Visiting Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown

This past weekend offered beautiful fall weather, perfect for our Mid-Atlantic ICAA tour of Dumbarton Oaks arranged by landscape architect and boardmember Jennifer Horn.

Dumbarton Oaks has been owned by Harvard University since the early 1940s and hosts a number of their graduate programs on campus.  Sections of the famous gardens are open to the public and their renowned museum has a separate entrance on 32nd street NW.

Although much changed and constantly evolving, the gardens are the the work of famous landscape designer Beatrix Farrand, seen in the portrait above.

Unfortunately the house is undergoing some renovation work (roof and some structure being replaced) so scaffolding covered the neo-Georgian facade. You can see photos of the house at my earlier post from 2009 HERE.

The library is housed in the wing seen above designed by Thomas Waterman -a really spectacular period room in which one can study the antique landscape books in an elegant setting.

This grotto is only one of the many charming spots to be found throughout the gardens. The modern balustrade is very plain-jane compared to others found throughout the property but I suppose it meets code (most ugly railings do).

One of the best parts of attending the ICAA tours (everyone is welcome btw!) is that you get an opportunity to see many behind the scenes areas not open to the general public.

I had never seen most of the campus before and was thrilled with many of the original structures like the green house above, where plants are still grown for the gardens. The brick structure in the center was originally designed to be the library until someone came to their senses and realized antique books and water don't mix!

Washington is enjoying a spectacular fall this year which doesn't often happen. So often I feel we move directly from summer into winter.

 Many of the older structures such as the garage above have been wonderfully preserved on the exterior while the interiors have been unfortunately gutted and rebuilt in an institutional manner. Don't even ask about some of the modern buildings I'm not showing here and other work done on campus by architectural firm Robert Venturi - the less said there the better ( # inappropriate, # generic, # ugly ).

Many of us architects marveled at the lovely back door above - nicer than the front doors on many houses! Also notice the intricate brick paving patterns designed by Farrand.

The use of ornate brick and stone walls throughout the hilly, terraced gardens is one of my favorite aspects.

 While these are special details, they are to be found throughout the entire property.

Above is one of the many railing designs by Farrand - this may not meet modern day codes but is none-the-less pleasing to the eye.

Even the simple wooden garden bench above has lovely details; notice the scrolled bracket to the sides.

Inside the museum there are more wonderful treasures to check out. I particularly like the antique byzantine mosaics which are built into the flooring. The rather strange addition by Phillip Johnson, celebrating its 50th birthday, is growing on me and is a great example of marrying a modern addition to a classical structure (Robert Venturi take note!). Please join the ICAA on our next adventures and be sure to check out Dumbarton Oaks while in Washington, you won't be disappointed!

Don't miss this housetour!

I don't often read Apartment Therapy as it tends to be a little cookie-cutter 'contemporary' for my tastes but once in awhile they feature some great house tours. This week featured an apartment in Chicago with so much character and style I had to share it with you all!

I hate when people share an entire article or tour (SPOILER!) so I'll just share these 3 teasers with you.  I love the quirky collection of items and the dark hued walls & trim. While each object may not be to your (or my) tastes, the collective quality and ambiance of the space is top notch in my book.

Definitely check out this stylish house tour HERE! Or if you are interested in stuff related with glazing then check out Double glazing companies in Bath.

Belgian ambassador's residence interiors 3: Library & summer room

The last rooms of the Belgian ambassador's residence by the firm of Horace Trumbauer that I will share are the most informal and perhaps the favorites of everyone who visited.  The library features Regency-style paneling of mellowed natural oak inspired by a model from the Chateau de Bercy which was on view at the Met in New York.

During our visit as twilight fell, a roaring fire welcomed one into the cozy room. The shelves feature a number of interesting books on Belgium and also photography, a passion of the current ambassador. The wood frames surrounding the shelves open which led me to wonder if they once held metal screens, glass, or perhaps fabric panels.

All of this mellow wood is beautiful but leaves one wishing there was a bit of contrast, no? brown brown brown. The game table below featured a beautiful Jade chess set.

