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Zaidoon & Olivia’s Home

Glen Echo Heights, Bethesda, MD

A design that blends common vernacular residential forms with European modernist elements.

During our early conversations, it became clear that Zaidoon and Olivia wanted to recreate the feelings they carried within them of their childhood family homes as they planned a new home for their own children. A key part of this was to provide ample space for their children to play, as was creating a sense of connectivity throughout the main living level.

For the exterior of the home, they wanted a combination of modern and traditional design. To achieve this, we used a material palette that merged standard wall siding with accents of metal panels. We also integrated natural stone and wood elements which are carried into the interior of the home.

The heart of the home is a central two-story family room that opens up to the backyard.

The family room is anchored by a wall of stone that serves as both the fireplace and the media center.  The ceiling of the two-story space is lined in natural wood with contrasting heartwood and sapwood coloration.  This use of wood and stone is found throughout the interior, including the dining room where the stone wall extends from the exterior into the space, blurring the line between inside and out, and creating a backdrop for Zaidoon and Olivia’s wine collection. 

Project Team

Design
Carib Daniel Martin A+D

Construction
Castlewood Builders

Engineering
CAS Engineering
Structbim Engineers

Photography
Anice Hoachlander

An important goal of the project was to merge the interior living space with an outdoor lifestyle.

The entire rear wall of the house was constructed of sliding glass doors opening up the interior to the patio and screened porch outside. The screened porch, located off the kitchen, provides for al fresco dining and allows the ability for outdoor cooking. The porch also contains a two-sided gas fireplace visible from the dining space within as well as the stone patio beyond.  The primary bedroom suite was perched above the porch like a treehouse. With a vaulted wood ceiling and windows that wrap around the corners, it provides a vantage point to look out over the backyard.

A lot of thought went into the design and it definitely shows in the result. We love our home, and appreciate all of your efforts and patience to make this perfect for us.

— Zaidoon & Olivia