Redesigned 1937 estate in D.C.'s Kent lists for $3.995 million

Published in The Washington Post. By Michele Lerner.

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While today’s home buyers value open floor plans and natural light, those elements are not always a part of the older stately homes found in some of Washington’s most sought-after neighborhoods.

The home at 4940 Lowell St. NW, built in 1937 in the quiet neighborhood of Kent in Northwest Washington, has a restored original brick facade, a professionally landscaped front garden and a modern interior. The home is listed for sale at $3.995 million.

The renovation is a collaboration between Columbia Property Capital, founded by Guy Prudhomme, and ADG: Akseizer Design Group, founded by Jeff Akseizer. The home has four levels, about 6,200 finished square feet, seven bedrooms, six baths and a two-car garage. Indoor-outdoor living, another feature desired by today’s buyers, is accomplished with a wraparound deck accessible from the open kitchen and family room, as well as the living room.

The kitchen has walls of windows and top-of-the-line appliances, including a microwave drawer hidden in the island, as well as marble counters, a marble backsplash and maple cabinetry. The master suite overlooks the back yard and has cathedral ceilings, two walk-in closets and a luxurious bathroom with a marble shower, a freestanding limestone soaking tub, marble floors and marble counters.

The home has white oak hardwood flooring on the three upper levels and oak floors with an ebony finish on the lower level. Smart home features include stereo speakers throughout the residence, video and data outlets, a lighting system and a music control system.

See the original article, video, and more images in The Washington Post here.

This Guy Won the Lottery and Put His Money Into Building a Smart House

Published in the Washingtonian. By Jennifer Sergent.

Like a lot of young bachelors, Brian McCarthy wanted to deck out his place with high-tech toys. But unlike most of his peers, he could afford to: McCarthy won the lottery—literally. Four years ago, at age 25, he pocketed $68.4 million thanks to Mega Millions. Since then, the now-former account manager at Pepsi has spent nearly $200,000 on technology for his Arlington penthouse.

Today McCarthy rarely touches an actual switch or power button in his home. He uses his iPhone to operate the lights, temperature, stereo system, and TV. When he wakes up, he grabs his smartphone to turn on the TV built into the bathroom mirror. By the time he rolls out of bed, the morning news awaits him.

He relies on the phone when out of town, too. McCarthy can remotely let friends into his place to crash if they need to. A camera records anyone who enters the condo when he’s away, and stores the video to his phone.

How did he pull the whole package together? In 2012, McCarthy hired designers Jeff Akseizer and Jamie Brown to oversee the condo’s overhaul. They in turn worked with smart-home specialists at Alexandria’s Absolute Custom Solutions to help integrate the technology with the interior design.

When he first met with Akseizer and Brown, McCarthy says he gave them “carte blanche.” These are the results.

See the original article and more images on the Washingtonian here.