|
|
|
THE GREAT INDOORS: Peeping the homes of Passyunk Square
The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.
THE GREAT INDOORS: Peeping the homes of Passyunk Square
Reporter Meg Augustin takes you inside some of Philly's most fab dwellings to showcase our city's unique grasp on design and architecture.
This weekend, select community members of Passyunk Square East welcomed the public for several open-house tours. The up-and-coming neighborhood is home to an eclectic mix of folks: Italian families who have settled there for decades, a growing queer population and a community of artists and students intrigued by the affordable rentals. I was interested in what a mashup like this might look like, so I headed south to get a peek of what life’s like in Passyunk Square.
The first home I toured was a large South Philly row home built sometime in the 1850s. The current homeowners have lived in the space for 20 years, spending much of that time in refurbishing mode. “The land was owned by a wealthy family who sold it to [the] carpenter who built the home,” the lady of the house said. “When we bought the house, though, it was in shambles.” The couple took on all kinds of tasks, from picking out exterior sconces to replastering most of the walls. One of the standout features is a stunning entryway with glass transoms that let in light from the street while still offering privacy. The home is also adorned with original fixtures, such as the ornate coal fireplace and banisters.
The young couple inhabiting the second home on the tour moved in a few years ago and have since had several misadventures in homeownership — one of which was an upstairs bath with almost no plumbing. But after several other surprises, they caught a break when they were chosen to be on Kitchen Impossible, a kitchen redesign show on the DIY Network. The result was a modern-and-vintage mix of Big Chill retro appliances and natural, farm-like materials. The tour came a day before the episode aired, giving the couple another reason to celebrate that weekend.
The third home, on Ninth Street, was a modern and comfy arrangement next to the circus that is Pat’s and Geno’s. At around 50 years old, the home is fairly new for the area. The large living room is painted in vivid yet comfortable colors and incorporates intimate spaces — like library built-ins with clean, wide areas meant for modern living. Older facets of the home, like a wide transom separating the kitchen from the dining area and an intricate wood banister on the stairs, keep the space from feeling too contemporary.
The final spot was quite different from the others, a 1920s abode that has received a complete overhaul since its Spanish-born resident moved in. Working with a contractor, she reworked everything from the color and feel of the stairs and front door to the modern floors in the kitchen and basement. The home is filled with colorful accoutrements that remind her of home — like the staircase, which is painted in a saturated, burnt orange. The bedroom is a beautiful mix of modern and antique accents — with windows flanked by wooden shudders and closet doors that were replaced with modern, ash-wood sliding doors.
If you'd like to see your home featured in an upcoming Great Indoors post, email Meg at megan.augustin@citypaper.net.
- Activism
- Arts
- Arts Events
- Books
- Dance
- First Person Fest
- Last Chance
- Museum
- On the Fringe
- Philly Artists
- The Curator
- Theater
- Visual Art
- Arts News
- Artist Profile
- Arts Preview
- Street Art
- Been There, Done That
- Big Ups
- Comedy
- LOL With It
- Stand-up
- Critical Mass
- DVD
- Events
- Friday Fill-in
- Ice Cubes
- In Memoriam
- Interview
- Just Do It
- Just Opened
- Kaleidoscopic
- LGBTQ
- Art Phag
- Mailbag
- Movies
- Film Fest
- Movie Review
- On set
- Scenester
- screening
- trailer!
- Music
- 10 Track Mind
- Album
- Album Review
- Concert Review
- DJs
- Local Support
- Now Hear This
- One Track Mind
- Philly Bands
- Show
- Somebody Else Was There
- Song
- The Showdown
- concert photos
- jazz
- DJ Nights Blogged
- Night Watch
- Now See This
- Poetic License
- Printed Matter
- Radio
- Shopping
- Coveted
- Fashion
- What We Heart
- TV
- 24
- Idol Hands
- Mad Men
- ProjRun
- True Blood
- Useless Lost Recaps
- Couch Potato
- Shore Trash
- Turned ONN
- TopMod
- Video Games
- Free Online Game
- PSP
- PlayStation 2
- The 1-Upper
- Wii
- Web Junk
- CAGE MATCH
- Free Online Toy
- Weekend Omnibus
- Win
