Transitional West Philadelphia Home Makeover

Location: West Philadelphia

Building type: Federal

Renovation style: Transitional

This Philadelphia-area family purchased their home in West Philadelphia with the intention of remodeling. When they initially contacted our team at Bellweather Design-Build, their plan was to focus on the first floor and removing a few walls to create an open floor plan. After discussing their goals in-depth, it became clear to the client that in addition to a full first-floor remodel, they also needed to update their primary suite, a kids’ bath, and various other areas.

Our development team recognized the home’s potential, and we were excited to start designing the remodeling plan for this 1925 Colonial. The ultimate goal of the project was to change the style of the kitchen to create a more organic design in the right wing of the first floor which includes an updated kitchen, an informal dining area, a reconfigured powder room, and a private home office.

Setting a Vision: Remodeling a 96-Year-Old Home

One of the most notable benefits of working with a design-build firm is that it allows you to explore multiple styles and layout options during the initial stage. Once our team was able to understand the family’s priorities for which areas to focus on, we got to work. Stephanie, a designer at Bellweather, worked with the family to develop the best option for family circulation and entertaining around the kitchen area. This area included the kitchen, informal dining area, and living room.

In order to respect the home's original detail and character, Stephanie suggested some timeless, transitional selections that helped the clients pull together a beautiful style that they became excited about. Selections included custom walnut herringbone hardwood flooring throughout the first floor; custom cabinets by Tim Lewis; quartz countertops; deep blue tile backsplash; walnut accents in the kitchen; and a custom built-in walk-through pantry between the kitchen and home office.

How to Handle Unexpected Obstacles in Construction

As construction began, new challenges were unearthed. Our team had already been briefed on the presence of lead paint in the home and was taking appropriate precautions to remediate and limit lead exposure for the family. In addition, during demolition, our production team recognized drainage lines that were showing signs of early corrosion and failure, as well as a number of wiring issues that were not to code.

Because our team did not wish to stress our client’s budget, our Bellweather team arrived at a solution to resolve the plumbing issues and avoid a substantial basement renovation. We also replaced electrical wiring throughout the whole house to ensure our clients’ safety.

A Beautiful New First Floor Renovation in Philadelphia

With technical systems updated, our team was free to focus on creating a beautiful first-floor home renovation for our clients. We began by removing walls separating the entryway, kitchen, and breakfast nook to create an open and airy floor plan. In this video, you can see the original galley kitchen, and the walls we removed in order to open up the space.

In this new area, we installed beautiful custom walnut herringbone hardwood flooring to create a sense of elegance and style, but to also match the original flooring in the dining room. In the kitchen, we installed custom cabinetry with shaker paneling on doors and flat paneling on drawers crowned with quartz countertops. Since both the cabinetry and countertops were light in tone, our client selected a gorgeous deep blue tile backsplash rich in texture and depth. Walnut accents were incorporated throughout the kitchen, both in the cabinet hardware and at the millwork included with the hidden range hood.

Additionally, we replaced many of the windows throughout the first and second floor with new, wood/clad double-hung and custom arched fixed windows. This increased the home’s energy efficiency and, in the case of the breakfast nook, added focal points to the design while introducing ample natural light.

Work with Bellweather Design-Build

If you own or plan on buying an older home, or if your current home simply needs a design makeover, don’t hesitate to contact us for your home renovation in Philadelphia. From our years of remodeling Philadelphia homes, we have become deeply invested in our community and we’re eager to help you achieve your goals.