440 R STREET NW Unit: 101

Some spaces make an immediate impression the moment you walk through the door. Unit 101 does it with soaring 16-foot ceilings, dramatic Andersen windows, and an extraordinary sense of light, height, and volume. Housed inside the historic 1883 Morse Schoolhouse, this 1,238-square-foot residence merges serious 19th-century structural craft with modern single-level living. Following a meticulous 2023 renovation by Harbor Builders, the vertical volume pulls your eyes up to original exposed timber beams, while expansive glass floods the main level with natural light.

The renovation respects that original scale. The open kitchen anchors the main room with a heavy quartz island, custom two-tone cabinetry, and a full Bosch gas setup built for real cooking. White oak floors run seamlessly into a peaceful primary suite with a custom Porcelanosa double-vanity bath, accompanied by a flexible second bedroom that works as a quiet sanctuary or high-ceiling home office. Outside your door, skip the parking hunt entirely with your own private, extra-wide surface spot.

Step out onto R Street and you are woven straight into Shaw's cultural core. Grab an espresso on the patio at Big Bear Cafe, hide out with a book in the secret green oasis of Crispus Attucks Park, or meet friends for dinner at All-Purpose and drinks at Dacha. Four blocks to the Shaw-Howard U Metro means the rest of DC is effortless, but with a space this striking, coming home is the best part of the day.