Architect Mihran Mesrobian at home

Last fall I had the pleasure of touring the home of noted local architect Mihran Mesrobian when it was briefly on the market.  Mesrobian was an Armenian-American architect responsible for many of the most interesting apartment houses and large buildings found throughout Washington from the 1920s and 30s.  He passed away in 1975 but the house was kept on by his family. It acted as a time capsule to when it was built in 1941; his own design laboratory.  Come explore it with me!

Located in Chevy Chase, just over the DC border in Maryland, the traditional brick and cast stone garden walls tie the property into the rather traditional houses that surround it.

The house however is a stand-out in Art-Moderne style. Notice all of the original steel casement windows, the interesting front door, and the curved glass block wall.  Modern!

Turning to the side the living room has a curved bay while there is a stone terrace off the dining room and a roof terrace off the master bedroom. I would remove those 1960s aluminum awnings to let some light in.

I'm not sure if the brick was originally painted but I think it helps it feel more modern.

The geometric entry hall has the most beautiful stair railing. The doorway in front of you underneath the stairs is a coat closet with back access to the kitchen to the right.

I'm crazy for these aluminum railings.

Two steps down to the left is the living room; with the original 1941 furnishings and curtains!

Remember when I said this was a time-capsule; I meant it!  2 more steps up into the dining room (I love a step down living room, it makes me feel like Fred Astaire).

The original 1941 curtains in the dining room from Schumacher in a Peruvian Linen. I hope the new owners keep these with their wild colors!

Remember this is a design laboratory! Up the stairs is an unusual crystal chandelier and a blue-glass interior window to a little sewing room over the front door.

The house has a lot of bedrooms -a real family home.

A look at the other side of the interior blue window.

The master bedroom with a small door out to the balcony over the living room bay.

I think we're due for a comeback of colorful bathroom fixtures. Waterworks has a line of colored tile, Architectronics, that I'm dying to use in a project.  Maybe not a maroon sink with moss green tile but more color in general!!!

In the basement is Mesrobian's home office with his personal drafting table!

More beautiful vintage curtains. I think people used to have a lot more fun with design than we do today with our greige and whites.

These old school linoleum floors are classic.

The basement bathroom even had faux-tile linoleum sheet walls. Have you ever seen anything like this? And check out the shower curtain!

Here you can see how it's actually a painted/printed linoleum product -not actual tile. 

The few times I've bought these suction cup soap dishes they never hold but this has been here since 1941 and only one suction cup failed.... I guess they don't make them like they used to.

Off the laundry is this ironing room with a built-in ironing board.

And what basement is complete without a vintage screening room!

Complete with old tv!

More bold upholstery choices -more Schumacher perhaps?

Out the back kitchen door you can see a very sunny family room (I don't have photos of that unfortunately)

2 car garage and ample parking in the driveway. At some point someone spray painted all of the metalwork silver but I would take it back to classic black. I haven't had a chance to drive by to see what the new owners have done. As the house is a national landmark the outside isn't allowed to change much.

A really great metalwork Juliet balcony off the family room.

At some point the garden must have been very elaborate. I imagine there was once a fountain here below the classical ram's head.

As I mentioned the house sold very quickly; It's a large lot in a great neighborhood with good schools and a lovely house full of character. I'm dying to see what became of the interiors!

I explore a lot of real estate (perennial open house goer) but I've never seen a time capsule quite like this. I hope you enjoyed following along!

Ca' Rezzonico, Venice: House tour

I recently spent a few weeks traveling through Vienna, Venice, and Rome, and wanted to share with you one of my favorite house museums: Ca' Rezzonico in Venice.

I love how looking up at the facade from the dock on the Grand Canal one is faced with dozens of carved peering faces looking down.

Though started in 1649 the baroque palazzo wasn't finished until 1756 and has been a house museum devoted to 18th century living in Venice since 1936. Before becoming a museum however its inhabitants were a literal who's who: Cole Porter, John Singer Sargent, and Robert Browning to name a few.

The lower level which has seen its fair share of weathering floods is composed of marble flooring and stucco on stone walls.

The ground floor is primarily open space (open to the weather) and circulation. The Cafe, bookshop, and offices now fill the ground floor and mezzanine spaces of the palazzo.

 An antique gondola stands guard at the side entrance to a smaller canal. A law passed in the 16th century decreed that all gondolas be painted black to avoid them from becoming overly opulent.

