitchen off from the dining room.

Architect Wayne Good’s kitchen is 15 years old, but you’d never know it. “I wanted to create something timeless,” he says.

His 100-year-old rowhouse in Annapolis required a top-to-bottom renovation, which Good did gradually over 12 years. The kitchen was the first room he tackled.

>> 11 quick country updates for a drab Chantilly kitchen

Amy and Andrew Heifetz aren't crazy about the kitchen in their Chantilly home—the look is bland, and they could use more storage. "I want to make it a welcoming place, where people will sit and hang out while I cook," Amy says. But with a new baby, the couple doesn't have time for a renovation.  We enlisted the help of interior designer Sally Steponkus to come up with ideas for a quick redo.  The furniture and accessories she suggested will make the room cozier and more organized—just what the couple asked for.  

Splurge: Nickel-and-Mirror Side Table, $1,495
This accent table from Plantation is feminine without being frilly. The sleek nickel legs lend a modern touch to a classic shape. And the mirror top means you don’t have to worry about ring stains from drink glasses—just wipe it down with some glass cleaner.

We don’t think interior designers should have all the fun. That’s why when we saw that the industry-insiders-only Washington Design Center was having an open-to-the-public sample sale this weekend, we put it on our calendar. In big, bold letters.