A Moderne Classic in Rittenhouse for $1.099M

Behind this elegant Civil War-era facade you'll find a home that combines the best elements of the Moderne style of the 1940s and contemporary decor.


1915 Panama St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 | TREND images by Boomver via BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors

There is a clue to what lies behind the classic facade of this 1868 townhome on Panama Street near Rittenhouse Square.

It’s right there, in the middle of the photo above, on the second floor.

See that tripartite French door behind the Juliet balcony railing?

That’s a later alteration, as the French-door balconies on the homes to its west are. This design element had not yet come into fashion in the 1860s.

But by the 1940s, it had. And once you step through this home’s wide front door, you will be immediately transported to that era and the style we now call Moderne.

Main floor

The interior fixtures in this home, from the dining-area light to the stair railings to the lighting in the master bedroom, all call to mind that transitional style that bridged the Art Deco and Modernist eras. And as you should be able to tell from these pictures, that style meshes well with both older forms, like the home itself, and more contemporary design, like its kitchen and some of its bathrooms.

Kitchen

Kitchen

The kitchen, with its clean, modern Eurostyle lines, is set off from the rest of the open-plan main floor yet connected to it via an opening at its corner.

Rear patio

At the back of the main floor, French doors lead out onto an attractive brick courtyard.

Family room

Study (bedroom)

On the second floor, you will find a spacious family room overlooking the courtyard, a bedroom (currently configured as a study) with a gas fireplace overlooking Panama Street through those French doors, a powder room and a bathroom.

Master bedroom

Master bathroom

Bathroom and laundry

On the third and fourth you’ll find a master bedroom with stylish ribbon lighting, two more bedrooms and two more bathrooms. The third-floor one containing the laundry has the most Moderne appearance.

Because this home faces south, you will get lots of sunshine filtering through the trees and pouring through your front windows. There’s ample space for light to shine down on the courtyard in back as well.

And all of this is just a short walk from everything Rittenhouse Square has to offer, not to mention University City across the river.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 4

BATHS: 3 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 2,000

SALE PRICE: $1,098,500

OTHER STUFF: This home’s sale price was reduced by $66,500 on July 30.

1915 Panama St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103 [Jeff “City” Block and Andrew Hollin | City Block Team | BHHS Fox & Roach Realtors]