John Russell Pope's Meyer White housetour

As I mentioned in a previous post I recently led the Mid-Atlantic ICAA through the Meridian International Foundation: the gorgeous Laughlin Residence (see post HERE) as well as the Meyer White House.

Located just off Meridian Hill Park (see previous post on that lovely formal park HERE), the Meyer White house predates its neighbor as it was built in 1912. This area is perched on a long hillside rising above the city.  In this view above, before the Laughlin Residence was constructed, it almost looks like a country manor despite the urban location.

Above you can see how close the Laughlin Residence is!  Also across the street is the most elegant Coop building in Washington, Crescent Place, seen below from the front door.

John Russell Pope designed the house for diplomat Henry White in 1912 and it was a huge turning point in his career.  His interesting use of the tight, hilly urban topography uses an awkward site to the house's advantage. The location feels very private as it is perched high on both the front and back of the house.

A lovely porte cochere welcomes one into the house. Brick was used as a cost-savings over Pope's preferred use of stone. The house is full of cost-saving changes directed by Mr. White to Pope's disappointment and frustration.

The service areas in the basement are full of natural light thanks to these window wells which are cleverly hidden by the landscaping.

The front door is in a recessed vestibule behind lovely iron gates. Notice how high the door knobs are, about 4 1/2 feet above the ground. The proportions here are really rather funky and make you take notice.

The first floor is very logically laid out without a lot of wasted corridor. It has been changed since originally built somewhat but we'll see that in a bit.

Unfortunately the entry hall is a bit of a letdown. The Meyers bought the house from the White family and 'modernized' the interiors in 1934 (albeit by notable architect Charles Platt).  It must be noted that this is the house where Katherine Graham (nee Meyer) grew up.

Originally the entry hall had neoclassical, round, partially engaged pilasters surrounding the room (and lots of beautiful antiques!).

A small reception room is off the entry hall. The interesting fireplace mantel comes from the more modern Platt renovation of the house.

 I do like these old sconces. Notice the wire -they were originally meant for candles and later electrified.

 The brass hardware throughout the house on the mahogany doors is really gorgeous.

The library continues the mahogany. While the house was being renovated in the late 1980s for the Meridian foundation a fire destroyed much of this area of the house which was faithfully rebuilt. So this is actually a rather new room.

 More beautiful brass hardware.

Notice the pockets at the french doors? Those contain security gates that can be pulled over all of the doors and windows while the family is not in residence.

Above you see one of the windows with the interior security gate closed.

 The dining room is adjacent to the library. Below in the vintage photo you can see the portrait of Mrs. White painted by John Singer Sargent which the very low mantel accommodated.

 The portrait, seen below, is now in the Corcoran collection.

To make up for the large size of the missing portrait when the Meyers acquired the house,  Platt added a large art-deco painted wood surround. Strange but it works although I hate how it butts into the room's pilasters.

The smaller pantry door set into a larger mahogany doorway, seen above, is pure genius on the part of Pope; symmetry above all! Strange that the vintage photograph shows a screen hiding this cool detail!

I'm not sure if these openings between the library and dining room are original - they contain wood pockets which can be closed from the library side.

The two story (REAL) butler's pantry miraculously still has the original cabinetry. Also notice the closed security gate at the window that I discussed earlier.

I say real butler's pantry because this room originally held the most valuable china and silver owned by the Whites. Above is the original silver safe.  An important part of a butler's chief occupation was tending to and guarding the silver!

The dumb waiter to the original kitchen in the basement is obviously no longer functional, filled with ductwork for the HVAC system,

The living room is a rather non nondescript space these days, with a simple marble bolection mould fireplace surround. Notice the black painted baseboards.

 I guess the panel molding was added by Platt for the Meyers as it doesn't appear in this vintage photograph. By the way, all of the vintage photography comes from the book Mastering Tradition: The residential architecture of John Russell Pope by James Garrison from the Acanthus Press.

The loggia on the back of the house once had magnificent views of the city but now hideous 1980s townhouses which replaced the Henderson Mansion and lots of big trees.

Much of the yard is in the front of this house leaving a rather small formal terrace area to enjoy the view above the garage accessed from Belmont street far below.

Before heading upstairs lets take a peak into Mr. Meyer's paneled study, created from the White's original servant's sitting room.

The elegant stairhall doesn't appear to have changed much.

 The lantern has changed (to the better in my opinion) and the interesting metal guardrail remains.

 Natural light is so important in these old houses!

I'm glad the stairhall isn't cluttered with ugly recessed lights as in so much of the rest of the house, added in recent renovations. The lantern, window, and sconces provide more than enough lighting.

 The lovely finial at the base of the stair.

The 2nd floor contains a lot of the usual bedrooms, nothing too interesting, but notice the loggia between what was originally the master bedroom suite's bedrooms. 

 The hallway is lit by skylights from the floor above.

All the bedrooms retain their original mantels and lovely paneling despite being used as office space for the past few decades. More than can be said about the former headquarters of the National Trust which had been an excellent caretaker of the McCormick Apartments (see pictures of that building in THIS post here, sadly no longer extant) before shamefully selling it at a huge profit to a 'thinktank' which thoughtlessly GUTTED the entire building.  This is why I'll never donate to the National Trust again and keep endlessly bringing up in my blogposts.  Why can't a beautiful paneled room with a mantel work as an office?

