5 min readWhen Kaminski Pew’s urban penthouse clients decided to ditch apartment living in Philadelphia for life on the Main Line, husband and wife design duo Kevin Kaminski and Alexis Pew knew they were in for a wild ride.
Spanning about 200 square miles and three counties, the Main Line is a cluster of affluent suburbs just west of Philadelphia and set along the former Pennsylvania Railroad. Known for ultra-walkable streets, vibrant equestrian culture, and historic DNA, the suburbs offered a welcome contrast to the bustle of city life, making it the perfect setting for their clients, a multi-generational family, to plant roots.
While the 2008 build offered good bones, a sturdy structure is just the canvas for great design. Already brimming with thoughtful design details, like bespoke trimwork and Palladian windows, the designers were tasked with marrying traditional design details with a modern scheme similar to the client’s beloved penthouse home.
“The biggest challenge of the project was trying to create a modern interior within a very traditionally designed space,” says Pew. “Striking a balance that provided the client with the modern feel they wanted without demolishing the house required careful attention to detail.”
Relying on their keen eyes, strong relationship with the client, and the finesse of local craftspeople, Kaminski and Pew began planning a renovation focused on creating a functional yet show-stopping kitchen—an important element, as the homeowner is a co-founder of beloved coffee company La Colombe. But as mock-ups evolved, their project quickly grew from a single room into a reinvention of nearly the whole home, resulting in a space that feels completely in sync not just with the family, but with its storied-yet-hip surroundings.
FAST FACTS
Designer: Kaminski Pew
Builder: Shay Construction
Location: Haverford, Pennsylvania
The Space: A five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home across 10,000 square feet
FOYER
The entrance to the home sets the scene for the sleek design scheme.
The home's starting point features one of its most complex design elements: a custom stairwell supported by hairpin balusters. With an elegant flared base and two turns, the design had to be engineered to be equal parts delicate and sturdy.
“The stair design was complicated and required close collaboration between the design team, contractor, metalworker, and stair fabricator,” says Kaminski. “Designing the hairpins and continuous wood handrail took a bit of trial and error. We worked through numerous mock-ups to tweak the design.”
LIVING ROOM
Plush upholstery and curved silhouettes balance the room’s modern lines.
The living room is both a recreational and transitional space, connecting the kitchen and the mudroom to the rest of the home. With a literal hearth, the design is meant to channel feelings of warmth against the cement and steel that rule the home’s overall design scheme. The design duo also converted the original “poorly proportioned” vaulted ceilings to tray ceilings to add height and improve the room’s scale.
“We incorporate custom millwork into most of our work, and this project was no exception,” says Pew. “From the mudroom to the kitchen to the living room, we added a variety of storage to the space that is both functional and beautiful.”
SITTING ROOM
A space perfect for quick-turn entertaining or a cozy retreat.
The blackened steel of the foyer’s banisters carries over into the sitting room. Inside, custom limewashed plaster walls are complemented by deep earth tones, channeled through a plush forest-green couch and mustard armchairs. Against the far wall, a sleek open-shelved bookcase displays the client’s collection of Brazilian quartz.
“This space was designed to receive guests and doubles as a great place to read a book,” Kaminski explains. “We intentionally chose rounded forms in the furniture and lighting to contrast and soften the formality of the space.”
KITCHEN
Originally the main focus of the project, the kitchen is the most bespoke room in the house.
Wrapped in marble, the kitchen boasts a sophisticated black-and-cream color scheme, accented with walnut wood for a dose of warmth. Cooking is a big part of the clients’ lives, making the kitchen one of the most visually and functionally important spaces in the entire home. The design team completely reimagined this room, altering the layout to maximize square footage and replacing the existing gas appliances with induction. “The project wasn’t a complete gut-renovation but ultimately more of a reinvention of the original design,” says Pew.
A customized organization haven, the towering storage cabinets hide not one but two refrigerators, a freezer, a walk-in pantry, and an enviable appliance garage.
COFFEE ROOM
The clients had a coffee lab installed for controlled, custom brews.
Befitting of the owner’s legacy as co-founder of the renowned Philly-based roasters La Colombe, the piece de resistance of the home is a glass-walled coffee workshop. Lined with Moorish tiles as a nod to coffee’s Arabian roots, the space is meant to highlight the impact the beloved morning beverage has had on the family’s story while fostering continued innovation.
“Coffee is an important part of the client’s story and, with that in mind, we wanted to create a space to showcase the coffee-making process,” says Pew. “We created a small glass-enclosed room, connected but separate from the kitchen, to experiment, tinker, and make great coffee.”
BUTLER’S PANTRY
A moody space for cocktails—or coffee.
Between the kitchen and the dining room, Kaminski and Pew created an enclave for entertaining. Coated in a moody plum hue, the butler’s pantry features a bold marble countertop that doubles as a serving space or a bar. An antique mirror backsplash and Calcatta viola countertop add character and depth.
DINING NOOK
Unadorned windows keep the space bathed in sunlight.
Nothing says “suburban life” like family dinners gathered around the dining table. Overlooking their pool and the yard beyond, the clients use this space nightly for casual family fare. With two small children, the design had to be as durable as it is beautiful. A subtle nod to the client’s love for coffee hangs on the wall: a framed collection of latte art.
FORMAL DINING ROOM
Designed entertaining and larger gatherings, this room channels moody sophisitcation.
The formal dining room flanks the home’s entry alongside the sitting room, making the front of the home a beacon for guests and entertaining. Carrying a moodier palette than the rest of the home, a bold burl wood dining table serves as the focal point of the room’s design, set against grasscloth wall coverings crowned by vividly modern pendant lighting.
POWDER ROOM
Small in square footage, it packs a punch of pattern.
A love letter to the city they’ve left behind, the powder room is clad in golden Ginkgo leaves as a nod to the trees lining the streets of Philadelphia. “Philadelphia has a surprising number of Ginkgo trees, and in the fall the city is carpeted with the unique yellow leaves (and their overwhelming scent),” says Kaminski. “This wallcovering is a subtle gesture to that unique moment, and the client’s love for the city.”
About the Designers
Kaminski Pew is a Philadelphia-based architecture and interior design studio run by husband and wife duo Kevin Kaminski and Alexis Pew. The pair specializes in crafting renovations and restorations with deep personal character without sacrificing elegance or flair.
