Love touring unique homes and looking for ideas of how to enhance your own home? Be certain to mark May 19 or 20 on the calendar for the Potomac Spring House Tour. Presented by Congregation Har Shalom, it will offer an opportunity to view four elegant homes, to observe the latest in interior design, architecture and remodeling — and to peruse antiques, family heirlooms and fine art. While this Tour is named “Potomac,” only one of this year’s homes is in Potomac while others are in nearby Bethesda, North Bethesda and Chevy Chase.

Co-chairs of the event are Joan Levenson and Jack Markowitz, their second year volunteering as co-chairs and their fifth year as tour volunteers.

"This year the Potomac Spring House Tour features showcase houses that represent the different urban and suburban lifestyles within our metropolitan area with particular emphasis on ideas from empty-nesters that accommodate the needs of occasional visits from adult children and grandchildren," Markowitz said. “House tours are quite a tradition in Potomac. Our tour provides an opportunity for the tour-going community to visit local homes of distinctive value and interest in the spring when flowers and trees are blooming.”

Proceeds from the tour benefit the Congregation Har Shalom and its projects which assist those in need locally and throughout the world. Co-Chair Levenson said, “I am proud that we assist so many local and international charities. Among them are Manna Food Center, Children’s Inn at NIH, A Wider Circle, Mazon, Fisher House, Camp Caring, and the Men’s Shelter in Rockville. This tour is also a wonderful way to demonstrate the power of what 100 volunteers can do.”

The homes on the tour are each a different style. House A in North Bethesda is a warm and inviting retreat for family and friends. Built by Jendell Construction in 2010, the home offers modern amenities such as a gourmet kitchen, three-car garage and exquisite landscaping — plus an art studio for the owner. Tour-goers will have the opportunity to view family heirlooms, including a Civil War sword, a 1920’s Steinway grand piano, an Iranian silk rug, antique model trains and an 1860 music box. Additionally, tour goers will be able to see original art created by the owner.

French décor is the highlight of House B, along with Harold Behrens paintings and interior design work by Carole Lindenberg of Potomac Designs. This home features intricate detailing, handsome antiques, grand spaces, luxurious finishes and a cozy French country kitchen.

House C is a new four-level Arts and Crafts style home featuring two fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen, an expansive deck, a stunning master bath and a sunlit studio over a detached garage — all in the urban setting of Chevy Chase. However, even though this home is close-in, it includes views of Chevy Chase Golf Club to give it the open feel of a country home. This energy-efficient home was built by Sandy Spring Builders.

The final home on the tour is House D, located in Potomac. This 50-year-old farmhouse on 2.5 acres has been modified and expanded to blend Western charm with suburban convenience and modern amenities. The 5-bedroom home includes a two-sided stone fireplace, a working wood fireplace in the kitchen, an attic converted into a kids’ floor and a spacious master suite. The home has the feel of a rustic Colorado lodge.

The tour will take place Sunday, May 19 and Monday, May 20 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the tour. Tickets may be purchased at www.PotomacHouseTour.org, or in person at Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Additionally, tickets may be purchased on tour days at Tour House A on Luxmanor Road near Poindexter Lane in North Bethesda or at Har Shalom during Tour hours. Tickets are not available at any other tour home or on-line on tour days. For more information, call 301-299-7087x336 or e-mail info@potomachousetour.org.