If walls could talk, Number One Observatory Circle would share some stories. The residence has welcomed every Vice President since Walter Mondale in the 1970s and, today serves as Kamala Harris's home.
Located on the northeast grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in D.C., the property was built in 1893 for the observatory superintendent. However, with their offices located on the White House grounds, the home's close proximity made it a convenient base for the Vice President. Over the centuries, hundreds of notable figures have passed through the Queen Anne-style property doors, but arguably nobody knows their way around the property quite like the former manager Philip Dufour, who served as social secretary to Vice President Al Gore.
In 2021, just before Kamala Harris and Douglas Emhoff moved into their home, Dufour sat down with Homes & Gardens, revealing rare glimpses into the home. At the time, Ms. Harris and Mr. Emhoff were temporarily residing in Blair House while the home underwent renovation for their arrival.
'Vice President Harris did not move in right away because the navy, who owns the house, had to complete a good amount of work. The wooden floors had to be redone, and all the chimney liners needed to be repaired,' Dufour says.
'Unlike the White House, there is no state floor. It is a Victorian house, and the rooms aren't huge. The dining and living rooms are on the first floor, so while these floors are used for events, they are also where they live. Most residents bring their personal effects, including furniture.' He expects Harris's furniture sits across the second and third floors.
Inevitably, a residence as influential and iconic as this comes with some mysteries. But what surprised Philip Dufour the most was how homely it felt. It is truly a wonderful, restful home,' he comments.
'Vice President Harris can leave work and recharge before the next day when she continues helping the President run the country. From my experience, Mrs. Gore was conscious of making it feel welcoming for people who visited, knowing that people might be anxious about visiting the Vice President's house. They certainly did a good job of that, and other residents have too.'
The depth of Harris's most personal parts of the home remain unseen to the world; however, during Gore's vice presidency, they used a drum kit to ensure it felt like a lived-in, family home.
'She was a drummer, and the Vice President gave her drums for her birthday, so they were in the foyer. They also had a great Imari umbrella stand by the door filled with their children's lacrosse and hockey sticks. As soon as you entered, you realized you were in a home.'
Alongside welcoming new furniture, Dufour explains that vice presidents can experiment with other decorating quirks that best reflect them. 'On the first floor, you can certainly change the wallpapers and fabrics and update the dining room while there are pieces on the first floor belonging to the house,' he explains. Previously, we've seen hints of Harris's gray dining room, whereas the Gore family opted for a warmer color palette.
'When the dining room was owned by the Gore's, it had a Venetian plaster with beautiful red drapes, but the Biden's painted the dining room blue. Green tones also remind me of the home because there is always something blooming outside the door.'
Like every great home, Number One Observatory Circle has a garden that's just as beautiful.
'The house sits on a beautiful plot. There are often cherry blossoms, Japanese magnolias, tulips, and daffodils. There is always something revealed each week of the blooming season.' The exterior also plays host to a veranda that, Dufour says, is the best seat in the house.
'This was where the Gore's had meals and cocktail parties with guests,' he says. 'It is one of the sweet spots of the house because it is so welcoming and comforting. It's a great place to sit when the thunderstorms move in because you can stay pretty dry unless it's moving sideways. It's just terrific.'
