On the market: A blend of old and new in East Kensington for $595,000
The three-bedroom, two-bath rowhouse “was modernized in all the right places," the owner says. "It had really good bones and a modern farmhouse aesthetic."
Returning to their native Philadelphia area from Aspen, Colo., in late 2017, Meggen and Peter Lane Taylor were looking for that combination of cutting edge and traditional that is hard to define but easy to recognize.
The Taylors are both journalist/entrepreneurs, and they liked the energy of up-and-coming East Kensington.
“We’re people who really like change, dynamic neighborhoods,” Peter says.
Meggen says that the three-bedroom, two-bath rowhouse they picked “was modernized in all the right places. It had really good bones and a modern farmhouse aesthetic. It just spoke to us.”
But now it’s time to move on. The couple never spends more than three or four years in one place and are considering Miami and Nashville, among other cities. “We’re gypsies,” Meggen says.
The entrance to the home, built sometime in the late 19th century, is a vestibule with a transom window suggesting the area’s maritime past.
The house has dark mocha hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, and French doors.
The living room/dining room has both ample natural lighting and recessed lights, custom walnut floating shelving and industrial pendant lighting over the dining table.
The kitchen has custom 42-inch Shaker cabinets with crown molding, stainless steel appliances, a farmhouse sink, and whitewashed shiplap ceiling.
The private yard has native grass and custom concrete pavers, and is enclosed with new horizontal wood fencing.
The second floor has two bedrooms, a laundry room and a bathroom with a marble-topped vanity, a six-foot soaking tub, and fixtures from Restoration Hardware.
The third-floor master suite has a spa-like bath with marble floors, a marble-topped double vanity with custom cabinets, a jetted soaking tub and an oversized glass aquarium shower with inset marble shelves and a rainfall showerhead.
Meggen adds that the thick walls have enabled the couple to work in their separate home offices without hearing each other and that this acoustic privacy would also be ideal for a family with children.
The house is within walking distance of an array of stores, restaurants and markets. A Frankford El stop is nearby for easy access to Center City.
The house is listed by Kristin McFeely of Compass LLC for $595,000.