The playful, gender-neutral guest bedroom hosts frequent sleepovers by the grandkids.
The kids’ room’s swing chair ranks as the most popular seat in the house.
An inviting soaking tub occupies a sunny corner of the master bath; the gossamer shades provide privacy while letting in plenty of natural light.
In the chandelier-lit master bedroom, the most formal space in the home, an imposing bed is balanced with softer tones in the bedcoverings, bench, and divan.
Barstools and chairs are companion pieces that unify the kitchen and dining area.
A landscape by Vermont artist Craig Mooney adds a splash of color to the dining room’s quiet palette.
The onetime dining area is now a bright, airy sitting room that feels like an indoor-outdoor space despite being fully enclosed.
Kicking your feet up in this unfussy living room feels natural, and there’s ample room to do so thanks to the oversize ottoman, brought over from the owners’ previous home and paired with a new sofa.
The homeowners begin and end their days in the intimate study; the tiny bar in the corner has earned the nickname the Pearl, thanks to its iridescent wallpaper.
The formal first-floor powder room refashions an antique Anglo-Indian map cabinet topped with marble as a vanity.
A Victorian carved bamboo headboard, bamboo-embellished armoire, and woven plantation chair give the master bedroom its hint of British colonialism.
The marine-blue pantry does double duty as a bar.
Not surprisingly, everyone wants dibs on the down-filled daybed in a lounging area near the kitchen.
Vinyl seats at the kitchen island welcome wet, sandy bodies just in from the beach.
An antique Swedish trestle table marks the intersection between the family room and the kitchen.
The collection of antique seascape paintings, mostly from Eldred’s Auction House in Dennis, Massachusetts, provides a backdrop for the dramatic entryway staircase.
The family room is made for comfort with a stylish ceiling and a commissioned Sophie Treppendahl triptych depicting a slice of beach life on Pleasant Bay—including cameos of the family dogs.
Scallop shell pedestals provide the legs for a narrow dining room side table. The mirror above reflects a painting by Connecticut artist Charlie Miesmer.
The dining room’s chandelier echoes the branches of the giant English oaks on the property and lends an organic touch.
The wife had seen a photo of a blue-painted banister and knew she wanted it replicated for her own home.
The cottage-chic theme continues in the master bedroom, part of the suite that occupies the entire second floor.
A sliding barn door gives the master bedroom privacy.
Classic beach house elements like clapboard get a contemporary update with such features as the tan-trimmed windows and steel cable railings.
A powder room is shipshape in crisp navy and white.
The mahogany dining table the husband grew up with is right at home here, illuminated by a wrought iron chandelier with recycled glass drops.
Blue accents give the mostly white kitchen continuity with the rest of the space.
Exterior walls reinforced with steel meant the first floor could be one wide-open space incorporating the living, dining, and kitchen areas. A reclaimed wood ceiling adds a rustic note.
Shiplap walls and plenty of rich blue tones, including the royal blue of the banister, nod to the watery location.
In this bedroom, the sweet blue tones get an energetic boost with a framed pareo by Manuel Canovas.
In this bedroom, the sweet blue tones get an energetic boost with a framed pareo by Manuel Canovas.
Eschewing a traditional front door, the front of the house provides multiple opportunities to interact with the outdoors, including the master bedroom’s deck and a dining patio off the kitchen.
The kitchen’s forty-inch countertops accommodate the taller-than-average family.
Vivid blues dominate the palette throughout the house, as in the Madeline Weinrib rug that grounds the family room.
Homeowner and designer Hannah Childs kept the dining room simple with a whitewashed oak table and Tolix-style chairs made comfortable with cushions. The painting, Fanya, is a beloved piece by Alice Neel, who was a family friend.
A generous sink provides plenty of splash protection in the downstairs bathroom near the boys’ bedrooms.
A mudroom wall of pecky cypress with epoxy fillings is beautiful (and dog-friendly).
The main stairway merges contemporary and traditional elements. The bright orange bench is a momentary departure from the blue tones that dominate the home’s interior.
A set of paintings by Deborah Quinn-Munson are a focal point on the divider that separates the reading room from the family room on the opposite side.
Lofty ceilings give the great room, which is divided into this reading room and a family room/dining area, its airy feeling.
Trundle beds and bold blue make a kid-friendly bedroom.
Another bedroom wears sunny apricot-hued paint.
Softer colors give the master bedroom its serene feel.
Colorful bedrooms include this sunny one in the “treehouse.”
The open part of the front porch has a gap at the base of the wall so water can drain out.
