Take a Peek Inside This Stylish, High-Tech Haddonfield Home
A young family built this South Jersey home from the ground up.
Take a look around this chic Haddonfield smart home. Photography by Andrea Cipriani Mecchi
It’s a familiar story: A well-off family decides to settle in a stately colonial — yard, trees, whole thing. The modern twist here? New suburban manses are now smart homes, with sleek interiors and amenities that rival upmarket city apartments.
The husband-and-wife homeowners (he’s in the software industry), who moved in this past August with their kids, worked with local architect Thomas B. Wagner, builder John Shaffer Custom Homes, and designer Michele Plachter to bring their “stylish yet functional” vision to life.
“We were literally involved from the ground up,” Plachter says, “from an old home that was demolished on the lot, to the building plans, down to the coffee tables.”
The five-bedroom house, with five full and two half baths, pairs traditional features — big windows, custom millwork — with useful perks like a heated driveway, his-and-hers offices, automated light and sound systems, and an elevator. (There are just-for-fun add-ons, too: beer, wine, and cold-brew on tap, and a separate bath for the two dogs.) All these elements, tied together by the pared-back design, created a home where the family can live in style — forever.
“The custom millwork bridged the more expected, traditional feel of a Haddonfield home with the very modern lighting fixtures and modern furniture.” — Michele Plachter, interior designer
Kitchen
A rich black was selected for the cabinets; the color is used as a neutralizer throughout the home. “It’s bold and grounding,” Plachter says. To infuse balance and lightness, she added brass light fixtures from Urban Electric overhead and taupe leather bar stools from Interlude.
Foyer
Photograph by Andrea Cipriani Mecchi
The traditional entryway features custom millwork and a cascading two-story chandelier by Lindsey Adelman. Framed art by Dawn Michelle Wolfe and a delicate Baker chair and console table continue the home’s black-and-white theme.
Office
Photograph by Andrea Cipriani Mecchi
The clients wanted the husband’s office to be masculine but also “modern, fashionable, and a little unexpected,” says Plachter. To accomplish this, she added custom purple chairs by Kravet, a custom wall covering by Lindsay Cowles on the ceiling, and an Art TV over the fireplace.
Kid’s Room
Photograph by Andrea Cipriani Mecchi
Plachter worked to create a room that “could grow with” the clients’ young daughter. The Kate Spade striped curtains, lamp and throw pillows add bright pops, while the Worlds Away nightstand and gray velvet Bernhardt bed give the room a sophisticated touch.
Published as “Paint It Black” in the May 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
