Architecture Wednesday: Weird Wild Philly Home

I love the idea of living in a house that used to be “something else.” I mean, a barn turned t=into a home? Sign me up. A blacksmith shop turned into a home? Get me that mortgage. An old Victorian in Philly? Yes, ma’am, Maddie, come to tea …., and by tea I mean gin.

But this home—three bedrooms and three bathrooms in 3,800 square feet—in Philadelphia, used to be a Victorian house and a barn and a Blacksmith shop, I kid you not, and now it’s Victorian and rustic and kind of Art Deco and a bit castle- and barn-like.

Unassuming from the street, you might wonder what lies behind the Art Deco-inspired wall of cascading colorful flowers. The door opens and you get your first peek at the entry gardens and realize, Who needs a McMansion when you can have all of this?

This is the unexpected blending of a 1877 blacksmith’s shop, a renovated stone barn with a Frank Weiss-designed glass atrium, and Victorian home full of stately splendor tucked within lush grounds that rival the most spectacular gardens.

The former blacksmith’s shop has been outfitted for the most modern-day use: a state-of-the-art two-car garage with polymer flooring, a new electrical system including garage doors controlled by an app, plenty of storage, and the ability to install a car lift for a third car.

The barn and house have been combined to create the most exquisite 3,800 square feet of living quarters with an Art Deco connection installed in the 1970s that adds visual interest and light as well as merging the two buildings into a single home.

A foyer of warm wood leads to the sunny two-story atrium with flagstone flooring and a custom Deco bar. You enter the formal living room, its stainless steel and antique brass hooded gas fireplace and cozy sunken seating area invite you to have a seat and a cock-a-tale and relax on a cozy winter evening in front of the fire. There are the original stone walls of the barn and a coffered ceiling, with a  floating staircase to the primary suite.

Custom double doors from the foyer lead to the Chinese garden enclosed with cedar walls and timed antique lighting, the perfect spot for a morning cup of coffee. The dining room features a wall of windows overlooking the garden and seating for 12. Down a short hallway of exposed brick and skylights, is the tidy and practical kitchen featuring flat panel European-style cabinetry, a Subzero refrigerator, and an island for food preparation and gathering. 

The original walnut staircase separates the kitchen from the Victorian sitting room-breakfast room with a decorative fireplace and built-in bookshelves, and also leads upstairs to a bedroom, a bathroom and a loft space above the dining room that also has views to the garden.

In the main living area, you head upstairs to the primary bedroom; a true sanctuary, featuring skylights, a wood plank ceiling, and a striking curved gas fireplace. There are custom floor-to-ceiling closets and an open spa-like bathroom featuring a Kohler steam shower, Italian marble counters, a sunken soaking tub with custom German fixtures, glass-tiled floors, and a separate, private water closet fit for a king or a queen with a Toto toilet-bidet with heated seat and a TV. 

A kitchenette with built-in Brew Café coffee maker, a Subzero refrigerator, and a Fisher and Paykel dishwasher gives staying in for the night a whole new meaning while up another flight of stairs is the luxurious Swedish dry sauna rounds out the suite.

As for the grounds; pastoral and private, the courtyard is completely enclosed and beautifully manicured. The perennial gardens are what dreams are made of, while flagstone patios offer space for entertaining and sculptures add visual interest. It really doesn’t get better than this.

Plunk down $2.5M and it’s all yours.

To really see the house click here for a Virtual Tour

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Architecture Wednesday: Art Deco Pink Lady

I love a good Art Deco home, even a pink one, and this 1938 dazzler on a quaint cul-de-sac in Oakland, California steals the show with exciting “Streamline Moderne” lines and curves, elegant corner windows, and statuesque Queen Palms.

The 2,006 square foot home features a spacious living room with dramatic volume and a lofty ceiling, more curves, a dramatic fireplace and black framed windows. The open floorplan flows seamlessly up to the dining area and an updated kitchen, and then flows out to a large rear patio. The main level includes a large primary bedroom with private balcony, a full bathroom, laundry room, and private home office. Upstairs are two more bedrooms that share a large hall bathroom.

The greenery of the garden is visible from every room, and the level-out flow to this tropical oasis make this a true California entertainers dream. Additional amenities include interior access to the 2-car garage and large basement, owned Solar Panels, Tesla Powerwall battery storage & EV charger, and all-electric Heating & Cooling.

This home really is a dazzler, on the market originally for $1.195 million and then selling for $1.9 million.

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