The Inn at Little Washington Opens Newest Addition, The Parsonage

The Parsonage, so named because of its proximity to Trinity Episcopal Church, is located on Main Street directly across from The Inn's legendary restaurant in the heart of "Little" Washington. The 6,000-square-foot 1850s Victorian house has been lovingly restored and now offers six luxurious new guest rooms with fireplaces and bay windows overlooking the village.

Collaborating with London designer Joyce Conwy Evans, Chef and Proprietor Patrick O'Connell has created the ambiance of an enchanting house in the countryside full of surprise and whimsy. The Parsonage's interiors reflect a lighter, more modern interpretation of The Inn at Little Washington's beloved English Country House aesthetic while still managing to evoke a scene in "Downton Abbey."



"We measure the success of all our projects with the same, simple standard," Patrick said. "When completed, each one should feel as if it has always been here just as it is. Nothing should ever look newly constructed. Of course, this can be a difficult and costly effect to achieve but it's always worth the effort especially in a town which dates from the 1700s. Sometimes we ask ourselves what George Washington might have thought about a recently completed project. We know he would have loved the Parsonage. The house is so happy to have been rescued and given back the identity it deserves."

A former side porch is now an exotic, Moorish inspired glass-enclosed conservatory which serves as the main entrance to the Parsonage. The ceiling of this foyer has been tented in a soft, green-striped fabric and the floor is an intricately patterned Tunisian tile. An antique French lantern hanging in the center of the tent casts an inviting glow in the evening.

A T-shaped center hall draws an arriving guest through the house and out through symmetrical French doors onto a wide porch. The hallways are papered in a magnificent William Morris tulip pattern that lifts the spirit and makes one feel as if they've been transported into a fairy tale. The public spaces feel as if they were the original sitting rooms to the 1850s house. Bay windows with window seats flood the house with sunlight. From the second floor one looks out on the richly textured roof tops and stone chimneys of the little village with the mountains in the distance. The long, side porch faces an old enclosed garden with giant oaks, a smokehouse and a summer kitchen.

Each guestroom is individually decorated in a fresh, light-filled style employing a soothing palette of pastel colors, English fabrics and wall papers. Stunning bathrooms feature Waterworks tile and fixtures, soft grey Carrera marble vanities and Bulgari amenities. A junior suite offers an enormous soaking tub overlooking the garden.



The exterior of the formerly undistinguished house is now a rich sage green with all the fine architectural details highlighted by two shades of cream. Vibrant, rust colored shutters and a copper roof provide striking accents.

The Town of Washington and Trinity Episcopal Church cooperated in allowing The Inn to transform the car park in the center of town into a town square by adding stone walls, planters and trees, and landscaping. Around the square, The Inn has installed period, handmade, copper lanterns and lamp posts based on an original design found in Richmond, Virginia.

In exchange for donating $150,000 for the town square beautification project, The Town of Washington gifted a street to Patrick O'Connell. This is a highly unusual illustration of a non-profit organization working together with a commercial entity in conjunction with a municipality to create a triple win situation while changing the face of a small community.

Rates for the Parsonage at The Inn at Little Washington start at $575 per night and include afternoon tea service and House Continental breakfast for two. For reservations or more information, please call 540.675.3800 or visit www.theinnatlittlewashington.com.