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There’s nothing timid about this home tucked into the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the Marwood neighborhood of Potomac. The Barry Dixon-designed abode is an exuberant expression of vibrant colors, rich textures and witty architectural details.

The 14-year-old home was designed by Sutton Yantis Associates Architects and built by Mitchell, Best and Visnic in consultation with Dixon, the HGTV and “Good Morning America” interior designer. Dixon described the home, which has been featured on GMA and in House Beautiful and Decor magazines, as Arts and Crafts Renaissance revival style with French Norman overtures.

“Unlike a lot of Potomac houses, this is more a right-sized house,” said listing agent Corey Burr of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s not massive. It’s quite large, but it’s not massive.”

Visitors to the home are greeted by a sweeping spiral iron staircase that stretches through the three stories of the 8,200-square-foot dwelling. A wall of windows paints the staircase in natural light. The centerpiece of the 24-foot-high family room is the two-story fireplace wall of darkened concrete grids with its 1930s clock salvaged from a Philadelphia bank.

Another unusual feature in the family room: the industrial steel bookcases that glide along bronze tracks and can be collapsed when more space is needed for entertaining. Reclaimed antique flooring softens the industrial aspects of the room. Tuscan colors on the plaster walls also provide warmth.

Dixon designed the glass bell-jar lanterns suspended from the ceiling in the lush dining room that was inspired by summer trips to Florence and Siena, Italy. The kitchen’s patterns and textures play against one another to create visual interest. A sunny curved banquette provides an intimate gathering space.

The master suite commands the highest point in the house and is designed around a circle and square theme. The square bedroom connects with a circular sitting room set in a turret. Above the bed, 12 inches were removed from the ceiling and swaths of fabric and a headboard were added to create the illusion of a canopy.

The lower level’s area for entertaining is outfitted with a 100-inch screen that disappears when not in use, a billiards room, a full bar with a kitchenette, a climate-controlled wine cellar with a tasting table and a fitness center with a steam room.

A Celtic circle and cross motif, reminiscent of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, is repeated throughout the home. It can be spotted on entry doors, in windows and on the kitchen cabinets.

An outdoor patio overlooks the CO Canal preservation area, which sprawls down toward the Potomac River.

The four-bedroom, six-bathroom home is listed at $2.95 million. Many of the antique and designer furnishings are available to convey separately.

Listing: 9906 River View Ct., Potomac | video

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