{"id":940141,"date":"2026-10-25T07:16:21","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T07:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/940141\/"},"modified":"2026-10-25T07:16:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T07:16:21","slug":"scaling-down-creates-intimacy-in-this-moody-philly-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/940141\/","title":{"rendered":"Scaling Down Creates Intimacy in This Moody Philly Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

modern home<\/a>, trading the sunny interiors of LA for the more grounded aesthetic of Brittany\u2019s home turf. “Moving back to the state where I grew up, having worked both in New York and LA, was a big deal for us,” says Brittany.<\/p>\n

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\"White\n<\/p>\n

“We added a custom steel and glass front door to maximize the light in the space,” says owner and designer Brittany Hakimfar.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n

Brittany<\/a>, who trained under designer Waldo Fernandez before she and Ben set up their own interior design practice, Far Studio, took some of LA\u2019s understated glam \u2014 all white oak and plaster finishes \u2014 and mixed it with moodiness, conjured by materials such as black zellige tiles<\/a> and plaid wallpaper<\/a>. The result is an assured balance between refined design and practical living.<\/p>\n

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\"Corner\n<\/p>\n

“We love to entertain here,” says Brittany, who designed a bar<\/a> with blackened steel and glass shelving, hand-painted brass cabinet fronts and a tap from Brizo. Walls are finished in a paper designed to look like hand-painted plaster.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

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\"Chico\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

La Redoute<\/p>\n

\u00c9DIT\u00c9 Chico Round Acacia Coffee Table With Rattan Shelf<\/p>\n

A coffee table that combines wood and rattan is an ingenious way to sneak in extra texture \u2014 try this one from La Redoute for size.<\/p>\n

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\"Wet\n<\/p>\n

“I designed this space, right off the dining room<\/a>, to introduce a bit of ‘wow’,” says Brittany. “But at the same time, it\u2019s also functional, and it makes entertaining easy.”<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n

Though their home required little structural work, its expansive proportions needed scaling down. “It was about creating intimacy,” says Brittany. “Rather than emphasizing size, we wanted the layout to encourage gathering, with spaces for entertaining<\/a>, family time, reading, music and quiet retreat.”<\/p>\n

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\"Dining\n<\/p>\n

“This space is moody, but if you look closely, you can see the texture and beauty of the tonal toile wallpaper,” says Brittany.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

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\"Round\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Zara Home<\/p>\n

Round Decorative Ceramic Vase<\/p>\n

An earthy ceramic vase grounds Brittany’s scheme \u2014 and for a similar look, you’ll find plenty like this at Zara Home.<\/p>\n

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\"Oak\n<\/p>\n

“We love it when guests come in and get a pop of unexpected pattern from this compact space,” says Brittany, who contrasted a classic bucolic wallpaper with a dramatic marble basin.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n

As a result, the schemes vary between embracing \u2014 such as the moodier gray-blues of the library-cum-music room or the cocooning charcoal walls<\/a> of the attic den \u2014 and amplifying, including the coffee-and-cream neutrals of the sitting room and the airiness of the entry. Anchoring the living spaces, the kitchen and family room serve as relaxed hubs for the family, including Liv, nine, Leo, seven, and Lex, three.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

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\"Powder\n<\/p>\n

“I enjoy how this space mixes finishes, from the bluestone Belgian flooring to the lighter white oak cabinetry with dark metal accents,” says Brittany.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

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\"Cooper\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Soho Home<\/p>\n

Cooper Wall Mirror, Antique Brass<\/p>\n

Soho Home’s Cooper wall mirror is a near-perfect match for the vintage version Brittany sourced.<\/p>\n

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\"Black\n<\/p>\n

“We took what was an unfinished attic and created a space that feels like an escape, with a moody vibe. Ben and I love to hang out here and watch a show once the kids are in bed,” says Brittany.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n

Brittany describes the original interiors as “being so dark, they felt medieval. I thought, ‘Perfect, I\u2019m going to change everything’. I wanted to make sure that no surface went untouched.” Out went the heavy window treatments<\/a> and monotone interiors and in came a dynamic blend of materials and finishes. “Of course, there are still dramatically dark moments,” she says, “but texture<\/a> makes all the difference, whether that\u2019s a chocolate velvet sofa, a papered ceiling, fluted cabinetry or hand-finished plasterwork.”<\/p>\n

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\"Bedroom\n<\/p>\n

“This is truly a sanctuary and an oasis that we love,” says Brittany, who chose a clay wall finish and chocolate browns to echo the expansive views from the window.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n

These are the kinds of striking design motifs that Brittany says are easier to flirt with when you are your own client. “For example, it was great not to have to convince anyone to have an all-black zellige-tiled bathroom or moss-green plastered walls<\/a>,” she says. “The downside, of course, is that it took years longer to finish, because I kept sending the carpenters off-site to finish more important jobs.”<\/p>\n

The Livingetc newsletters are your inside source for what\u2019s shaping interiors now – and what\u2019s next. Discover trend forecasts, smart style ideas, and curated shopping inspiration that brings design to life. Subscribe today and stay ahead of the curve.<\/p>\n

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\"Shower\n<\/p>\n

In an unusual move, the couple added an all-black bathroom<\/a> to their eaves sitting room. “We wanted the feel of a spa, with a steam shower,” says Brittany.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Brian Wetzel and Anna Spaller)<\/p>\n

Those delays were worth the wait, however, and now life revolves around nurturing a family while taking care of projects. “The changing seasons are a dream,” says Brittany. “In winter, the neighborhood looks like a snow globe, which is magical. Home feels like a place of welcome and also a refuge.”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For more inspiring home tours and design ideas, subscribe to the Livingetc newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Step through the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":940142,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[449,458,459,64,63,460,134],"class_list":["post-940141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-design","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=940141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/940142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=940141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=940141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=940141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}