The sunny breakfast room sits in the partially glassed-in front porch.
The vibrant watery-blue accents of the living room take a more dominant role in the dining room.
The wife wanted to see the ocean while she worked, so the kitchen was filled with windows. To get extra storage without upper cabinets, shelves were run across the windows.
A window seat nestles between the living room fireplace and shelves filled with vintage local knickknacks.
The different tastes of husband and wife—his New England traditional, hers California modern—blend nicely in the living room.
Shiplap paneling and antique furniture give the foyer a classic Maine cottage feel.
A rear view of the house shows the glass connector that joins the primary house to the “treehouse,” the builder’s nickname for the section of the home on the left that tucks into the forested part of the property.
The wife’s dressing room celebrates her love of romance and of blue and white.
The calm palette continues into the master bedroom.
The continuous Shaker-style railing in the polished hallway is an example of the kind of millwork that sets the house apart.
Traditional elements find a home in the bright, sunny kitchen.
The peacock-blue butler’s pantry is always visible, so del Toro decided it should be delightful and surprising.
Limestone floor inserts in the casual dining area lend a garden-room feel.
Pecky cypress in the recesses of the ceiling fosters the great room’s casual, beachy vibe.
Upholstered host chairs join the heirloom dining table and Chippendale side chairs.
Decorative artist Chuck Fischer painted the mural, incorporating area landmarks.
The graphic hooked rug, designed by del Toro, hints at modernity in the traditional dining room.
A shell-framed mirror adds a touch of whimsy to the foyer.
With its tufted sofa and English armchairs, the living room is a perfect setting for the owners’ antiques. A glass-top coffee table with a driftwood base counters the formality, says interior designer Brian del Toro.
The oak paneling, designed by architect Tom Catalano, was painstakingly bleached, wire brushed, stained, and glazed.
Clementine bids welcome at the front door of a home inspired by those built by ship captains of early Chatham. Traditional notes start at the entry, where leaded glass sidelights and transoms frame a mahogany door.
The master bedroom’s balcony is the Dillons’ favorite spot in the house.
The master bath houses a bench designed by William Yeoward.
The bench at the foot of the English bed is an antique from France, reupholstered in simple linen.
In the stairwell, old-time touches, including shiplap and a barn door, are juxtaposed with the sleek modernity of the railing.
Beyond the kitchen, views of Duxbury Bay stretch out endlessly.
Gillian used a British fireback as a backsplash for her stove, and she loved the look so much that she now imports the hearth protectors for her store.
An eighteenth-century Breton table surrounded by reproduction English Windsor chairs makes the perfect setup for casual dining.
Simple upholstered seating serves as backdrop to an assortment of wooden pieces from the homeowners’ store, including a reclaimed elm coffee table from England. Rustic ceiling beams add vintage charm to the new house.
As befits this new-meets-old house, a chest in the entry hall was made of antique components.
The freestanding tub is an island of serenity in the master bathroom, with plenty of natural light reflecting off of the herringbone-pattered tile floor.
The master bed is accessorized with a custom headboard, bench, and pillows covered in Quadrille fabric.
Parquet-style teak flooring covers the expansive roof deck that sports an outdoor fireplace and flat-screen TV.
Cabinets with a built-in sink and refrigerator pair with a gas grill to create a seasonal open-air kitchen perfect for entertaining.
The vibrant living room centers on a round Ralph Lauren seagrass table with a glass top; the chairs are covered in a mix of Romo and Schumacher fabric to match the Stark Carabello carpet.
A built-in banquette cozies up to a glass-topped table in the breakfast nook.
A sloped custom range hood and a pair of Geo Lantern pendants from Ilex Lighting are the eye-catching features of the kitchen. The cabinetry has backlit glass cutouts displaying keepsakes.
A custom table reflects the geometric pattern on the rug in the family room, which effortlessly steps out to a harborside patio through a vanishing glass wall. Subdued, sandy tones on the sofa and wallcoverings are enlivened by pops of blue from the toss pillows and twin ottomans.
Oversized Schumacher Feather Bloom wallpaper adds drama to the dining room, where an elegant Ro Sham Beaux chandelier hangs over a custom dining room table and chairs.
Coral-like wall art and a shimmery rug announce the home’s subtle nautical theme in the foyer. A custom bench is fashioned with an ikat pattern that gets repeated throughout the house.
A bold green bed stands in contrast to a bedroom’s sedate white walls.
Work meets play in the upstairs office space, where a mismatched desk and chair are all business, while book breaks can be taken in the window seat.
Framed banners enhance the masculine feel of the office, where a sofa tucks into a custom-built nook.
