Decatur House: A Federal-Style Home Near the White House

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a home designed by one of America’s first architects.

Decatur House’s external architecture presents the main elements that convey the Federal style: evenly spaced, numbered, and sized windows; matching chimneys in the same red brick as the rest of the structure; and a fan-light pediment window above the entryway door. Photography by Bruce White

Architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764–1820), of U.S. Capitol fame, was responsible for the design of Decatur House, named for its owner, Cdre. Stephen Decatur (1779–1820). The three-story, Federal-style townhouse was completed in 1819.

This redbrick, square-shaped (indicative of the Federal style) residence was the first in the area known today as Lafayette Square, within sight of the White House. The Decatur House’s exterior reflects the Federal style’s simplicity and symmetry.