Thursday, July 12, 2007

Mark Johnson, co-owner of the Hunted House in Northwest Washington, is the first to acknowledge the shop is "this shabby little space with low rent." But that is precisely why he and partner Ed Rudock can sell mid-century modern and art deco furniture, lamps, art and accessories so reasonably in a warren of second-story rooms, he says.

The most interesting piece is a $365 wooden bar made for a corner. Slide back tambour doors and pull out hidden storage, half of it for liquor bottles, half for glassware. Other items include three matched Lane occasional tables for $425, two turquoise and green ceramic lamps with wood trim and nubby shades for $280, eight highball glasses in a silver caddy for $35 and a wood-grain laminate dinette table with six orange vinyl chairs, $385.

On a recent visit, several chairs were labeled "Eames era," though there wasn't a real Charles and Ray Eames creation in sight. That's fine with customers, Johnson says. "We have a lot of younger people on their first and second apartments who can't afford to spend any more, or people in the new condos who want to mix in our pieces with their more expensive things."

The store is at 1830 1/2 14th St. NW. For more information, call 202-549-7493 or click on http://www.huntedhousedc.com.

Annie Groer