My Houzz: Hip Style for a Row House in D.C.

Bree and Andy Ryback, New Jersey transplants to the D.C. area, love their new city’s welcoming presence, multiculturalism and young, hip vibe, so they were happy to find a home that fit their budget and size requirements and would allow them to invest in “their” city. They then incorporated that newfound love throughout their updated 1960s row house, filling it with maps, music, signs and D.C. flag memorabilia along with their own bright color choices and design flair.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Andy and Bree Ryback; their daughter, Evelyn; and their mini dachshund, Sadie
Location: Trinidad area of Washington, D.C.
Size: 1,500 square feet (139 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 1½ bathrooms
Year built: 1960; renovated in 2011

One of the couple’s favorite features in their home is the exposed brick wall on the main floor. During the 1960s when the row houses were built, the brick walls were left with open areas so that workers could pass between the units. The gaps were later filled with bricks and wood. When Bree and Andy stripped the drywall and exposed the original brick, they also found a section filled in with wood.

Wall paint: Bahamian Sea Blue, Benjamin Moore


Bree works as a federal contractor and runs a D.C.-area wedding blog called Capitol Romance from this colorful home office. Her blog focuses on offbeat, hipster weddings. Bree’s office is an extension of her style and includes a graffiti canvas wall painted by a local artist. The midcentury tanker desk is a Craigslist find.

Wall paint: Teal Blast, Benjamin Moore


Bree and Andy painted their interior in bold and vibrant colors that reflect their vibrant style. D.C.–themed artwork, signs, flags and other objects decorate the wall near the stairs.

Wall paint: Pigeon Gray, Benjamin Moore


The couple remodeled their row house in 2011, including installing reclaimed factory floors from the 1920s. The downstairs floor was brought in piece by piece, installed, sanded and finished. The couple was surprised by the original color.

The dining area includes an antique chair from Bree’s grandmother and a Capitol Liquors sign from a local vintage shop.

Wall paint: Douglas Fir, Benjamin Moore; Cluster glass pendant: West Elm; green bench: Miss Pixie’s


The kitchen had been renovated before the couple moved in and required little work. Andy and Bree simply added personal touches, such as painting the cabinets gray, adding lights over the island and, of course, adding their signature D.C. style element with flag tea towels.


Andy built this industrial-style exposed shelf as a weekend project. He says it took some head scratching, a trip to Home Depot for some pipe and some reclaimed wood.

How to Make Your Own Industrial-Style Shelving Unit


After hunting for what felt like forever, the couple found this barrister bookcase on Craigslist. It’s a perfect place to display Bree’s grandfather’s collection of vintage cameras.

Bree and Andy love to purchase vintage items, but they also get by with a tiny car. The compact auto hauled this great piece and most of their vintage finds.


The couple incorporated color and texture in daughter Evelyn’s nursery by dip-dyeing Ikea curtains to match the dresser. The decorative birch wood branches in the corner are from Nettleton Hollow. The walls are painted in soft gray stripes.

Hudson crib: Babyletto


Bree painted this yellow lowboy dresser, passed down through her family, a vivid yellow.


The floating bookshelves hold the toddler’s favorites, including Good Night, New Jersey.


The second-floor bath required little updating. Andy installed the shelving, and the couple added industrial lighting and bold paint.

Wall paint: Viking Yellow, Benjamin Moore; shower curtain: Urban Outfitters


Andy updated this first-floor powder room by painting the walls black and applying black and gold sugar skull wallpaper to create an interesting accent wall. The mirror and sink are vintage finds.


For the master bedroom, Andy spent four months installing the plywood floor. He transported the pieces from Home Depot and stained them nearly black. He could transport only five sheets of plywood cut into strips in a single trip, which meant several trips to Home Depot to complete the floor. The plywood wears more than hardwood would, creating a worn and loved look that Bree and Andy love. The accent wall is made up of deconstructed shipping pallets.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.

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