In the parlour, if you please.
My lovely friend Amy was kind enough to host us at her DC abode last week for dinner. It was cold, rainy and windy and after some time trying to make it across the city in such a storm, we were glad to go inside. What I wasn’t expecting was how fantastic the house was. It was a little Sherlock-Holmes, a little Victorian Lady, a little Drag Queen, and a lot of fun. Bold wall colors and lots of fun little discoveries awaited us at every turn. As I left my camera at home, Amy was kind enough to send me some pictures of the place. And now I’d like to share them with you!
On a great block of old brick row-houses sits this gem. You’d never know from the outside how decidedly non-traditional it is. Parlours in the front let in the light and block the city noises from the rooms behind them. Creative lighting solutions and large fireplace mantels set the mood. On hand is the resident puppy, Nylah, who looks scary from the outset but is indeed the friendliest dog on earth. The chalkboard paint in the panels of the kitchen door is a great place for a grocery list or a note to the roomies.
Another thing I really like about the house is all of the gothic accessories. A suit of armor guarding the stairwell? Of course! Gargoyles scattered over every surface? Well, I thought every house had them! They’re offset nicely by all of the dark wood framing out the doorways and stairwells. Who says traditional has to be boring? Check out the fabulous Ms. Amy herself – look at those legs!!
The back servant stairs were pretty terrifying (as Amy said, they had about the proportion of a Mayan temple) but the idea of a hidden staircase was pretty exciting. My absolute favorite thing was the gargoyle sitting in the gorgeous tile fireplace. There was a glorious “poopatorium” that was painted a pretty navy/black color, proving that it is possible to pull off super dark walls. And the best part of all, hidden behind gorgeous wardrobe doors – THE BAR. Needless to say, we had a great time.
Thanks to Amy and the boys for letting us into their home and letting us eat drink and be merry. And then for sending follow-up pictures. You guys rock.
