For this small community on the outskirts of D.C., the very soil their homes stand on mean so much more. I recently styled and shot this gorgeous home, designed by JWS Interiors and architect Piet Boon, which is part of an "agrihood," meaning the community's residents choose to support local farmers and the nearby markets where the local crops are readily available. I am a firm believer that a home feels rooted in something real if the outdoor surroundings are reflected in the interior design. Visiting a community such as this, seeing the intentional connection between a people and their land, and learning how we can foster this sort of friendship and sustainability was in a word: inspiring.
From the start, Boon sought inspiration from a traditional farmhouse ( Hello #TheNewSouthern), but chose to deconstruct the layout to highlight clean lines, simple geometries, and create open floor plans with soaring 12-foot ceilings. You'll notice the subtle displays of the outdoors throughout, as usual in the leafy greenery I placed here and there, but especially in the artwork. Note the ivory relief piece above one of the contemporary console tables, which upon a closer look appears to mimic tiny mushrooms that sprout overnight on a bed of fresh spring grass. Above the console's twin, two stacked pieces cased in acrylic boxes remind me of the baskets used to carry fresh produce from field to market. I loved spending time in this space, which was so full of light and space in the best way. As soon as you walk in, all your anxieties are sort of taken up by the vastness of space, and then they diminish. And that's the kind of design that really means something.
