A Cottagey Row House Renovation in Philadelphia

Kalyn Matthews describes herself as a home stager and aspiring interior designer. Having done home staging for more than six years, she felt ready to take on an exciting new project. She bought a row house in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia and went on a two-year renovation journey. “The house was not in a livable state. The plumbing stack was cracked, so there was no working plumbing. The kitchen and bath were in really rough condition. Structurally, it was sound, but it needed a new roof, windows, plumbing and electric. The bathroom and kitchen had to be gutted and completely renovated,” says Kalyn. Read on to see how Kalyn transformed this broken down row home into a cozy cottage-style retreat.

“I respect the character and era of the space while infusing it with saturated color and a fresh outlook,” says Kalyn. The 1,000-square-foot, 3-bedroom house was originally built in 1925. Kalyn wanted to bring it solidly into the 21st century through her love of color. A Chesterfield sofa is brought to life with a colorful array of Suzani pillows. And the Persian rug in bright orange defines the color scheme and the home’s many floral moments. “I didn’t plan for floral details, but I seem to gravitate toward them because they capture the joyful cottage feeling. I wanted to use vibrant colors, and florals are a natural choice.”

“I create joy-filled spaces with vintage notes and unexpected elements,” says Kalyn of her aesthetic. To attain that vision, the living room needed a new identity. “We had to tear out many walls and drywall or shiplap every wall and ceiling,” she explains. “The living room best represents the property’s 'city cottage' design. The shiplap walls most strongly define the cottage style.”

For the home’s primary bedroom, Kalyn went to some of her favorite thrift stores to find furniture to fit the space. “I believe that good design is possible at any price point,” says Kalyn. “I was able to create a beautiful home using primarily thrifted items and DIY.” The headboard, nightstands and lamps were all discovered on one of Kalyn’s thrifting trips. With just a little paint, each piece was transformed and used to create a colorful bedroom retreat.