Family-Friendly in Wellesley
May 4, 2020
Text by Maria LaPiana   Photography by Read McKendree   Produced by Karin Lidbeck Brent
No toile? No problem!
Thatâs what interior designer Tiffany LeBlanc thought to herself when she was asked to make a new home in Wellesley, Massachusettsâa 6,500-square-foot classic Colonialâfeel more like a boutique hotel than, well, a classic Colonial in Wellesley.
The house had good bones and some nice touches, including lovely coffered ceilings. Instinctively, it felt good to the homeowner; the flow from room to room made sense. But she had something more special in mind. And because she and her husband have three children, their âboutique hotelâ would have to be family-friendly, too.
âThey wanted a sophisticated home, but one that was atypical,â says LeBlanc. âNot overly decoratedâshe specifically requested no toileâsuitable for kids, but not dumbed down.â
They wouldnât be taking a single stick of furniture from their old home. âWe started with all new furnishings because we saw this as our âgrown-upâ house,â says the homeowner.
A near-blank slate is a designerâs dream, but it can be daunting. âYou have to corral your ideas and decide how far you want to go,â says LeBlanc. âAsk yourself what you can live with, and how to get where you need to be.â
A few architectural changes came first, including âpeeling back some of the molding and details,â the designer says. For a more modern, linear look in the living room, she replaced the mantel and heavy millwork around the fireplace with a floor-to-ceiling quartzite facade. She kept the sitting roomâs traditional trim, but toned it down by removing the upper shelving flanking the fireplace and painting the coffered ceiling a half tone lighter than the walls. Then she chose unexpected pieces for the room, including a purple Wesley Hall sofa and blue leather wing chairs.
The designer says she âwanted to achieve luxury without trying too hard.â âSo we added lots of texture, layers, wallpaper, and wool woven rugs that make rooms feel more intimate.â The artwork is deliberately eclectic.
In the dining room, a metallic ikat wallpaper by Jim Thompson adds depth. Overhead, the designer hung a favorite fixtureâthe Cloud by Apparatus Studio. âEvery designer has a love affair with a piece,â she says. âThey tuck it away and know they will use it somewhere. This was mine, and it was time.â
The oversize painting of penguins by an illustrator in the U.K. was selected because âitâs kitschy and makes you smile.â
In the calming master suite, LeBlanc chose a matte wallpaper to contrast with the woven carpet. The enchanting tĂŞte-Ă -tĂŞte is a favorite with the children, while the homeowner says she absolutely adores her desk. âI still love writing cards, and itâs the perfect place to be reflective and write notes,â she says.
LeBlanc clearly took care to engageânot obliterateâthe homeâs classic elements. âDetailing and tailored accents let you know the space is very refined and thoughtful,â she says. âContemporary nods make it feel more urban, more timeless than traditional.â And thereâs not an inch of toile in sight.
Project Team
Architecture: Scott Rogers, Shane Structures
Interior design: Tiffany LeBlanc, LeBlanc Design Interiors
House Builder: Brendon Homes
Remodeling Builder: Dean Behrend, Dean Behrend Luxury Homes
Landscape design: Dan Gordon, Dan Gordon Landscape Architects
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