Vintage Charm in a Philadelphia Row-House Kitchen

The ca. 1920 row house, in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia, needed major repairs; it had been gutted by a fire in the 1970s. The subsequent remodeling made no attempt at a period look: “It was a DIY ‘Mediterranean’-style job with tiled countertops and harvest-gold appliances,” says homeowner Lynne Gery; she and her husband, Daniel Womer, bought the house in 1986. 

“I’d approached a few contractors over the years,” Lynne explains, “but I never met anyone I felt comfortable with. So we procrastinated.”

Lynne found Airy Kitchens through their Instagram posts. “They caught my eye because theirs were different from standard kitchen-designer renovations. “I had the impression that [designer Sean Lewis] devised something original for each client.” Airy Kitchens specializes in period-inspired design for old houses in the greater Philadelphia area.

Lynne wanted a timeless look with Arts & Crafts influence, to go with the 1920s house and to showcase her ceramics. “I asked for wood floors and more color in the tile, otherwise this is all Sean,” says Lynne. “He listened but also explained what wouldn’t work. I’d wanted an island but it simply didn’t fit. He suggested the leaded-glass cabinets, brackets, and banquette.”

The custom look was made affordable with Airy Kitchens’ New England line of ready-made cabinets, in cherry. It’s a testament to how good standard cabinets can look, when they are of high quality and the overall design is sound. Multiple door styles and mouldings were used, in three of the firm’s many paint and stain options. Most cabinets have Airy’s Shaker Inset doors; the hutch is fitted with Colonial Inset doors.

PERIOD LEADED GLASS
Simple cabinets from Airy Kitchens’ New England line are period-friendly; for this project, some are painted and some stained, for a less fitted look. The leaded-glass design of upper cabinets was inspired by late-Victorian and Craftsman-era windows seen in local houses.

THE EATING NOOK
Tucked away outside the work triangle, a built-in banquette bench seat and a small dining table create an adaptable breakfast nook. Drawers underneath provide more storage, accessible without the need to remove the seat cushion. A hutch-like piece opposite holds a coffee bar.

“During our first consultation,” Lewis says, “we noticed rusty cast-iron panels in the basement. An antique fireback!” Lynne’s late father had salvaged it from a farmhouse. Cleaned up, it’s now a focal point.