Townhouses in Alexandria: Soft Transitions

Greenery, statuary, fresh paint and, simply well-kept-up maintenance can help soften the transition from front door to sidewalk for homes in urban settings.
(Ann Cameron Siegal for The Washington Post)

Townhouses in the Old Town of Alexandria: some have been there since the eighteen's century. Duke Street, or Patrick Street... Fairfax or Washington Streets... Cameron or Queen Streets... Parallel or perpendicular on King Street, the best known today... Witnesses of all that happened there, since Captain John Alexander and his cousin Philip (also a captain of His British Majesty) moved to those places.

Carriages were passing by, sometimes gentlemen riding their horses, now there are plenty of cars, and plenty of visitors, from all over America, and all over the world, talking in different tongues, noisy, unpredictable, always curious, each one a judge in her or his own right, a judge of what he sees, these streets and these sidewalks, and these townhouses.

For today's owners of the historic townhouses, the sidewalk becomes the public living room, shared by them and pedestrians. How to soften the transition from public space to your private foyer? How to affirm your presence, to differentiate yourself from the anonymous mass?

Some solutions seem to be at hand. You should read some pieces of advice in that article from W Post. Enjoy!

A decorative box is a nice way to hide an unsightly utility meter. But you have to be sure utility crews have access when they need it.
(Ann Cameron Siegal for The Washington Post)

Greenery should be well tended and not overdone. Small shrubs can get out of hand quickly.
(Ann Cameron Siegal for The Washington Post)

(Alexandria)