It was 2004, the city was bustling with presidential election activities, and Antonio Evans and Michelle Phipps-Evans (a writer for this paper) were busy campaigning and attending fundraising events. At the same time, this civic-minded couple was looking for a home to accommodate their busy lifestyle and their growing family.

While attending a fundraiser at a friend’s Hillcrest home, Michelle immediately fell in love with the neighborhood and decided they needed to live on the “Silver Coast.” They enlisted the help of well-known local realtor Chuck Riley and started a long search for their perfect home.

The search ended atop a hill on a corner lot where the couple found a 1937 colonial-style, five-bedroom, two-bath house with a beautiful garden (featured during the recent June Hillcrest Garden tour.) The previous owner, Mrs. Laura Gardner, purchased the home in the 1980s and over many years created a garden that needs little more than maintenance. “It even came with a sprinkler system,” says Antonio.

Just passed the garden, a six-panel front door opens on to the foyer. To the right, French doors lead you into the living room where a beautiful wood-burning fireplace is the centerpiece. The couple believes that this fireplace is also a stove. In fact, Antonio has boiled water on it before.

The living room furniture is a nice mix of antiques and modern pieces. Their daughter, Latea, even has her own chair. Michelle explains, “We were lucky to inherit Antonio’s parents’ furniture, which are antiques and go very well with the style of the house.”

The walls display paintings reflecting the family’s Caribbean heritage. Doors on both sides of the fireplace lead to a porch where logs for the fireplace are stacked. The dining room is unfurnished – as every homeowner knows, finding the perfect furniture for your space is not always easy.

The 1950s-era kitchen boasts its original cast-iron sink and ample storage space. The room has a warm, comfortable feel, inviting family and guests to linger and share stories around the family’s dining table. However, the kitchen is one space the family hopes to renovate soon. “It’s going to be a huge project, and we have already gotten a few quotes,” explains Antonio.

A staircase leads to the basement where the Evans’ son Nicholas stores his musical instruments, a few books and toys. A gas fireplace warms the main room during the colder months. The basement also holds a full bath and an office, which can be turned into a guest room. The garage and additional storage space can be accessed through the basement.

The second floor of the house is where the family sleeps and shares a full bath. The huge master bedroom, painted a rich reddish terracotta hue, includes unusually large closets for a house build in the 1930s. Michelle believes the previous owner may have broken down a wall to make two rooms into one. The master bedroom also has a porch with a magnificent view – on one side is the backyard, on the other, the green tops of trees and the quiet street down below. Sitting there makes it easy to forget that you are in the nation’s capital. It is truly a calm retreat after a hard day’s work.

The children’s rooms are adjacent to each other. Nicholas’ room is blue with a nice chest of drawers and maps on the wall; Talea, who informs me that she loves pink, has a day bed in her room. She also shows off her favorite toy “doggy.” Michelle would like to take down the wallpaper someday, but for now, the rooms are perfect just the way they are.

The attic is an open space that the family hopes to turn into a real guest room. Right now there is a beautiful antique desk and chair and a futon which doubles as a guest bed. Michelle and Antonio entertained the idea of using the attic as their master bedroom but decided against it after taking into account the room’s lack of heating and the task of moving their heavy antique furniture into the room.