Bootlegging Past, Quirky Supper Club Present
Blagden Alley has a past. This one-block stretch in Washington, D.C., was famous for its resident bootleggers and crime — it’s theorized that Eleanor Roosevelt called it the very despicable place in the country. But today this tiny alley is enjoying a renaissance, thanks in part to homeowners like Dan and Anna Kahoe.
The innovative duo put their sights on this decrepit carriage home — the only building left in an otherwise vacant lot on the alley. With the support of Bennett Frank McCarthy Architecture, they changed the dilapidated house into an eclectic home and hub for a local supper club. Exposed ceiling rafters, brick walls, closed materials and concrete floors refer to the property’s history and the street’s quirky character.
in a Glance
Who lives here: Dan and Anna Kahoe
Location: Washington, D.C.
Size: 1,800 square feet
Price: Around $180,000, such as labor, materials, appliances, electric, plumbing, design fees and licenses
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
The Kahoes flipped the building’s unique orientation, putting the front entry on the alley side and a yard on the road side. A 14-seat dining table sits directly inside the sliding front door, so as soon as the door’s open, they almost eat their meals from the alley.
They painted this mural above the alley entrance as a tribute to the home’s builder, 19th-century oil and coal salesman Samuel Huntress.
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
Entertaining, cooking and eating are big areas of the Kahoes’ life. “They did not need a kitchen and a dining room as much as a kitchen with a huge table inside,” says architect Shawn Buehler. Dan and Anna want their guests to be in the kitchen for many areas of the meal even cleanup.
Sink: Shaw’s Original Farmhouse, Rohls; cooker: Wolf
Before Photo
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
The lower level was a entire mess. The home had good bones but demanded new pipes, electric wiring, HVAC, drywall, windows and doorways.
The work on the lower level was substantial and cost about $130,000, including the design prices and labor. The necessary plumbing and electrical work alone cost nearly $24,000 on this bottom floor.
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
AFTER: Open industrial upper shelves include steel brackets from the original residence. “The shelves assist highlight the big business hood because the iconic hearth of the lower degree,” Buehler says.
The majority of the kitchen’s storage and appliances, including the refrigerator and freezer, sit under the counter.
Countertops: Carrara marble; cabinetry: Crestwood, Dura Supreme
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
On the opposite side of the base floor, a lounge and bar area accommodate guest overflow. Buehler and his team abandoned one wall to the lower degree unpainted, exposing patched masonry and closed-up windows. Five salvaged paneled doors make up the low paneling on this wall.
Before Photo
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
The previous kitchen felt shut off, bloated and dark in a downstairs corner. Outdated appliances would’ve created prep for Anna and Dan’s supper club almost impossible.
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
AFTER: They splurged on new commercial-grade kitchen appliances (approximately $15,000) to accommodate their own playful dinner parties as well as the chefs who cook for their supper club.
Before Photo
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
BEFORE: This side of the home faces the main street and was contained that the carriage house’s main entrance. Two row houses sat in front of the home. This was the only structure when they had been demolished.
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
AFTER: This porch and fenced yard are now in the back of the home. The spacious porch can be retrieved from the upstairs or downstairs, and new windows and doors on the two levels (roughly $16,500) light up the home.
Exterior wall paint Ashley Gray; exterior trim paint: Night Shade, both by Benjamin Moore
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
A cozy set up with furniture from Dan and Anna’s shop, GoodWood, sits just beyond the upstairs living area. They fortified the porch roof, added new railings and painted the outside.
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
Buehler knocked down all of the walls upstairs and opened up things with new carpentry, drywall and paint. Only a preexisting column and wood brace now disrupt the view from the alley to the street. About $10,000 in electric work was needed on the upper floor.
Dan and Anna needed a cost-effective way to improve the existing plywood floor upstairs, therefore Buehler and Dan measured out and taped an eye-catching chevron pattern for the painters.
Wall paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
The bathroom, staircase and cabinets are on one side of the upper floor. The existing bathroom got an update with a new wall remedy and salvaged doors and fixtures.
Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc..
The residence is equipped with a mix of furnishings from the Kahoes’ shop. “In some cases the space inspired the furniture choices, and in other cases the furniture inspired the distance,” says Buehler.
Floor paints: Maritime Blue, Pratt & Lambert; Gray Tint, Benjamin Moore