Home & Living
This Three-Story Federal Townhouse in Mt. Vernon is Full of Stories
Partners David Gorman and Bruce Lyons have transformed their home into a traditional, inviting, and comfortable space—while still maintaining its historical integrity.
Home Sweet Home: Our home is a mix of traditional and more contemporary styles. We are drawn more to the design and color of pieces than to particular styles or periods. Each piece we have speaks to us in some way. Our goal is to mix a lot of interesting furniture pieces and art, so it looks like the rooms have evolved over a period of time. We’re also very practical—there’s always a light next to a chair and a small table to rest your glass.
A History Lesson: Our three-story Federal townhouse is one of six brick townhouses built in the Federal style in 1816 by Robert Carey Long Sr. He was the first native-born Baltimore architect who designed several notable buildings, including Davidge Hall at the University of Maryland Medical School and The Peale museum.
Several of the houses were expanded and changed architecturally many years ago, but ours and two others retain their initial footprint and many of the original architectural details. The molding details and stair handrail are very similar to those in The Peale.
Counter Space: It’s always the same in every house we’ve lived in: We hang out in the kitchen. It’s certainly the most transformed room in the house. What we’ve created feels appropriate and respectful of the house and works well for 21st-century living.
The Papered Wall: Powder rooms are follies, and we were searching for a Baltimore toile, something similar to the Harlem toile Sheila Bridges designed for the one off our kitchen. We wanted a very old and traditional form reinterpreted in a thoroughly modern way.
We didn’t discover a toile, but we did discover Elizabeth Graeber’s charming and whimsical wallpaper love letter to Baltimore. It’s very fun and everyone comments on it, whether they’re a local or a transplant.
Sentimental Value: We always seem to be at the head of the line when a family member asks: “Would anyone like this?” We never say no to anything. But, in all seriousness, the stories behind these pieces, and the continuity of a storyline are important to us. The connection and the backstory are often more interesting than the pieces themselves. How do we know where we’re going without knowing where we’ve been?
The Stewards: We bought our home from a man who lived there for over 40 years with his partner. It was important to him that the next owners remain sensitive to the house’s history and architectural integrity. We are trying to live up to these expectations.
