From the entry hall, a view of the dining room.
It’s a classic. Located in American University Park, a quiet and verdant Upper-Northwest Washington neighborhood, the charming Dutch-colonial style home was built in 1936 with a pronounced slate mansard roof. It stands out, fronting an expansive triangular patch of green. The traditional hand-hewn white picket fence is inviting. To be sure, those who enter the gate experience a prompt sense of peaceful escape from hectic urban life. A consistent neutral color palette flows continuously through the first floor.
It’s no wonder the owners Michelle and C.D. Pangallo love the home that affords respite and tranquility. They bought it in 1976 and over the years have thoughtfully transformed the property into a personal retreat where house and garden became one.“We fashioned our very own idyll,” says Michelle. “We gave it soul.” Indeed, much of the making of a home has to do with the making of a soul. For the Pangallos, who are ardent collectors, giving a soul means evolving a trove of art and antiques. They take enormous pleasure in selectively acquiring eclectic treasures at shops, fairs, and flea markets. “Yes, it’s the thrill of the hunt, the joy of the find,” Michelle explains. “And more, true collecting is about the music of history in things. It’s finding connections among art, furniture, and objects of different times and cultures. The common threads reveal special meaning.”
Step inside the Pangallo home and see an inviting aesthetic unfold. The central hall opens to comfortable and elegant living spaces. extending from the living and dining rooms to a light-filled conservatory. In the living room, at the back wall, French doors, a recent addition, serve to open up the space and maximize light. These lead to an “outdoor” room, a veranda that offers a sense of sanctuary.
The interior of the vitrine offers a punch of crimson.
There are nature prints, mercury glass mirrors, and period paintings on the walls. Among the ceramics, the finds include creamware, Chinese export, and Majolica. In every room there are surprising examples of weathered architectural elements of stone or wood. These are strong accents. Leather-bound books, vintage French textiles, and boxes of silver or tortoise, all seem desirably sentimental. Time-honored toleware contributes subdued and delicate color nuances. The fine oriental carpets are prized family heirlooms that confidently evoke a sense of place and permanence. And, the selections of English and American “brown” furniture are fine, but the various Swedish Gustavian antiques are each a tour de force.
Michelle and C.D. especially value their growing collection of 18th-century Gustavian painted furniture. “We were happily introduced to Swedish furniture by Loi Thai, owner of Tone on Tone,” explains C.D. “We were instantly drawn to the painted surfaces so beautifully reflecting the passing of time. The patina of age in these antiques really captured us.” “We experienced aesthetic arrest at Loi’s shop right in the heart of Bethesda,” Michelle adds with exclamation. “Thanks to design aficionado, Loi, we took a fresh approach to our interiors. Our room schemes became cleaner and more subtle. We are allowing more breathing room for each possession. We learned more is not more. Now we are continuously striving to refine our collections.”
In the conservatory, above a long wall of windows, there appear words attributed to Voltaire: Il Faut Cultivier Notre Jardin. The Pangallos certainly cultivate their garden with great dedication. “For me, a home without a garden would be unfulfilling,” Michelle says. The couple has created an oasis, complete with a pond filled with colorful fish. There are mature evergreens and great old trees reaching toward the sky. In addition to the veranda, there is a flagstone terrace extending from the conservatory. This is an ideal space for cozy dining al fresco. Around this terrace grows the couple’s partridgeberry groundcover of lovely scarlet and white hues. “It’s our favorite. It’s indigenous to upstate New York where C.D. and I grew up,” says Michelle. “Hence Partridgeberry Cottage . . . these two pretty words so appropriate for our tranquil home.”
Gardens are never finished. And, no doubt about it, Michelle and C.D. spend countless hours caring for theirs. It’s always a balancing act, keeping up with everything. Somehow they manage to keep enhancing the outdoors, while continuously refining their assembly of art and antiques. To everything they do, they bring their shared unique vision.
“It’s healthy to be active,” says C.D., who is in association management and is regularly on the go. Michelle, who retired from executive search consulting, is busy as an award-wining writer of poetry and children’s books. She also has just established a new business called Red Toile. No surprise, she is dealing in vintage fabrics, antiques, and brocante, frequently traveling to France to acquire more inventory.
And, in reprieve from their daily challenges, Michelle and C.D. delight in taking refuge in their blissful bedroom where their favorite things include a classic four-poster bed, unfailingly dressed in soft, heavenly linens. This room’s calming ambiance helps to renew body and spirit for more collecting and more gardening.
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John Francisco Andreu is a Contributing Editor.
Contact:
Red Toile: red-toile.com or 202-966-2018
Tone on Tone: tone-on-tone.com or 240-497-0800
