This Point Breeze couple honored historic details while adding modern conveniences to their home
Melanie Julian and Lane Savadove loved living in South Philadelphia, but their house was too small once their daughter, Emmeline, was born. In 2017, they found the perfect home: a 2,800-square-foot, three-story stand-alone brownstone in Point Breeze.
Built in 1893, “the house’s historic details and scale are standouts,” said Savadove, a professor of theater at Rowan University and artistic director of EgoPo Classic Theater.
Those historical architectural details include inlaid mahogany floors, 11-foot ceilings, and elegant crown moldings. Natural light shines in through the tall windows in the home’s three bedrooms, den, and 2½ bathrooms. The couple appreciate their outdoor spaces — a large rooftop deck with 360-degree views of the city and a cozy enclosed backyard patio.
The pair has tackled many projects over the last several years, including updating a shower, replacing windows in the solarium, and gutting the kitchen and installing a new one.
“This house has been through a lot of lives, and some of its transformations were done well and others were not,” Savadove said. “We want to take the house to the next level with a real thought of making it last for another generation to come.”
In 2022, they hired J. Thom Residential Design & Cabinetry in Center City and Dillard Construction in South Philadelphia to build their dream kitchen. The goal was to create something historically classic to fit the grandeur of the house, include modern conveniences to make cooking fun, and have a beautiful, comfortable space to entertain guests.
Aiming for a South Philly Italian style, they chose a bistro-like checkerboard floor tile in a tumbled marble in black and white with a washed-out quality. Wanting a fun color, they opted for deep periwinkle blue cabinets. They created a floral patterned tile behind the stove.
“We also wanted a big, glorious hood over a Viking stove with burners and a griddle,” said Julian, an associate professor of theater at Temple University.
They installed a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Sharp drawer microwave, under-cabinet pullout storage, and open shelving for many of their cooking supplies. Pots and pans, glassware, spices, and oils are all on display, organized and within reach.
“One of our challenges was to figure out how to lay out over 100 spice bottles that are readily available instead of tucked into drawers,” said Michael Howett, J. Thom lead designer. “Working with a couple who were passionate about cooking and loved creating food for large crowds was the inspiration and reasoning for the 48-inch range and refrigerator with massive countertops and a supersized sink.”
The couple kept the inky black walls the previous homeowners had painted in the front parlor and primary bedroom. White Chippendale-style trim around two large windows contrasts the deep walls in the primary bedroom, which also features a large fireplace and crystal chandelier. It’s also home for their gigantic closet, which Julian suspects may have been a nursery when the house was first built.
The black color — Benjamin Moore Twilight Zone — is the perfect backdrop for their collection of colorful art from their travels, including Balinese and Javanese stage masks from Indonesia.
Savadove has been collaborating with Indonesian performing artists for 29 years to create a version of the Hindu epic The Ramayana for an American audience. Last summer, EgoPo Classic Theater spent five weeks in Java rehearsing with the Indonesian actors, puppeteers, and dancers.
Those performers will come to Philadelphia to perform the show, along with an ensemble of Philadelphia performers, June 12 through 16 in a huge outdoor tent at the Navy Yard.
A 250-pound sculpture of Hanuman, the monkey warrior from The Ramayana, sits in their parlor. Nearby is a colorful MacKenzie-Childs couch that Savadove’s father gave them when they moved into their new home.
The couple collect bourbon, a nod to Julian’s Kentucky roots. Whenever they travel to or through her home state, they add to their extensive collection.
Julian, Savadove, and 9-year-old Emmeline adore their home and neighborhood.
“It’s a great place for people to gather,” Savadove said. “It’s a retreat, a family gathering space, and a house for hosting.”
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