The younger daughter’s bedroom is viewed here from a shared bathroom clad in Fireworks wallpaper by Albert Hadley.
A kaleidoscope sculpture by Boston-based artist Damien Hoar de Galvan adds a splash of color to a guest bedroom.
Design and durability unite in the casual dining area where a Verellen table is paired with Eames molded plastic dowel-leg chairs. The light fixture above provides minimal distraction from the views of the backyard.
A faux bois mirror in the powder room is the perfect partner to the Tropical Isle wallpaper from Schumacher.
A trio of brass elephants trumpet their presence behind the mirrored bar.
The bar room’s decor is built around the artwork on the wall, with a complementary color scheme, traditional moldings, and an oval captain’s window.
The home’s central hallway serves as a gallery for the owners’ collection of original artwork, as well as providing access to each of the first-floor rooms, with larger doors to public spaces and smaller openings to more private areas.
Thematic bronze sconces by Visual Comfort flank the living room’s formal fireplace; the art over the mantel is by interior designer Jill Goldberg.
Reproduction loop dining chairs find spherical echoes in a cast-resin sphere chandelier and the Peter Dunham fabric on the head chairs. A weathered linen tea rose–hued wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries complements the vintage rug.
Red accents pop against the pale blue background in a boy’s bedroom.
Broad stripes on the ceiling give the nursery a look that’s cute but not cloying.
Soft greens and neutrals keep the master bedroom feeling serene.
The basement was reconfigured to create a rec room and den for family fun.
The library was turned into a playroom and homework center, with open shelving and a bright pin board above each desk.
A backsplash and countertops of statuary marble marry gray and white tones in the new kitchen; the breakfast area’s chairs, swamped in the flood, were restored and repainted.
Gates brought a new level of comfort to the dining room with luxurious velvet-upholstered host chairs that complement the existing dining set. A custom wood and lacquer buffet balances the traditional style of the dining room with some contemporary lines.
Designer Erin Gates updated the room by swapping out the wood fireplace mantel for a surround of marble and limestone and adding twin built-in bookcases.
Neutral tones and simple, comfortable furnishings make the living room a favorite place to unwind.
Splashes of yellow burst against the pale gray and white of the family room. A custom Stark rug with a geometric pattern ties everything together nicely.
The entry is a study in black and white contrasts. The wool stair runner looks like sisal but is easier to clean.
To introduce architectural character into the bedrooms, each was given its own niche; the one in the master was embellished with lacy Weitzner wallpaper.
The master bedroom includes a sitting area.
The gate’s X-motif is repeated throughout—even in the custom baby gates the owners ordered.
The 9,200-square-foot home sits on nearly an acre landscaped by Gregory Lombardi with a collection of New England perennials and a garden gate that is original to the 1908 house.
A circular rug from Surya echoes the shape of the family room in the addition. “It was important to the client that they have a great entertaining vibe in that space,” says designer Josh Linder.
Acrylic chairs circle the breakfast table in the kitchen.
The kitchen’s mix of old and new cabinetry was united with leather pulls.
Paint accentuates the dining room’s wood trim, while matching grasscloth minimizes contrast, so the room envelops you. Vintage Irish chairs anchor either end of the contemporary pedestal table.
Agate sconces illuminate the powder room under the stairs.
Chevron inlays animate a chest in the home’s entry vestibule.
Modern furnishings help leaven the living room’s formality, as in the pair of wing chairs rendered in acrylic. Windows look out onto the wisteria-covered arbor in back and are framed by a pair of built-in display cabinets that were brightened with new interior paint and the owners’ collection of French oyster plates.
An oversize ottoman that faces the inglenook can be shared by the seating groups on either side.
The sofa dominating one end of the living room throws an insouciant curve at the room’s rectilinear lines. Oak beams and trim were treated to a gray-green stain that makes the wood less imposing but allows the grain to show through.
The balance of classic and modern starts in the entry hall, where a contemporary open stair is combined with Murano glass lighting, and black floors play against white paneled walls.
Light from a skylight catches the glossy surface of bookshelves on the first floor of the two-story library, where the palette was inspired by the chalky blue and gray tones in the hide rug.
Smoked glass globes hang like a cluster of balloons, injecting a note of fun into the hardworking mudroom.
The pattern on the rug that defines the living room area echoes the interlocking squares on the ceiling. A glass chandelier and crystal sconces make elegant companions to the glossy Striato Olimpico marble of the fireplace.
Designer Michelle Morgan Harrison added sparkle to the living room by backing the bookshelves with glimmering Phillip Jeffries wallpaper.
