Give a Northwest DC Apartment a New Lease On Life

A frosted-glass wall screens the bathroom from the living room area, which includes an expansive sofa from Donghia, and a glass-topped coffee table

There was one design conundrum. The only entrance to the bedroom is through the bath, a setup that Santalla found unappealing. “I placed drapes across the shower and toilet so that it feels like you’re entering a foyer,” he explains, adding that he often uses drapes for concealment. The designer also removed the door between the bedroom and bath—but left the doorway—to add a sense of flow between the spaces. 

A vivid accent wall provides the perfect backdrop for a custom-designed credenza, vases from Kose and a series of paintings in mixed media



Santalla carried the taupe color scheme and walnut millwork into the bedroom, where he painted two opposing walls and the ceiling to provide a unifying element to the room. Taupe draperies cover the bedroom closet doors and the windows opposite. Below the windows, walnut millwork conceals air conditioning ducts.

The L-shaped living room/dining room.

Enclosed the kitchen and removed the upper cabinets to make the small space feel less crowded.