A Boston Brownstone Gets an Elevated, Family-Friendly Redesign

Benjamin Moore’s Narragansett Green on the ceiling and crown molding brings the high-ceilinged dining room down to a cozier scale.

The library gets its quiet drama from Benjamin Moore’s saturated Forest Floor on the insides of the bookshelves and the plush purple velvet of the swivel chairs. Designer Jill Golberg punched things up with some judicious shots of ochre in the cocktail table and accessories.

Steel-framed glass doors usher light into the foyer, where Lawson-Fenning’s curvy Griffin console and an oversize mirror are paired with industrial-style wall sconces from Lostine.

Twin settees outfitted in a wool/linen horizontal stripe anchor one end of the long dining room, illuminated by a quartet of playfully oversized sconces. The green viscose rug from CB2 is a durable choice for a family with three young children.

Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter on the cabinets offers subtle contrast with the Dune White walls of the kitchen; cane-backed Hoffmann stools belly up to the dark-stained oak island topped with a dramatically veined Arabescato Corchia marble.

The dining area’s banquette, tucked into cabinetry providing a wealth of storage, wears faux leather for easy cleanup. The clients’ own artwork, a colorful barn scene by Maine artist Jean Jack, adds a cheerful note.

The office, on the same level as the primary suite, is both practical and beautiful with its Herman Miller chairs and corkboard desk walls set against cabinetry painted Farrow & Ball’s sumptuous Brinjal, a rich aubergine hue.

The basement-level family room, which includes a kitchenette for keeping snacks close at hand, is tricked out in midcentury modern style in bright primary colors. The wall in the niche is covered in encaustic tiles from Ann Sacks.

Jib doors conceal the his-and-hers closets in the primary suite, but Goldberg included a whimsical touch by painting the closet walls an eye-popping pink.

In the primary bedroom, the design team built out a wall of custom cabinetry, then tucked the bed into a niche with a headboard wall upholstered in deep-blue velvet, giving the room a sense of serenity and comfort.

Simplicity was the goal in the long, narrow primary bath, where Ann Sacks mosaic tiles cover the floor, and walls wear classic white subway tile.

Historic Boston Brownstone Transformed for Modern Family Living

The nineteenth-century Boston brownstone brimmed with historic character, but life inside hadn’t quite kept up with the times. For the family who called it home, the charm came with compromises: awkward rooms, outdated finishes, and a layout that worked better for another century. Enter Jill Goldberg, of Hudson Interior Design, who, along with builder Joe Holland, undertook a full-scale reinvention that marries luxury with livability. “They were ready to graduate to the next level,” Goldberg says. “They wanted something elevated yet still family-friendly.”

Goldberg and Holland took the house down to the brick, reimagining every floor for a couple with three grade-school children. “With these 1800s brownstones, nothing is level,” Holland explains. “We reframed every floor to create a true foundation for modern design.”

From the street entry to the roof-deck, Goldberg infused the classic shell with color and a sense of luxury. “My clients love color,” she says, “but they wanted it edited—a more refined use of color that flows from room to room.” Her favorite Benjamin Moore Dune White provides a soft through line, while jewel-toned accents shift the mood from serene to spirited.

Color-Driven Interior Design Enhances Classic Architecture

The transformation begins at the entry, where steel-framed glass doors and an iron stair rail usher light deep into the home. A sculptural Lawson-
Fenning chest curves gently beneath a grand mirror and industrial-chic sconces. “It’s formal but still a little unexpected,” says Goldberg.

Turn right into the library—once the dining room—and color takes center stage. The interiors of the new custom built-ins are painted a luminous green. Purple velvet swivel chairs circle a cocktail table atop a sisal rug with a geometric pattern. “We played with purple, green, and ochre,” Goldberg says. “It’s cozy, a spot for coffee or a glass of wine.”

At the back of the parlor level, the new dining room makes a subtler statement. Goldberg wanted what she calls “a tonal feeling” here, sophisticated but not showy. “I was thinking of those great English homes that paint the ceiling and the crown in the same rich shade,” she says. “We chose this gorgeous green-blue to give you a moment of color without smacking you in the face.” Nubby performance linen on the chairs and a striped Jasper fabric on the custom settees lend touchable texture.

Family-Friendly Kitchen and Serene Primary Suite Redefined

Upstairs, the kitchen and family room form the home’s heart. In the kitchen, the boldly veined Arabescato Corchia marble atop the dark-stained oak island adds drama against pale gray cabinetry. Everything here is practical, Goldberg says, including the tile-clad range hood and the faux leather of the casual dining area’s banquette. “Everything wipes down, everything works for kids.”

The third-floor primary suite trades exuberance for calm. Built-in shelving creates a niche for the bed, grasscloth adds warmth, and closets hide behind seamless jib doors. “In a primary bedroom, I want serenity,” says Goldberg. “They have busy lives; this should feel like a retreat.”

Open one of those closets, though, and serenity gives way to surprise: glossy pink interiors, painted in Benjamin Moore’s cheeky Hot Lips. The bold hue feels like a wink—a private reminder that even in this tranquil retreat, color still has the last word.

Project Team
Interior Design: Hudson Interior Designs
Builder: The Holland Companies