Sneak peek at Visual Comfort & Co., opening soon in Bethesda (Photos)

Construction on the interior fit-out Visual Comfort & Co. at 7316 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda is nearing completion. Here's a sneak peek inside the high-ceilinged showroom, which is in the ground floor of the new Hampden House apartment tower. The Houston-based firm, founded in 1987, specializes in designer light fixtures. Outside, the sign is up and already lit. 

Something else catching attention out there is the protective scaffolding over the sidewalk. Ubiquitous in cities like New York, it's rarely employed in Montgomery County, where officials allow sidewalks to instead close for years at a time despite laws on the books that were supposed to prevent such pedestrian obstacles. Visual Comfort is using scaffolding from a company called Urban Umbrella.

Ernesta opens at Bethesda Row

Ernesta opened at 4816 Bethesda Avenue at Bethesda Row yesterday. The upscale, custom rug showroom is only the company's second, following the success of its flagship location on Manhattan's Upper East Side earlier this year. It's also the latest addition to a line-up of home decor and housewares brands assembled by property owner Federal Realty that has made Bethesda Row a major destination for residents seeking to redesign and refresh their indoor and outdoor living spaces.

The team behind Ernesta includes three co-founders of Peloton. Former Peloton CEO John Foley has made clear that he anticipates duplicating the success of that company, switching gears from home fitness to home decor, but is hoping that this venture will sustain its value longer. Ernesta's selling points are not only the materials employed in each carpet, but also the custom sizing options available.

Ernesta's Bethesda Row debut coincides with the company's launch of its new Trade Portal. The online portal provides design professionals with tools to identify and order the perfect type and size of rug for their clients.

"Our Bethesda showroom is a step forward in Ernesta’s growth strategy as we expand our reach into the thriving design communities of Maryland and Washington, D.C.," Ernesta Chief Sales Officer Jennifer Parker said in a statement Tuesday. "This new showroom will be a hub for both design enthusiasts and professionals to connect with our brand and receive expert guidance."

Top two photos courtesy Federal Realty/Ernesta

JANUS et Cie to open downtown Bethesda store

JANUS et Cie, a retailer of modern outdoor furniture for home and office settings, will open a showroom this fall in downtown Bethesda. It will be located in the ground floor of the 7101 Wisconsin Avenue office tower. Named after the Roman god whose two faces gaze forward and backward, JANUS et Cie's stated corporate goal is to honor the heritage of the past while creating the designs of the future. The company founder's name just happened to be Janice - Janice Feldman, who founded the brand in California in 1978.

Furniture giant Haworth, Inc. of Michigan acquired JANUS et Cie in 2016. Haworth and its Poltrona Frau subsidiary have showrooms in Northwest Washington, D.C. A JANUS et Cie showroom in Georgetown recently closed, so this may be a relocation to Bethesda.

Kohler Signature Store by GROF USA sets opening date in Bethesda

The new Kohler Signature Store by GROF USA is filling the space at 7626 Old Georgetown Road, in the ground floor of the Metropolitan apartment building. You may recall a bike shop was the previous tenant at this prominent corner in downtown Bethesda. The kitchen and bath showroom has set an opening date of March 12, 2020. 

Signage has been installed on the building's facade. Kohler is an American company with a long history since it was founded in 1873 by Austrian-American industrialist John Michael Kohler. Based in Wisconsin, the Kohler family is practically royalty in the state, with John's son Walter and grandson Walter Jr. even having served as Wisconsin governor. They inherited the political genes of John, who himself served as mayor of Sheboygan. Walter Sr. founded the company town today known as Kohler Village in Sheboygan County, current population 2068, still today the company's world headquarters.

GROF USA is a major interior design and fixture supplier for projects large and small, offering design and procurement services. They have offices in some of my favorite cities in the world, including Washington, D.C., New York, Miami, and Caracas, Venezuela. GROF's Bethesda venture is the first Kohler Signature Store to open in the D.C. region.

Progetti Design Studio relocates in downtown Bethesda

Progetti Design Studio, a contemporary furniture showroom and design firm for "modern living spaces," has relocated in downtown Bethesda. It has moved from its 8020 Norfolk Avenue space to the second floor at 5001 Wilson Lane.

Bethesda renovation update: Lenore Winters Studio

The renovation of the Lenore Winters Studio at 4911 Cordell Avenue has taken longer than expected. But here's a look at the progress this fall. The paper has been removed from the windows, so it looks like they are nearing completion. LWS is an interior design firm.

Lenore Winters temporarily closed for renovations in Bethesda

Interior design studio Lenore Winters is undergoing renovations. They will reopen on August 27, 2018. Located at 4911 Cordell Avenue, they offer custom interior painting, furniture, and interior design consultation among their services.

Interiors of Washington moves out of Norfolk Ave. space (Photos)

Interior design firm Interiors of Washington has moved out of its space at 7944 Norfolk Avenue, which is now available for lease. The award-winning company is now working out of its Bradley Boulevard location; visit their website for contact information and a list of their services.

Brook Taylor moving in on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda

Brook Taylor Interiors has removed the window coverings at its future downtown Bethesda location, as it moves inventory in ahead of the September opening. The new showroom is located at 7833 Woodmont Avenue in the Fairmont Plaza condominium building, where the mother-daughter ownership team has leased two storefronts.

Brook Taylor Interiors to open in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

Brook Taylor Interiors will open a downtown Bethesda location this September. The interior design business is taking over two storefronts in the ground level of the Fairmont Plaza condominiums at 7833 Woodmont Avenue. I noticed something was going on there over the last week, and now awnings have been installed.

Co-owned by mother and daughter Ellen Roberts and Jennifer Riffle, Brook Taylor will be another resource for residents of downtown apartments and condos, with several more buildings opening within blocks of this new location in the near future. Among the merchandise they carry are furniture, rugs, lighting fixtures and lamps, mirrors, art, window treatments, and other decor accessories. You can get a preview of what they offer on their website.

They allow you to take smaller decor items like artworks and lighting fixtures home on approval, so you can try them out before making your final decisions. Brook Taylor Interiors is open currently at their original location, at 7013 Brookville Road in Chevy Chase.

SR/A INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN NOW OPEN IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

An interior design firm known for its highly regarded work in major buildings in New York City, the District, and Northern Virginia, has opened its new Bethesda headquarters at 7020 Wisconsin Avenue.

SR/A Interior Architecture and Design, and renowned CEO Sabine Roy, offer architectural and interior design, space planning, LEED and environmental design, and interior lighting among their services. The firm arrives in the midst of a recovered real estate market in downtown Bethesda, just the sort of high-rise projects they have found success with in the past.