Social Scene

85th Georgetown House Tour Breaks a Record (photos)

By Robert Devaney • May 4, 2016 0 2695

Tour attendees check out the P Street home of the Kolaskys. | Photo by Robert Devaney.

The 85th Georgetown House Tour celebrations began with a bang-up Patrons’ Party at Bill Dean’s house April 20. There was a record-breaking crowd — even the Secretary of Homeland Security showed up to check out the scene. (O.K., Jeh Johnson is a neighbor.)

The party — which raised more than $100,000, a record sum, for the social services of St. John’s Church on O Street in Georgetown — is gaining buzz as the place for thirsty Washingtonians to be on the last Wednesday night in April. It wound down too soon, and lingering party-goers simply opted to continue at the George Town Club around 9 p.m.

At Saturday’s house tour, tickets sales neared 1,500, and the afternoon tea was packed in the parish hall of St. John’s Church on O Street. (The morning rain stopped no one.)

The tour displayed 10 houses — three on the west and seven on the east side of town. Observers enjoyed the designs of living rooms, libraries, dining rooms and kitchens. Contemporary art, such as that of Colby Caldwell in the Lacheys’ house on O Street, was examined as readily as that of the Wilkisons’ image of “The Samian Sybil” after Guercino above the mantle in their N Street home.

While all of those who donated the use of their houses for the day are to be commended, we might just give the grand prize to Jane and Timothy Matz. A little more than three weeks ago, the tree in front of their house fell against their roof, hitting the chimney, which collapsed with bricks falling and smashing the car in the driveway. When people showed up at the Matz home on O Street Saturday, everything was fixed for the tour except for a few loose cable wires. Now that’s commitment.