Nicola’s Home Transforms Oceanfront Residence in Falmouth Maine

While renovating this 1960s Federal-style residence, architect Kevin Browne updated the brick facade with taller windows featuring dark sashes, a simplified entry with a more prominent door, and a lighter paint color.

In the dining area, a light fixture from Hubbardton Forge hangs above a custom table from Huston & Company.

Another section of the living room features a daybed from Hickory Chair, a cocktail table from Verellen, and a sofa and side chairs from CR Laine.

Artwork from Moss Galleries hangs above the living room mantel, which is fabricated from local granite.

A new glass, steel, and oak staircase leaves sight lines open from one side of the main floor to the other.

The kitchen contains two islands; here pendants from The Urban Electric Co. hang above the quartz countertop and CB2 barstools.

The second island features the same countertop with oak details to match the cabinetry.

A new glass, steel, and oak staircase leaves sight lines open from one side of the main floor to the other.

A boy’s bedroom is enveloped in a planet-themed wallpaper from Sanderson.

A floral wallpaper from Sanderson covers the ceiling in a girl’s room, while the walls feature a paper from Innovations; the rug is from Dash & Albert.

The husband’s office is located on the second floor and can be closed off with a steel-and-glass sliding door.

The soaking tub in the primary bath sits in an alcove delineated by antique pine panels; the wallpaper is from Arte.

While the front of the home maintains a sense of tradition to fit in with the neighborhood, the back reads much more contemporary.

Oceanfront Renovation in Falmouth, Maine

After nearly a decade of living in this oceanfront residence in Falmouth, Maine, the homeowners decided that some changes were in order. “The house just wasn’t functioning anymore with three kids,” explains interior designer Nicola Manganello, who collaborated with her clients on the interior architecture and furnishings, while architect Kevin Browne transformed the envelope. “They needed more space to get organized.”

To satisfy the family’s wish list, it soon became clear that a complete gut renovation and expansion were necessary. “The clients had done a smaller renovation when they purchased the 1960s Federal-style house eight years prior, including the addition of a modern, angled dining room,” says architect Kevin Browne. “They were looking to freshen things up and infuse that contemporary feel throughout.”

Though the general footprint remained fairly intact, the residence feels completely transformed. Even the front facade—purposely left more traditional to blend in with the neighborhood—received a few key updates that elevate it in an understated way. In addition to painting the brick a lighter shade, removing the shutters, and streamlining the entry portico, Browne went with taller windows with dark sashes and a more prominent ten-foot-tall door.

Open Floor Plan and New Additions

The entry gives way to a new sculptural glass, oak, and steel staircase, a more open plan, and ocean views off the rear of the home. “Originally, there were defined rooms and a central stair that blocked one side from the other,” explains Browne. “The goal was to allow these spaces to communicate and infuse more light throughout.” The rear facade lets in lots of natural light and takes full advantage of the expansive views thanks to its large single-pane windows.

In fact, the rear facade has been completely reworked. Not only did the design team expand the primary suite—located above the dining room addition—to accommodate a larger bath and closet, but they added a second level above the garage and gained two children’s rooms, a bath, laundry, gym, and game room.

Elsewhere on the second floor, they reconfigured two bedrooms into a larger children’s room and an office for the husband. Meanwhile, back on the main level, they renovated an existing guest suite behind the garage, and turned a former bedroom into a library and music room. On the lower level, below the guest suite, they added a family room and office for the wife. “This was a heavy-duty modification,” notes Greg Greenwald of Wright-Ryan Homes. “The basement had two separate foundations that we needed to connect in order for all spaces to be accessible.”

Contemporary Design Meets New England Tradition

Throughout the residence Manganello worked with the couple to incorporate a more contemporary language that is still warm and welcoming. The designer switched out white coastal-inspired paneling for plaster, dark floors are now white oak (as are the new ceiling beams), and metal-and-glass barn doors play against antique pine accents.

The furniture—a neutral mix of custom and existing pieces along with a few antiques—features wipeable indoor-outdoor fabrics that stand up to kids and a dog. “Nothing is too precious,” says Manganello, who notes that the biggest challenge was trying to meld the couple’s styles. “Her style is more traditional, while he favors contemporary.” And in the end, as the designer points out, the exterior turned out to be the perfect combination of “New England traditional in the front and party in the back.”

Project Team
Architecture: Kevin Browne
Architecture Interior design: Nicola’s Home
Builder: Wright-Ryan Homes

Styled by Katja Greeff