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What do these things have to do with a fireplace?

Jessica Bonness runs JGB Interiors and will answer PoP reader questions about decorating and design. If you have a question send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com and write ‘design question’ in the title.

Fall is (almost) here, which means a lot of socializing is going to be shifting from the pool to the fireplace. But what if your fireplace is ugly? Or what if your fireplace doesn’t work? Or what if you have an 18 month old like I do, and you’re afraid to light a fire that he can access for fear that he’ll throw himself into it “for fun?”

Here are some ideas to keep your hearth glowing throughout the colder months…at least with style.

1.) Do a mini-renovation: If you’ve got an anti-interesting fireplace – you know, flush with the wall, no molding, no mantle – try running with that. Paint the fireplace wall, or a vertical column of it, with chalkboard paint. Use mosaic tile like the kind typically seen on a kitchen backsplash. Mount pictures ledges over the opening to create an alternative mantle, and place art and curios on them. Just make sure your applications are as heatproof as they are stylish.

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Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. In September, he launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. Every day, People’s District presents a different Washingtonian sharing his or her insights on everything from Go Go music to homelessness to fashion to politics. You can read his previous columns here.

“I have spent most of my legal career working on social justice issues. I originally went to law school to do HIV work, and then went on to work for the Whitman Walker Clinic. I eventually became interested in prisoners’ rights, partly because many prisoners had HIV, but also because the more I learned about our prison system, the harder it was to look beyond the very apparent injustices.

“In D.C., we have one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, and many of these prisoners are treated terribly. As a white person, it is hard to overlook the fact that the prison population here is predominately African-American. It has nothing to do with black people being bad and white people being good. It is about who gets caught up in the criminal justice system. Those people are primarily African-American men. At some level, I felt an obligation to get involved. Seven years ago, I became the Executive Director of the D.C. Prisoners Legal Services Project, which is now the D.C. Prisoners’ Project.

“We work on all kinds of issues, from medical care to abuse and assault, from religious issues to parole. Because D.C. is not a state, it creates a lot of added complexities for the prison population here. Currently, D.C. has a jail, but not a prison. Since Lorton Reformatory closed in 2001, we now rely on the Federal Bureau of Prisons to house our prisoners. There was no real reason for Lorton to close. The federal government could have taken it over when D.C. was facing financial trouble. Allegedly, there were all kinds of deals made, and the land is now townhouses. Because of that, D.C. prisoners can be sent to any of the 90-plus prisons around the country, although they try and keep them within 500 miles of D.C. However, it is not uncommon to find D.C. prisoners in California, Colorado, or Texas. For a while, D.C. juveniles were kept in North Dakota. We worked to get that overturned.

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As we’ve noted before, given how posh the new buildings of 1st St, NE have become – how much longer do you think the bus depot will last in NoMa? Can these buildings coexist? As a side note, it’s absolutely amazing to me how much this area has transformed, when I used to go to the bus depot back in the day, it was not a pleasant experience. At the moment the area is still very quiet but when the Harris Teeter and all the other surrounding businesses open up this area is going to be unrecognizable to me. I never in a million years thought the area could look so good.

Thanks again to DC realtor Kevin Wood for compiling this list of home/condo sales for zip codes – 20011, 20010, 20009, 20008, 20005, 20003, 20002, and 20001. Click below on “Aug 2010 Sales” for the full list in pdf format.  If I’m missing a zipcode you’d like just let me know.

Aug2010Sales

Last week it was windows, for some reason this week I was fixated on house numbers. I thought the one above was super sweet. Sadly, the one below was a bit disappointing.

I must’ve walked by this building a thousand times. I always knew it had a sweet entrance but I never realized how amazing the roof looked. I only noticed this weekend because it was getting touched up. Best roof in town?

And pretty sweet apartment number to boot:

I thought this one is pretty wild from Mass. Ave K Street, NW by Foggy Bottom. At first glance you can’t even tell it’s there.

This might be a re-PoP because I know I’ve seen it before (around 15th St, NW near T) but it continues to blow my mind. The entire roof is copper:

I don’t think it’s actually a garage but some sort of work or studio space. Very very cool.

Photo courtesy of Taylor Gourmet

Building on the success of their H St, NE and Mt. Vernon Square locations, Taylor Gourmet is looking to see if their success will travel to Bethesda. The shop opens today at 11am at 7280 Woodmont Avenue.

Given their success I’m sure this won’t be my last announcement of a new Taylor Gourmet, I’m crossing my fingers for a U St, NW location one day! I just hope, eventually, I fall within their delivery borders…

Photo courtesy of Taylor Gourmet

It’s amazing to see the progress since June. The new United States Institute of Peace building is located at Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street, NW. I think this is one of my favorite new buildings. You like the way it’s turning out?