Visiting Anderson House

Spring in Washington descends like a well-orchestrated fashion show—sudden, spectacular, and leaving everyone utterly captivated. Art in Bloom, the District’s most anticipated floral exhibition, serves as the official harbinger of spring, transforming one of the capital’s historic spaces, Anderson House, owned by the Cincinnati Society into a botanical wonderland.

As the days stretch luxuriously beyond the winter’s restrictive 4:30 pm sunset (a personal liberation I cannot overstate), the city awakens with a renewed sense of possibility.

Recently, a reader suggested I share more places to explore in DC. I have since embraced the challenge with the enthusiasm from visiting estate sale—to now the Anderson house where Art in Bloom was hosted.

Art in Bloom DC: Curation of Opulence

This year’s Art in Bloom is hosted within the hallowed halls of Anderson House, the magnificent headquarters of the Society of the Cincinnati—perhaps America’s most exclusive hereditary organization where membership comes not through wealth but through direct patrilineal descent from officers who served in the Revolutionary War.

The Beaux-Arts mansion itself commands attention like a perfectly woven Alaia piece—impossible to ignore and exquisite in every detail. Completed in 1905, this architectural masterpiece was the winter residence of Ambassador Larz Anderson and his wife Isabel before being bequeathed to the Society upon their passing without heirs. The tour guide informed us that construction would have cost approximately $750,000 at the time—a staggering sum that translates to over $25 million in today’s currency.

While the floral arrangements are undeniably spectacular—masterfully composed with the precision of a Dior atelier—it’s the mansion’s original features that steal focus. Gilded ceilings soar overhead with the confidence of a statement hat at Royal Ascot, while centuries-old tapestries from across Europe and Asia drape the walls like textile masterpieces in a living museum. The kitchen’s ingeniously insulated floors—designed to muffle the sound of inevitably dropped china and crystal—speak to an era when entertaining was elevated to an art form.

As I wandered through the grand ballroom, I couldn’t help but recall last spring’s cherry blossom spectacle along the Tidal Basin. This year, Washington’s celebrated trees are fashionably late to bloom—yet another reminder that the most anticipated arrivals often keep us waiting.

Outfit Details

For such an occasion, only linen would suffice—spring’s most elegant textile answer to warming temperatures. My ensemble features pieces from Son de Flor, whose exceptional Lithuanian linen has become a cornerstone of my warm-weather wardrobe. Their commitment to craftsmanship rivals that of any luxury atelier, creating garments that improve with each wearing, much like the patina on a treasured leather bag.

• Jacket: Sea New York (structured yet relaxed, the perfect counterpoint to feminine linen)
• Heels: Saint Laurent (because some investments transcend seasons)
• Bag Persaman: (the architectural lines echoing the mansion’s Beaux-Arts details)