“We’re always looking to incorporate the hand.” So says interior designer Marguerite Rodgers, of her eponymous Philadelphia firm. While many designers are known for discovering and celebrating fine craftsmanship, Marguerite is an accomplished maker in her own right. Already a skilled seamstress by the time she enrolled in college, she planned to become a fashion designer. But after discovering that she loved working with wood far more than needle and thread, she changed course. First, opening her own furniture making shop, and later, constructing an entire post-and-beam barn using eighteenth-century building techniques.
Read the full article on pagodared.com.
Marguerite Rodgers is entrenched in the Philadelphia design community. The interior designer has done both residential and commercial work in the Philadelphia area (and elsewhere), designed furniture collections, curated vintage collections and opened up her office to other Philadelphia creatives. Rodgers chatted with EAL about some of her latest work at the historic Bellevue Hotel and how she ended up in the interior design industry.
So you’ve finished unpacking the boxes and now the REAL work begins. Because you’ve just realized you own nothing more than a few dishes and a mattress from your old apartment and now you have a whole HOUSE to fill.
To help you through this stressful time, we talked with Marguerite Rodgers of Marguerite Rodgers Design, who founded an interior design business in 1991 and specializes in high end residential design.
Read the full article on Philly Home Connection.
In 1997, Wharton graduates Ellen Yin and Roberto Sella partnered to launch a new restaurant in Philadelphia. Called Fork, it would make an immediate impression in Old City, which was in the throes of a transformation from a former industrial and manufacturing hub to a loft district populated by artists and creatives. Two decades later, Fork is not only still open, it’s busier than ever.
Read the full article on BillyPenn.com
Location: 52 S. 2nd Street, Old City
Key Players: Nicholas Elmi, David Frank, Stephen Simons
The Situation: Laurel’s Nick Elmi, of Top Chef fame, is teaming up with restaurateurs Dave Frank and Stephen Simons, who know how to put together a top-notch bar: They’re behind Royal Tavern, Khyber Pass Pub, Triangle Tavern, Cantina Los Caballitos, and Cantina Dos Segundos, and moved more into the chef-driven space with Jesse Ito’s Royal Sushi and Izakaya. The Elmi-helmed venture is two levels, with a bar and a dining area on the first floor and an outdoor garden with seating for about 30 on the second floor. The second floor will also have a lounge that can be used as a private dining room. The menu will focus on charcuterie, salumi, and a raw bar.
