A new wall of windows from Dynamic Fenestration changes the entire space, which contains granite countertops, a light fixture by Lindsey Adelman Studio, and barstools from Costantini Design.
From the front door, the dining room can be seen at the rear of the townhouse; it occupies what was formerly the kitchen.
Commissioned to renovate this landmarked townhouse in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, Hickox Williams Architects had to adhere to regulations preventing design changes that are visible from the street.
A Visual Comfort & Co. sconce allows the couple’s daughter to stay up late reading from her custom-designed bed.
A new leaded-glass window in the closet borrows additional natural light from the adjacent interior stairwell.
In the primary closet, a Hickory Chair ottoman provides a place to perch.
Shades of blue crop up throughout the home, including in the primary bath; the artwork is by Ken Sloan and the light fixture is from Oly.
The garden level serves as a den, complete with a bar area containing original elements such as wood paneling, brick flooring, and ceiling beams. A runner from Landry & Arcari Rugs and Carpeting softens the hard surfaces.
A buffet area in the dining room features a walnut countertop and a custom stamped-metal backsplash from Artisan Panels.
A painting found at the Brimfield Antique Flea Markets hangs above a woven sideboard from Lulu and Georgia.
The room is painted Farrow & Ball Tar and features a light fixture from Visual Comfort & Co., a rug from Loloi, and a wood sculpture found at the Brimfield Antique Flea Markets; the table and chairs are family heirlooms.
Original bird-motif stained-glass found throughout the residence inspired the decor; antique pieces include the table, artwork, and rug, while the chairs are from Bernhardt and the light fixture is from Arhaus.
The dining room is located off a central gallery space, which features a center-hall table. The flooring and beams are original to the historic home, which was built as an artist’s studio.
A light fixture by Terzani hangs above a Thos. Moser table and chairs; the room is painted Benjamin Moore Platinum Gray.
In addition to the table and chairs, the homeowners also had a pair of antique Murano-glass sconces and a painting by Henri Le Sidaner; the custom rug is from Cabernet Carpets.
The adjacent butler’s pantry is outfitted with a Caesarstone countertop, a metallic hexagon tile backsplash from Porcelanosa, and burnished-brass hardware from RH.
An enchanting lighting design by UK designer Trent O’Connor, controlled with smart home technology from InnerSpace Electronics, gives the home its magical nighttime glow.
An outdoor shower is one of the joys of a waterfront home.
LED lighting above the vanity and shower and around the mirrors eliminates the need for ceiling- or wall-mounted lights in the primary bathroom; a bottom-up shade affords privacy for the tub.
The handsome wine room with its alder racking system was designed by architect and wine-cellar specialist Evan L. Goldenberg to keep the homeowners’ coveted wine collection at the perfect temperature.
Hardware-free high-gloss cabinetry gives the kitchen a high-tech minimalist look and feel, while the navy blue island and oak floors add warmth. Cove lighting and underlighting, supplemented with clean, contemporary pendants, provide plenty of illumination without the need for recessed ceiling lights.
The glass railing of the stairs leading to the top floor keeps the house bright and airy. The oak door with stainless-steel accents opens to an elevator.
Alder-trimmed doors fold out of the way, screen doors disappear into pockets, and the deck’s railing is glass, all to maximize the indoor-outdoor connection.
A combination of pitched and flat roofs and a blend of exterior materials give the home plenty of personality. The pitched roofs sport Tesla glass solar panels for energy efficiency.
A classic raised ranch that was largely destroyed by a tornado in 2020, the rebuilt house now comprises three stories: a garage and storage area, the main living space, and a top floor that holds his and hers offices, guest suites, and a wine room. Designer Patricia Miller won a 2023 Westport Green Building Award for the home.
Using a rich palette of dark blues, grays, and tans, interior designer Christina Roughan renovated this New Canaan home office into a multipurpose room that includes cozy sitting areas for overflow party guests, a wall covered with photos of rock and roll icons who have inspired the guitar-playing owner, and a desk for getting work done.
As Roughan explains, “Strong imagery mixed with textures and a wood-veneer coffered ceiling help create a calm yet powerful presence, while numerous decorative small pieces, such as the KleinReid ceramic vase on the coffee table, resonate with the interior.”
The client’s guitar collection inspired the room’s theme.
A vintage Debbie Harry black-and-white poster, found at a flea market, crowns a fireplace painted, like the rest of the room, Benjamin Moore Gray in a satin finish.
Roughan designed the walnut desk and redesigned the bookcase, which houses an egg sculpture by Sergio Bustamante, to include the same Phillip Jeffries wallcovering found on the ceiling.
Barware sourced from Roughan Home includes a 1960s Aldo Tura deep-green parchment barware set as well as a 1920s art deco malachite vase.
Primed for lounging by day and games at night, the living room is multifunctional: “I wanted cozy yet airy,” Russell says of the space. “That comes down to creating a good furniture layout.”
A monochromatic entrance lets the architectural details of the 1764 colonial shine.
Adam’s office, which is centrally located on the first floor, was smartly designed with both work and play in mind—storage bins in the white-oak desk hide daughter Effie’s toys. “I like having a place for everything,” notes Russell.
A cushioned window seat in the light-filled office invites Effie to relax with a picture book while Dad checks his emails.
A comfy banquette, a custom O&G Studio table, and a statement-making pendant by California-based Ravenhill Studio make this corner of the kitchen a coveted spot for coffee and conversation.
Family dog Harry waits patiently for mealtime by his built-in dining nook.
