What Happens When an Architect and an Interior Designer Collaborate on Their Own Project?

PHOTOS BY ALEXIS FATALSKY

From the outside, 1927 Rockledge St. in Pittsburgh’s Spring Hill neighborhood is a standard, stately North Side home.

That’s certainly not to say the turn-of-the-century American Foursquare doesn’t have curb appeal — it does; the brick home is neat and clearly well maintained.

But step through the grand leaded-glass front doorway and you’ll enter an unexpected wonderland of colorful patterns, prints and finishes that somehow work perfectly together.

“This home is truly one of the most stylish I’ve had the privilege to present in my 21 years selling Pittsburgh real estate,” says Realtor Allison Pochapin of Compass Real Estate. “With an architect and an interior designer as its owners, every inch of the renovation has been approached with precision, creativity and an artist’s eye for detail. It’s not just a beautifully updated home, it is a work of art.”

The creative owners are Andy Weier and Patrick Rakszawski, founding principals of Rockledge Design & Architecture, which was lovingly named after the home that inspired their business venture.

While the couple has decided the home is too spacious for their current needs, they recalled the joy they took in bringing it back to life. Pochapin now has their home listed for $375,000

In 2020, Weier and Rakszawski purchased the home; they moved in a year later when the bulk of their renovations were complete. While the home had been converted from a duplex back into a single-family residence prior to their purchase, the second floor still had a wonky layout that included captive bedrooms and an errant kitchenette.

“I remember after our showing, we stopped at Spring Hill Brewery for a beer,” says Weier. “We started sketching out some of our ideas on napkins. The house already had a ton of character and, as designers, we were definitely seduced by its potential.”

Rakszawski says many of the design choices were driven by the couple’s love of a full house.

“We both love to cook and entertain, and we really tried to design this house by creating multiple opportunities to bring people together,” he says. “The overhaul for the backyard was one of the first projects we tackled.”

Indeed, the couple hosted 15 loved ones in the dining room over Christmas, which will remain a core memory of their time in the house.

“I’ll definitely miss hanging out on the swings around the fire with friends and game nights at our dining table,” Rakszawski says.

The first floor of the home is spacious and bright, retaining many original details, such as intricate millwork and several stained glass, even after renovations. Showcasing those intricacies are the couple’s bold color and pattern choices. For example, in the living room, woodsy green paint makes the antique mantle the couple salvaged from Butler Co. pop, while striking bird-and-floral-printed wallpaper pulls the room together.

In the spacious dining room, a custom built-in banquette creates one of those gathering zones desired by the couple. There is also a cozy den for watching television, plus a full bathroom.

The adjoining kitchen, which was one of the last spaces to be remodeled, is a chef’s dream — and one of Pochapin’s favorite spaces.

“As someone who guides my clients through the improvement and preparation process before listing, I know how much value a well-designed kitchen can add,” she says. “This time, my job was easy. These two had the skill and wherewithal to give it a stunning makeover.”

The kitchen’s pale sage green-hued cabinets and classic subway tile flank high-end, stainless steel appliances, while a small island provides additional work space that could also be used as a handy spot to serve appetizers when hosting friends and family.

Pochapin credits quality finishes, well-curated design elements and custom details with creating the kitchen’s overall effect

“There’s nothing generic or trendy here — only timeless, well-executed design,” she says.

The second and third floors are rife with the same detailed design that balances old and new. The original tile on the second floor’s hallway bathroom is in perfect condition, while the new primary ensuite bathroom is a standout thanks to eye-catching moss green tile and a freestanding soaking tub.

“We’ve poured so much of ourselves into this home that it’s hard for me to pick a favorite feature, but I really love our primary bathroom,” says Weier. “The soaking tub always feels super luxurious. I’m a bath guy and have enjoyed many glasses of wine there… that’s definitely going to be hard to part with.”

Equally arresting is a bright blue feature wall in the primary bedroom adjacent to a large mural depicting “Under the Wave off Kanagawa” by artist Katsushika Hokusai.

A sunny additional bedroom on the second floor has custom wood details that are painted a warm blush pink to complement the abstract artwork on the walls. There is also a bonus space that could be used as a home office or dressing room. On the third floor, a finished attic offers more flexible space and could function as a third bedroom, studio or media room.

Tackled early on in the couple’s renovation, the backyard offers an oasis in the middle of a bustling city neighborhood.

“This is going to make me sound like such an old man, but I really love watching all of the birds in our backyard from the kitchen window,” Rakszawski says. “I feel like that’s a hobby you’re not supposed to pick up until much later in life, but here we are.”

Two pergolas support swings that surround a fire pit set in low-maintenance pea gravel, while a living moss wall along the garage adds visual interest. The one-stall garage is great for storage or parking.

The space lends itself to neighborly hospitality, and the couple says they have the best people for that. Residents often say hello when walking their dogs past the home, and one neighbor just dropped by with a lasagna.

“More than once, we’ve had neighbors stop by to bring us cookies, or tell us that they like seeing the progress we’re making on the house and yard,” Rakszawski says.

While the couple has mixed feelings about leaving the home they have so carefully curated, they have no doubts on how much they enjoyed the design process. Weier says they learned a lot about the home through restoring it.

“We found a handwritten note underneath some old wallpaper, a coat room claim ticket from an old hotel in Ohio,” he recounts.

Another time, the owners found an old blue crayon shoved inside the mechanism of a pocket door.

“I thought it was pretty funny to imagine a child from back then being mischievous just like kids are today,” Weier says with a laugh. “It’s actually kind of remarkable to think about all of the different people who might have lived here in the last 100 or so years, and the history they all witnessed.”

Meg St-Esprit is a Bellevue-based freelance journalist who covers real estate, lifestyle, education, parenting and travel for a variety of local outlets including Pittsburgh Magazine, PublicSource, Kidsburgh, Pittsburgh City Paper, and City Cast Pittsburgh. Meg offers Hot Property, an inside look into unique and historic homes on the market. Each week, Hot Property goes behind the For Sale sign to share the story of a special Pittsburgh-area home.

About: Spring Hill
Population: 2,732
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: Spring Hill, which is located in the North Side, enjoys easy access to the Parkway North as well as Route 28. There are several bus lines through the neighborhood, and some sections are walkable — though hilly. The airport is a 25-minute drive, and there are plentiful rideshare options as well.
Schools: City of Pittsburgh (pghschools.org)
Neighborhood: Named for the abundance of springs in the hilly area, the city neighborhood of Spring Hill is small and close knit. Featuring stunning views of Pittsburgh’s skyline, the community is home to the popular Spring Hill Brewery. Originally settled by German immigrants more than a century ago, the neighborhood is also close to the green spaces of Riverview Park.