International clothing, accessories and home décor retailer Gant chose CORE to consult and execute the corporate design of the store located at 3239 M Street NW, Washington, DC. Gant picked a long, narrow 113-year old building to house its new store, so CORE combined classic architectural elements with modern design details to highlight the merchandise.

CORE maintained some of the red-brick structure and plaster walls, then implemented a brightly-lit muted design scheme that includes rough-hewn wood floors, neutral cabinetry/millwork, white subway tile, and contrasting mid-century modern furniture to enhance the original features.

As a nod to the building’s former jazz bar/lounge tenant, CORE also salvaged places where performers’ names had been hand-painted onto the walls. Outside, CORE preserved much of the building’s original brick façade and cornice molding while incorporating more glass to let in natural light and create a fresh retail storefront framed in painted era-appropriate wood trim.

Designed by Core Architecture