A carpenter’s workshop turned custom home
Howie Krakow bought the South Philly workshop with a vision for loft living. His wife, Deborah Fine, brought an artist’s eye to the space.
From the street this unique residence appears to be a typical South Philadelphia rowhouse. But, behind the doors, the custom loft is both surprising and inspiring.
Named the “Invisible Loft” by owners Howie Krakow, a retired Hollywood writer, and Deborah Fine, a Philadelphia artist, the space reflects bits of them both.
“The home that exists now is very much a collaborative effort,” says Krakow. Although he was essentially responsible for the structure, he said it was Fine’s vision that created the rooftop garden, the wall of ivy, and the verdant plantings throughout.
“Furnishing the house called for mutual agreement, but Deborah clearly took the lead,” Krakow said.
The home once served as a carpenter’s workshop and has been transformed into a stylish loft with 14-foot ceilings, a wide-open floor plan, and art throughout.
“Very little of the original workshop remains,” Krakow said. “Only the wood-timbered ceiling, the steel I-beam that supports it, and some exposed brick walls are still intact. Everything else — electricity, plumbing, lighting, and even the poured concrete floor — is new.”
The couple’s vision came with the idea of taking down a portion of the first-floor ceiling to create an interior courtyard.
“That way, instead of feeling like a dark warehouse, the entire home would be open and filled with light,” Krakow said. “As a bonus, the courtyard would provide total privacy and a buffer from street noise.”
After that, the rest of the home’s layout fell into place.
The couple hired Carl Hoffmann, a local architect, to create the blueprints, but his contributions extended much further.
“Carl designed the staircase, the dropped metal ceiling that defines the kitchen area, and consulted on every decision about lighting, materials, and finishes,” Krakow said.
Krakow purchased the building about 15 years ago. He said he’s drawn to loft living.
“Although small and cozy is appealing to many, the feeling of expansiveness that high ceilings and spaciousness provides is what speaks to us,” he noted.
After being single for 20 years, Krakow initially bought the loft on his own. But construction had already begun when he and Fine became a couple.
“She enthusiastically approved of most of the decisions but was still able to weigh in on a few personal changes,” said Krakow. “We have been married for five years. We had a surprise wedding. None of the guests realized they were attending a matrimonial ceremony until the big reveal.”
Everything in the house was custom-built, Krakow said, such as the concrete double sink in the master bath, the enormous stainless steel kitchen island with its seamlessly recessed sink, and the marble-walled wet room that includes a dual-headed shower, oversize bathtub, and sauna.
Spaciousness and an open layout were a priority.
“In the entirety of the first floor, other than the bathroom and closets, there are no interior walls. But the areas for cooking, dining, reading, conversing, and viewing TV are easily identified,” he noted.
Like the rest of the loft, the pair wanted the kitchen area to be spacious.
“It was designed to easily accommodate two — or more — for cooking, prepping, or just hanging out,” Krakow said. “The industrial look was deliberate. We opted for function and practicality instead of a pristine showplace.”
Upstairs, only the guest suite is self-contained. The huge master bedroom with its sitting area and projection TV overlooks a catwalk that leads to a lushly planted private deck.
“This was always intended to be our last home, so the goal wasn’t so much to save money as it was to make the loft a place where we’d really enjoy living every day,” said Krakow.
Philadelphia is Krakow’s fourth big city. In Los Angeles, he wrote screenplays and produced TV shows. In Chicago, he was the owner or a creative director of several advertising agencies. In New York, he was a partner in a large ad agency.
“I have written, produced, and directed TV sitcoms, documentary films and hundreds of television commercials — many of which won national and international awards,” he said. He’s now retired.
Fine has lived in the Philadelphia area her entire life and was raised on the Main Line. She works as a professional artist.
Fine was somewhat familiar with the area where they now live, and Krakow “knew absolutely nothing about it.”
“Since moving here we have grown to really appreciate South Philly, especially the mix of people from diverse backgrounds and countries,” he said. “The bakeries are extraordinary, and the restaurant scene that was always good continues to get better and better.”
And, he said, it’s almost impossible to live in Philadelphia and not be a sports fan.
“I regularly and enthusiastically follow the Eagles and Sixers,” Krakow added. “The loft is not actually close to the stadiums, but I have been to several games.”
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