THE GREAT INDOORS: Design inspiration in Society Hill

If you're anything like me, you've probably tripped over countless sidewalk obstructions while peaking inside row home windows on your way down the street. If you aren't like me, you probably think that's illegal.

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THE GREAT INDOORS: Design inspiration in Society Hill

POSTED: Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 3:00 PM

To showcase Philly's knack for design and architecture, CP reporter Meg Augustin peeps inside some of the city's most fab dwellings.

If you're anything like me, you’ve probably tripped over countless sidewalk obstructions while peaking inside row home windows on your way down the street. If you aren’t like me, you probably think that’s illegal.

But for the design-obsessed, it’s hard to refrain from peering inside the numerous historic homes that line Philly's streets. I quenched my thirst recently on a Society Hill Civic Association-guided tour through nine Society Hill homes, most of which were currently owned and occupied by locals — locals with impeccable taste.

My favorite was a Third Street beauty that combined the old with the new. Constructed in 1808, the home was built on land that belonged to a Declaration signer, and once functioned as a bordello. Also mentionable are the bits of original molding that have been featured by the Smithsonian museum. Intrigued? We haven’t even talked design yet. Walking into the home, you enter a grand hallway that could house an entire family. From there, we walked into a deep room that featured a collection of the home owners’ cherished French, Art Deco furniture. Down the hall, the luxe kitchen features concrete counters, African wood cabinets and incredibly high ceilings. The space is open, modern and industrial, but feels worn and worldly.

This experience was enlightening as my first entrance into a private Philadelphia residence. Throughout this house and others like it on the tour, the owners paid tribute to the home's past while staying in tune with their own, more contemporary tastes. In my weekly posts I hope to showcase both Philadelphia’s strikingly rich architectural past while looking at the stylish ways in which Philly’s design scene is reaching forward — all, I hope, without any embarassing sidewalk trips.

NOTE: Society Hill has finished showing off its homes for the year. However, many other neighborhoods are opening their doors througout the summer. Check out the next private homes tour June 3 and 4 at Elfreth’s Alley during their annual Fete Day.

Fete Day Homes Tour, Fri., June 3, 5-9p.m. & Sat., June 4, noon-5p.m, $20, 124 Elfreth’s Alley, www.elfrethsalley.org.

Posted by Meg Augustin @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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