The two spaces share many features, including twin fireplaces and Vaughan chandeliers.
Stone, stainless steel, and crystal blend beautifully in the small but efficient kitchen.
Tom Dixon mirror-ball pendants create a playful vibe in the family room, where book-matched slabs of Bianco Elegant marble create a dramatic backdrop for the fireplace and flat-screen TV.
A custom dining table by Chaddock anchors the dining area. The chairs, also from Chaddock, are upholstered in velvet on the front and silk on the back.
A cherry-paneled media room was painted a custom-mixed bright blue to add color and reflect light.
Fabrics with hues of citron and fuchsia offer a lively contrast to the room’s neutral furnishings.
Starr Daniels says she couldn’t pass up the digital painting that matched the master bedroom’s color scheme.
The traditional staircase gets a modern boost from the chrome-legged bench.
To add to the living room’s airy feel, designer Christina Sullivan Roughan removed crown molding above the French doors and hung the draperies as high as possible. The neutral palette of pale gray and white gets youthful energy with the occasional shot of sky blue.
A dazzling Ricardo Rumi painting and a Lubomir Tomaszewski sculpture add contemporary flair to the library.
Casual barstools in the kitchen offer an informal contrast to the dining room.
In the family room, hemp wallcovering and wool carpeting enhance the cozy feel.
Polished nickel light fixtures sound a contemporary note in the entry.
Roman shades soften the brightness in the sun-washed breakfast nook.
The husband’s own abstract painting anchors a bar area in the library.
The dining room features a round table custom designed by Roughan for the house; a graphic rug adds movement to the serene space.
Glossy black paneling brings drama to the library and evokes the feeling of an English men’s club of the 1930s. A collection of crystal decanters on the mantel furthers the Anglophilic feel.
The random dots in the Stark stair runner meander from the lower level to the fourth-floor office.
A once-dark powder room got a light and bright makeover with Gracie wallpaper, marble floor tile, and a lighter-than-air Lucite vanity from Waterworks.
The dining room’s delicate Dennis & Leen chandelier balances the heftiness of the moldings, but both share a sense of shine. In the living room, glistening nailheads and zebra fabrics add interest to the lounge chairs.
Morgan Harrison gave the kitchen some pop with a globe light fixture from Remains, fresh window treatments, and new hardware.
Comfortable simplicity reigns in the master bedroom, where delicate night tables from Worlds Away flank the plush upholstered headboard.
Designer Michelle Morgan Harrison introduced shine throughout the house, from the living room’s crystal chandelier to the silver-leaf coffee table to the high-gloss finish on the home’s moldings, stair balusters, and newel caps.
The exterior of the Greenwich townhouse.
A Barbara Barry chaise offers an alternative lounging spot in the guest room.
Just off the living room, a staircase winds up all four floors of the home, originally designed by architect Anthony J. Tartaglia.
Light streams from the terrace into the living room through French doors, creating a visual echo of artist Michael Zigmond’s riveting work above the bar cabinet.
A Dennis & Leen sofa with a somewhat formal silhouette plays off the room’s contemporary art.
A border of reclaimed wood along the base of the vent hood ties in with the kitchen’s new beams.
The chandelier came from the owners’ previous home.
A game table and upholstered chairs claim a quiet corner.
Cleaning revealed the deep green tones of the room’s original marble fireplace
Nailhead trim on the upholstered dining chairs and Conrad handwoven shades at the windows introduce an extra layer of subtle texture.
A pair of Gregorius Pineo wing chairs nestling by an original fireplace are an unexpected delight in the dining room. The landscape above the mantel is by Tracey Lane. A cache of snowy china fills the new floor-to-ceiling cabinets.
On the first floor, the elegant guest bath features a custom granite sink and a generous frosted-glass shower enclosure.
Nearby, the wife’s dressing room features custom closets and a marble-topped island; crystal chandeliers, refitted with shades from Blanche Field, were relocated from the hallway.
Tress-Balsbaugh and her client found inspiration for the living room in photos of the Paris apartments of well-known designers. “That juxtaposition of old and new was something I was really drawn to,” the homeowner says.
In the music room, simple furniture forms and subtle colors prevent the abundance of architectural detail from overwhelming the space.
A marble floor was removed in favor of a warmer floor of wood laid in a herringbone pattern.
Contemporary club chairs and a geometric rug bring the library into the twenty-first century. Rather than remove any of the room’s elaborate woodwork, the designer had it ebonized, allowing it to recede into the background.
