By Natalie Grasso
The Laird-Dunlop Coach House in Georgetown. Photograph courtesy of Home Visit.
The Laird-Dunlop Coach House is abuzz with people finalizing its listing with Washington Fine Properties. Listing agent Eileen McGrath is on her laptop in the kitchen, interior designer Kelley Proxmire is putting the finishing touches on her staging job, and photographer Angie Seckinger has just arrived to document it all. We’re here for a tour with McGrath, and as we wait for her to complete paperwork our eyes drift to the ballroom. We begin to fantasize about the parties we might like to throw in the room, with its 14-foot ceiling and Palladian-inspired French doors opening onto a lush and secluded garden and views across the river to Virginia.
By Kathleen Bridges
Photographs by Kathleen Bridges.
Walking along the hilly, tree-shaded lanes of Hollin Hills, it's hard to believe you're less than ten miles from bustling downtown DC. Throw in the hundreds of sleek, angular midcentury-modern homes that dot the Alexandria neighborhood, and it's not only geographics that are confounded, but time as well.
This past weekend, care of the third annual Hollin Hills House & Garden Tour, ten of these Charles Goodman-designed properties opened their doors and gates to hundreds of curious architecture oglers. If you missed out, no worries--we snapped some shots via Instagram to give you a feel for this enchanting neighborhood, all towering trees and tucked-away modernist treasures. Like what you see? Stay tuned--we spotted a handful of "for sale" signs as we wandered through the neighborhood, and will be back soon with the scoop on what's on the market.
By Kathleen Bridges
Photograph courtesy of CMC Photography.
Saturday, rain or shine, 12 of the midcentury-modern gems dotting the Alexandria enclave known as Hollin Hills will open their doors to the public as part of the neighborhood's annual House & Garden Tour.
As if you needed another excuse to don your best Betty Draper shift and shake up a fresh batch of Manhattans.
Photographs courtesy of Home Visit.
Address: 2030 R St., NW
Price: $3,750,000
Details: 6,000 square feet; 6 BR, 4+ BA; roof deck, 3-car parking, media system, elevator; lower-level space could function as gallery or in-law suite.
Listing Agents: Cathie Gill, John Gill, and John Pruski
We know, we’re still in Dupont (and still not completely over that Corcoran Street property we showed you last time). But we couldn’t resist the opportunity to sneak a peek at this four-level Victorian we discovered on a recent trip to the neighboring Phillips Collection.
Where: Solo Piazza, 1300 13th Street, NW
Size: 1,400 square feet
Type: Two bedroom plus den with two bathrooms
Moved in: September 2005
Why Logan Circle? “I like how everything is changing in this neighborhood. Plus, it’s close to everything, including my office on 14th Street. Before I moved here, I lived in Mount Pleasant for 13 years. I thought I’d live there forever. Then I started doing real estate and I realized I could play with my money—sell, buy. So I sold my place and moved here.”
What’s the style of the house? I guess you would call it a Cape Cod since it is technically one-and-a-half stories. We looked at hundreds of plans and combined what we liked.
Can you describe the floorplan? Our house has three bedrooms with an extremely open floorplan. The entire second floor is the master suite with 20-foot cathedral ceilings of heavy timber. The main floor consists of the open kitchen, pantry, dining area, powder room, and living area. We like to have parties and this open floorplan lends itself to entertaining—everyone can be in the same room, but also spread out. We also have a large wraparound deck. The basement has a large laundry room (which also holds an extra fridge and freezer), an exercise area, a full bath, two bedrooms, and a recreation room with a wet bar.
Where? 16th and Q streets, near Dupont Circle
Size? 472 square feet
Type? Studio
Moved in? August 2007
Why Dupont Circle? "After two years of living in a four-story townhouse in Southwest DC with three friends, I wanted a place that was my own. I wanted to experience more of the city and live in a neighborhood that was close to my favorite restaurants, bars, and stores. I also feel safe walking around the neighborhood and I love its beautiful rowhouses."
Overall Look? "Modern and minimalist. I wanted to use the same color palette throughout so the room flowed well, yet I still tried to make each area distinct. I didn’t want to feel like my dining room (if you can call it that) was in my bedroom. Because my kitchen is separate from the main living area, I decided I could use different colors to make that part feel distinct.
"To achieve a minimal look and make the apartment feel bigger, I scaled back on furniture and other objects that could clutter the apartment. I read that the worst thing you could do in a studio is have furniture that is overwhelming and too large—or just have too much stuff. I also had to think of new ways to use things I already owned so that I didn’t have to buy all new furniture. My rent was doubling, so I had a very limited budget!"
Inspiration? "A two-page spread in a West Elm catalog caught my eye. The furniture was dark brown and there were light blue accents. While this was a look specifically for a living room in a large home with ample space, I decided to try to make it work. I used chocolate brown, light blue, and cream/beige as the colors for my main room.
"Because a friend had gotten me cute black and white kitchen towels and an oven mitt, and another friend gave me black stemless martini glasses with black and white napkins, I decorated my kitchen in black and white."
_1.jpg)
Want to see more photos from Washington events and parties? Click here for Washingtonian.com's photo slideshow page.
Where? The Cherrydale neighborhood in North Arlington
Size? 700 square feet
Type? One bedroom
When did you move in? Memorial Day weekend
Why North Arlington? “I had been renting a house with a couple of girls in the same area, and I fell in love with all the cute shops. I love going to the Lee Height shops—my favorites are Arrowine, a wine store; Randolph’s bakery; and Cassatts, a New Zealand-style cafe. When it came time to live on my own, I knew I couldn’t leave the neighborhood. It feels like home.”
Size? 2,500 square feet
Type? Townhouse
Moved in? 2001
Why Dupont? "This area has the best of city living. Everything we need is within walking distance, including the Metro. We have The Phillips Collection, wonderful architecture, and a variety of shops."
Overall Look? "Gilded eclectic is the only category we can fit into; we have more gilded objects than King Tut."
Inspiration? "Bill is an artist, gilder, frame-maker, and conservator of gilded objects. This is why we have empty antique frames as artwork and other little treasures sitting around. I am a painter who has learned to use gold leaf in my work and since my studio is the top floor of our home, I use the entire house to showcase my work."
Biggest Decorating Challenge? "Incorporating all the weird things Bill brings home. Like the twisted iron railing he pulled from a demolition site, gilded, and proudly brought home one night. It ended up on our living room mantle."
