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THE GREAT INDOORS: A Fairmount family affair
After a lot of looking, Liz and Steve moved into a rehabbed space, that offered adequate square footage, outside space and off-street parking, but the three-story beauty was a danger zone for their new baby girl.
THE GREAT INDOORS: A Fairmount family affair
Reporter Meg Augustin takes you inside some of Philly's most fab dwellings to showcase our city's unique grasp on design and architecture.
Liz and Steve moved into their Fairmount home a year ago. After a lot of looking, the rehabbed space, 
which offered adequate square footage, outside space and off-street parking, presented an intriguing, modern escape with amenities out the door, but the three-story beauty was, for all intents and purposes, a bachelor pad. The couple, who had recently adopted a baby girl, loved the home but saw its flaws when it came to family-living. The second-floor stairs were open and the top level was nothing but a floating master suite and catwalk — not exactly ideal for a soon-to-be-crawling child.
Soon after buying their urban dream home, the couple enlisted the help of Estate Contractor’s John Leonetti, who filled in stairs and transformed the third floor into a master suite and second bedroom. When it came time to add the decorative touches that would make their new space a home, Liz turned to her mother for help. An interior designer for Chicago’s famous Skidmore, Owings and Merrill design firm, she came with a wealth of interior know-how. She aided in the addition of a few ornamental elements, like the green-and-white print (pictured right) in the kitchen (a score from Liz’s aunt). Liz also got lucky at a Connecticut estate sale, where she found her unique parsons dining table and the office desk. Both items were from the family estate of celebrity chef Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa). Saturated paint hues, select Madeline Weinrib fabrics and pops of color give life and layer to the modern, post-bachelor space.
After years of looking and a year perfecting, Liz and Steve created a unique take on family living. After baby-proofing the former bachelor digs, the home became safer and more accessible, but kept its clean, modern atmosphere. With a creative outlook, and plenty of inspiration, this couple redefined urban, family living in a beautiful way.
Photos by William McEwan
Would you like to see your home on an upcoming The Great Indoors? Email the author at megan.augustin@citypaper.net.
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