The streamlined contemporary kitchen on the fourth floor is adjacent to a comfortable media area and just steps away from the bi-level roof deck.
White paint transforms the home’s beautiful but somber period woodwork. The beauty of the original mahogany can still be appreciated in the varnished newel post and stair rail, however.
Designer Carolina Tress-Balsbaugh’s lighten-it-up approach is apparent the moment one crosses the threshold.
Designed by Tress-Balsbaugh, the Caesarstone-topped dining table creates a quiet focal point in an otherwise ornate room. The glitter of the original crystal chandelier is likewise subdued with a shade by Blanche Field.
In the stairwell, a portrait of the wife of the original owner peers from behind a cascade of contemporary light globes from John Pomp Studios.
Decorative artist Pauline Curtiss, owner of Patina Designs in Lincoln, Massachusetts, devised the eye-catching office ceiling. “Due to the number of windows, that was the only surface we had to work with,” Russell explains. An engaging Neal Rantoul photograph hangs above the oak desk.
A Ro Sham Beaux chandelier illuminates the master bedroom, where French doors open to a deck overlooking the pretty yard.
Vibrant black-and-white chairs, contemporary sconces, and abstract art are fun contrasts to the living room’s understated heirloom sofa.
Comfort in the family room includes a cozy sectional and ottoman along with a feels-good-underfoot Stark carpet.
Russell chose Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee as the trim color for every room, giving the house a pleasing continuity. In the entry, the hue is the ideal partner for the wheat-toned chest.
Designer Phoebe Lovejoy Russell brought modern art and a contemporary light fixture into the airy dining room to balance traditional furnishings. The painting’s colors echo the room’s palette, while the candlesticks and striking chandelier are in step with Russell’s penchant for brass.
White vases in an array of interesting shapes lighten the dark table and add a spark of freshness.
The nursery adheres to the home’s neutral theme with rattan shades and a wicker elephant for added texture.
A small built-in desk of cerused oak adjacent to the sunny breakfast area ties in with the color of the Bungalow 5 dining chairs ringing the marble-topped table.
Antique beds in the four-year-old’s bedroom belonged to Russell’s father.
Horn-and-bone mirrors enliven the master bath’s Restoration Hardware vanity.
The kitchen’s marble surfaces sport a leathered finish, which translates to less maintenance.
In the generously scaled master bedroom, the designer confidently mixed a modern chevron wallcovering with the bold chinois drapes, and created a link between an old house and a modern mood with the graphic custom rug. The chairs add classic style and a pop of plum.
Rich wood paneling gives the living room its cozy feel. The homeowners had used the vast felt rug in their New York City apartment but, amazingly, it was a perfect fit here as well.
The kitchen was a complete redo. Custom cabinets were painted to brighten the space and provide contrast for the dark floor finish.
The family room was previously used as a sunroom, and the homeowners admit they initially had no idea what to do with it. Rivoli suggested the transformation, and her clients love it.
The classic home on a tight urban site was fully fenced and comfortable in its surroundings, with a “nice enclosed, landscaped feel,” says architect Robert Adams, but previous renovations hadn’t been kind to it, so he set about restoring its original beauty.
An unusually wide and long entry was at once “very grand, and a challenge,” says interior designer Kristen Rivoli. The wood trim was painted to make the space more inviting, and a linen-texture wallpaper was installed. Rivoli chose not to fill the space with an entry table, to keep views intact.
A prized woodcut by Jim Dine was given a place of honor.
A bump-out in the kitchen makes the perfect spot for a sheltered family hangout. The banquette makes the most of the compact space, and the chairs and table lend a modern note.
The dining room, with its graphic rug and X-based table, is an example of what the designer calls “casual, urban chic.”
The windows in the room’s new bump-out bathe the space in natural light. The breezy shades can be rolled up and fastened with rope, while shutters offer flexible privacy control at the room’s front window.
The screened porch is furnished with comfy sofas and tea-height tables for casual eating and reading, making it a favorite gathering spot.
The living room adopts a nautical air without being too obvious.
The kitchen was designed with an eye toward functionality and good looks, with yacht-inspired lighting and counters of teak and holly woods
The kitchen opens to the light-filled dining room.
The dining room’s velvet-covered wing chairs provide a luxe counterpoint to the vintage violin maker’s table and textural pendant light.
The living room is contemporary in feel, now that the old brick hearth has been replaced by a sleek stone surround. Easy-care slipcovered chairs flank a cocktail table of black grasscloth and brass.
A zinc-topped wet bar features a well for liquor bottles and ample storage for barware.
