14th and U Becomes Go-To Place for Furniture, Home Decor

By Rachel Nania and Luis Gomez. 

We all know that Borderstan is home to some of the city’s best art galleries, restaurants, bars and music venues, but furniture is often left off the “best of” list. In reality, the 14th and U corridor, especially 14th Street, is becoming known as a go-to-place for furniture and home decor items. After all, surely you have noticed those very nice cars with Maryland and Virginia tags on weekends parked in front of the corridor’s furniture stores.

If you need to add some personality (and functionality) to your apartment, hold off on renting a truck (or begging a friend who owns a truck) until you explore all of your local options. After all, the 14th Street corridor is home to a number of great places to find a comfortable and stylish couch and the perfect throw pillow.

• Vastu, 1829 14th Street NW. This 14th Street staple is home to contemporary, high-end furniture and accessories. The locally-owned spot also works as an art gallery and displays art from local District artists. Even if you’re not in the market for a new piece of furniture, Vastu has a unique collection of home accessories (check out their glasses and vases) that are sure to catch your attention.
• Miss Pixie’s, 1626 14th Street NW. Best known for its vintage finds, Miss Pixie’s is sure to have something for even the pickiest of shoppers!
• Good Wood, 1428 U Street NW. Dubbed as an “American mercantile and dry goods store,” Good Wood sells everything from rustic furniture to whimsical accessories and clothing.
• Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, 1526 14th Street NW. Classic, yet contemporary, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams offers furnishings, upholstery, rugs, lighting, art and even dog pillows.
• Foundry, 1522 U Street NW. Brightly colored upholstered wing chairs, animal-print rugs and Roman-esque busts. All of this (and more, much more) is available at Foundry on U Street.
• Millennium Decorative Arts, 1528 U Street NW. This store sells, buys and consigns vintage mid-centry modern (yes, that is possible) furniture and home accessories.
• Room and Board, 1840 14th Street NW. With a store large enough to take up an entire block of 14th Street, it’s no wonder that Room and Board offers everything (and yes, I mean everything), including a patio to show off the store’s outdoor collections.
• Urban Essentials, 1401 14th Street NW. The locally-owned furniture store specializes in small-scale furnishings specific to urban lifestyles. According to David Schaefer, founder and owner of Urban Essentials, the recent boom in apartment and condo developments along the 14th Street corridor continues to create a demand for smarter, sleeker and smaller-scale living ideas.
• Muléh, 1831 14th Street NW. Muléh offers fashion, lighting and furniture. What could be more “14th Street” than that?
• Capital Carpet, 1832 14th Street NW. Renovating your place? Capital Carpet is your neighborhood stop for carpet, hardwood flooring, laminate and granite.
• Timothy Paul, 1404 14th Street NW. A showroom that features innovative handmade carpets, textiles and home accessories with an experienced and knowledgeable staff.
• Target, 3100 14th Street NW. Say it with a French accent, and you’ll never know the difference. (Repeat after me: tar-ZHAY.) That’s because the less expensive pieces found in the aisles of Target can easily be mistaken for their expensive counterparts. And Target is definitely a place to load up on the accessories (throw pillows, curtains, lamps, you name it)! Now that is très chic!