Fairmount Townhome

Fairmount Townhome

We’ve talked before about our love for Philadelphia’s unique homes with their history and architectural details.  This Fairmount townhome offered an opportunity to marry the charm of a classic Philadelphia dwelling with the clients’ traditional-meets-modern style.

The history of a home

Built in the 1870s, the red-brick home features 11 foot ceilings and generous natural light.  Highlights include beautiful millwork and a stunning marble fireplace in the living room.  The dining room’s French doors open to a spacious rear courtyard, always a pleasant surprise in the middle of the city.  Our design concept preserved these classic details while adding freshness and a modern aesthetic that expresses our clients’ personalities and lifestyles.

We selected soft yet refined color palettes to maximize the bright, warm feeling in the rooms.  Adding texture for both visual and tactile interest enhanced the spaces further.

The entry features a marble-topped console and gilded mirror.  Scale played a key role in this space; we did not want to impede the path either to the stairs or into the living room.  The console’s profile is slim, but still allows for practicality and usefulness.  We believe that you should always have a place for your keys, and that place should also be beautiful!

The couple’s much-loved baby grand piano has a place of pride in the living room, so we designed the rest of the space to balance its glossy black finish.  We also reupholstered the piano bench in the same fabric as the new sofa for a cohesive feeling and a pop.  Two cozy barrel back chairs complete the conversation area around an oval coffee table, while stools tucked underneath the shagreen console offer extra seating.  The oversized mirror adds depth and reflects even more light, while modern artwork infuses personality into the space.  To tie the traditional architecture into the design, we added gilded chandeliers in both the entry and living room that bridge the two styles.

 

The powder room offered a chance to have a bit of fun, and we selected a butterfly patterned wallpaper for a whimisical touch.  The soft colorway ties into the living room’s palette.

In the dining room, we focused on modern lines and creating a casual space for entertaining, while again maximizing the natural light. The custom dining table allows for seating for 8 with cane-backed chairs adding texture.  A unique mirror above the sideboard reflects the light in here as well, with statement artwork opposite anchoring the room.  Personal touches, like a pair of framed family recipes on the sideboard, make the space extra special.

 

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Header image: Fairmount living room by Glenna Stone Interior Design

Photos by Rachel McGinn Photography

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Glenna Stone Interior Design is an award-winning Philadelphia interior design firm serving Philadelphia, the Main Line, and surrounding cities. Utilizing her background and training in interior design, architecture, and engineering, Glenna specializes in creating interiors for residential and commercial design settings. We invite you to visit our website, view our portfolio, and catch up on the latest interior design concepts on our blog!