Bleached-walnut millwork crafted by Ferris Custom Cabinetry anchors the kitchen; a stone hood creates a focal point.
Fowlkes Studio was tapped to transform two adjacent DC townhouses into one seamless abode with four bedrooms and gracious public spaces that foster entertaining. Though the original late-19th-century dwellings were dark and cramped, their historic status meant that structural elements had to be protected.
The plan created double-height volumes and added skylights that bathe the interiors in light. Though applied in a spare, modern way, tactile materials—from Venetian plaster to white oak floors—pay homage to the historic roots of the buildings. “The newly created width,” says principal VW Fowlkes, “allowed us to shed the constraints of a standard row house.”
Renovation Architecture: VW Fowlkes, AIA, LEED AP, principal; Catherine Fowlkes, AIA, principal; Martin Locraft, AIA, associate, Fowlkes Studio. Renovation Contractor: Sandy Spring Builders.