Philadelphia is steeped in history, and nowhere does that become more apparent than in this remodel of a row house built between 1875 and 1895. Tucked on a carless street in Logan Square, this home’s charming exterior immediately appealed to architect Lauren Thomsen. “It was at the end of the block and it didn't seem quite as well-kept up as the others, but the architecture of the front is really beautiful,” remembers Thomsen. “When we opened the door, it was just like, ‘Whoa.’”

Thomsen grew up around Philadelphia, and after a decade in upstate New York, was moving back to her home state with her family in 2017. Upon first touring the Logan Square row house, she could immediately ascertain its potential. “The most important thing when I walked in the front door was imagining the possibility of seeing right through to the backyard,” says Thomsen. “That just seemed like the ‘Wow’ moment that was waiting to happen.”

Although dark and filled with the prior owner’s possessions, Thomsen could tell the house had good bones and proportions. Seeing the large private garden space at the rear—which is “a rarity for Philadelphia”—the architect “knew there was the potential to really open up, connect to the exterior, and bring light inside,” says Thomsen.

Before: Living and Dining Room

The project team removed the mirrored wall and installed a large steel beam for structural support, painted white so it blends in. In the process, they exposed and original brick wall, and also painted it white. Thomsen calls the remodel approach “honest,” in that now the historic aspects of the building can be appreciated alongside the contemporary modifications of the addition and remodel. “I think it's a successful marriage of the two,” says Thomsen.

After: Living and Dining Room

In the kitchen, a single window and door was the only access to the yard, and a spate of upper cabinets made the room feel cramped. Removing the wall between the kitchen and the dining room opened up the space enormously, as did installing three new windows over the sink, and a new glass door. White quartz counters and a bank of glossy white uppers further brighten the room, while the new custom maple cabinets anchor the design.

Best of all, a new skylight brings sun deep into the first floor, which is hard to do with a row house that’s only fifteen feet wide. “The issue with row houses is always light. It's always getting light in the narrow footprint,” says Thomsen.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

In order to build out the third floor of the row home into a private master suite, Thomsen needed to add on. She did so by stacking the bathrooms on the second and third floors in a streamlined, cedar-clad addition, which deliberately contrasts with the historic home. “The goal for the renovation, I'd say, is I didn’t want to just gut the place,” says Thomsen.

Preserving the historical details could prove complex at times, such as when dealing with floors that slope an inch-and-a half, but that's also their charm. “It would have been far easier and we probably would've spent less money if we had just totally gutted it, but we really wanted to maintain the character, and I’m glad we did,” says Thomsen. “A lot of these houses have a lot of character and that's worth saving.”

Before: Rear

After: Rear

Before: Second-Floor Bathroom

After: Second-Floor Bathroom

Before: Third Floor

After: Third Floor

Related Reading:

Philadelphia Row House Renovation

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Project Credits:

Architecture and Interior Design: Lauren Thomsen Design (@_ltdesign_)

Builder: Chris Lord Contracting

Structural Engineer: The Kachele Group