Join the Darnestown Community in celebrating the holidays with our first annual holiday home tour. This year’s tour will feature four homes, including two historic homes, each of which played an important role in the formation of the Darnestown community. Each room on the tour will be professionally decorated for the holidays by talented local floral designers in their own unique style and theme, showcasing the creativity and spirit of the holiday season.
The homes will be open from 12-4 on December 14th with additional festivities at each location. Tickets are $30/per person with children under 12 admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased at the Kelley Farm house but advanced online purchases are recommended. Proceeds will benefit the Darnestown Civic Association’s scholarship fund.
2024 Tour Homes
14820 Kelley Farm Drive
Pleasant Hills plantation was built in 1765 by Charles Gassaway and originally encompassed 1700 acres which later became Spring Meadows and a large part of Darnestown. Today, the property is owned by Steve and Amy Kurtenbach, who operate a flower farm on the property, also named Pleasant Hills Farm.
17200 Riffle Ford Road
The original portion of the John Hanson Gassaway House was built in 1812 and purchased by John Gassaway, a cousin of Charles Gassaway, in 1872, with additions made that year as well as 1894 and 1897. The property is currently owned by John Wagoner and Debra Massaro, who will soon be opening Giving Tree Farm, an event venue on the property.
14930 Springfield Road
This stunningly decorated home, owned by Matthew and Natalie Hanson, was built by the couple in 1997 with Richard Leggin Architects. The couple completed a major renovation and addition in 2008. It is a truly remarkable home that you won’t want to miss!
13321 Manor Stone Drive
This beautiful farm house inspired home was built by Charles and Robin Hanley in 2000. The Metzger family became the proud owners of this impressive home in 2020. The architectural details make it seem much older than it is.
2024 Designers
We have an amazing slate of local floristry talent lined up for our inaugural holiday home tour! Each of these talented floral designers bring a wealth of experience and unique design styles to the rooms they will each decorate for the tour. They are all active members in the community and the world of floral design with a shared passion for incorporating locally grown flowers in their work.
Lisa Ruf
Another long-time resident of Darnestown, Lisa is the owner of Goodness Gracious Florals, a boutique floral studio specializing in weddings, special occasions and fabulous parties. Lisa’s refined floristry combines a wide range of floral styles, anywhere from the romantic English garden style to the sophisticated European design styles. In her 20 years of designing, she has earned a European Masters Certification and AIFD Certified Floral Designer status.
Tonya Jones
Owner of Wilding Flowers Co and Kentlands Flowers, Tonya is a talented floral designer and long-time resident of Darnestown. Her designs are ethereal, whimsical and captivating with seasonal, local and textural ingredients. Her styling will take you on a journey through form, structure, color and light and lots of movement. Her work is fitting for all occasions from special day arrangements to intimate or large-scale weddings. Tonya’s designs include a variety of styles ranging from foraged and found to garden-style, classical and modern.
Rachel Johnson
Rachel is the owner of Floral & Bloom Designs, a floral studio specializing in weddings for over a decade. She aims to create an elevated and welcoming atmosphere as the backdrop for any celebration. She highlights what nature has to offer creating arrangements with movement and unique elements. Her designs are abundant and untamed but deliberate.
Sidra Forman
Driven by client collaboration, the seasons and best available ingredients we create flowers for celebrations of all sizes and weddings large and small. Flowers and foliage are foraged, come from our city garden, local farmers, small farms across the country and all over the world.
Natalie Hanson
It is such an honor to have Natalie’s home on the tour this year. Natalie goes all out for Christmas. Her beautifully decorated home for the holidays has become a bit of a Darnestown legend. We are so grateful Natalie and her husband are opening their doors for the community to see her stunning design work. While Natalie is well known for her impeccable interior design taste, her talent goes far beyond into multiple mediums of art including floral design. She enjoys creating beautiful floral art for her friends, family and the community.
Meg Owen
Meg is the owner of the Bethesda based studio, Meg Owen Floral Designs, LLC, specializing in full-scale weddings, small intimate weddings, showers and other special day events. Meg is most passionate about exceeding her client’s vision, while sourcing fresh and beautiful flowers from local flower farms such as Pleasant Hills Farm, as well as her own garden. Meg is known for her artistry in creating beautiful combinations of color and texture.
Kelly Shore
Kelly is the owner and lead designer of Petals by the Shore, wedding and event floral design business in the DC area since 2011. In 2019, she founded the Floral Source to celebrate community, connection and confidence in US floral sourcing. Kelly is proud supporter of America’s flower farms and sources the blooms and foliage she uses from across the US. She believes the origin of flowers matter! Kelly’s lush, colorful designs have been featured in Florists’ Review and Martha Stewart Weddings, among other national and local media.
Yeon Kim
Yeon is the owner of Whispering Flower Farm. As a devoted, long-time gardener turned farmer florist, she pursues all things floral, local and seasonal. Her specialty-cut flower farm provides flowers to DVM designers through Rock & River Flower Collective. Her farm also offers seasonal flower subscriptions, as well as wedding and event flower services.
Maddy Van Horn
Maddy is the owner of East Tulip, a floral design company specializing in eclectic and modern designs. Her out-of-the box creations are full of texture, movement, and an abundance of local blooms. She is thrilled to be a part of this year’s holiday tour and can’t wait for everyone to see what she creates!
Ellen Seagraves
Ellen has worked with flowers for over 20 years. She is certified by the American Institute of Floral Designers and holds a European Masters Certification and currently serves as President of the Maryland chapter of the Independent Floral Designers Association. Previous to creating with flowers, Ellen had a bespoke handweaving business weaving textiles for clothing and furnishings. Her interest in all forms of textile art often informs her work with flowers.
Anahit Hakobyan
Anahit is the owner and creative director of Viva La Flora Designs. Her journey into the world of floral artistry began with a deep-seated love for all things creative. Shortly after discovering her floral passion, Anahit embarked on a relentless quest for floral education, including achieving the highly coveted European Masters Certification as well as AIFD and CFD accreditations, and most recently International Master Florist. Her work reflects the recognition and awards she has achieved in the international floral industry.
Laura Zimmerman
As a farmer florist, Laura came into professional flower growing by way of a love for using garden flowers in design. Her flower designs celebrate vibrant and local blooms and foliage in season with natural and organic style. Her farm, Cool Hollow Flower Farm, provides flowers to the DMV floral community. With Yeon, she is also a founding member of Rock & River Flower Collective.
Sarah Campbell Needham
Sarah is the owner and designer behind LeafHopper Designs, a floral business that has been crafting beautiful events for over 15 years. Trained in both Western and European floral styles, she specializes in designing custom weddings and events. While her expertise spans a wide range of aesthetics—from traditional to modern and Boho/English Garden—she is especially passionate about stepping outside the box and creating avant-garde, thought-provoking installations whenever the opportunity arises.
