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Interior designer Brittany Hakimfar and her husband, Benjamin, renovated their Philadelphia home after moving from the West Coast to her home state. The project focused less on structural changes than on making the large house feel more intimate, using varied materials, darker rooms and spaces for family life and entertaining.
Interior designer Brittany Hakimfar and her husband, Benjamin, renovated their Philadelphia home after moving from the West Coast to the state where Brittany grew up, using changes to the layout and finishes to make the expansive house feel more intimate. In a home tour published by Livingetc, Hakimfar said the project emphasized gathering, family life and quiet retreats rather than highlighting the home’s size.
The couple’s home required little structural work, according to Livingetc, but its broad proportions called for a different approach to how rooms felt and functioned. Hakimfar said she wanted the layout to support entertaining, family time, reading, music and spaces to retreat. A custom steel-and-glass front door was added to bring more light into the entry.
Hakimfar, who trained under designer Waldo Fernandez before establishing Far Studio with Benjamin, combined pale oak and plaster with darker finishes, including black zellige tile, rich woods and plaid wallpaper. The interiors also use veined stone, clay wall finishes, hand-finished plaster and textured surfaces. The rooms range from airy and light to deliberately dark, including a library and music room, an attic den and a black-tiled bathroom with a steam shower.
The kitchen and family room function as everyday hubs for the couple and their three children, Liv, nine; Leo, seven; and Lex, three, the report says. The home also includes a bar designed for entertaining, with blackened steel, glass shelving and hand-painted brass cabinet fronts. The source describes a renovation shaped around both practical household use and the owners’ design preferences.
Making a Large Home Feel Intimate
The project illustrates a design challenge that can arise in a spacious family home: rooms may need to feel connected and welcoming, not simply large. Hakimfar’s stated aim was to create places for different kinds of daily use, from hosting guests to reading or spending time together as a family.
The report also shows how finishes were used to distinguish those settings. Light oak and plaster keep some areas open and calm, while dark colors and layered textures give other rooms a more enclosed feel. Those are the designer’s choices and stated intentions; the source does not offer an independent evaluation of how the renovation performs or what it cost.
From West Coast to Philadelphia
The move carried personal significance for Hakimfar, who said she had worked in both New York and Los Angeles before returning to the state where she grew up. She described the change as a big deal for the family. The home’s design draws on the couple’s experience of West Coast interiors while making room for a more grounded palette and moodier spaces.
Hakimfar characterized the original interiors as extremely dark and said she wanted to change every surface. The renovation removed heavy window treatments and replaced monotone finishes with a wider mix of materials. Because the couple were also their own design clients, Hakimfar said she could pursue choices such as all-black bathroom tile and moss-green plaster without needing to persuade another client. She also said that making decisions while handling the family’s other projects contributed to delays.
“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, owner and designer
Costs and Timeline Not Reported
Livingetc’s feature does not state the renovation’s cost, its exact start or completion dates, or how long the work took beyond Hakimfar’s description that it took years longer to finish. The source also does not provide measurements, a detailed construction schedule or an account from the contractors.
The account is based on the homeowner and designer’s description and a visual tour. It does not establish how the design choices affect the home’s resale value, energy use or long-term maintenance, and it does not include independent assessments of those outcomes.
The Family Settles Into the Home
The source describes the renovation as complete and the home as a place the family now uses for daily life, hosting and downtime. Hakimfar said the seasonal changes in the neighborhood are part of the appeal, describing winter views as resembling a snow globe and the home as both a welcome for guests and a refuge.
Livingetc’s report does not announce further renovation work or a forthcoming project milestone. Any additional changes, costs or plans for the property remain unreported.
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 goal of the renovation?
Hakimfar said the goal was to make the expansive home feel more intimate and welcoming, with spaces for entertaining, family time, reading, music and retreat.
Did the project involve major structural changes?
Livingetc reports that the home required little structural work. The project focused mainly on the layout’s use and on finishes, materials and room atmosphere.
What design features stand out?
The home combines pale oak and plaster with dark tile, rich woods, veined stone and patterned wallpaper. Standout spaces include a black-tiled bathroom with a steam shower, a moody attic den and a bar designed for entertaining.
How much did the renovation cost, and when was it completed?
The Livingetc report does not give a project budget or exact completion date. Hakimfar said the work took years longer to finish, but the source does not provide a precise timeline.
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