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Interior Design in Reston

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We recently read about Reston, a mid century planned community in Virginia. Shown here are photos from a residential area of Reston called Hickory Cluster that was designed by Charles M. Goodman in 1962-63. While we're always intrigued with these "utopian" communities, we have to say these interiors are especially remarkable. Take a look:

 
 

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See the full set of photos here.

Images: Reston Historic Trust

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Comments (24)

I saw these photos too!

Do you know that I immediately though of our place when I saw them too!

I like the wall unit by the dining table. Maybe we could put something like that under our tv for nice tableware that would be close to the tv.

posted by art on 2007-12-04 17:26:30
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ooh baby! i grew up in reston (although not in one of these lovely homes). if it weren't so far from dc/the metro, i'd totally go for one of the mid-centrury style homes. i love how they're set in the middle of trees and actually have some land around them. so pretty.

posted by gretchenalexis on 2007-12-04 17:44:13
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Chic, superchic. But I have a soft spot for Reston's mid-century architecture as well as that of Sarasota. Would give anything to own one of those houses.

posted by readingglasses on 2007-12-04 18:09:32
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Goodman also designed a more urban community within DC called River Park. (I live there.) Pei-inspired townhouses with glass, glass, glass, and open floor plans. The apartment building is pretty cool from the outside as well.

posted by CJL on 2007-12-04 18:16:27
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Holy shit!

I've never done this before. That comment was supposed to be an email to my wife.

How embarrassing.

Oh well, the story of my life.

posted by art on 2007-12-04 18:20:38
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ha! art, that's pretty funny...

it's been a few days full of bugs and mishaps on AT, so you've officially joined the club.

posted by heather on 2007-12-04 19:44:01
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oy vey.

on top of that I was distracted and meant to say "under the tv and close to the table" not under the tv and close to the tv.

posted by art on 2007-12-04 19:52:49
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This is strange...I work in Reston, and I'm not quite sure which buildings you're talking about....maybe I'm just used to the architecture and didn't realize how unique it is?

High-strung...yes.

Utopian....not sure.

But maybe that's just me, since I prefer a cabin in the woods to a loft. Those pictures are lovely though and Northern Virginia is definitely a unique community.

posted by st@cy on 2007-12-04 22:52:24
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[pardon me while i wipe the drool off my chin.]
beautiful!

posted by JDog on 2007-12-04 23:30:53
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All of these photos can be seen in the book "Classic Modern."

posted by whitespike on 2007-12-05 00:45:00
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Here's the link on Amazon. You can even see one on the Amazon listing on "search inside this book."

http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Modern-Midcentury-At-Home/dp/0684867443/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196833527&sr=8-1

posted by whitespike on 2007-12-05 00:46:32
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I've heard of a couple of cool mixed use projects in Reston. I didn't know they were so into "design". I'm a huge fan of mid-century modern.

posted by designsnob on 2007-12-05 00:50:41
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Reston was one of the first "planned communities" and was intended to redefine suburbia. In addition to inventive design, the idea was to encourage a mixed-income demographic; most early developments were townhomes and apartments, so income variations among neighborhoods weren't as obvious, and there were no country clubs -- all pools, tennis courts, etc. were free to all residents. It was meant to be green, too -- lots of bike paths to encourage ditching the car, and 75% of the trees were to remain standing in any new development.

It's very, very different now; only the rich can afford Reston. The pics on this post are gorgeous, but also reflect Reston's radical change over the past several years.

posted by nycfille on 2007-12-05 07:17:53
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There is another planned community (if you will) in the Virginia 'burbs (I can't remember the name of it) which was more traditionally suburban, i.e. exclusively single-family, no facilities, etc, - however the houses are all spactacular mid-century - just a bit earlier than Reston - mid fifties if I recall correctly. There *is* a website, if I can just remember the name of the darn place.

posted by dn on 2007-12-05 08:56:03
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dn, you may be thinking of the Kentlands in Gaithersburg, MD.

http://pages.montgomerycountymd.com/kentlands/

posted by bueller on 2007-12-05 09:18:03
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dn,

Are thinking of Hollin Hills.
http://www.hollinhills.org/
Love going out there on a Sunday - driving around and going to open houses. The prices like everywhere else have gone through the roof - even for the fixer-upper.

posted by David n DC on 2007-12-05 09:19:38
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If it is Hollin Hills your thinking of check out
http://www.hollinhills.com/hhh.html
Homes for sale in Hollin Hills - Great potential if you are into the mid-century modern.

posted by David n DC on 2007-12-05 09:35:32
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I used to live up in Northern VA. Reston is just another pit of overpriced McMansions amongst the ever-expanding sprawl of The DC Suburbs™.

Go into the city. There is far more interesting architecture and culture to be found.

posted by V on 2007-12-05 11:22:30
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A couple of people beat me to it. Hollin Hills, a little gem off the Parkway on the way to Mt. Vernon. If you're headed that way anyway, there's a Wright house at Woodlawn, right near Mt. V.

http://www.delmars.com/flwtrip/pope1a.htm

posted by Deborah on 2007-12-05 11:29:14
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Yes, Hollin Hills NOT Kentlands.

Chicago has more than our share of mid-century gems tucked away in the suburbs. We were streets ahead for a while.

posted by dn on 2007-12-05 12:02:32
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The rich aren't really in Reston...they're in Great Falls proper.

posted by st@cy on 2007-12-05 20:15:46
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I grew up in Fairfax City (1986-1980) and then Vienna (1980-1990) which is right next to Reston and when I was young these areas were very affordable, but now they have changed and grown and sprawled for the worse. I remember when Tyson's Corner Mall was only 1 level and Tyson's II was forest. Sigh...I long for the good old days before the crappy McMansions and super traffic. It was a magical place to grow up in because it was so close to DC and all the wonderful museums but when I went back in 2000 (briefly) for a job I was horrified how it had changed and I immediately got fired and moved to Charlottesville!

posted by Monica on 2008-10-06 13:16:57
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Oops...I meant to say I was in Fairfax City from 1968-1980.

posted by Monica on 2008-10-06 13:17:24
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And St@cy...a large number of the old-money rich are in McLean too.

posted by Monica on 2008-10-06 13:18:33
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