Georgetown House Tour

Thanks to everyone who joined us, organized the evening and sponsored the night. It was a fantastic way to kick off the house tour!

Ginny, Rector of St. John’s with Tour Co-Chairs

The Patrons’ Party hostess Debbie Winsor, along with the PP sponsors with Mrs. Frida Burling, who at 99 is regarded as the Grand Dame of the GT House Tour.

Author Kitty Kelly was among the attendees

The co-chairs with the Director of Jubliee Jobs, a community organization that is a beneficiary of the tour.

We want to give you all that Georgetown has to offer, so we’ve teamed up with this year’s sponsors to provide you with some great guides to make a whole day of the house tour. If you missed Beasley Real Estate’s Guide or Doyle New York’s Guide, go check them out now!

Our last list of recommendations comes from our platinum sponsor, TTR | Sotheby’s International Realty. Thanks for your sponsorship, and thanks for taking the time to share your favorites from around the neighborhood!

Great Places to Eat:

Good Stuff Eatery – best shakes and burgers!
3291 M St NW in Georgetown

Fiola Mare – great food, drinks and ambiance.
3050 K St NW, Suite 101 in Georgetown

Baked and Wired – yummiest coffee and baked goods (cupcakes too)!
1052 Thomas Jefferson St NW in Georgetown

Bodega – best paella.
3116 M St NW in Georgetown

Sea Catch Restaurant and Raw Bar – best gazpacho.
1054 31st St NW in Georgetown

Thomas Sweet – best ice cream.
3214 P St NW in Georgetown

Dolcezza – best gelato.
1560 Wisconsin Ave NW in Georgetown

Favorite Hotels:

The Capella Hotel – best roof top.
1050 31st St NW in Georgetown

The Four Seasons – best burgers and service.
2800 Pennsylvania Ave NW in Georgetown

What to Do:

Paddle Boarding on the Potomac
3500 Water St NW in Georgetown

Georgetown Waterfront Park – perfect place for a run, and the fountain is a must for a photo opp.
Water St NW in Georgetown

This is our second post in our series of what to do and where to eat in Georgetown. If you missed out on yesterday’s post by Beasley’s Real Estate check is out here.

Today’s post is brought to you by one of our Bronze Sponsors: Doyle New York, Auctioneers and Appraisers. Thanks for supporting the house tour and sharing your favorites from around Georgetown!

Great Places to Eat:

Leopold’s Kafe – the perfect stop for lunch or just a glass of wine.
3315 M St NW in Georgetown

Baked and Wired – If you are addicted to coffee or cupcakes this is a place that cannot be missed; we prefer the lemon squares and ice cream sandwiches!
1052 Thomas Jefferson St NW in Georgetown

Fiola Mare – if your budget allows for an expensive dinner the seafood here is so fresh and the service is great, an indulgence but worth it.
3050 K St NW, Suite 101 in Georgetown

Il Canale Italian Restaurant –  for a casual dinner the Bronzino is great here and of course everyone loves pizza.
1063 31st St NW in Georgetown

Where to Shop (or at least browse):

Marston Luce Antiques –  a great place to find beautiful things and get some inspiration on how to re-purpose something that’s already in your home.
1651 Wisconsin Ave NW in Georgetown

Comer & Co – another great place to find inspiration.
1659 Wisconsin Ave NW in Georgetown

Sites of the Neighborhood:

The Gardens at Dumbarton Oaks – a must (as well as the museum but many of their paintings are not on view).
3120 R St NW in Georgetown

Phillips Collection – for those who can venture a little further afield I would make time to get to see the art collection here. It is amazing and displayed in an intimate setting – it is a good walk along Q street on a nice day.
1600 21st St NW in Dupont Circle

Tudor Place – a gem and the perfect house museum for those with limited time that wish to see a Georgetown landmark.
1644 31st St NW in Georgetown

Georgetown Waterfront Park – a favorite spot in the whole city. I walk my dog here and stop and enjoy the views of the river and Kennedy center.

Water St NW in Georgetown

We hope that while you are hanging out with us on Saturday at the House Tour, you take advantage of the wonderful neighborhood around you. Chances are, you’ll want to stop in somewhere for a snack, a meal or a little shopping during the day, so we have three guides for you this week. Each guide was put together by one of our wonderful corporate sponsors.

Our first guide is from Beasley Real Estate, one of this year’s silver sponsors. Thank you for your sponsorship, and thank you for sharing your favorites with us!

