Next week I will officially be purchasing my very own row home. Ecstatic doesn’t do my emotions justice right now. I don’t know how I am going to sleep until we settle. This move has been a long time in the making: around 1.5 years to be exact. Our project has had some delays, so in the meantime I have been dreaming, searching, researching, googling, and consulting with people and the internet about all things home.
In the meantime, while walking the streets of Philadelphia, I longingly gaze at other people’s row homes. Ok, I admit it – sometimes I’m a bit of a Peeping Tom. Many of the row homes in Philadelphia boast a large window on street level. Many people do not put a curtain in said window. I know I am not the only one who peeps at the decorating situation whenever possible….right? On 27th St in the Art Museum neighborhood in Philadelphia, there was always one house that particularly caught my interest, but whose frosted windows kept me guessing. The house looked so unique, and boasted LEED certification. My curiosity about this house was piqued. Real piqued.
Luck would have it that the owner of this house had a baby and decided to move. Last week, they held an open house, aka sanctioned snooping. I was not disappointed. I am also very inspired. Allow me to share.
The tour starts with this lovely entrance way:
One of my favorite things about this house is the mixing of natural and traditional pieces with a modern setting.
The wall to the left of the dining room table (which is made of a big slab of tree) is covered in Venetian Plaster. It almost looks like concrete. I love the feel of industrial looking materials mixed with the hardwood floors, which were salvaged from a barn (of course).
As I made my way through the kitchen (which was kinda boring, but had a built in Miele espresso machine), my jaw dropped as I approached the first of three outdoor spaces.
Why yes, that is a small Koi habitat lining this backyard. I started to wonder if this was all a dream. The free wine and finger food didn’t help. But no, it wasn’t a dream. People really live like this! Can you imagine sipping your coffee in a robe while reading the paper on that outdoor couch?
The staircase mixes natural wood with industrial looking metal. It looks like a backbone, and a baby death trap. No wonder they had to move.
The smaller bedroom was on the second floor. It was a small room, but I love how they used built in furniture between two walls to create a sleeping nook. The second bedroom had its own full bath which again mixed natural slabs of trees with modern tile and glass. There was also a desk nook to the right of the bedroom with a nice big built in bookshelf. We were really impressed with the smart use of space.
The second floor also comes equipped with a view:
The master bedroom was much bigger and gorgeous. Perfect place to take a selfie. I again love the use of built-ins to create a neat and uncluttered space. Imagine the floor filled with a richly colored oriental rug featuring a lot of saturated red (because that’s what they did in every room). It must have been cozy and wonderful.
The master bedroom opened out onto the second of three outdoor spaces:
Here’s the third floor from the other side of the door:
Right up those stairs you find rooftop paradise (pictured below). Imagine it in the summer! Those vines on the left are grape vines. I’m not messing with you. The trellis is covered in solar panels. And that is, of course, an outdoor shower.
But wait. There’s more. The basement had a living room type space with a couch, a space for a TV, a half bath and this amazing workspace:
All we could do was wipe the tears off our cheeks, and grab another glass of red wine. And some grapes. While my new house can’t compare to this god among row homes, I still came away with a new appreciation for mixing various design elements, and how industrial materials can be mixed with natural ones to create a very cozy room.
Up next this week, progress at the new house!
Hooch & Home 