A Capital Classic

 No budget constraints, unreasonable deadlines or demanding clients. It would be our own design heaven. When we are given the opportunity to see the homes of noted interior designers, it is a reminder to us that hard work, determination and the courage of our convictions can make our seemingly far-fetched dreams come true.

Most recently, we had the chance to explore the Washington, DC home of Thomas Pheasant, one of our ultimate design heroes. Pheasant's interiors stand out most because of his courageous use of neutral colours and ability to deftly combine classic design details with clean, modern lines. His unique talent has earned him the prestigious Andrew Martin International Design of the Year title and ranked him among Architectural Digest's Deans of American Design.

Nestled in a park-like garden in the prestigious Georgetown neighbourhood of Washington, DC, Pheasant's 6,000 square foot home comprises 18 rooms, a pool and a pool house. When you enter, you are struck by the amount of sunlight.

"One of the features I loved about the house was the light that greets you when you first walk through the door," says Pheasant proudly. "You can look straight through the centre of the house and out to the rear garden." Limestone and light upholstered walls add to the ethereal glow. They also provide the ideal backdrop for Pheasant's gallery of furniture - one of the most important elements of his home. Every piece has been custom designed by Pheasant himself. His knack for furniture design spawned a very successful collection bearing his name for the world-famous furniture design house Baker and McGuire.

"I have always enjoyed the luxury of designing furniture for my clients; it is a wonderful way to build unique interiors and give my clients something special," he says. "In 2001, Baker approached me to see if I would be interested in creating a collection, and since then I have created three for them. The most recent collection is a direct reflection of the furnishings I designed for my own home. I hope to launch my next Baker collection in 2012."

The adjacent living room is perhaps the best illustration of the variety of design styles that influence Pheasant. Sleek, clean-lined chairs sit amongst elegantly tufted sofas and classically detailed tables in mahogany. Four small tables are placed together to form a larger coffee table with a decidedly contemporary twist.

"The interior relies on the quality of its contents, not the drama of colour and pattern," remarks Pheasant about the neutral colours and absence of patterned fabric. One is truly able to respect the almost sculptural quality of each and every piece of furniture - a purity of design that is often lost with loud colours or patterns. When he does introduce colour in this room, it is in the form of artwork. "The two blue paintings above the fireplaces in the living room are modern seascapes by Mark Dassoulas. The simplicity and the depth of his work is remarkable," he notes.

The dining room is a glass box inside the verdant, sprawling garden. Sunlight and infinite shades of green pour into this space. The elegant forms of furniture, combined with bold punches of bronze and mahogany provide drama. A sinuous white porcelain sculpture by Eva Hild presides over this room. "I placed it in the dining room to allow my guests time to experience how the form changes as the light around it changes," says Pheasant.

It is one thing to design an impressive entertainment space, but the true personality and design style of a homeowner is nearly always reflected in their bedroom and bathroom. We are therefore keen to see what Thomas Pheasant design looks like in those two areas. "Of course it is difficult to decide for your own home with all the choices," says Pheasant. "For my new home it was actually easy. I was travelling so much during the rebuilding of my house and I had to put my clients' projects ahead of my own. I did most of my creative work on planes and would send the drawings to my office.

"The furnishings in the house are almost all my own designs. I punctuated my designs with antiques and art that I had collected over recent years. I feel so fortunate to live in such a personal expression of my design vocabulary." Pheasant admits that his two favourite rooms are his bedroom and bathroom. "Because my days are so busy, my time at home is usually early morning and late night. These spaces begin and end the day for me. There is so much light and space that I feel incredibly at rest here," he says. Once again, the themes of lightness and reprieve are carried over. In the bedroom, silks and natural fabrics abound while decidedly contemporary brass pieces sit comfortably with classical mahogany ones.

The bathroom has a white colour palette offset by natural limestone. It features a metallic, contemporary version of a Victorian bathtub which is the central access for a room with infallible symmetry. While Pheasant's entire home has inspired us, we are most taken by the sheer beauty and serenity of his bathroom. It is bathrooms like this that motivate aspiring young designers to work harder so that one day, they too may luxuriate in such a space. He smiles and says, "I have had a lot of bathrooms in my past, some not so nice! It has taken many years to get this far. One day you just might find yourself in a place you could not imagine you would ever be. I know, it has happened to me."

Powerful and inspirational words from a true design virtuoso.