New Coffee Table Book Looks Inside Old Town Alexandria’s Most Beautiful Historic Homes

ALEXANDRIA, VA – After two years in the making, Old Town at Home: Historic Alexandria Today is on local shelves. In this richly photographed coffee-table book, longtime Alexandrian Anne Metcalf highlights 19 Old Town homes—each chosen for its distinctive décor, history, or architectural character.

A port city founded in 1749, Old Town Alexandria is known for its nationally designated historic district, brick sidewalks, cobblestone alleys, and remarkably preserved 18th- and 19th-century buildings. Today, its streets form an outdoor architecture museum—and a backdrop for one of the region’s most desirable residential neighborhoods.

Why This Book—and Why Now

Metcalf, who has lived in Alexandria for more than 30 years, is an architecture enthusiast who has restored several historic homes of her own. The idea for the book came unexpectedly.

“After attending a friend’s party, I left thinking: their house is so beautiful—someone should capture it at this moment in time,” she recalls. “I’ve seen many homes sold and their interiors stripped of original woodwork. Only a few have interior preservation easements. When I realized the last Old Town coffee-table book was in 1946—and in black and white—I decided it was time for a new one.”

The book was born from a sense of urgency. Metcalf saw firsthand how quickly historic interiors can disappear during renovations and sales, making documentation more critical than ever.

Choosing the Homes That Tell the Story

Selecting the homes took months. Metcalf turned to respected local architect Bud Adams for guidance. Adams’s own residence is among the featured properties, and he also wrote the book’s foreword. Together, they narrowed an extensive list to 19 homes that reflect Old Town’s diversity of style, décor, and history.

“My overall aim was to showcase homes with a variety of stories,” Metcalf explains. “Most were built in the 1800s in the Federal style—this is Old Town, after all—but once you open their doors, it’s a different ballgame. That made it fun for Gordon Beall, the photographer, and me. I also looked for homes that touched on the history of African Americans in Old Town.”

The final selection ranges widely: the home of George Washington’s physician, who heard the president’s last words; its next-door neighbor filled with bold contemporary art; a residence that hosted Marquis de Lafayette on his final American tour; a home where an African American doctor treated patients during segregation; a house with a rare collection of early American furniture and Peale portraits; a glass-and-steel condo reimagined inside the former Elks Club; and more.

“The concept of ‘home’ is deeply personal,” Metcalf adds. “Some people create a home wherever they are. Others seek a specific place and time—like a childhood home. This book tells the story of how people live in Old Town’s historic homes today. Some decorate in period style, some have carved out massive wine cellars, and some even have glass floor panels to light a basement gym. Every home had its surprises.”

Capturing Old Town Through the Lens

Acclaimed photographer Gordon Beall collaborated with Metcalf throughout the project. Beall has photographed for many of the nation’s premier home and design magazines, including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is known for his meticulous, light-rich interiors work. His book credits include The Inn at Little Washington: A Magnificent Obsession.

Old Town at Home will be available at Patina on South Columbus Street, The Virginia Florist at Belle View Shopping Center, select pop-ups at Made in ALX on King Street, and on the author’s website at www.annelmetcalf.com.

“Whether it’s wisteria bursting on garden walls in spring, boats sailing down the Potomac in summer, fall leaves papering cobblestone streets, or the holiday lights twinkling up and down King Street—it’s just a magical town,” Metcalf says.