It?s the eternal conundrum: What comes first?form or function" Both and neither, according to Christian Zapatka and Romain Baty, the architect and interior designer respectively behind the transformation of a modest, circa-1900 row house on Capitol Hill into a sophisticated, European-inspired urban villa. ?Structure and design are connected,? Baty contends. ?They?re engaged in a dialogue where every piece and architectural element complements the other and tells a story about the residents? values, tastes and lives.?
Zapatka agrees, explaining that he ?creates classic, timeless structures that integrate both site and interior design.? In this case, his renovation?a three-year adventure that included extensive negotiations with DC government agencies, neighborhood groups and historic preservation societies?informed Baty?s vision, which the designer diplomatically describes as ?an identity that favored a disconnect from DC style.?
Before finding its inner glamour, the home was treated to a total gut job that reconfigured the interior spaces, adding rooms, functionality and a more organic flow. At the back, recalls Zapatka, ?we replaced a goofy, bright-orange, two-story addition? with a lighter, more spacious three-story extension featuring skylights and clerestory windows. Post-reno, the 2,420-square-foot residence includes three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a wealth of artfully disguised storage areas and closets.
Homeowners Gary Jankowski and Michael Schaeffer...