1733 Upshur St NW

In 1913, celebrated American decorator Elsie de Wolfe remarked in her book, The House in Good Taste: “We shall be very much happier when we learn to transform the things we have into a semblance of our ideal.” She was commenting on how any house might be transformed into a comfortable, pleasing home under the aegis of owners who possess a degree of imagination, expertise, and resources. This elegant, semi-detached Crestwood residence is ideal. The owners took a fine, well-built house from 1928 and transformed it into a contemporary living space where all choices were carefully considered, including selecting high-quality windows which faithfully reflect the original fenestrations. The first floor offers generous and luminous living space with an exceptionally well-designed and renovated kitchen and powder room. The entire floor works harmoniously to perform several functions simultaneously, while affording access to the rear garden, deck, and detached two-car garage. The deck offers a gas line and grill, and the garage is wired for an EV charger. The residence is powered by high-efficiency solar panels which considerably reduce monthly Pepco obligations. The second floor is equally appealing, with a large, south-facing, primary bedroom, renovated en suite bathroom, perfectly outfitted closets, and two secondary bedrooms and hall bathroom. The lower level was excavated to create a living space unto itself, with a bedroom and egress window, full bathroom, and kitchen. A large, separate laundry and storage room is also located on this level. The entire house is beautifully unified in concept, design, and execution. Thoughtfully designed gardens comprise the entire lot which provide additional living space throughout the year.