Welcome to the Rittenhouse neighborhood of Philadelphia. Hands down its defining feature is the green and inviting Rittenhouse Square Park. The public space was included in the city planning way back in 1681. Surprisingly it was originally used to herd animals. In the early 1800s as mansions were being built up in the neighborhood and around the square, it was transformed into a green space for residents to enjoy. In 1825 the original name, Southwest Square, was changed to honor David Rittenhouse, an astronomer and inventor. Today the park is host to a robust farmers market, provides shade and charming benches that are a perfect spot to enjoy a cappuccino from La Colombe. It is a place of beauty all year long, we love when the holiday lights twinkle and snow dusts the trees.
Take your pick of outstanding restaurants and cozy bars. Small and large retail shops share the local clientele. One never tires of exploring the tree-lined streets, full of history and architecture that takes your breath away. With a central location that is walkable in all directions, it is no wonder that Shana and Scott found a little slice of paradise among the streets of Rittenhouse. “We love to spend our weekends out exploring! Our location is perfect for taking walks along the Schuylkill, to Rittenhouse Square Park, or further to Washington Square and Old City. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ve been knocking house projects off our list.” On a sunny Sunday, Shana and Scott invited us inside their historic home just in time for the magnolia tree to be in full bloom!
Stepping into the living room is an experience of its own. Although it is a classic row home layout, it reads as bright, airy and echoes the history of the home built in the 1800s. With full glass doors that open to Locust Street, tall ceilings and of course the quintessential fireplace it is a mix of the old and new. It was exactly this balance that appealed to Shana and Scott, “When we were searching, we had hoped to find an older house with some original charm, but that we could start living in right away (rather than a renovation project). This house checked all of our boxes in terms of function and details. We loved how the original character had been preserved and were excited by the amount of functional space it had for offices - an essential for us since we both work from home.”
As they say, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and here you can feel the warmth. It’s all in the little details…the showstopper being a two-way built in cabinet. Creating a semi open space to the dining room, with storage on both sides, we love the patina on the cabinet hardware. The fact that the details were considered and cared for before Shana and Scott called it their own was important to both of them. “There’s already so much we love about the house, so fortunately we haven’t had to make many changes. We painted a couple of the bathrooms to make the style feel more “us,” and have also been slowly adding a few smart home improvements throughout the house.”
The family room has drama and calm—a hard balance to achieve. Stepping down from the dining room gives you those Grace Kelly vibes (that's the drama). The cozy footprint paired with double doors that overlook the yard brings the zen. We asked Shana where her favorite spot was and we’re not surprised it is right in this very room, “while we love lots of spots in the house, curling up on our couch in the family room and watching the birds (and the squirrel we’ve named Nacho) in our tree probably takes the cake.” Anyone else think Nacho deserves his own Instagram account?
Large multi-paned windows and french doors that open to a deck that overlooks the blooming magnolia tree, are details that win you over and make this home so special. Shana jokes that they are also worth rolling up your sleeves and getting to know a new friend called weatherproofing. Scott also shared, “A small surprise we didn’t expect was discovering how much noise old houses make!” Even with the learning curve of being a new homeowner, they both agree it has been fun to learn how to maintain their home.
With two incredible outdoor spaces we had to ask what magical evenings have taken place outdoors. “One of the benefits of living in Philly closer to family is how much we’ve been able to host! We actually spent more weekends in 2021 with guests at our house than we did alone. We hosted both of our families for a joint Thanksgiving, and are breaking in our new dining room hosting friends for dinner parties. We can’t wait to take advantage of our outdoor space once it warms up again.” We can see it now—cafe lights, the outdoor sofa complete with fire pit. Come on warm weather!
Shana and Scott had friends that had worked with and recommended Philly Home Girls. “Getting matched up with Kate was a stroke of luck! She made the process so much less stressful and more exciting.” What a truly wonderful one it was, it is clear that Kate, Shana and Scott make a great team at finding that home sweet home! If you’re curious to see what is out there, don’t be shy! Reach out to us to get started!
