The word "standalone" takes on a whole new meaning when you live in an urban row house environment. Party walls, shared walls, and common space is quite common place, so the idea of a dwelling and space that is all your own is a dream for many.

Along Old Town's Prince Street there is a collection of unique and beautiful homes ranging in age from the mid 1700s to the early 1900s. Many have direct neighbors who have filled in over time, while a few lucky homes have remained detached and standalone.

Today's featured Around Old Town home is a beautiful representation of a grand home that has retained that coveted label of "fully detached."

This stately home was built in 1870 and is a large three story brick home with a picturesque enclosed porch that lines the second story back portion of the house. It's oddly dwarfed by its hulking neighbor to the left, which might cause you to look past this house when walking by, but this home has always been one of my absolute favorites.

The ample land and free space on either side allows for parking, yard space, and the ability for passers by to gawk at a view of a standalone home you don't often see in Old Town Alexandria.

The current owners have done a wonderful job maintaining this home having owned it since 1970 (talk about a bargain)! The cheerful yellow paint on the exterior with black shutters sits in contract to the neighboring natural brick.

You can see the results of the weakening mortar below each window, which is very common in large masonry homes of this era, but that is all easily resolved by a good mason. 

The various details of the home, including the large decorative corbels as well as the original 6 over 6 window sash make this home one I'd quickly trade for. 

Do you have a favorite home in your neighborhood that you always pause to admire? Perhaps the home itself, a beautiful garden, interesting portico, or some other architectural feature that captivates you? If so, we'd love to hear all about it in the comment section, or snap a photo and send it to alex@oldtownhome.com for a chance to be featured in an upcoming "Around Town" segment.

Comments 12

Comments

6/27/2013 at 12:42 PM
What a beauty. That yellow is absolutely lovely!

Our house had the cracking below each window, too. It was caused by the effect of time on the original wood lintels that were inadequate to carry the weight of the brick walls above them, creating a crush situation below each window. Problem solved by removing two rows of bricks above each window and recessing a steel lintel into the wall, then covering it by relaying the original bricks back in place ... shaving a sliver off of the outer bricks to account for the thickness of the steel. Now the weight is carried over each window, and no one is aware of the modern fix.
Alex
6/27/2013
Perfect! And using the right mortar in the fix makes it a permanent correction for the life of the house.
6/27/2013 at 1:24 PM
What a handsome devil!
Wendy
6/27/2013
We agree! Oh the things you could do with that side porch!
Diana
6/27/2013 at 1:34 PM
I've been reading your blog from the beginning for the last two months, and here I am, at today's post. I am VERY glad to have found you, people who take things seriously, who love what they do, and do what they love.

Today's house, with it's colours, proportions and shutters, looks a little bit French to my untrained eye. Doesn't it? Like the wing of a "petit chateau" in the proximity of Paris, maybe?

Again, great, great blog. I am very interested by the "Tuesday toolbox", by all the wood work you are doing, by the plastering, by the gardening (thanks to you, a lazy Sunday afternoon I bought The Square Foot Gardening), and, obviously, by Wendy's recipes. Oh, and even though I have human children, I very much understand the love for the four legged children, we also have a male cat and female dog.

All the best from far, far away!
Wendy
6/27/2013
Hi Diana, and wow! We're so flattered that you've spent the last two months reading every post! Thank you so much for your kind words and insightful feedback.

I'm curious. Where is far, far away? (I'm guessing at least as far as the UK based on your "non-American" spelling of colours). :-)
6/27/2013 at 4:31 PM
Another Old Town gem! Thanks for sharing.

I would bet this one is older than 1870. The 6/6 and 9/9 sashes make it look like a Federal era house that was "updated" with Italianate trim in the 1870s.
Alex
6/27/2013
I was thinking the exact same thing. I'm going to do a little digging and see what I can come up with.
6/27/2013 at 11:01 PM
I love the wee little corbels under the sills. I've also recently developed a crush on fancy lintels, and this house has them a' plenty! What a gem.
Wendy
6/29/2013
We agree. The corbels are so cute, and I love the unique shape of the lintels. Our house is so plain in comparison!
Diana
6/28/2013 at 6:41 AM
Even further, Romania. But it's true, I had a lot of training in UK. The house reminds me a little of this:
www.leggett-immo.com/acheter-vendre-une-maison/view/29597NM17/maison-a-vendre-a-la-rochelle-charente-maritime-poitou-charentes-france

Good
luck with your new career, Wendy! I've always valued the capacity to recognize and own the moment when the time for change has come.
Wendy
6/29/2013
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing this link, Diana, and for your words of encouragement! That home (or should I say palace?) is absolutely stunning. I especially love the old stone fence and exterior photos. Gorgeous!

Romania, eh? The closest we've been to Romania was our trip to Budapest last year, but hopefully we'll get a chance to visit someday. :-)
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