Great Places to Eat: 

Farmers Fishers Bakers
3000 K St NW at the Washington Harbor

Filomena Ristorante
 1063 Wisconsin Ave NW in Georgetown

Where to Shop:

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
3066 M St NW in Georgetown

Anthropologie
3222 M St NW in Georgetown

Waterworks – their newly remodeled showroom will give you lots of inspiration for your home!
3314 M St NW in Georgetown

Sites of the Neighborhood:

Exorcist Stairway
3600 Prospect St NW in Georgetown

Before we dive into today’s DIY, this is just a friendly reminder that the Patron’s Party is less than a week away! If you haven’t purchased your ticket go do that now. Also, the house tour is right around the corner too. If you don’t already follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, there’s still time to follow along and win a pair of tickets.

Back to our project . . . one thing that was missing from our office, was a large inspiration bulletin board. I love Pinterest, but sometimes it’s nice to pin up a real picture too. I had been looking around for awhile and wasn’t loving the typical cork boards, and large ones can be rather pricey. While at our local Home Depot, I stumbled upon this Foamular insulation board. It’s 2′ x 8′, and it’s under $10, the perfect base for my 4′ x 4′ board.

To get started you will need 1 sheet of 3/4″ Foamular insulation board, a sharp knife, a piece of fabric that is approx. 52″ x 52″, spray adhesive, some toothpicks, glue and some tacks. Cut your insulation board in half. I measured carefully, and used a sharp kitchen knife to slowly cut through it. My recommendation is to make several passes with your knife, don’t try to cut through the entire board in one shot. My edges weren’t perfect, but you won’t see them after you’re done.

Next, you will need an extra set of hands to line up the two pieces, and connect them with toothpicks. I didn’t do this, but I’d recommend that you use a bead of glue for extra support. This will ensure that you have a tight seam.

Cut your fabric to fit your board with at least 2″ of overlap to wrap around the back. I used a vintage curtain panel. I love it, and yes, the 1980’s called to say they were missing some curtains. Spray your board generously (preferably outside) with your spray adhesive. Lay your fabric out and use your hand to press out any air bubbles. You can lift and re-position as needed.

Flip your board. Spray your edges and back perimeter with spray adhesive, and pull your fabric tautly in place.

Because my fabric was so bulky, I used a few straight pins to secure the corners.

Hang and start pinning! I mounted mine with four brass screws, but you could also use Command Picture Hanging Strips.

Sometimes a DIY is in order – it could be your budget or maybe you just can’t find the right size, shape or color of the finishing piece to complete your room. We’ve talked a few times about Pinterest here on our blog, and the inspiration it can provide. In addition, it’s FULL of tutorials. I’ve rounded up a few favorites, and these by no means look DIY.

Take a chance, and try one of these out in your own home. Not only will you have the satisfaction that you made it (or hacked it), but you’ll have a one of a kind piece!

1. Hammock by The Merrythought | 2. Brass Chandelier by One Kings Lane | 3. Bar Cart Hack by Style Me Pretty | 4. The Easy DIY Table by Homemade Modern | 5. Anthro Inspired Tassel Throw by Sarah M. Dorsey Designs | 6. Modern Cube Planter by Vintage Revival | 7. Upholstered Bench by Dwellings by Devore

If you aren’t following us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you’ll want to do that now – we are giving away some tickets to the house tour, but you have to follow along!

Once you’ve decided that you really want to make an effort in designing your space, you may turn your nose up to Ikea. I can’t blame that, and I definitely don’t suggest walking into your local store and buying a whole room, but Ikea is great for filling in the blanks. Many times I’ve been reading through my blog reader or scanning through Pinterest and a beautiful room will pop up with some fantastic Ikea products woven in. I tend to follow the model of decorating that incorporates a few high quality items, some vintage items, and some lower end but still tasteful items. This creates interest and a story.

Ikea is also great for filling a void until you can save to get your dream piece. For example, I love this Saarinen table, it’s modern, it’s clean and it’s just lovely. It’s also not in my budget at the moment. Until I can justify that purchase, I’ve settled for this one. This afternoon while I was wandering the maze that is Ikea, I kept noticing a handful of their new items that really stood out, and would fill some holes in my home.

It turns out that everything I wanted to throw into my cart belongs to the new NIPPRIG collection. This fresh collection of wicker is perfect for spring, and it fits into everyone’s budget, so what’s not to like? I thought I’d share some of my favorites here, and yes, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that a few of these made it home with me!

1. Nipprig Shade Bamboo $24.99  | 2. Nipprig Beach Bag $4.00 | 3. Nipprig Single Hook $2.99 |  4. Nipprig Storage Box $16.99 | 5. Nipprig Chair $49

What about you, what are your favorite Ikea pieces? Do you have any go-to’s or do you avoid this giant home store like the plague?

