Easy Formality

The client, a historic preservationist, had always admired this double-entry townhouse in Old Town, Alexandria. After purchasing the property, the eighteenth-century structure and carriage house were completely restored inside and out by its new owners. The family lives in one half of the building and rents four apartments created in the other. 

For the courtyard landscape that wraps behind the house from the side drive, Richardson & Associates created a linear garden designed to accommodate an area for the tenants to enjoy, turf for dogs and kids, and the ability to utilize all the outdoor spaces for entertaining groups of up to 100 or 200 people. At the back, a painted Accoya wood trellis supports a one-of-a-kind Parrotia tree, which is espaliered and will provide changing seasonal color against the brick of the adjacent building. The mint green gate leads to a garbage and recycling enclosure and takes its design cues from the historic home.

At the center of the space, an existing dogwood is surrounded by low plantings and a hardscape distinctive to Old Town of reclaimed brick and bluestone with crushed oyster shells demarking the drive. Copper roofs and gutters add a warm glow during the day while discreetly hidden fixtures illuminate the area at night. The electric vehicle charger is accessible but does not distract from the comfortable formality of the scene, which complements the vintage of the buildings. The planting beds and composite planters are resplendent with ferns, hostas, and boxwood.

  • Architect: Ashley Wilson, AIA
  • General Contractor: Peterson Collins
  • Landscape Contractor: Black Pearl
  • Photographer: Stacy Zarin Goldberg Photography
A lush backyard features a central patch of green grass, a small dark-grey garden shed, and a two-story house with a white wraparound porch. A grey bench sits on the grass, and brick walls line the perimeter of the garden.
A two-story brick house with a white arched porch, a second-floor balcony, and a wooden porch swing. A large dogwood tree sits in the grassy yard, next to a stone patio with outdoor dining furniture and an exterior staircase.
A wooden porch swing with beige cushions hangs on a brick patio. Beside the swing, a small red metal table holds a green pot of pink flowers in front of a red brick house with the number 415 on the door.
A shaded stone patio features a circular metal dining set tucked against a brick wall with horizontal wood slats and a small tree. In the foreground, a wooden staircase with an arched firewood storage nook stands beside a tree trunk.
A metal patio table and four chairs sit on a stone terrace in a courtyard. The area is surrounded by a brick wall, garden beds, and a large tree canopy providing shade.
A round black metal patio table with four matching chairs sits on a stone patio. A rectangular planter with small flowers sits in the center of the table in front of a brick wall and a large leafy tree.
A black cat walks along a stone path in a garden courtyard. A small grey structure with glass doors sits at the back, framed by brick walls, greenery, and a patch of lawn.
A brick building with window boxes and a garden bed planted with hydrangeas and ferns along its wall. A stone walkway runs alongside the garden, leading toward a patio with outdoor seating in the background.
A three-story red brick townhouse with a light green front door and white window frames. A white car and a dark blue sedan are parked on the street in front of the building, with blurred figures of people walking by on the sidewalk.

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