A North Shore Condo with Views Inside and Out

In the light-filled great room of this third-story condo, interior designer Anita Clark took her cue from the fireplace wall of Macaubas Oyster polished marble and opted for a design palette of taupes, soft blues, and whites.

Clark arranged the great room’s sofa and chairs so the homeowners can enjoy the view, the television, and the fireplace.

The open-plan dining area, which connects the kitchen and great room, is anchored by a steel-and-glass chandelier, a custom-made dining table, and a Stark rug.

Blue grasscloth creates drama in the foyer.

Galbraith & Paul’s Lotus wallpaper in the powder room off the foyer complements the adjacent room’s grasscloth and makes a subtle impact.

In the kitchen, a built-in buffet can serve small groups or a crowd. Pantries flank both sides. The cabinetry is painted Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter.

Pale silver Mark Alexander grasscloth adds a rich, comforting, fabric-like texture to the primary bedroom, which boasts its own private deck.

The primary bathroom’s walk-in shower features Akdo tile that, according to the designer, “adds a modern twist to the transitional space.”

The cozy sitting area in the primary suite is a comfy place to read a book or have a morning coffee; the Charles Stewart chairs are upholstered in a Pindler & Pindler fabric.

After living for more than three decades in a multistoried townhouse in Swampscott, Massachusetts, Bob and Marie, both recently retired, were ready for a change. “We’d had it with the stairs and hoped to find a single-story residence that could help us age in place,” says Bob. They both also longed for a home with an ocean view. “I’ve had a boat and fished here for years and love these waters,” he continues. “We had lived close to the ocean but never right on it.”

They didn’t have to look far. A new twenty-unit oceanside project in Swampscott, built on the grounds of President Calvin Coolidge’s former summer residence and the former Marian Court College campus, went on the market just when the couple began their search. They were among the development’s first buyers and purchased a 2,513-square-foot three-bedroom top-floor unit. “It ticked all our boxes,” says Bob. “It has an elevator—no stairs!—it’s spacious, and, best of all, the unobstructed ocean views are out of this world.” All they needed to make their dream a reality was an interior designer.

Enter Anita Clark, who oversaw the project throughout the building process and imagined the entirety of the interior, choosing everything from custom-made furniture to light fixtures and wallcoverings. “Bob and Marie stressed they didn’t want anything to detract from the amazing ocean views and wanted to keep the unit open, light, and airy,” says Clark, who was referred to the couple by one of the building’s developers. The owners didn’t plan to reuse any of their former furniture, either. Everything would be new.

Clark opted for what she describes as a soothing color palette of taupes, soft blues, and whites. “We took our cue from the ocean and even chose low-backed couches and chairs that didn’t block or obscure the panoramic views,” she explains. Clark also used a variety of wallpapers throughout the unit for a relaxed, soft-yet-elegant, fabric-like look. Furniture and fixtures are transitional rather than contemporary, at the request of Bob and Marie.

When it came to emphasizing the vistas, it was all about details. The television is recessed into a niche in the fireplace’s gray porcelain tile so it doesn’t distract. And the floor-to-ceiling windows’ motorized shades disappear into hidden ceiling compartments when not in use.

As Bob looks out over the ocean from one of the unit’s two spacious decks, he observes, “We have the best of both worlds: drop-dead-gorgeous views outside and an elegant decor inside. We made a great choice!”

Project Team
Architecture: SaltsmanBrenzel
Interior design: Anita Clark Design
Builder: Paradise Construction