It’s A Family Affair Part 2: Inspired by the Past
Photos by Chinasa Cooper and from Harper Family Archive. Originally published in AphroChic magazine Issue 2, Winter 2019.
By the 1960s, the home my mother lived in was full. The house roster included my mom, Jacqueline, my grandmother Syjunia, and my great-grandmother, Mama, as well as my great-aunts, Debbie and Elaine, great-uncle, Allen, and cousin Gordon (who the family affectionately referred to as “Snuffy”). Like for so many other Black families, “the house” was the official hub of my family’s life. It was the setting for countless family events from Sunday dinners to proms, holiday gatherings and late-night penuchle games. “Our house was the center,” my mom confirms. “We were there for every holiday. Everybody would come [for] Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, it was always at the house.”
The area in North Philadelphia where my family home is located was once farmland that later became the hub of Philadelphia’s industrial revolution. In William Penn’s day, it was where the landed nouveau riche built homes to separate themselves from the old guard. Though not old enough to have stood during those days, the house is a beautifully appointed Philadelphia row home.
The front door opens into the sun room. Over the years it’s been used as either a large entryway or its own room. In either configuration, its open portals lead directly into the living room. As a kid, the sun room was my favorite place to play — after the living room, which was where the television was.
It was mostly empty then, a perfect place for being in my own world while staying out of the way. Today, my nephew enjoys it for the same reason. But long before either of us arrived to fill the space with our toys and imaginings, it was the room where Christmas morning took place. And on one special day, it was where my Aunt Elaine got married.
Over the years, the sun room and living room, like the rest of the home, aged and fell into disrepair. For Jeanine and me, the goal of the renovation was to restore these spaces to their 1960s glamour. The family archivist, my mother, shared a trove of old photos and stories of the house.
The new design of the two rooms was inspired by the memories kept in these old images. We started with a full-spectrum gray-blue paint color that was close to the room’s original shade. The soft pastel created a cool contrast, highlighting some of the most stunning hardwood floors we’ve seen in a home, as well as the winding wood staircase that’s a feature in many Philadelphia row homes.
Sometime between the 60s and 90s, the sun room’s original mauve wall was painted in a lighter shade. The change opened up the space, letting in lots more natural light. To highlight the room’s architectural features we extended the paint all the way to the ceilings to highlight the classic crown molding. Hand-me-down furniture was replaced with new family heirlooms.
My grandmother’s once beautiful upholstered settee was replaced with an embroidered floral chaise. In the corner, a brass table from a family friend was used to add a metallic touch. And our Amur Table Lamp is a new heirloom that we were happy to see accenting the family home.
The wall color extends into the living room, creating a sense of unity while highlighting the architectural details of both rooms. Old photos show family gathered in the living room in beautifully silhouetted coats, dresses and suits. These striking images inspired us to create a room that feels both elegant and family-friendly. The velvet blue chairs and tufted, vegan-leather chesterfield are a call back to a more elegant time.
My mother often tells me about how proud she was to have grown up in a home run by strong women. They worked hard to get the house they lived in, and even harder to keep it. As generations passed, it stayed in the family. And though it’s no longer the center of our lives, it’s as familiar and loved as any member of the family. I’m equally proud to have these women as part of my heritage and happy for the opportunity to show my gratitude by restoring the home that they loved.
