208 North Fairfax Street
Peter and Jane Erickson
Upon purchase of this townhouse 18 years ago, the Ericksons knew they were taking on a project: a larger kitchen and more room were needed. The house began life as a flounder house when it was constructed between 1784 and 1793; the land was purchased from Alexandria town father William Ramsay, who lobbied the Virginia General Assembly to establish the town in 1749.
Most flounders were erected in anticipation of building a larger brick main building, as personal finances allowed. This house is a case in point as it was constructed in many phases after the initial structure—and most recently, in 2009, a back two-story addition with a TV room and upstairs bedroom was built.
Jane and Peter Erickson designed the updated kitchen to convey an air of timelessness, as if it had always been here. This spacious English kitchen, painted in “garden cucumber,” is the heart of the house. Both Peter and Jane enjoy cooking and entertaining.
The couple’s style is airy and arty. For an Old Town townhouse, the rooms are atypically large, providing space for interesting fine art sprinkled throughout. All the art has a personal connection to the couple: family members or homes are the subject; the artists are friends of the family, or family; or the art was a gift from family members.