 The fire did eventually burn down unfortunately but the marble mantel piece was no less beautiful.

Just off the library is the Summer room or loggia which features a stunning treillage treatment on the walls. This felt like one of the most used rooms we visited with comfortable sofas and a dining table. I loved the chandelier here which fit the garden theme.

The medallions feature paintings of birds such as cockatoos, flamingos, spoonbills, and macaws; perfect for the current ambassador's love of avian life.

 I can see this being my favorite space in the house, daytime or evening.

A close up of the walls shows the incredible detail in the wood treillage, the faux painting, and the beautiful medallions.

One last feature to share with you to round out the posts on the residence are the panels featured on every French door; I had never seen anything like this.

Much like a car window, perhaps harking back to the family fortune from Dodge, the 2nd pane up on the left hand side of all of the French doors would open while allowing the doors to remain closed and locked. During the recent renovation when the existing doors were converted to double pane windows in interest of energy savings, this feature was retained.

I hope you all enjoyed this 4 part tour of the Belgian ambassador's residence designed by the firm of Horace Trumbauer. Many thanks to the ambassador for sharing this lovely house with all of us and the ICAA for hosting another wonderful event!

Belgian ambassador's residence interiors 2: Salon & Dining Rooms

As promised in my last post today I'm going to share the Salon, Dining room, and Breakfast room of the Belgium ambassador's residence designed by the firm of architect Horace Trumbauer.

The wood paneling, parquet flooring, and crystal chandeliers were all imported from France by the interior designers, Alavoine et Cie, to evoke the style of the French Regence (1715-1723). The portrait above is of the first Belgium ambassador to inhabit the house, Baron Silvercruys, who was responsible for its purchase.

While a formal room we were assured the Ambassador and his family love to use this space and entertain here frequently, evidenced by the personal photographs on the piano.

Despite the beautiful light the room receives in the evening I think I prefer it best a night when the chandeliers and lamps are lit, seen above. You can't beat that elegant ambiance.

The paneling is spectacular and in immaculate condition. It was only lightly retouched in the recent restoration.

The charming interiors look straight out of House Beautiful circa 1935. However- symmetry, as seen in the arrangement above, never goes out of style in my book!

 The painted paneling allows the oak parquet floors to shine and warm the space.

 From the salon one enters the Dining Room, which occupies a corner.

 Again I think the room is best seen at night!

 The caned chairs were recently restored and date to the 1930s.

One of the most intriguing details in the entire house are the mirrored screens in the dining room which shield the service areas, seen above flanking the chest.

If you look closer the screens are actually mirrored french doors, mimicking the other doors in the room, with false hinges, and open as a screen on one side to shield the actual leather-padded butler pantry doors. When not in use, the screens fold flat into the wall and appear to be normal French doors like the others in the room.

Above is a view of the butler's pantry with original cabinetry. Also original was the dumb waiter which carries food up from the kitchen below to this day.

I loved this chinese lamp on a built-in marble console table flanking the fireplace- perfect for serving more casual meals. 

 The intricate crown molding features different flowers such as daffodils and old-fashioned roses.

The paneling trophies feature spoils of the hunt.

 I can't get enough of this bronze hardware!

The current ambassador is a fan of wildlife and his stunning collection of Meissen birds decorate the primary spaces.

The Ambassador leaves his post in December to return home and I'm sure the house will miss his Meissen collection!

On the other side of the dining room is the former music room, now an informal dining room used daily by the Ambassador and his family. I suppose one would refer to it as the breakfast room.

 The marbelized walls feature musical instruments while the shelves hold more of the Meissen collection.

The table and candlesticks are recent purchases while the chairs are original and belong to the dining room set.

The light fixtures in this space are simpler and more neo-classical in style. Notice again the use of mirrored french interior doors; in this case false to provide symmetry with the entry door from the dining room.

Even the hinges were beautiful! The faux marbeling on the walls is incredible and surely make this one of the most unique rooms of the house.

Join me for my next and final post where I'll feature the library and morning room aux treillage!