I know I’ve been MIA lately, but with very good reason! Aside from being featured on numerous sites over the past few months (like Dot & Bo, CustomMade, and Krrb, to name a few), one of my most recent home renovations was just featured in The Washington Post Sunday Magazine. HOORAY!

My lovely client, Cari Shane, bought an old rowhouse in the H Street area and turned it into her dream home. It was so much fun taking the old, industrial elements of the house and mixing them with contemporary pieces to bring the entire thing into the 21st century! And her art collection? TO DIE FOR.

The very talented Mike Morgan shot for the Washington Post, and the up-and-coming Razan Altiraifi took lots of exclusive photos just for my little ol’ blog. There are more before and after photos in the online story (and even more before photos if you pick up a copy of the magazine, available all over the world), but here are a few of my favorite shots!

Cari’s living room didn’t always exist; it was a BIG renovation to add this entire addition to all three floors of the house, but I think we can all agree it was sooooooo worth it! In the living room, I used the existing dresser from her old bedroom set under the TV and just changed out the knobs, turned an old crate on its side to make a side table, then brought in some new furniture pieces to give it a clean, yet warm and welcoming vibe. The sectional is from Room & Board, the rug from West Elm, and everything else is a big, fat secret. (Cue evil laughter.)

Cari had a large collection of original black and white art, so I used them to create a gallery wall around the large TV, to reduce the impact of the big black rectangle on the wall.

In the kitchen, Cari’s old dining table was used as the island countertop — leaving the raw edge exposed on the bar side. I did a dark slate island to add some contrast, so the kitchen wouldn’t be so stark white, and selected light fixtures that were a modern twist on period-appropriate fixtures for the date of the house.

I paired the modern chrome and glass table with vintage chairs and a bench from Off The Beaten Track in DC to make the space a little more eclectic and fun. The extra chairs for when the table is extended are downstairs in one of the guest bedrooms.

Off the kitchen, between the kitchen and the parlor, is a secret little butler’s pantry. Cari’s old mail sorter is on the wall and being used as a wine rack, and photos found in the walls of the house are also displayed here. I chose a fun teal color for the wall to give the small space some punch!

The parlor is my favorite room in the house. It’s small and square, so I chose 4 swivel chairs in orange velvet from Room & Board, and had the main wall done in floor-to-ceiling bookcases to create a comfy little library space at the front of the house.

I used a huge floor mirror to add some depth to the small room, and the exposed ceiling and old pocket doors mounted on barn door hardware really make this a super cool and unique space. The chandelier is original to the house (we had it restored), and Cari’s old radio — which still works, by the way! — fits perfectly between the two front windows.

In the entry, I wanted to expose the brick wall going up the stairs because, well, it’s awesome. I also used some of the original pine hardwoods to create an inlay that looks like a doormat, and designed the graphic pattern to be modern but not too trendy.

Additional storage was added under the stairs by adding drawers, and I selected some antique-inspired knobs to complete the look.

Also downstairs is probably the greatest powder room ever created. The vintage red roaster was lacquered red and turned into a sink, and the chalkboard wall allows for guests to leave their thoughts and messages for Cari to find later. Pages from the user manual for the roaster are framed on the walls and are HILARIOUS.

Upstairs in the master bedroom, another exposed brick wall added major visual interest to the tall wall across from the bed, and reupholstered vintage chairs and an old ladder create a fun seating area.

In the master bathroom I chose black marble hexagonal tiles for the floor and carrara marble subway tiles for the shower walls, making the look both contemporary and period-appropriate.

The basement was dug out and extended to create a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment that Cari can rent out as an income property. Check it out if you need a place to stay in DC!

HOW AWESOME IS THIS HOUSE. Notice I didn’t use a question mark. It is not a question. We all know it is awesome. Even if I do say so myself.