Washington. DC
This 900 square foot historic row house in Foggy Bottom is intended to be a "boutique hotel away from home" for the Atlantic-hopping client and his family. Since the house is barely 11' wide the over-riding goal was to maximize open space and create built-in storage and furniture, using the floor area as efficiently as possible. The main floor is completely open between front and rear in an effort to visually expand the space from interior to garden. The two side walls define the space through material and use. On the right a "warm" plane of wood rolls up the wall and ceiling to define the seating area, and then continues along the side transforming into open shelving (including a built-in desk), closet and pantry areas, and terminates as a butcher block counter in the kitchen. The opposite "cool" wall is defined by porcelain "steel" textured tiles around the fireplace, black and stainless steel stair and railings, and plate steel cladding around the powder room (including a custom steel door that disappears into the wall). The kitchen on this side also boasts stainless steel and high gloss laminate finishes. The main floor is covered in a blood-wood flooring which creates a rich backdrop against the dark steel and light ash cabinets. The rear ipe deck, stained to match the blood-wood, steps down onto a simple red brick patio lined with black Mexican river stones. The upper level is more subdued and tranquil. Warm maple flooring replaces the blood-wood, which emerges only in the finish of the custom master bed (an echo of the finish on the ceiling below). Two bedrooms, boasting custom cabinets for storage, skylights and a bathroom filled with natural light from solar tubes complete the second floor.
This 900 square foot historic row house in Foggy Bottom is intended to be a "boutique hotel away from home" for the Atlantic-hopping client and his family. Since the house is barely 11' wide the over-riding goal was to maximize open space and create built-in storage and furniture, using the floor area as efficiently as possible. The main floor is completely open between front and rear in an effort to visually expand the space from interior to garden. The two side walls define the space through material and use. On the right a "warm" plane of wood rolls up the wall and ceiling to define the seating area, and then continues along the side transforming into open shelving (including a built-in desk), closet and pantry areas, and terminates as a butcher block counter in the kitchen. The opposite "cool" wall is defined by porcelain "steel" textured tiles around the fireplace, black and stainless steel stair and railings, and plate steel cladding around the powder room (including a custom steel door that disappears into the wall). The kitchen on this side also boasts stainless steel and high gloss laminate finishes. The main floor is covered in a blood-wood flooring which creates a rich backdrop against the dark steel and light ash cabinets. The rear ipe deck, stained to match the blood-wood, steps down onto a simple red brick patio lined with black Mexican river stones. The upper level is more subdued and tranquil. Warm maple flooring replaces the blood-wood, which emerges only in the finish of the custom master bed (an echo of the finish on the ceiling below). Two bedrooms, boasting custom cabinets for storage, skylights and a bathroom filled with natural light from solar tubes complete the second floor.
