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Brittany and Benjamin Hakimfar renovated their Philadelphia home after moving from the West Coast to the state where Brittany grew up. The project focused less on structural changes than on making the home’s expansive rooms feel intimate, using varied layouts, layered materials and distinct moods.
Interior designer Brittany Hakimfar and her husband, Benjamin, reworked their Philadelphia home after moving from the West Coast, focusing on making its expansive rooms feel more intimate rather than undertaking major structural work. In a Livingetc home tour, Hakimfar describes how a mix of light and dark finishes, patterned surfaces and room-specific layouts helped shape spaces for family life, entertaining and quiet retreat.
The home’s renovation combined elements associated with Hakimfar’s previous life in Los Angeles—such as white oak and plaster finishes—with darker, more textured choices, including black zellige tile, plaid wallpaper and clay-toned walls. Hakimfar said the move back to the state where she grew up was significant for the family. She added a custom steel-and-glass front door to bring more light into the entry.
Rather than emphasize the property’s size, the design aimed to create places for different activities. Hakimfar said the layout was intended to support entertaining, family time, reading and music, as well as quieter moments. The kitchen and family room act as everyday hubs for the couple and their three children, while other rooms have more defined atmospheres.
The Livingetc report describes a library that also serves as a music room, an attic den with charcoal walls and a sitting room in coffee-and-cream tones. An unfinished attic was turned into a retreat for the couple. A compact space near the dining room includes patterned wallpaper and a dramatic marble basin, while a bar features blackened steel and glass shelving and hand-painted brass cabinet fronts.
Making Large Rooms Feel Intimate
The project illustrates a practical design response to a common challenge in large homes: how to make generous proportions feel welcoming without relying on major construction. Hakimfar’s approach used furnishings, surface treatments and the organization of activities to give rooms a more personal scale. The Livingetc account presents the result as a home that balances spaces for gathering with areas for retreat.
For the family, the renovation also reflects a move that was personally meaningful to Hakimfar. She said returning to the state where she grew up was a big deal after working in both New York and Los Angeles. She described the home as both a place of welcome and a refuge, with seasonal changes in the neighborhood contributing to how the family experiences it.
The report also shows how a design can combine contrasting choices without making every room feel alike. Light oak and pale finishes appear alongside dark tile, rich wood, veined stone and textured wallpaper. The rooms vary in mood, while their materials and finishes connect them across the home.
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From Dark Interiors to Layered Finishes
Hakimfar trained under designer Waldo Fernandez before she and Benjamin established their interior design practice, Far Studio. The couple’s move from the West Coast brought a change in setting and design direction. In the Livingetc report, Hakimfar says the home’s original interiors were so dark that they felt “medieval.” She decided to change the finishes throughout, removing heavy window treatments and monotone schemes.
The work was not described as a major structural renovation. Instead, the design changed the character and use of the rooms through new finishes and details. Hakimfar said the project took years longer than expected, in part because she was her own client and redirected carpenters to other jobs. She said that arrangement also made it easier to choose features such as an all-black zellige-tiled bathroom and moss-green plaster walls.
“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, speaking to Livingetc
Project Details Not Reported
The Livingetc feature does not provide a renovation budget, precise project timeline or full construction scope. It says the home required little structural work and that the project took years longer to finish, but does not give dates or quantify the delay. The report also does not identify the home’s exact location within Philadelphia or provide independent assessments of the renovation’s cost or performance.
The details in this article are based on the home tour and statements attributed to Hakimfar. The feature does not establish whether the family’s plans or the home have changed since publication.
Family Life in the Finished Home
The renovation is presented as complete, and Hakimfar describes the family now using the rooms for daily routines, entertaining and time together. She said she and Benjamin use the attic retreat to watch a show after their children go to bed. She also praised the neighborhood’s seasonal changes, describing its winter appearance as resembling a snow globe.
The source does not announce further renovation work or a forthcoming project milestone. The next development reported is therefore the family’s continued use of a home designed to accommodate both shared activity and quieter space.
Key Questions
Who owns the Philadelphia home?
The home belongs to Brittany and Benjamin Hakimfar. Brittany is an interior designer and co-founder of Far Studio.
What was the main aim of the renovation?
Hakimfar said the goal was to make the home’s expansive rooms feel more intimate and to create spaces for entertaining, family time, reading, music and retreat.
Did the renovation involve major structural work?
The Livingetc report says the home required little structural work. It focuses on changes to finishes, details and how the rooms are used.
What design features stand out in the home?
The report highlights a custom steel-and-glass front door, black zellige tile, patterned wallpaper, clay and plaster finishes, a dark bar, and an attic retreat with a moody palette.
How long did the renovation take, and what did it cost?
Hakimfar said the work took years longer than expected, partly because she redirected carpenters to other jobs. The report does not provide an exact timeline or budget.
Source: rss
