Wiebenson & Dorman Architects: The future owners of this 1880s, 4,000 square feet rowhome, were originally looking to move for a more urban experience. In the fall of 2010, they fell in love with a vintage Victorian row house close to the neighborhood of Logan Circle, unaware of the history behind it. Due to discrepancies in 19th century paperwork, it is unclear which architect, Glenn Brown or TF Schneider, designed this row home. Regardless, both designers are respected for a multitude of buildings across DC. What is clear, however, is that the house was built for the Ewan family and their three daughters. The home still bears a carved relief of four female hands each holding bells, which hangs above the front door. This sculpture reflects the original homeowners– specifically the four women– and the given name, “The House of Four Belles.” There is no question that the home is historic, as it also had structural issues from over 100 years of use. Updating the space was necessary to preserve the rich history and also provide more functional spaces for the new owners, which was achieved in four distinct but cohesive ways:
1) Keeping and restoring the significant original elements -rebuilding the curved glass bay windows; restoring the magnificent wooden grand stair; detailing the Lincrusta wainscoting and plaster relief moldings; reconstructing the six fireplaces and marble mantles; and, refinishing the wood lattice arch in the entry hall.
2) Salvaging but repurposing significant, original elements - such as exposing, reconditioning, and relocating the sliding pocket doors and hardware from the kitchen to a custom track at the second floor office; relocating and modifying the massive wood sideboard from the dining room into the living room and turning it into a well-stocked bar; and, transforming an 11’ tall floor-mounted mirror into a coat rack on the grand stair landing.
3) Replacing and improving the original elements - such as a new and relocated kitchen; modernizing four baths and a powder room; constructing a three story ‘sky deck’ with a vibrant green steel frame arch that straddles the backyard while framing the urban landscape.
4) Transforming original elements by inserting new components- such as designing three long benches – one with storage drawers running from the entryway to the stair hall, the second as a banquet in the dining area facing the kitchen, and the third in the garden under the great arch; punching patterned holes through a wall to create transparency between the stair hall and an office; sculpting abstract clouds around third floor skylight openings; and adding translucent sliding doors in front of original arched openings to close off the grand stair from the master bedroom and home office.
Although the owners have a modern taste for interior design, the two styles deliberately mix and are interwoven to create comfortable spaces. The painted steel arch frames the view of DC and supports the sky deck protruding from the third-floor office, truly encompassing this combination of the modern and traditional design.
