Death & Co DC is the new cool kid on Washington, DC’s Blagden Alley
Cocktail bar Death & Co DC takes over the former Columbia Room on Blagden Alley, with intimate interiors designed by AAmp Studio
Nestled within Washington, DC’s culturally rich Blagden Alley, Death & Co DC emerges as the new cool kid in this historic district, once home to working-class immigrants and African Americans. The alley, now a blend of rehabilitated carriage-house homes and a thriving hub for bars, restaurants, and mural art, is a must-visit destination in the nation’s capital.
Death & Co DC – an intimate cocktail spot
As Death & Co’s fourth establishment, following successful ventures in New York City, Denver, and Los Angeles, the new cocktail spot, designed by Portland- and Toronto-based AAmp Studio, beckons visitors with its curated zones that range from cosy lounge areas for intimate conversations to communal spaces fostering social interaction.
‘What’s interesting is how the bar programme, created by Death & Co 17 years ago in New York’s East Village, seeks to bring together a community of cocktail lovers, and the streets in Blagden Alley feel like an extension of the bar’s moody and intimate atmosphere, paying homage to the similarly alley-like stretch of their original location on 6th Street,’ reflects Andrew Ashey, founder of AAmp.
As you step inside the 1,500 sq ft interior, a sunken dark bar surrounded by raised perimeter booths adorned in warm wood and rich greens steals the spotlight. Above, a signature wood ceiling is softly illuminated. Meanwhile, the 800 sq ft three-season patio bar and lounge feature lighter tones that harmonise with brick walls and steel-framed windows.
Despite the ample size of the room, AAmp prioritised intimacy by ’placing glass panels in strategic locations to help bring a layer of warmth’. Ashey notes, ‘We also introduced a tucked-away larger booth – affectionately known as the party pod – to have a special place where larger groups can feel a sense of privacy or autonomy without feeling disconnected.’
AAmp Studio’s ingenuity comes to life with a strategic 90-degree shift in the room and bar orientation, providing unobstructed views across the bar, outdoor patio, and charming alley. Dismantled walls and reorganised level changes create an open environment interconnecting public and semi-private spaces. The journey for visitors unfolds on the upper level, offering the choice to descend into the bar area from either direction.
‘For us, the layout and material choices all centred around the bar – literally – as we wanted that to feel like the anchoring element in the space,' explains Ashey.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
The menu features illustrated drink profiles, starting with light and refreshing options and ending with ‘spiritous’ drinks, alongside a zero-proof section. Categories include ‘Light & Playful’, ‘Boozy & Honest’, and ‘Bright & Confident’. The cocktail selection will rotate over time.
Formerly the Columbia Room, a cocktail bar and tasting room by mixologist Derek Brown that garnered industry respect and international acclaim, the venue has undergone a transformation, guided by AAmp, that respects the past while embracing the future. The central symbol, a custom mosaic mural, stands as a tribute to the former tasting room’s legacy, echoing the commitment to the fine craftsmanship of cocktails.
‘Along the side of the bar with the window facing the alley sits the Columbia Room’s original mosaic in its original location, as a nod to the lauded bar’s legacy and the space’s history,’ adds Ashey.
Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. She was born in Madrid, Spain but moved to London when she was 14 years old. Being exposed to the city’s creative pulse at such a young age shaped her into the inquisitive professional she is today. Before joining the Wallpaper* team in 2023, she worked for Hypebae and Hypebeast UK, where she focused on the intersection of art, fashion, and culture. Additionally, she contributed to Futurevvorld by covering a variety of sustainability topics.
-
17 questions for Michael Kiwanuka
As he prepares to release his fourth album 'Small Changes', we ask Michael Kiwanuka some of life's important questions
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
Inside ‘M&OTHERS’, the experimental exhibition dissecting the relationship between fashion and motherhood
A new exhibition at Modemuseum Hasselt, Belgium explores the rarely examined link between fashion and motherhood, in all its forms
By Dal Chodha Published
-
Human gestures shape Milano Cortina 2026's Winter Olympic look
Italian spirit is at the heart of the upcoming Winter Olympic games with pictograms, emblems, and mascots called the 'Vibes'. The idea is to celebrates the Italian way of communicating through expressive movements and gestures
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Midtown Manhattan restaurant Ánimo! takes its cues from Mexican morning rituals
Jordana Maisie Design Studio creates a minimalistic yet referential setting for Ánimo!
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
The Beachside hotel on Nantucket is ‘a love letter to the American summer’
The Beachside on Nantucket is a laid-back hotel designed by Parts and Labor Design studio, part of the Wallpaper* USA 400 consortium
By Daven Wu Published
-
Fall in New York? Artist Francesco Clemente and chef Daniel Humm have designed a destination bar worth making the trip for
Francesco Clemente has created a suite of magical friezes for the Clemente Bar, which opens at Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York this week
By Caragh McKay Published
-
Sleep like a Prince at Airbnb’s Purple Rain house in Minneapolis
Airbnb introduces the newly restored Purple Rain house, a tribute to Prince’s musical genius and the movie and song’s 40th anniversary
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The new Los Angeles restaurants to book now: savour surrealism and revel in Japanese brutalism
Explore the best new restaurants in Los Angeles, from Muse, a French-Italian opening in Santa Monica, to Rokusho, an intimate omakase experience in Hollywood
By Carole Dixon Last updated
-
One&Only’s portfolio of ultra-luxury escapes reaches out to new horizons
From the Maldives to Mexico, One&Only’s resorts and private homes around the world offer exceptional stays in idyllic locations, soon to include a first USA property, designed by Olson Kundig
By Simon Mills Published
-
So & So’s Piano Bar is Hell’s Kitchen’s new best-kept secret
So & So’s Piano Bar in New York City provides a seductive backdrop for nightly live music performances that celebrate the ‘high-low’
By Dan Howarth Published
-
NYC’s Massara Osteria Campana is designed to evoke dining in someone’s home
Massara Osteria Campana occupies a rare two-storey building in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, with warm, rustic interiors by Sarah Carpenter & Studio
By Dan Howarth Published