This two-bedroom, one-bath in Alexandria has character—from the brightly-painted accent walls to the arched windows. The apartment, which has wall-to-wall carpeting throughout, has separate living and dining spaces as well as a large balcony off the living room. Both bedrooms have large closets; the one in the master bedroom is a walk-in. The apartment comes with two parking spaces, plus a guest parking permit, as well as pool access.

Address: Canterbury Square and Duke Street, Alexandria
Rent: $1,500, which includes heat, air conditioning, electricity, gas, and water.
Move-in: Immediately

Where: 132 Charles Street, Annapolis
Listing Price: $3,600,000
Time on the Market: Five months
Bedrooms: Four
Bathrooms: Four

This 1875 townhouse, called the Isaac Newton Richardson house, has been renovated to blend modern amenities with historic touches. Architect Wayne Good kept the arch detail of the original windows and carried it through the living areas of the home, which have 11-foot ceilings and gas fireplaces. The custom-built kitchen has modern granite countertops and top-of-the-line appliances, but the historic feel is maintained in the style and detail of the cabinetry and the arched throughways to the surrounding rooms. The kitchen is adjacent to an octagonal conservatory, which overlooks our favorite part of the house: the backyard, with its koi pond, fountain, and brick patio.

For more photos of this property, click here.

If the end of daylight savings has you bummed, the Annapolis by Candlelight Tour this weekend might make you appreciate the shorter days.  The tour, which begins right before sunset on Friday and Saturday, lets you take a peek inside more than a dozen historic houses in downtown Annapolis. Homes on the tour span three centuries of architecture and are along King George, Prince George, East, and Pinkney streets.

Volunteers will be stationed at each of the houses to give background information and answer questions.  The self-guided tour takes place from 5 to 9 PM on Friday and Saturday. For tickets ($35), call 410-267-8146 or visit www.reservations.annapolis.org.

This week was big in fixer-upper land: Despite being swamped at work and feeling generally blah about starting a new project, I purchased my first bathroom-related item.

It wasn’t easy. When you aren’t excited about renovating, spending money on home improvement feels like getting socks and underwear for Christmas.

So nobody was more surprised than I was at the thrill I felt when ripping open that box. It wasn’t even a fancy or unique purchase, but it somehow got me back to the level of excitement I needed to get this process moving again. As I described in a previous post, I have a system for creating a design, and with the help of my new-found enthusiasm, I got to it.

That first purchase was the medicine cabinet. I think it may be the very definition boring, but I went with it for two reasons. First, I like that it doesn’t stick out from the wall. Even among recessed cabinets, many jut out to show off fancy design elements. Secondly, unlike my first choice, it was not out of stock.

The second purchase was the light fixture. Are you noticing a theme? Yes, they are both from Pottery Barn. I am tempted to lie and say I found them at a fabulous nearby antique shop or on Craigslist. Getting a bunch of fixtures from Pottery Barn does feel a little bit like selecting a tattoo design of a yin yang sign. But I gotta hand it to the old PB—I just liked their stuff best, and medicine cabinets and wall sconces aren’t really where I want to make a big statement. Not that I’m defensive or anything.

Pick up this six-drawer table in McLean for $800. It’s made of cherry and has a maple inlay. Use it as a sideboard in the living room or as a buffet in the dining room.

Other good finds:

• Still-in-the-box closet organizing system for $150.
• Pine coffee table for $99.
• A pair of marble-top pedestal tables for $795.
• Whimsical hand-painted, kid-size desk for $250.

Thanks, Craig!

• Restoration plans for the old Howard Theatre include a restaurant and education area for rehearsal and class space. [DCMud]

• The old Waterside Mall in Southwest DC is officially history. Its sign was taken down earlier this week and construction of the new buildings continues at full speed. [DCMetrocentric]

• The Tenley-Friendship Heights library debacle continues. Plans for the mixed-use development are moving forward despite opposition from two city councilmembers. [WBJ]

• Urban Turf has picked a few weekend open houses worth checking out, including a Victorian Rowhouse in Columbia Heights. [Urban Turf]

• The Washington City Paper’s Housing Complex blog had a great suggestion for the future of the Third Church of Christ, Scientist on 16th Street: Turn it into a club. Why didn’t we think of this? With a name like “Brutal” this place would be the hottest gay club in town. [Housing Complex]

One block west of Reston Town Center, this two-bedroom condo comes with lots of perks: hardwood and marble floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, in-unit washer and dryer. The kitchen has matching stainless-steel appliances and dark granite countertops. The living room looks spacious—the current set-up includes a large sectional sofa—and there’s space for a small dining table. Two parking spaces are included in the rent, and building amenities include a pool and fitness center.

Address: 12000 Market Street, Reston
Price: $1,850 a month

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