Home & Design

Vibrant Revival

Glass Construction restores a historic Kalorama row house to its former splendor

Once home to the Libyan Embassy, a stately Flemish Revival-style town home had certainly seen better days. The 1908 residence, located in DC’s posh Embassy Row neighborhood, had sat vacant for 25 years; it had reached a state of structural collapse when new owners contacted Glass Construction with a mandate to transform it into a family home. The whole-house renovation included the painstaking restoration of the front façade, which went from drab and nondescript to vibrant and fresh—with its history intact.

The house was taking in storm water, and the roof, framing and masonry had deteriorated. Glass Construction’s herculean job entailed rebuilding the foundation, gables, dormers, front arches and much of the masonry. The roof frame was reconstructed and slate on the mansard and dormer roofs was replaced. New copper roofing was added, along with a basement-level garage.

The brick façade—formerly painted two dingy shades of cream—was stripped and repointed, creating a seamless look softened by attractive plantings.

Award: Grand, Residential Historical Renovation/Restoration $250,000 and over. Renovation Design & Construction: Glass Construction, Inc., Washington, DC. 

You may also like:

2007 Contractor of the Year Awards
Presented by the Metro DC Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)
Weekend Oasis
A design team transforms a mundane Maryland rambler into a plantation-style riverfront home
Renovation 101
The latest products make remodeling easy
HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

The company also publishes an annual H&D Sourcebook of ideas and resources for homeowners and professionals alike. H&D Chesapeake Views is published bi-annually and showcases fine home design and luxury living in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

Stay Connected with HOME & DESIGN Newsletter

Copyright © 2024 Home & Design. All rights reserved. | Back to top
magnifier