Tour an Art Deco Society of Washington member's Art Moderne house.
The row houses in the 4000/4100 block of Arkansas Avenue, NW were built between 1939 and 1941. They were designed by Washington architect Joseph Abel, who also designed the Shoreham Hotel, the Croydon and Crestwood apartment buildings,and the Bender Building. Abel designed the row in a decidedly modernist vein, an approach unique in Washington and most other American cities, where the row house has generally been designed in a Federal, Georgian, or even Victorian style, but rarely in a Modern one. The houses originally all had open porches, with decorative trellises running both vertically and horizontally on the houses. Many of the trellises were removed over the years, but some survive or have been re-interpreted by current homeowners.
The house, situated in the middle of the row, is relatively unchanged from its original configuration on the interior. The exterior wooden trellis which originally ran along the second floor roofline has been replaced with copper clad trellises framing the front entry and running along the chimney line. The open porch was enclosed to form a sunroom by a previous owner.
The interior of the house has Art Moderne elements including curved walls, a glass block front window, and streamlined stair railings. The house features an open floor plan and en suite master bathroom that were very innovative for the time period. The house is furnished with a number of art deco furnishings and light fixtures. The owner says "It's a great house, and a great neighborhood. Many of the residents of the block are long-term owners who have had the houses in their families for generations. I'm very lucky to be a part of this community."
Snacks and drinks will be served.
Cost: $10 donation to Art Deco Society of Washington.
Please RSVP before September 24, 2007. Attendance is limited.
Location: Arkansas Avenue in Northwest Washington, DC. Full directions will be provided to all who register.
For more information about this event or to RSVP, send email to Karyn Jarboe, kjarboe@adsw.org, or call 703-864-7070.