St Albans' Christmas House Tour: not to be missed!

House tours are wonderful and some are so much so that you don't want to miss out. 

The St. Albans' 32nd Christmas House Tour is one of those - I have it from a reliable source that it includes a house decorated by Darryl Carter and featured in Elle Decor.

Now here's some more info to make sure you fit this in to your Dec 5th or 6th plans:

The setting for St. Alban’s traditional Christmas House Tour this year is the historic Cleveland Park neighborhood which faces the north side of the National Cathedral. It is a close-knit community filled with families, friends, and neighbors who value their homes and neighborhood.  Filled with history, the neighborhood draws its name from President Grover Cleveland who spent many years in his Victorian farmhouse located across the street from several of the homes on the tour - between Newark Street and Macomb Street east of 36th Street.

The tour of the houses will begin with a historic Colonial Georgian Revival home where the St. Albans family enjoys decorating all their seven mantels for Christmas and feature a huge Christmas tree in the middle of the central hall reception room which is uniquely decorated each year. Two additional historic Victorian homes built between 1894 and 1901 will represent the first major phase of development of Cleveland Park in what was then considered a streetcar suburb of Washington, DC. The exterior of a 1913 home will display architecture influenced by the Spanish, Mediterranean region while the interior is a clean, white, impeccably detailed modern oasis. Hidden behind black gates and a seven foot brick wall, the Christmas House Tour will reveal one of Washington’s most beautiful examples of mid-century modern architecture. And then on the site which was once part of the oldest homestead in Washington DC, a 21st century home that views the National Cathedral will represent what the homeowners say is “a great family house.” 

These 6 fascinating homes represent over 110 years of residential architecture and community development in Cleveland Park. Each home comes with fascinating stories, furnishings and art. For instance, view a stunning collection of photography including prints by Sebastião Salgado, a famed Brazilian photographer known for his long-term projects that document the story of a people or the evolution of a place. Admire a series of stunning organic art pieces that have been custom designed into a home by Margaret Boozer who is the founder and director of thefamed Red Dirt Studio. Wonder how a family portrait can actually be created with one piece of string through the talents of Brooke Bronner, a Cleveland Park artist. Marvel at the modern conveniences that have been integrated into historic homes such as a geothermal heating system, a swimming pool and a modern kitchen. Smile at whimsical mid-century modern artwork. Understand the rich and diverse cultural heritage of each family represented by their art, artifacts and furniture.

St. Albans school will also be decorated for Christmas during the Tour and will feature a holiday marketplace with over 50 vendors - an ideal place to do some holiday shopping.

Tickets for the House Tour ($40) and the luncheon ($20) at St. Albans may be purchased on-line at www.stalbansschool.org/CHT 

The funds raised from the Christmas House Tour directly benefit the faculty, staff and students at St. Albans. The Christmas House Tour is a fabulous community event that celebrates the spirit of giving. 

Christmas House Tour 
Friday, December 5 
11 am - 4 pm 

Saturday, December 6 
10 am - 4 pm 
(tickets: $40) 

Gift Boutiques at St. Albans 
Friday and Saturday
9:30 am - 5 pm 
(no ticket required) 

Holiday Luncheon 
at St. Albans' Cafritz Refectory 
Friday and Saturday
11 am - 2:30 pm 
(tickets: $20)