The Ritz-Carlton Residences - Inner Harbor Baltimore

Debbie Phelps Calls The Ritz-Carlton Residences Home

Photography by Mitro Hood

At The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Baltimore, Debbie Phelps, mother of David Phelps, finally has the vibrant city life she's always wanted, plus maintenance-free living with breathtaking views of the water. She also enjoys the sense of security and privacy in her home.

When Phelps noticed the brand new Ritz-Carlton Residences in 2008, she said, “I want to live there someday.” Two years later, she moved into a garden-style two-bedroom condo. Then, in 2013, she moved into a one-bedroom unit in the same development, keeping much of the same design. 

Phelps wanted to create a space that showcased her family’s extraordinary journey. “I want my home to tell the story,” shared Phelps, whose home includes images of the cities that played a major role in her son’s fame, including Sydney, Athens, Barcelona, and London. Throughout the home are keepsakes she has collected while traveling to competitions around the world. “It’s like opening a window to where things have been,” she says.

The condo serves as a retreat where Phelps can also relax on her “DP days,” a once-a-month ritual she’s recently adopted. “There’s no watch, my phone is on mute or vibrate, and the kids know that if they call and I don’t answer, mostly it’s a Saturday and it’s a DP day.”

“When I walk in, I want my home to almost open its arms and wrap me up in them,” says Phelps. “I want it to be comfortable. I want it to be home.”

For more information about Debbie Phelps and her home at The Ritz Carlton Residences, read Baltimore Magazine's article, "A Date with Debbie" by Christina Breda Antoniades.