Indulge Your House Lust: The Renovator's House Tour

A few weeks ago I got to indulge my nosy neighbor habit. As a volunteer for the Renovators’ House Tour, I got to preview three of the houses selected for their innovative “make-overs,” and write up the copy for the tour’s guidebooks. Spiral staircases, great art, shiny kitchens, eclectic collections – OH MY! The house tour is this Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and for $25 (all of which will go to the Capitol Hill Cluster Schools), you too can check out these and other homes whose owners have taken steps to renovate their 100+-year-old row houses to 21st century living.

Richard Sorian braved a snowstorm in 2000 to get a first look at his house on E Street, NE. The first floor features a open layout, front to back. It screamed possibilities, and Sorian, who has a extensive collection of architectural remnants, antiques and Americana, has turned the space into a well-curated gallery. You’ll see everything from dollhouses to weather vanes to 19th century school supplies. Jeff Keil, a local contractor known for his historic renovations and workmanship, teamed with Sorian to develop a kitchen with a coffered ceiling and one of the most creative use of cabinetry I’ve seen.

Petula Dvorak, a columnist for the Washington Post, moved into a house that already had some “interesting” renovations. Pat Choate, Ross Perot’s running mate, owned the house in the ’80s and left an Austin Power’s touch with a huge spiral staircase. It fills the house with light; the openness of the first floor is perfect for Dvorak and her husband Glen Justice’s collection of Cold War era film posters, paintings by child prodigy Alexandra Nechita and the full-size air hockey table. The family had the kitchen renovated in 2004, and while I drooled over the Viking range, the great combo of a functional layout, vibrant colors and interesting artwork make this a kitchen worth emulation.

The artwork and antiques in Steve Norton and Alison Feighan’s home alone make the visit to their house a must. But when you learn that their dining room (and radiators covers!) were once covered with green linoleum, you get a sense of the extent of renovations they’ve taken on over the years. Most recently, they pushed out a back wall and extended the kitchen. The space is a great example of how to lighten up rooms in the back of the house (ah, my dream of having side windows!) and making the most of counter space. You’ll never look at powder rooms the same when you see  Steve’s collection of historic front pages. Make sure to see the print of Miles Davis by Alex Madison, who was once, literally, an ‘artist in residence’ at Eastern Market.

If you’re like me, you get your thrills out of cruising open houses to see the pre-sale renovations and imagine what the future might hold for your own abode. Take the tour on Saturday to see renovated houses that their owners DON’T want to sell!