A Private Tour Inside the British Ambassador’s Residence in Washington, DC.
Rockville, MD (PRWEB) November 07, 2014 -- HOME & DESIGN's November/December 2014 issue hits newsstands next week! The Late Fall issue is sure to inspire you with fabulous makeovers, plus ideas and new products to make home renovations simple. It also features a detailed art guide listing top exhibits on the local gallery scene.
Below is an excerpt from the Private Tour article featuring the British Ambassador’s residence in Washington, DC:
When architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens designed the British Embassy in Washington, he could see the Washington Monument from its site on a then-rural stretch of Massachusetts Avenue. Eighty-five years later, the neighborhood has changed but Lutyens’s residence remains an elegant architectural gem that has witnessed a fair share of history since its completion in 1930.
The home is set on four acres with a narrow street presence expanding into wider gardens. As a symbol of the relationship between the U.S. and Britain, Lutyens married elements of a Queen Anne country house with those of the Williamsburg vernacular. The building originally housed both the residence and embassy, which was located in a U-shaped wing facing the street. However, growing pains forced the embassy to move to its current, less elegant quarters in 1960, built on additional land the U.K. had purchased next door.
Over the years, the residence has welcomed a steady stream of luminaries, from presidents, prime ministers and royalty to movie stars and rock legends. There have been solemn wartime tête-à-têtes, lavish state dinners and garden parties literally fit for a queen. The Beatles stopped in after their first U.S. gig at the Washington Coliseum and, recently, the home was abuzz with heartthrobs of another kind: the cast of “Downton Abbey.”
Further magazine highlights include Star Quality, where Andrea Houck overhauls Sandra Bullock’s childhood home in Arlington for a couple of design buffs; Raw & Refined, crafted from wood, glass and stone, a rustic Western-inspired home takes shape near Annapolis, Warm Welcome, where designer Marika Meyer enlivens a nondescript Potomac Colonial with a serene palette and architectural punch, All About Art, where interior designer and collector Judy Weisman orchestrates the makeover of her Chevy Chase home to celebrate contemporary craft and Rustic Style, where Sharon Kleinman and her client update a Mount Airy farmhouse with sophistication—and restraint.
Datebook keeps you abreast of the latest design and art happenings. As always, this issue's Indulgences spotlights winter fashion, warm travel destinations and luxury toys perfect for holiday gift-giving. It's an issue you won't want to miss!
Enjoy!
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Lois Maples, Home and Design, http://www.homeanddesign.com, (240) 328-6275, [email protected]
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