Few intersections match the central location of 17th and V streets Northwest, where residents in a tiny row of renovated town homes can walk to four of the District’s most exciting neighborhoods: Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Columbia Heights and the U Street corridor. While technically located in Dupont Circle, the Victorian-style brownstone at 1734 V St. NW is closest to Adams Morgan.
On the market for $889,000, this completely renovated home offers exotic ambience on all four levels.
The owners created a private double patio in the fully fenced backyard, with one section covered with a trellis and lush foliage and the other section open to the air. This outdoor living room includes irrigation for the plants and a water fountain to add a touch of Tuscany to the space. A sliding glass door and wall of windows link the patio to the main-level family room, blending the indoor and outdoor space.
Throughout the home are finishes and fixtures imported from Morocco, Italy, Spain, Guatemala and England, including tiles for the floors and walls that complement the exposed-brick walls, wrought-iron stair rails, hardwood flooring and beamed ceilings. The eclectic mix of textures and colors makes this home unique yet warm.
From the outside, this Victorian home presents a more old-fashioned air, with a brick arch enclosing the front patio, which has tile flooring. Ivy trails from the top of the building to the second level of this circa-1907 home.
Just steps away from this home, residents can find Belgian, French, Mexican, Spanish, Ethiopian, Italian and Cajun food, along with American diner food. Night life and music venues can be found in abundance within walking distance in any direction, and on Sundays, residents can stroll to nearby Meridian Hill Park to participate in an all-afternoon drum circle.
The Marie Reed Recreation Center, a few blocks away, has tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool and other recreational amenities.
The location of this home offers the ultimate in urban living, with the ability to walk to bookstores, vintage clothing stores, record stores and parks and also quickly reach cultural and entertainment venues throughout the city on foot or using public transportation. The neighborhood receives a 95 out of 100 “walkability” rating from Walkscore.com, which rates communities based on the ability of residents to walk to amenities and services.
While the location will entice many potential residents, the renovations inside the residence may keep them home more often than they anticipate. Relaxing in the sunny privacy of the patio is possible for much of the year, and two wood-burning fireplaces provide a comforting focal point for the rooms during cold months.
The home has four finished levels, with the entrance on the mezzanine level. The wood front door opens into a foyer with one exposed-brick wall, recessed lighting and an overlook onto the lower level, which is the main living level. The mezzanine level also has a 13-by-7-foot room with two closets that overlooks the rear patio. This space could function as a home office, reading room or studio.
This level also has one of the home’s two renovated baths, each an exotic treat of terra cotta and colorful tiles. This bath has an oversized tile shower, a pedestal sink and a row of mirrored cabinets with wood trim.
Wrought-iron railings line the curving staircase to the lower level, which has an open floor plan with a new country kitchen at the center. At the front of this level is a dining room, a perfect spot for entertaining friends and family.
The kitchen has butcher-block counters, a center island with a butcher block and plenty of space for seating, white cabinets, a pantry and open shelving. An open rack for pots and pans hangs from the ceiling. An exposed-brick wall with a wine rack adds a true country touch to the space, which is visible from the foyer above.
Just beyond the kitchen is the family room, a cozy room with terra-cotta tile flooring, an exposed-beam ceiling and a wood-burning fireplace, along with a picture window framing a view of the lushly landscaped patio and fountain.
The first of two upper levels includes two bedrooms. Guests who stay in the front bedroom may feel they have been transported to Europe when they step through the arched wood door and into this magical room, which has hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling and a box bay window.
The bedroom at the back of the home overlooks the patio and has hardwood flooring, a wood-beamed ceiling and wood trim that complements the terra-cotta-toned walls.
This level also has a closet with a stacked washer and dryer.
The top floor of the home belongs to the master suite, which has a mirrored wall of closets, hardwood flooring and a wood-burning fireplace with a terra-cotta hearth, an antique wood mantel and rough stone surround.
The Moroccan-style spa bath for the master suite includes a vanity created from an antique wood dresser, with a bowl sink resting on top and an antique spigot pouring from the wall. The bath includes an oversized soaking tub lined with Moroccan tiles and a multihead shower along one wall. A row of arched windows fills this space with natural light, while a Moroccan-style arched doorway leads into the spa bath. Just outside the bath, an oversized skylight above the stairs adds light to all four levels.
The exotic touches in this four-level home provide a unique setting that can blend easily with almost any home-decorating style and can be inspirational in terms of trying out new colors and textures.
The central location of this home, the private patios and the brick, tile and wood interior trim all come together to make this property a prime example of the “new D.C.,” far from the image many people share of a city full of plain, brick Colonial-style homes.
DETAILS:
Address: 1734 V St. NW, Washington, DC 20009
Community: Dupont Circle
Age: Built in 1907
Price: $889,000
Size: Approximately 1,500 finished square feet on lot of 952 square feet
Taxes: $5,125 in 2011
Homeowners association fee: None
Exterior features: Victorian-style brownstone town home with ivy-covered brick-and-stone front with archway above the covered front door, front porch with tile flooring, triple bay window, off-street parking in driveway
Interior features: Four finished levels with three bedrooms and two full baths; foyer/mezzanine level with exposed-brick wall; bonus room overlooking garden; full renovated bath with tiled shower; lower level with open, renovated country kitchen, dining room and family room with wood-burning fireplace and glass door to patio; bedroom level with two bedrooms; stacked washer and dryer; upper-level master suite with wood-burning fireplace in the bedroom, skylight, oversized closet and renovated bath with Moroccan and Italian details
Amenities: Fully fenced backyard with covered and open-air patios with fountains, irrigation and lush foliage; two wood-burning fireplaces; hardwood and tile flooring; finishes and fixtures imported from around the world
Close by: Walk to Adams Morgan, U Street corridor, Dupont Circle; near U Street, Dupont Circle and Columbia Heights Metro stations
Open house: By appointment
Contact: Realtor Doug Ford, Long and Foster Real Estate, 202/210-3673
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