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An 1800’s Horse Stable Becomes a Studio with a Home Above

09.08.14 | By
An 1800’s Horse Stable Becomes a Studio with a Home Above

E/L Studio transformed an 1800’s horse stable that was an abandoned property in a neglected alley in Washington, DC, into an architect’s storefront studio with a home above. The white brick building looks unassuming from the street making the interior quite an unexpected surprise.

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The studio on the lower floor is set back from the alley allowing for a separate entrance for the living quarters.

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A rolling gate and folding glass wall separate the studio from the street but also allowing it to be completely open during warmer months.

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The studio is rather open with views to the backyard. A massive woodblock table runs through the middle of the space for workstations.

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I love that they kept everything white except the dark floors and wood desktop.

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A narrow space with storage and a stairwell leads to the residence.

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These stairs are pretty amazing. Loving the orange handrail and how open they are.

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Upstairs, a skylight above the stairs keeps both levels super bright.

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Despite the modern transformation, they still managed to keep a lot of the historic charm, like the brick and exposed timber structure.

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Hallways on either side of the central volume lead to the bedroom and nursery. Within that volume, there are two bathrooms, a closet, and washer and dryer.

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The bedroom and nursery still feel private even though there are no doors separating the spaces.

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The master bathroom may be narrow, but it’s efficient and well-designed.

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Photos by Pepper Watkins.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.