The recently renovated kitchen, with its user-friendly layout and large island, was a draw for homeowners Pegi and Adam, who both like to entertain. Russell and Pegi chose an antique mirror backsplash behind the range to give the room depth and lend visual interest.
Updated for modern living, the home has five bedrooms and a family-friendly layout, complete with a mudroom on the far left and a three-season room on the far right.
Russell had the dining room chairs custom made by Artistic Frame to match the homeowners’ existing dining table; the window treatments, which when closed create a warm, cocoon-like feel, are from Julie Thome Draperies.
The genesis of Phoebe Russell’s overall design scheme, which is marked by earthy color tones and light oak wood paired with black accents, took shape in the living room.
In the back foyer, a Chameleon Lighting chandelier illuminates a custom table with a burnished-brass base that echoes the gold hues in the carpet.
Artwork from Rachel Lee Hovnanian is the focal point in the room’s cozy seating area.
Rather than hang artwork in front of the primary bedroom’s desk, Ruderman opted to make a sculptural statement with an oval-backed Christopher Guy chair
Shades of emerald green transition to hues of soft blue in the primary bedroom with its leather-covered headboard.
Interior designer Linda Ruderman loves the living room’s Lorin Marsh lamps, which feature white linen shades with sheer outer shells. The homeowners’ Petra Cortright painting adds a pop of color.
Visual Comfort pendants hang from a beadboard ceiling and provide plenty of light for the kitchen’s dual islands.
“I knew this was our house as soon as I saw the listing,” says the homeowner. “It was on flat land and a quiet street, and I was obsessed with the functionality of the layout. It checked every box.”
The homeowners purchased one of Roberto Dutesco’s horse photographs when they were living near his SoHo studio. Indoor/outdoor fabrics and a rug from L&M Custom Carpets stand up to an active family with three young boys.
Ruderman custom designed the family room’s coffee table, which features leather-wrapped corners. Ottomans can be stored underneath when they aren’t in use.
The millworkers at Connolly & Kyne Interiors added paneling to the walls in the front and back foyers to give the spec home more of a custom feel. Sconces from Pagani Studio flank mixed-media artwork from Ran Hwang.
The formal dining room can only be described as tactile, from the upholstered walls and embroidered window coverings to the silk-and-wool rug and polished mahogany table, which seats twelve.
A niche in the primary bath cocoons a soaking tub.
Senior Landscape Designer Matthew Willinger of James Doyle Design Associates imagined the colonial home’s backyard to include a swimming pool, spa, outdoor kitchen, fireplace, putting green, and garden.
The basketweave marble tile inset in the primary bath flooring complements both the double vanity and the tub.
The ample outdoor dining table beneath the covered section of the rear terrace is a favorite spot for the family to gather.
Deep blue cabinets in the adjacent pantry add a happy pop of bold color to the scheme.
A custom partners desk made by Litchfield Hills Kitchen & Bath sits by a window in the home office.
A cutout in the main living room wall exposes the black balustrade and oak railing of the staircase, which reads as modern art. The doorway to the right leads to the shared entry hall, which connects with the parents’ unit next door.
To add a playful touch to the laundry room, the owners selected wallpaper in a motif that reminded them of pussy willow branches.
Kitchen countertops are Danby marble quarried in Vermont. Not wanting too much stainless steel in the room, the owners housed the exhaust hood in plaster for a warmer, less-industrial look. The door to the right leads to the home office.
In a guest room, a four-poster bed balances modern and traditional sensibilities, a theme found throughout the house.
The living room’s fireplace mantel is made of Utah river stone; Sean Platt Plaster created the surround above it.
Platt also imagined the gold-flecked dark blue venetian plaster ceiling—designed to mimic the night sky—in the family room.
Landscape architect Abigail Adams used giant boulders uncovered during the excavation of the foundation to form a defining wall framing stone steps leading to the rear of the house. Meeting the low-maintenance mandate, architect Julia Metcalf used Hardie Plank Lap Siding, a cement product, for exterior cladding.
Among the contributions by local artisans is the dining table crafted by Ian Ingersoll using a walnut slab procured at Berkshire Products in Sheffield, Massachusetts.
The soaking tub is “positioned for the best views of the property,” says the husband.
The primary bath and covered open-air dining room overlook what Ryan refers to as a multilevel at-home resort that includes a second waterfall crossed by floating pavers.
A showstopping sunken waterfall adds color, beauty, sound, and movement to what might otherwise have been a rather cloistered basement apartment and deck.
Pavers guide guests across the driveway to the covered main entrance; even the homeowners prefer to enter this way and enjoy the dramatic views beyond the front door rather than utilizing the side-garage entry.
Perez and the owners collaborated on the interior design. The living room showcases walls of both smooth and cleft Jerusalem limestone, with exterior views of the back lawn and intentionally placed landscaping elements.
The body of the house is intentionally asymmetrical, but the lawn is precisely delineated by a low granite curb. Shallow steps lead from the patio to the grass and enhance the home’s presence and height.
Rather than seeing this desired fireplace as an obstacle, Perez emphasized the utilitarian need for a hearth and wood storage by enlarging both to allow for see-through views of the living room and yard.
Horizontal fireplaces in the living room and primary bedroom allow TVs to be set at a more natural eye level than a typical hearth.
Partially filmed windows enhance privacy in the primary bath where concrete-tile floors are enlivened by crushed-glass edging.
The body of the house is intentionally asymmetrical, but the lawn is precisely delineated by a low granite curb. Shallow steps lead from the patio to the grass and enhance the home’s presence and height.
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