If you have a chance to tour either of the lovely Meridian Foundation houses on Crescent Place which are lovingly cared for, go experience these lovely houses! One never knows how much longer they'll be around.

John Russell Pope's Laughlin residence tour

I recently had the pleasure of planning a lunch time tour through one of the most beautiful houses in Washington for the Mid-Atlantic ICAA (full disclosure I sit on the board so it's kind of my job). Of course I'll share it with all of you as well so lets go inside :-)

The house was designed in 1920 by John Russell Pope for Irwin Laughlin (of Pittsburgh!). The house is immediately next door to another of his spectacular houses, the Henry White residence from 1912, which currently forms a campus with the Laughlin house for the Meridian Foundation.  More on the Henry White house at a later date. 

One enters through a very urban paved courtyard.  Things haven't changed much since 1920, those are even descendants of the original Linden trees (which they grow in the sideyard as replacements).

 Shall we go in?

The house continues its' urbanity indoors with a piano nobile floorplan.  One ascends a gracious staircase to the main level, or down a few stairs to the ground level which was originally service spaces (now meeting rooms and offices).

I think this vintage shot, taken right at the front door, shows it best. It hasn't changed at all down to the tables.

The floorplans and vintage photos in this post are all from the fantastic book, "Mastering Tradition, the residential architecture of John Russell Pope" which I have mentioned before and highly recommend. The other snapshots are all from my iphone.

The ironwork and stonework are gorgeous.  I love the polished brass finial and handrail, lovingly maintained.

Looking back towards the front door.  Pope followed the Louis XVI neoclassical style throughout the house unlike so many houses of the same time period which were more of an international collection of styles.

One enters the gallery at the top of the main staircase, a paneled and mirrored magical space which is the main artery of the first floor. This was designed as a house to entertain, Mr Laughlin was a numerous time ambassador, and the circulation is wonderful.

You get a sense of the scale from the other guests on the tour; not too big, not too small. One would feel at comfortable all by ones-self or in a crowd of 100 people.

I loved the detail work to the reeded pilasters. Notice they're convex below the carved leaves and concave above.

 My favorite room in the house however has to be the library; like all rooms on the ground floor located directly off the gallery.

 It retains the original paint finish from 1920! Look at the beautiful brass hardware too.

The doors to the gallery are hidden when closed with leather bookspines behind chickenwire.

 My friend Michael Hampton demonstrates how it works above, haha. What door?!

The Drawing room opens directly from the library. Currently most of these spaces are unfurnished as they are used for all kinds of events.

As I mentioned the gallery is the spine of the ground floor. Above one sees through the gallery from the drawing room into the dining room beyond.  I know a lot of architects say lining up vistas 'doesn't matter' but when it's done right YOU NOTICE. It does matter: symmetry and enfilades, sign me up!

Before heading to the dining room we'll make a stop in the Loggia or conservatory. Notice the curved end wall with views into the backyard.

Looking the other way the interior wall is thickened and curved between the loggia and the gallery. We were told that the terrazzo floors were designed with those cracks in them, to appear older than they were in 1920. I'm not sure I buy that but I like the story!

 Don't miss this crazy 9'-0" tall torchieres!

 Another glimpse into the gallery above.

The backyard is formally paved with peagravel and Linden trees on a grid. One feels they're in Paris!

The door into the butler's pantry from the dining room is still hidden by the original painted screen but the other furniture has been removed.

 The dining room's paneling was designed around the ancient tapestry above.

 The lot is very long but shallow -leaving the largest 'yard' to the side seen above.

 Lets step outside into the backyard and see it for ourselves now.

 Notice the curved doors (and glass) in the Loggia wall.

 Above is the site line from the backyard into the sideyard - such a lovely enfilade effect.

Stepping up into the sideyard you can look back to the house to see the symmetrical design of the exterior, even on the sides.  Notice the false window covered by shutters; that's where the tapestry in the dining room sits.

From here one can see upstairs into the bedrooms. While they are all still in their original condition they are fitted out as offices. I think a few of the original bathrooms may have been removed but otherwise intact -it could revert back to a house tomorrow!

Before going up the stair to the upper level lets check out the breakfast room - fitted out as a conference room at the moment.

 The iron railing design and stone stair is much simpler than the formal entry stair but no less lovely.

 You can see this stair in the floorplan below in the lower right hand corner.

The stair is lit by a laylight and skylight above.

The hallway is beautifully preserved and features formal panelmould and painted overdoors. Rather than a long hallway it is broken into smaller spaces to nice affect.

Looking back to the stairway. I don't have many photos of the bedrooms as they're currently offices -but trust me when I say they are all lovely featuring paneling and stone fireplaces.

This central space used to house Mrs Laughlin's clothing and now serves as an office to this very lucky young lady! All of the built-ins are original but obviously not the recessed lights - the one concession made to the rooms use as an office.  Yes I HATE recessed lights.

The house remained in the family until 1960 when it was sold into institutional use. As you can see every owner has lovingly maintained this stunning structure.

The house is open to the public on Saturdays between 10 am and 2pm unless there is a scheduled event - make sure you visit this masterpiece here in DC!