The saying, "You can't judge a book by its cover" certainly fits this updated residence in Georgetown, where brownstone façades generally hide antique-filled drawing rooms. In a surprise move, Jeffrey Thrasher turned tradition on its ear to blend vintage furnishings with modern art to the delight of his clients. To make a superb art collection feel remarkably at home, the designer transformed classic Georgetown parlors into airy spaces that welcomed a jazzy mix of vintage and modern furnishings'a Thrasher hallmark.
In the living room, Thrasher arranged Poul Kjaerholm wicker chairs, and a Baron & Baron sofa covered in wool flannel around a playful lacquered table that is actually four tables in one. Showing further the extent of his deftness for mixing all manner of styles, the stainless steel works of art in a 15-foot-high gallery are as comfortable in their surroundings as are Murano glass chandeliers, a Carlo Scarpa glass-topped table and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Brno chairs in the dining room. The chartreuse upholstery on these chairs echoes the perky tones in the Odegard carpet, an intended punch of color says Thrasher: "Colors and textures are important in a house like this, so it doesn't feel austere." Austerity is also held at bay by rich limestone, zebrawood, leather and wengé, proving that contemporary doesn't have to be cold.
