Employees gather 'round this TV to play Guitar Hero at work.

Real-estate marketing firm Delucchi Plus moved into a new office at 1828 L Street, NW, in DC—just down the hall from The Washingtonian—in February. The newly renovated, ultra-modern space received a silver LEED rating, proving it’s not just well-designed but also environmentally-friendly.

Green features include:
• Desks made from recycled materials
• Insulation made of recycled cotton
• Low mercury lighting with motion sensors that turn lights on and off
• Energy Star appliances
• Concrete floors with nontoxic sealants

But perhaps the coolest feature is the flat-screen TV in the lounge where employees play Guitar Hero.

“The staff is really excited,” says company president Christine Delucchi. “They take pride in their space, and it translates when they’re working with clients.” A future project on Delucchi’s wish list is a green rooftop garden, a clean and relaxing place away from the office. “It would be like a zen, meditation room—a quiet place for people to go.”

 What do you think? Would working in a beautiful office like this make you more productive?

Check out our full slideshow of Delucchi's office below.

Most of the original wood had been torn up and replaced with plywood. On the first floor, there was an inexplicable one-inch ledge running down the middle, a perfect toe-stubbing opportunity if left as is (and a few crazy contractors suggested I do just that). The stairs . . . oh my. The stairs were a horrid mess. A previous owner had totally rebuilt them . . . with two-by-fours and no level. It was an OSHA hazard just looking at them.

I interviewed more contractors for the floors than for any other job. This project wasn’t just a minor repair or the installation of a modern convenience; it was a restoration project. Even if I tore out everything and put in all new floors, I had to remember that this was a 97-year-old Federal-style rowhouse that deserved respect.

Pets can be expensive—vet bills, kibble, toys, dog treats. But many dog and cat owners may have overlooked another expense: pet rent.

At the Sovereign Park apartments near DC’s Thomas Circle, there’s a $750 one-time charge for a dog, which must weigh less than 50 pounds. Doggy rent tacks an extra $55 onto monthly bills. Cats cost an owner $500 up front plus $35 a month.

In Columbia Heights, the Park Triangle apartments have a hefty pet rent and fee as well. There are no weight restrictions, but any pet weighing more than 30 pounds costs a nonrefundable $600. Dogs this large also carry a $50 monthly charge in rent. For pets less than 30 pounds, the move-in fee is $400 plus $30 a month in pet rent. Alexandria’s Foxchase Apartments has a weight restriction of 35 pounds and charges a $300 fee with a $40 pet rent.

More than 200 people have been forced from their homes after a fire destroyed an apartment building in DC’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood [DCist]

Bow ties aside, Anthony Williams may be hip after all: The former mayor just bought a luxury loft condominium on H Street worth more than $1 million. [WaPo]

Plans for luxury apartments, stores, and restaurants near downtown Bethesda have been scrapped due to a lack of support from county officials and homeowners. [WBJ via Live on the Red Line]

What: Capital Solar Condos

Where: 1337 Harvard Street, NW

Number of Units:  Three

Prices: The basement and first-floor duplex which has three bedrooms and three baths is $620,000;  the two bedroom, two-bath unit is $499,000; the two-bedroom, one-bath unit is $475,000

Green perks: Dual-flush toilets, motion sensor lights, tankless hot water heaters, bamboo floors, and low flow shower heads. On the sunniest of days, you’ll save up extra energy which can be sold back to PEPCO, and re-used on cloudier days.   

Location: Two blocks from Columbia Heights Metro

Sold: None yet

So what do you think? Are we going to see more of these in the future? And is decreasing your carbon footprint worth the price?

Arise Gallery, which specializes in Asian artifacts, handcrafts, and antiques, is closing its furniture and home-decor division—and putting everything on sale. Through the end of April, furniture and lighting are 50 to 70 percent off, tribal baskets are 50 percent off, Japanese antique dolls are 40 percent off, and Buddhas are 30 percent off. Everything else in the store is marked down 20 to 40 percent.
5114 Roanoke Place, College Park; 301-486-1230


The three area locations of Design Within Reach sell moderately priced contemporary furniture and accessories. Now they’re even more affordable. DWR’s semi-annual sale runs through March 18. Take 10 percent off more than 1,000 items. At the Georgetown location, that includes floor samples that are already 40 to 60 percent off.
3307 Cady’s Alley, Georgetown; 202-339-9480
1838 Columbia Road., NW; 202-265-5640
4828 St. Elmo Avenue, Bethesda; 301-215-7200

Heather's new heating system includes a cozy gas fireplace. She still plans to install rocks and embers to cover the black burner.

Aside from radiators, there are two major types of heating systems: forced air and heat pumps. Forced-air systems are standard in most new construction. They use a gas-powered furnace that heats air directly (rather than through steam, like a radiator) and forces it through ducts that run through the house.

Heat pumps run with electricity, and move hot and cool air to make warm areas warmer and vice versa. They work best in parts of the country with moderate winters, as they siphon warm air from the outside. This kind of system usually runs through baseboard units and is cheaper to install and operate, mostly because electricity is cheaper than gas.

It never seemed logical to install anything but a forced-air system—heat pumps may technically be more energy-efficient, but forced-air systems actually heat the area better and more quickly. And maybe more important, the more sophisticated forced-air system seemed a better investment for a house I will probably sell in a few years.

The first contractor I met sent me into a panic with a wildly ridiculous estimate of $23,000. The second was on the list of recommended contractors from my real-estate agent, and I’d come across glowing recommendations in online forums. When I met with them, I instantly got the impression that they were trustworthy and experienced.