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April 2008
First stop this spring:
Historic Takoma’s 35th annual House and Garden Tour
by Diana Kohn
On Sunday, May 4, Takoma Park will show off its springtime best with Historic Takoma’s 35th annual House and Garden Tour. This year’s theme, “First Stop Takoma,” celebrates the suburb’s early ties to train and trolley.
The self-guided tour runs from 1-5 p.m. offers a chance to visit a dozen houses and gardens clustered around the Takoma Park DC Branch Library. Located one block from the Metro at Cedar and Fifth NW, the library which serves the starting point for the tour. Ticket are $20 and support the renovation of Historic Takoma’s archives space at Takoma Junction.
The oldest house on the tour dates back to 1895. Matt Swingly, an interior designer, and his partner Mark Goldstein, moved into the 3500-square-foot farmhouse in October 2000.
“It was the grown-up version of our rowhouse downtown,” explained Matt, “but it hadn’t been cared for in a long time and had fallen into major disrepair. The whole living room ceiling fell in during a rainstorm shortly after we got here.”
In the four years that followed, Matt and Mark undertook a major restoration. The upgrades were made with an eye toward preserving the worn-in feel of the farmhouse, Matt said.
“The first thing we did was change all the windows — [all] 58 of them,” Matt said. “We matched the windows to the originals — two over two. It’s twice as much money, but it’s worth it if you can afford to do it right. We ended up selling our cabin in West Virginia to pay for them. They provided for a lot more insulation and soundproofing ”
Many of the original elements of the house remain. “I love that the floors are warped and the windows are crooked,” Matt continued. The chimneys were rebuilt from the old brick and I refused the tiles on one of the fireplaces.”
Matt was able to track the history of the house through two granddaughters of the original owner, J. D. Burdett., who came from England. “He named the house ‘Mamblesbury’ after the place in Kent,” according to Matt.
The granddaughters gave them a copy of the handwritten contract for the property, which reads in part:
"Well and sufficiently erect, finish and deliver, in a true, perfect and workmanlike manner, and within the time of ninety working days...one frame dwelling house...On ground situated and being known as Takoma Heights, fronting on Piney Branch Road...Further, buyer will cause to be paid onto the [builders] the sum of two thousand and eight hundred dollars lawful money of the U.S.””
One granddaughter recalled that the house was surrounded by formal gardens, space now occupied by houses moved onto the site when the nearby Takoma (DC) Elementary School was built. Matt suspects that the family sold off the land when they needed money.
The star attraction of the house today, however, is the dining room graced by hand-painted murals The images evoke old Washington — Mt. Vernon, the Capitol building with Bulfinch dome, Georgetown, the Navy Yard, the Smithsonian Castle.
Matt explained that the murals were not part of the original interior design, but he was inspired to add them after seeing similar ones in a home on Nantucket. He contacted a freind, Don Stoltenberg, known for his watercolor portraits of ships, who agreed to the job.
“I looked at tons and tons of lithographs to get ideas, and he did the painting on paper canvas, which we then hung like wallpaper.”
Looking around at the comfortable house, Matt reflected, “I think the Burdett family woudl be happy that people are enjoying their home 113 years later. “
Matt Swingly is principal of McMaster Wallace Interiors. His work will be featured at the Washington Design Center spring show from April 25-June 28. For more information on his services, visit www.mcmasterwallace.com or call 202-726-3700.
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