Ritz Towers Condo

Originally created by combining two units, this 3,000-square-foot condominium residence offered expansive proportions and spectacular city views. While the builder finishes were state-of-the-art when the building opened in 2009, they had not aged well. The original cherry floors had faded unevenly, the kitchen felt undersized in relation to the apartment, and a dark, enclosed library/den was disconnected from the main living spaces. We reconfigured the floor plan to better suit the scale of the residence and the way the owners live. The former laundry room was relocated and its space incorporated into a enlarged kitchen, allowing for two full-size refrigeration units, a walk-in pantry, additional counter space, and a generous island. The enclosed den was opened to the main living area and transformed into a spacious dining room, improving circulation and creating a greater openness throughout the apartment. Light-toned flooring replaced the original cherry and takes its cue from the new kitchen cabinetry, creating a lighter, brighter, and more cohesive interior. Matching custom cabinetry extends into the main living room, providing integrated storage and space for media components while visually connecting the rooms. In the primary bedroom, a smaller-scale interpretation of the living room millwork, this time in warmer walnut, creates a cozy nook with an integrated television, storage, and shelving designed to display the owners’ collections. The residence is flooded with natural light during the day, but the views become equally dramatic after sunset, when the illuminated figure of William Penn atop City Hall becomes an unexpected decorative feature just outside the windows. To make the interiors equally successful at night, we added decorative lighting and repositioned the architectural lighting throughout, using it to highlight the new cabinetry, the owners’ artwork, and seating areas while creating a warmer atmosphere after dark. Decorative metal screens were introduced in several locations to subtly define individual spaces without sacrificing the openness of the reconfigured plan or interrupting views through the apartment. The result is a sophisticated, highly functional home—distinctive in its own right, framed by remarkable views of Philadelphia.