A large grand staircase at the back of the building near the rear garden leads one from the ground level to the ballroom on the Piano Nobile.

 Loved this elegant wood cart for one.

The large 2 story ballroom features trompe l'oeil wall paintings by Pietro Visconti and the ceiling painted by Giovanni Battista Crosato depicts Apollo in his carriage.  The enormous gilded wood chandelier were electrified early in the 20th century.

Rather than hallways all of the rooms connect via a long enfilade with a large central gallery or portego connecting the rooms.

Above is a diagrammatic floorplan showing the layout from wikipedia.

 As with everywhere in Venice each view is postcard perfect. Above is a smaller canal along the side of the palazzo seen from the ballroom.

 The wall treatments deal with an asymmetrical door to the main stair in an interesting way I felt.

The chapel has a wedding bay protruding out over the canal added in 1758 for the marriage of Ludovico Rezzonico.

 The rococo plasterwork is astounding.

 The ceiling is not forgotten!

The display cases in the chapel display a large collection of 18th century coffeecups; this one in particular was interesting in that it looks so modern!

 Naturally Murano glass chandeliers decorate each room. I never really understood or liked these glass confections until visiting Venice: when you see them in place you just get it. I'm a fan now.

 The throne room features an ornate throne for a priest by rococo artist Antonio Corradini.

The astounding frame and ceilings decorated by Tiepolo come from the patrician Barbarigo family.

 The view from the throne room is of the Grand Canal -not too shabby.

 I loved the sketchy wall frescoes.

 The large portego would be used for waiting guests and parties.

Another painting by Tiepolo decorates the ceiling of the room flanking the throne room on the Grand Canal (known as the Tiopolo room) as well as the extraordinary secretary desk below and some beautiful Fortuny wall coverings.

The fireplaces were peculiar to me as I had never seen them so shallow. They naturally would throw more heat off into the room but how do they draw smoke?

 As the floors are all terrazzo (polished marble chips in cement) hearths are not necessary.

 All of the mirror becomes 'antiqued' rather quickly in the humid Venetian air which is so lovely and artful.

The museum is sparsely furnished to give precedence to the architecture and wall paintings but all of the objects are amazing.

 A view into the center hall portego.

 A great way to enhance sconces with mirror.

The Lazzarini room features ceiling medallions painted by a Venetian painter, Francesco Maffei, in the 1650s.

This chandelier is the most exquisite in the museum and sums up all of the light-hearted fun and gaiety these are meant to inspire ; party time! A matching standing lamp is in a case upstairs.

This 18th century wall bust of Medusa is a tad more somber in the portego.

 The stair leading up to higher floors features the Venetian Lion as railing end caps.

The most well known items from the collection are the fabulous Tiepolo frescos from the Villa at Zianigo dating to the late 18th century.

They were sold and removed from the villa in 1906 but the ministry of education blocked their exportation to France and they were purchased by the Venetian Town Council.

They were installed at the museum in 1936 to their original layout as much as possible and recently restored in 1999.

I think the architectural wall treatment of the frescoes is the most interesting: instant architecture to plain walls with faux paneling.

 This ceiling fresco of Pulcinella may be the most famous.

Being Venice many of the rooms are covered in glorious Fortuny fabric. Matching fabric upholsters the furniture.

 The museum is large and these photos cover only a handful of the astounding collection.

One can't have a museum devoted to the 18th century without a chinoiserie room. This furniture dates from the 1750s.

My favorite rooms in the palazzo are on the back of the 2nd floor - an 18th century paneled alcove bedroom imported from the Palazzo Carminati.

 Another enfilade view back towards the Grand Canal.

 Behind the alcove is another paneled room which was an exquisite jewel box.

 Antique mirror reflects light and the playful wall treatment retains its original painted finish.

This small boudoir was too small to photograph well but I couldn't take enough pictures of the details!

 This is how I like my mirror - heavily antiqued!!

 The best picture I could get of the paneled boudoir.

 The original architectural toile found in the bed alcove is something I wish would be reprinted today!

 The front entry is onto the Grand Canal -how is that for a view?

 A large garden is located behind the fountain above. I hope you enjoyed this tour through the Ca'Rezzonico with me. If you are ever in Venice this wonderful museum should top your list of things to see!