This historic 1907 Belgian Renaissance five-storey townhouse by the renowned architect George Oakley Totten, Jr. had fallen into complete disrepair. Our full restoration saved one of Embassy Row’s landmark structures, returning the property to its original magnificence while updating the 9000-square-foot interior for contemporary demands. Working closely with the historic review board, we meticulously restored every detail of the brick, limestone, and terracotta façade, including repair of the piano nobile’s dramatic ornate balcony and preservation of the façade’s original decorative diaper pattern through application of historically accurate mortar. Each level of the interior reflects the grandeur expected of a residence of this calibre. The formal entrance level contains a reception hall, library and sitting room, with the reception hall opening to a dramatic four-storey stairway. The piano nobile’s broad rooms and new Versailles parquet flooring exemplify the maxim from Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman, Jr.’s turn-of-the-century  The Decoration of Houses: “the architecture of the room becomes its decoration.” Refined classical elements, such as the ionic columns gracefully framing the switchback stair and the dentil molding elevating the elegance of the space, infuse the interior with the Renaissance ethos of the original structure. The upper storeys provide ample living suites, each with its own library, sitting rooms, and individual  fireplace. The top level primary living suite gives way to a roof-top balcony with views across the city, resplendent vistas appropriate for a resplendent property.