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Name: Joff
Location: Washington, DC
Size: 2,400 square feet
Years lived in: just over a year

Joff shared his home in progress with Apartment Therapy in his House Call Joff Brings LA Style to DC. We were recently invited us back for a full-scale House Tour. An avid collector of furniture and art, Joff has moved around many pieces since we last saw his home.

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A fairly recent transplant from Los Angeles, California, Joff has lived in DC for just over two years and loves the culture, diversity and many dining and retail spots in the U Street area. Rarely in a car, Joff bikes and metros around town. Living in DC has made Joff feel more aware of issues as everyone he meets has a cause or purpose, and is trying to change something.

Joff chose his home because it accommodated his furniture and replicated his LA home. The triplex is has amazing light that showcases his great art collection. A longtime art and furniture collector, Joff is involved with the Corcoran Gallery of Art and has hosted events for the museum at his home. Joff will be curating his first gallery exhibition this fall at Irvine Contemporary and plans to bring artists to DC who haven't yet had exposure here. Joff's love of art and ability to curate spaces is apparent in his home.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Modern, comfortable, and edited. I like open uncluttererd spaces punctuated with art. What’s out should be useful and enjoyable, and aesthetically functional.

Inspiration: My parent’s first home in which I lived was a mid-century modern, so the combination of that influence and having lived in California longer than anywhere else thus far, inspired my appreciation of modernism.

Favorite Element: The light-filled space.

Biggest Challenge: I bought based on a conceptual floorplan, when the lot was a hole in the ground, so waiting for its completion was challenging.

What Friends Say: It’s comfortable, and folks often say that with surprise because they have an expectation of something more austere. I like to entertain, and whether I’m having an event for the Corcoran or the Trevor Project, two of my passions, or a casual dinner and movie screening, I absolutely want friends to feel at home.

Proudest DIY: The gardens and roof patio. I selected California-inspired plants for both the streetscape and roofscape. My roof patios have great views of Washington, and the eco-friendly plantings are thriving.

Biggest Indulgence: The light fixture that hangs above my living room, “Birds, birds, birds” by Ingo Mauer. I deliberated over its purchase, then it sat for months in my builder’s apartment until my place was completed, and the installation took an entire day replete with two story scaffolding, and the gifted talents of Aztec Electric, Ron Smith, and Lou Cardenas.

Best advice: Keep it simple and select quality. White walls showcase art best. Small rooms can take color and wallpaper. Don’t fill up a space just because you have it and never put everything against the walls. When in doubt, don’t. Remember to be true to yourself and whimsy is good.

Dream source: An open mind allows all possibilities equal consideration. And for a kickstart, Italy.

Resources of Note:

    • developer Paul Robertson, who made this home a reality • Ron Smith of RKS Design in Palm Springs. Ron has a deep knowledge of all things modern, and guided me with my previous home in West Hollywood. He helped me choose my DC residence because it would accommodate my furniture and provided invaluable design guidance.

FURNITURE

    • Maarten Kusters' “No stop sofa” (late 80s, early 90s)
    • B&B Italia, Ligne Roset, Poliyform, and Knoll.Knoll fabrics
    • Artemide office chair
    • Vintage Sharkfin Phillipe Starck XO side tables
    • Mid-twentieth century dresser from Millennium on U Street
    • 19th century Empire hutch
    • Beds in bedroom, side tables in bedroom from my grandmother who bought them at a yard sale many decades ago.
    • Patio includes Restoration Hardware, Bellini Chairs, Vas-One pot, 19th century recycled Virginia barnwood cabinetry built in place.
    • Bar stools by Norman Cherner with Knoll fabric

LIGHTING

    • Lighting by Artemide and Ingo Maurer
    • Rolf Helde “Tender” suspension lamp
    • great aluminum light stick from RCKNDY on U Street
    • some vintage 60’s lamps found along LA’s Melrose Avenue

ACCESSORIES

    • Mid-century and modern objects from my travels, my parents and my friends.
    • Garden District for roof plants
    • Many of the pots and planters are from IKEA and Home Depot
    • Bird pillows in guest bedroom from RCKNDY

RUGS AND CARPETS

    • Flor tiles in the office
    • Wall-to-wall in master bedroom from Georgetown Carpets
    • area rug in family room from Overstock.com

BATHROOM

    • Bathroom tile from Stone Source on 16th street
    • Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinetry by Porcelanosa

ARTWORK

    • Roberts & Tilton in LA, Irvine Contemporary Gallery on on 14th Street in DC, Murray Guy Gallery (NYC), Yvone Lambert (NYC), some auctions and my parents.

OTHER

    • Adam Holtzsasiger of Window Wears for shades
    • Michael DiGuiseppe did the painting and wallpapering
    • Master bathroom wallpaper from Cole & Son of London. I saw a roll in the back of a store in Paris and credit Michael DiGiuseppe for finding it for me and doing a masterful installation.
    • Roofscape by Bob of DuanBell Design and Gidon of Evergreen Construction transformed my design into reality, including the planters and recycled wood cabinet

Thanks, Joff!

Images: Rachael Grad

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