Boston

Mirror-mounted sconces with crystal sprays set the entry’s glamorous tone.

A field of porcelain tile edged and accented with stainless-steel strips stands in for a rug beneath the dining table.

Twin seating areas, tiered ceiling coffers, and soft corner drapes give the expansive -living room the warmth and intimacy of a smaller space. Mica panels in the chandelier add sparkle to the room’s quiet palette.

A parade of Calgary tulips, with their large, long-lasting blooms, bring days of enjoyment.

Containers of blue hydrangea make a colorful accent.

Granite steps lead from the walkway to the cooling green parterre Messervy created.

A pattern of bluestone cleverly set on edge around a star-shaped inset of granite adds drama to the owner’s "secret" sanctuary.

The efficient kitchen is outfitted in a marble waterfall counter and cabinets in two elegant finishes.

An Italian chandelier casts a glow on a custom table by Keith Fritz.

The multipurpose wall is "like a sculpture interacting with the art," explains architect Carlos Ridruejo. "Based on the simple geometry of an exploding square, its design is intended to create interest, not overpower." The owners take pride in their art collection, which includes the bronze sculpture by Pablo Eduardo.

The study, which the homeowner uses more for relaxing than for work, features a sofa from Casa Design outfitted in Donghia mohair in the same hue as the Phillip Jeffries wallpaper. The mixed-media artwork is by the contemporary Argentine artist Claudio Roncoli.

In the guest room, a lithograph by Robert Longo hangs on a wall painted in Benjamin Moore’s Galveston Gray.

In the show-stopping master bath, the walls are crafted of wide slabs of marble that are perfectly book-matched to appear seamless. The same marble was used for the shelving and, cut into strips and laid in a herringbone pattern, on the floor. Sconces from Circa Lighting and a sculpture from Marc Hall Objekt add the finishing touches.

Diaphanous wool-and-mohair curtains, in Ethereal by Threads at Lee Jofa, offer some privacy while still allowing natural light into the master bedroom. Jim Thompson fabric covers the custom-designed winged headboard. Behind the bed, Reclining Figure, a midcentury painting by Peter Busa, is a colorful counterpoint to the room’s serene grays.

The living room’s second sitting area plays host to a Kyle Bunting coffee table and armless chairs upholstered in cashmere velvet.

The sophisticated kitchen sports a skyline marble mosaic backsplash and a mix of painted and stainless-steel cabinets. Arctic Pear light fixtures by Ochre gleam above an island of snow-white quartz.

Black Venetian plaster walls and geometric marble floors in the foyer make for a dramatic entrance. The sunflower painting is by the American artist Keith Shaw Williams.

Reflective pieces such as the sconces, a custom mirror, and a console in polished nickel and shagreen add sparkle to the windowless space.

In a living room sitting area that looks out on Boston Common, B&B Italia high-back chairs with long-hair Mongolian cushions keep company with a tub chair and sofa from Holly Hunt. The bronze sculpture, Blade II, is by Guy Dill.

Rebuilding the rear brick wall gave the design team the chance to add large windows to the spacious kitchen, a cook’s dream with its horizontal-grain walnut cabinets and stainless-steel counters and appliances.

A red ceiling, Osborne & Little wallpaper, and a Tom Dixon hanging light bring drama to a powder room.

The designers fulfilled the homeowners’ desire for color by outfitting the dining room in a stunning emerald hue. The long dining table is crafted with a slab of distressed wood that gives the glamorous space a homey touch.

CJ Katz layered colorful furniture and accessories with modern appeal over the front parlor’s original woodwork. The John Rosselli chandelier is, says Cheryl Katz, "a way to think about a chandelier that has power, but isn’t crystal."

The rear parlor offers echoes of its front-room neighbor, but conveys a more casual feel.

An enlarged skylight floods the stairway with natural light.

The master bedroom features floor-to-ceiling windows (flanked by Indian shutters and blue-and-gold silk drapes) that look out onto Commonwealth Avenue. A buttercream-colored rug keeps things light. A television and dresser are neatly tucked away in one of the room’s two alcoves.

Although the owner worried that the original wood paneling made the living room too dark, a color palette of light blues, greens, and creams and a generous supply of table lamps and wall sconces helped brighten the once "gloomy" room. Minimal window treatments also let in lots of light from Commonwealth Avenue.

The design team created a spacious new kitchen, complete with an island and breakfast counter. New cabinets of white wood and glass and a copper oven hood blend in with period elements such as the original leaded-glass doors.

The mural continues onto the dining room walls.

Designer Cynthia Deysher left the leaded-glass windows curtain-free.

To counterbalance the dining room’s fourteen-foot ceilings and massive limestone fireplace, Deysher chose oversize wing chairs in embroidered silk to anchor the generous dining table and added a William Morris-inspired rug and rock-quartz crystal chandelier.

After replacing wrought-iron balustrades with more traditional wood banisters and spindles on the main floor’s staircase, the design team commissioned a local painter to create a mural that features historical scenes of Boston.