Monday, April 21, 2025
As part of the Georgetown House Tour’s festivities this year, a design panel will be held this Thursday, April 24 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at B&B Italia. The talk will be moderated by Melvin Hooks, B&B Italia’s showroom manager and will feature panelists Joseph Richardson of Richardson & Associates Landscape Architects, Wayne Adams of BVA BarnesVanze Architects and Erica Burns of Erica Burns Interiors.
Tickets are $65 per person (or $120 for panel and house tour tickets) and can be purchased here.
Melvin Hooks, B&B Italia, moderator
What drew B&B Italia to come to Georgetown and what are you most looking forward to with moderating the panel?
Our Georgetown Flagship location is a destination for top local, national and world-renowned designers and architects, as well as design enthusiasts. The spaces are created with the aim of setting up a dialogue with Washington, D.C., working in harmony with the spirit of the place and local dynamics. Our entire team is proud to be part of the Georgetown community. We seek to inspire clients to dream and tour our three-story showroom, while enjoying collections from Italy’s most prolific designers and architects. It is a true pleasure to partner with the Georgetown House Tour for this incredible panel. Stewardship and preservation are at the heart of B&B Italia’s design philosophy, shaping everything we do. Since our founding in 1966, we’ve remained deeply committed to sustainability, ethical craftsmanship, and honoring our design heritage. These values continue to define us as a leading voice in Italian design.
Joseph Richardson, Richardson & Associates Landscape Architects, panelist
What would go into your ideal Georgetown backyard landscape or garden, especially the smaller spaces Georgetowners often work with?
Working in Georgetown reminds me of the early days of my career as a landscape architect working on courtyards throughout New Orleans. My favorite things to incorporate into these smaller spaces include lush planting with a variety of colors and textures, interesting paving materials and patterns and small water features or sculptures.
Wayne Adams, BVA BarnesVanze Architects, panelist
What is your best advice to Georgetowners who want to keep their historic home’s roots but update it to reflect a more modern time?
Balancing change with preserving the past can be achieved. Modern infrastructure upgrades, energy efficiency, internet access and lighting preferences are needed without compromising historical craftsmanship. The historic environment offers craftsmanship, stories, and connections. Modern life benefits from this authenticity, a community that feels lived-in, rooted, and meaningful. We need flexibility while participating in history.
Change is inevitable, but we want to retain the significance of the historic character that attracts us to the community. We must honor the past and foster growth without erasing the heritage. We need to make room for the needs and rhythms of modern life. Modern life demands open spaces, for example, and finding creative ways to meet that framework is challenging. It’s about building on the foundation of our shared heritage respectfully, creatively, and sustainably so that history enhances the present rather than holding it back. It’s a collaboration! It’s a balancing act; one should not erase the craftsmanship of the past; one should respect it, be creative, flexible, patient, and collaborate.
Erica Burns, Erica Burns Interiors, panelist
This year’s house tour is hoping to draw more of the next generation of Georgetowners. What do you think are 3 key pieces/ideas new Georgetown homeowners should invest in when it comes to interior design?
For new Georgetown homeowners, I would focus on the following to bring character to these homes with such rich history:
Start with paint. Paint is one of the most transformative tools in design. A fresh coat of soft white can immediately brighten a space, especially when there is not a lot of natural light, but I also love the impact of color drenching in isolated rooms like a library or powder room. It creates a sense of discovery as you move through the home.
Add in antique furniture. Something old brings instant soul to a space and adds to Georgetown’s sense of history. It could be an early American chest at the entry, a pair of mid-century chairs in the living room, or a vintage chandelier. It’s fun to add pieces over time so the rooms evolve and tell a story.
Layer in art. Art is what makes a home feel personal and authentic. It doesn’t have to be fine art—I always say to buy what you like, whether it’s a piece found at the Georgetown flea market or while traveling. Mix different styles and mediums and collect it over time.