A speakeasy vibe takes over a reinvigorated condo on Capitol Hill.
The ceiling wallpaper is by Lindsay Cowles
THE PROJECT
During the pandemic, a busy political operative relocated his family to Florida when he realized he could work from anywhere. When he needed to return to Capitol Hill, he wanted a comfortable, masculine place to rest, work and entertain. He didn’t want a traditional sitting room; instead, he preferred a space with a speakeasy vibe where he and guests could play poker and enjoy fine wine, bourbon and cigars—a modern gentleman’s parlor.
The wine cabinet-fridge adds allure.
THE TEAM
The homeowner selected Juli Brocato, owner and principal designer at Brocato Design + Co. (brocatodesign.com), for the project. “No matter my clients’ style, my design aesthetic is always rich in texture and dimension while highlighting and playing with the lines in the space,” says Brocato, who makes it her mission to understand a homeowner’s world and reflect who they are. “Using various materials and finishes like millwork, lighting, wallpaper and textured fabrics, I aim to create a sense of ease and serenity combined with a playful, almost cheeky, quirkiness.”
A new counter-bar offers more space for entertaining guests on poker nights.
THE GOALS
“My client needed a comfortable place to sleep while back on the Hill for business, plus a quiet place to work,” says Brocato. “Since this is a one-bedroom condo, we had to be creative with the layout to ensure he had enough room to satisfy both needs without the space or the client feeling too cramped.”
The bedroom features a leather headboard from Four Hands
THE PARLOR
Brocato’s client wanted to entertain up to six guests with a Mad Men aesthetic. “We found a reversible poker table by Jack Game Room (jackgameroom.com) so he could dine or host poker nights,” says Brocato, who added a stunning wine cabinet with a built-in wine fridge by Wine Enthusiast (wineenthusiast.com). Her team deepened the room’s tones with Wrought Iron walls by Benjamin Moore (benjaminmoore.com) and black leather chairs from Four Hands (fourhands.com). “To add more subtle masculine confidence in the room, we brought in a playful, sexy pattern on the ceiling with a stunning Lindsay Cowles (lindsaycowles.com) grasscloth wallpaper and a curvaceous chandelier by Mitzi (mitzi.com) from Hudson Valley Lighting Group (hvlgroup.com).
A nook for work
THE BEDROOM AND OFFICE
“We wanted to brighten things up, allowing our client to work during the day without the space feeling too dark and cavernous,” says Brocato, who used Pure White wall paint by Sherwin Williams (sherwin-williams.com) and camel leather and lighter wood to keep things more breathable yet still masculine.
“We created his workspace in the small bay window bump-out using a cushy upholstered swivel desk chair, a small writing desk and a floor lamp wrapped with leather—all from Four Hands—to keep the desk space clear,” says Brocato. The bedroom’s deep greens tie to the parlor, as does a green grasscloth geometric patterned wallpaper by Graham & Brown (grahambrown.com). Other standout pieces from Four Hands include a camel leather headboard, an upholstered bench for extra storage and midcentury cowboy art. Brocato added a wall lamp by Mitzi from Hudson Valley Lighting Group.
designer Juli Brocato (left) and Lauren Valentine.
HOW THE HOME IS LIVING
Brocato repainted the kitchen cabinets and added new hardware and accessories to marry all the spaces. Brocato’s client says she nailed the assignment: “Simple, clean, elegant, classy and practical— I’ve already had poker nights here with some senior Hill folks,” he says. “Their reaction was similar to mine: wow. It was easy and fun to host with such a great design.”
DESIGN DETAILS
HOME TYPE
Condo
LOCATION
Capitol Hill
INTERIOR DESIGN
Brocato Design + Co.
brocatodesign.com
RESOURCES
Jack Game Room
Table, parlor
jackgameroom.com
Wine Enthusiast
Wine Fridge, parlor
wineenthusiast.com
Benjamin Moore
Wrought Iron paint,
benjaminmoore.com
Lindsay Cowles
Grasscloth wallpaper, parlor
lindsaycowles.com
Hudson Valley Lighting Group
Chandelier, parlor; wall lamp, bedroom by Mitzi
hvlgroup.com, mitzi.com
Four Hands
Chair, parlor; headboard, bench and art, bedroom
fourhands.com
Sherwin Williams
Pure White paint, bedroom
sherwin-williams.com
Photography by: ROBERT RADIFERA STYLED BY CHARLOTTE SAFAVI