One of the things that I love about Georgetown is how everyone takes pride in their front door. We talked about great door hardware here, but it goes beyond that. Halloween, Fall and Christmas are magical in this neighborhood. Most residents dress up their doors, stoops, fences and gates to make a welcoming entry. One of the things that you don’t see quite as often is spring wreaths, so I thought it would be the perfect project to feature here as we head into the Easter holiday.

What you will need to get started: a floral oasis wreath – I picked mine up from Johnson’s Florist and Garden Center, but you can order them online here or here, a large handful of greens, some flowers, a few lemons and a few wooden skewers. My greens, flowers and lemons are from the grocery store, but when more is in bloom outdoors, I love to gather greens and flowers from around my neighborhood (with permission from neighbors of course).

Your first step is to soak your oasis in water to make sure it is fully saturated. Next start cutting small parts of your greens and sticking the stems into the form. Make sure to strip the leaves off of the part of the stem that will be going into the oasis.

Add greens until your wreath is fairly covered, don’t forget to add a few to the sides of your form.

Next you will cut your skewers to about 3″-4″ long. You want them long enough to insert completely into your lemon without sticking through the other side. Leave enough coming out the back to insert them into your wreath.

Now alternate adding flowers and lemons until you are happy. Go back and fill in any greener as needed.

Hang on your front door. I always double over a piece of ribbon, feed one end through the middle of my wreath and secure with a tack or nail to the top of the door. Don’t forget to water your wreath to ensure a longer life.

While you are enjoying your wreath, don’t forget to purchase your tickets to the house tour. It’s just 3 1/2 weeks away!

It’s no secret that white and gold are having a moment in home furnishings industry, and I for one am completely on board. Gold (or brass) can dress up any corner, add some glamour to your room. If you aren’t ready to take the leap to change out your fixtures and hardware to follow the gold train, then start with a few accessories to try it out. Today I’ve rounded up 20 fun accessories under $20 to get this look in your home. At this budget price I know you’ll be tempted by a few of these items!

1. Urban Outfitters Industrial Wall Mirror | 2. Target Nate Berkus Faceted Gold Detail Bowl | 3. H&M Home Gold Metal Bowl | 4. CB2 Double Dipper Vase | 5. Etsy Party Inked Ampersand Print | 6. Anthropologie Hanging Bonaire Votive | 7. Etsy Barchen J’aime Mon Amour Print | 8. World Market Metallic and Embroidered Feather Pillow |
9. Target Threshold Ceramic Tortoise Decorative Dish | 10. Target Nate Berkus Carved Geo Photo Frame | 11. Urban Outfitters Geo Wire Picture Frame | 12. CB2 Kastor Vase | 13. West Elm Pineapple Bud Vase | 14. H&M Home Gold and White Scented Candle |
15. H&M Home Linen Cushion Cover | 16. West Elm Heritage Catchall Dish | 17. Etsy Little Lark and Lilly Gold Dipped Glasses | 19. Ikea Bittergurka Watering Can | 20. Urban Outfitters Mini Geo Terrarium

Flowers seem to be slowly popping up around Georgetown. While we all wait patiently for the cherry blossoms to bloom, we can start planning out our spring gardening projects. Not only is spring the perfect time to spruce up your outdoor garden, it’s a great time to take inventory of your houseplants too. Today I stopped in at Johnson’s Florist and Garden Center in Tenleytown to gather some inspiration and pick out a few new houseplants for this great container garden project.

Container gardens and terrariums seem to be everywhere these days, and they couldn’t be an easier project to tackle. You’ll need just a few supplies and 1/2 hour of time. Johnson’s has a great selection of indoor and outdoor plants, so I couldn’t help but snap this photo of the lovely pansies.

Here’s what you’ll need to put together your container or terrarium: small river rocks, soil (cactus soil if you are planting succulents or regular potting soil for ferns), horticultural charcoal, plants and a container. I picked up my large glass container at Home Goods for $12.99, but glass containers can be found everywhere and in every size. You probably even have a few hanging around your home.

Start by filling your container with 1 1/2″ – 2″ of rocks for drainage.

Next add a layer of charcoal. Charcoal is especially important in containers without drainage in order to remove toxins and ensure proper drainage.

Add some soil, arrange your plants and fill in any gaps with additional soil.

Now find the perfect spot to display your new centerpiece, and don’t forget to water it every once in awhile. Not only will you want one of these in each room of your home, but they make a great gift!

I hope this post inspires you to bring a little spring inside. If you make one, snap a photo and share it via Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #georgetownhousetour.