Smith & Sauer designed and coordinated a strategic retrofit of an existing residence, comprised of the first two floors of an historic townhouse two blocks south of Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square.

The project involved the renovation of the kitchen, master & guest suites, living and dining rooms; with full custom millwork and fixtures throughout. The design sought to satisfy an owner's "transitional" tastes, requiring interplay and mediation between historic and contemporary style and detailing.

The living room fireplace, visible immediately upon entering the residence, became the key design fixture for the project and it's most modern element, featuring the same limestone used on the Barnes Museum facade (a favorite of the owner's). Blackened steel reveals within the stone paneling connect to new custom shelving flanking both sides of the overmantel.