Fairmount Primary Suite | Reveal + Process

Located in the serene and relaxed neighborhood of Fairmount, Philadelphia - home to notable landmarks like the iconic Eastern State Penitentiary and the Philadelphia Art Museum - our clients wanted their third floor to feel updated enough to meet their needs while still retaining a classic, timeless quality. Here is the after, but there were so many steps to get here that I wanted to share with you.

Jon Friedrich Photography

A challenge (in the best way) in a restricted footprint. 

The goal? 

Re-design the layout of the entire floor to create a cohesive primary suite, featuring a walk-in closet and a larger bathroom, while relocating the wet bar to improve flow and usability for every room. We also brainstormed creative ideas to incorporate more light into the interior rooms of the renovation and added multiple new windows.

Here’s what we were working with:

Awkward walls, a wet bar tucked in the corner, open rooms full of wasted space, and a cramped bathroom with a tiny pedestal sink. 

The existing floors were a faux wood LVP, so we were anxious to see what was underneath. When we pulled them up, we found the original hardwood planks painted red, which had actually helped in their preservation. Building on this discovery, our flooring contractor salvaged parts of the original flooring during the demo for the new bathroom, relocating those planks to the new bar space!

This was the preliminary drawing of all of the running dimensions - this needs to be as detailed as possible. Always brings me back to my BAC drawing class days.

Updated Plan

Construction began by removing interior walls, doors, and flooring, followed by the addition of all new plumbing. The beauty of this redesign is that we were able to keep the plumbing stack in the same location, saving so much time and budget.

-In progress-

We replaced the outdated bathroom tile with a classic mosaic, adding interest and a timeless feel. The imperfections of the tile became the perfect parallel to the natural wood floors (this was the area of flooring that was moved and relocated, mentioned above). 

Green serves as a cohesive accent color in each room. A small-scale green mosaic is the focal point of the bathroom renovation, surrounded by sage green walls.

Check out a behind-the-scenes reel from Instagram here.

-The reveal-

To execute this design, we layered:

• A light, neutral color palette

• Classic natural stone

• Timeless brass elements

Jon Friedrich Photography

Every inch was thoughtfully utilized in this space.  The warmth of the wood and brass accents plays perfectly off the cooler tones in the stone, tile, and paint.  

Jon Friedrich Photography

A transom window allows light into an interior space.  Double pocket doors mean the water closet can now be used from both the primary bathroom and the guest space. 

Jon Friedrich Photography

The wet bar was moved closer to the exterior deck entrance, creating a clear separation between a potential hosting area and the primary suite.  The details of the custom cabinetry mirrored those of the vanity in the bathroom.  

We took advantage of the opportunity to add details with a tall stone backsplash featuring decorative sides and a ledge.

The space is now a beautiful, functional retreat for our clients…

all of them.

All professional photographs: Jon Friedrich Photography

Contractor: Alexander Rae, LLC