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Interior designer Brittany Hakimfar and her husband, Benjamin, renovated their Philadelphia home after moving back to the state where she grew up. The project focused less on structural changes than on making the expansive house feel intimate, with distinct spaces for family life, entertaining and retreat.
Interior designer Brittany Hakimfar and her husband, Benjamin, renovated their Philadelphia home after moving from the West Coast, reshaping its expansive rooms around family life, entertaining and quieter retreats. In a report by Livingetc, Hakimfar said the house needed little structural work; the central challenge was making its large interior feel more intimate while blending lighter finishes with darker, more textured rooms.
Hakimfar, who trained under designer Waldo Fernandez before setting up the practice Far Studio with Benjamin, described the move back to her home state as significant for the family. The couple had lived on the West Coast, and she had also worked in New York. The renovation brought together an understated, light-toned aesthetic associated with her work in Los Angeles and a moodier palette shaped by the home’s Pennsylvania setting and existing character.
According to Livingetc, the house’s original interiors were dark and monotone, with heavy window treatments. The redesign introduced a mix of pale oak, rich woods, veined stone and clay finishes, while retaining darker elements through black zellige tile, charcoal walls, plaid and tonal wallpaper, and chocolate-colored upholstery. A custom steel-and-glass front door was added to increase light in the entry.
The rooms were planned to serve different uses rather than treating the home’s size as the main feature. The kitchen and family room act as everyday gathering areas for the couple and their three children, identified in the report as Liv, nine; Leo, seven; and Lex, three. Other areas include a library and music room, a sitting room, an attic den and spaces for entertaining. A bar beside the dining room combines blackened steel and glass shelving with hand-painted brass cabinet fronts.
A Large Home Made for Gathering
The renovation offers a specific example of how a design project can respond to a home’s scale without relying on major structural changes. Hakimfar said the goal was to create intimacy and distinct uses across the house, including places for family time, reading, music, entertaining and privacy. That approach matters to readers interested in renovation because it frames layout and atmosphere—not just square footage or new construction—as tools for making rooms feel more usable.
The project also reflects the practical demands of a family home. The kitchen and family room are described as relaxed hubs, while the bar and dining-area features support hosting. More secluded rooms offer a change of mood. The report documents the designers’ choices and the homeowner’s account; it does not provide cost figures, a measured assessment of the home’s performance, or independent evaluation of the renovation.
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From West Coast to Pennsylvania
The project followed a move from the West Coast to Philadelphia, in the state where Hakimfar grew up. She told Livingetc that returning was a major decision for the family after her work in both New York and Los Angeles. The report does not give the date of the move or say how long the renovation took overall.
Hakimfar said the house was very dark before the work, but that the project did not require much structural alteration. Instead, the design changed finishes and furnishings throughout. Livingetc describes the result as a balance of bright and dark rooms: the entry and coffee-and-cream sitting room are lighter, while the library and music room, attic den and a bathroom use deeper colors and more enclosed finishes.
Several features were tailored to the family’s routines. The couple added a steam shower to an all-black bathroom near the eaves sitting room, and converted an unfinished attic into a place to relax after the children went to bed. Hakimfar also said she chose materials and details as her own client, including black tile and moss-green plaster.
“Moving back to the state where I grew up, having worked both in New York and LA, was a big deal for us.”
— Brittany Hakimfar, as quoted by Livingetc
Costs and Timeline Remain Unreported
Livingetc’s feature does not state the renovation’s budget, start or completion dates, or the home’s precise location within Philadelphia. Hakimfar said the project took years longer to finish, but the report does not quantify the delay or identify a final completion date. It also does not describe the property’s purchase price or provide independent accounts from contractors or other family members. Those details are not available in the source material.
The Family Continues Life at Home
The report presents the home as an ongoing setting for family life rather than announcing a new renovation phase or a future project milestone. Hakimfar said the family enjoys the changing seasons and described the house as both welcoming and a refuge. No further construction, sale or other next step is reported, so there is no confirmed follow-up date.
Key Questions
Who renovated the Philadelphia home?
Brittany Hakimfar, an interior designer and co-founder of Far Studio, designed the renovation with her husband, Benjamin. Livingetc identifies the couple as the homeowners.
What was the main goal of the renovation?
Hakimfar said the priority was to make the house’s large rooms feel more intimate and suited to gathering, with spaces for entertaining, family time, reading, music and quiet retreat.
What design features distinguish the home?
The report describes a mix of light oak and pale finishes with dark tile, rich wood, patterned wallpaper, clay walls and dramatic stone. A steel-and-glass front door, a bar beside the dining room and a dark steam-shower bathroom are among the specific features mentioned.
How long did the renovation take, and what did it cost?
The source gives no budget or full timeline. Hakimfar said the work took years longer to finish because she redirected carpenters to other jobs, but she did not give a precise duration.
Source: rss
