contemporary

The slate shelves of the salvaged piece are loaded with items collected by generations of Tilletts.

The screened porch looks over cornfields and a portion of the Appalachian Trail.

The master bedroom is one of the few places where Tillett fabrics—in the drapes and coverlet—are displayed.

A rusted metal shelf loaded with family mementos serves as a semitransparent room divider.

The interior and the screened porch become one when a glass garage door is raised.

See-through white JANUS et Cie Forest chairs and a gossamer Moooi pendant light leave the view from the sitting room unobscured.

A wall of windows looks out on the rear patio sprinkled with an array of comfortable outdoor furniture.

Barn doors slide aside to reveal a master bedroom with a Mediterranean feel built around the bold Phillip Jeffries arrowroot wallcovering.

Aqua Ann Sacks oversize glass subway tiles form the backsplash in the master bathroom.

Strategic splashes of color in the living room tease the eye without distracting from the views.

The blue Schumacher Chevron D’Ete chair fabric speaks quietly to the home’s coastal location, while the Lucite table reflects the owners’ affection for modern furnishings. The splashy artwork over the mantel is by Holly S. Manneck.

A trio of Arteriors Reeves pendants dangles above the quartzite-topped kitchen island.

A bamboo-inspired bed gives a hint of the tropics to a guest room.

The dining tables sit between the living room and kitchen in the home’s central “life space,” with a glass-enclosed sitting room projecting toward the backyard.

A path paved with native stone guides visitors to the front door of a seaside Cape Cod home that blends effortlessly into the natural environment.

Outdoor diners can enjoy the views of the sea or straight through the “life space” to the front of the house.

Designed by Robin Gannon and built by Art Applications, the twin dining room tables create intimacy when the owners are dining alone and allow plenty of room when guests arrive.

The sunroom is everyone’s favorite, thanks to the curvaceous Acapulco rockers from Blackman Cruz that set the tone for the modern, stylish space. Designer Heather Wells adhered strictly to the black-and-white palette here, and used it throughout to keep the home airy, relaxed, and beachy-casual.

The powder room is painted with Farrow & Ball’s Off-Black, a stark exception to the “white walls only” rule throughout the home.

The spacious living room is furnished with custom, linen-upholstered sofas, a custom coffee table, and for added drama, a vintage Augusto Bozzi lounge chair, all grounded by a textural dhurrie rug.

The kitchen, a study in black and white, is a classic gathering place for family and friends. A custom table/island that works for both food prep and casual gathering is surrounded by two kinds of counter stools and illuminated by industrial-chic hanging lamps.

An artful vignette features a 1950s Wormley cabinet and a vintage Fritz Schlegel wingback chair.

The dining room’s wide windows complement the originals while ushering in more light; the custom dining table, surrounded by Eames molded plastic chairs, has a modern farmhouse feel.

The fireplace’s sculptural treatment adds subtle movement to the living room. The panels of the Nada Debs cocktail table can be reconfigured for a variety of looks.

The kitchen is defined by straight lines and sleek surfaces: glass backsplash, countertops, and upper cabinets; stainless steel walls; and a quartzite dining counter.

The short walls of granite extending from the house are an aesthetic move, says Glen Valentine of Stephen Stimson Associates. “They extend the geometry of the building into the site,” he says.

The entrance area features an open stairway supported by the walls and outfitted with glass ­guardrails.

Designer Beth Martell and her partner, Enda Donagher, designed the family room fireplace. As elsewhere in the house, Martell used color sparingly as an accent against a neutral palette.

The front of the house presents a formal yet modern symmetry that relaxes as the house unfolds toward the back. A grid of zinc-coated copper defines the entry. The same metal is used on the exterior trim and the decorative visors above the windows. An entry court flanked by groups of hawthorn trees reflects the landscape’s classical nine-square grid.

Carefully chosen accessories and art stand out against the dining room’s simple ripple-fold curtains and pale walls.

A vintage chandelier appears frozen in air above the breakfast room table. The mirrored alcove separates the nook from the kitchen and provides another spot for decorative objects.

Classic but understated, the husband’s bath features marble tile walls and a custom vanity.

Artwork by Richard Serra pops against the white walls.

Adolfo Perez designed the variable-sized circle lights that dance across the playroom ceiling. With a ping-pong table, foosball, a billiards table, and plenty of comfortable seating, the expansive space is a favorite gathering place.

A chenille sectional makes a playful sitting arrangement in the living room.

A custom billiard table in a matte lacquer matches the concrete-lookalike walls; its organic shape appears to float, softening the straight lines of the upper play area. A sliding barn door opens to the playroom for entertaining, or closes it off for privacy.

A steel-and-concrete console in the entrance plays off the rigorousness of the sintered-stone walls and corten steel door frame.

Lined with white oak, the innovative wet bar instantly transforms the front parlor into an ideal entertainment space.

New steel-framed windows give the back parlor the feel of a Parisian atelier.

The room’s wealth of texture includes a sculptural metal Jieldé floor lamp and a bold Merida carpet topped with a hide area rug.

The sparkly Ochre pendant is a modern twist on chandeliers of the past. A hide rug by Yerra references scallop shells, playing to the wife’s love of the ocean.

Tom Rickman’s engaging landscape gives the front parlor—the first room visitors see—a burst of blue sky.

Meticulous planning allowed for additional shelving and cabinetry in the family room, where Eero Saarinen’s Womb Chair from Knoll is a popular seat.

The contemporary vibe is played up with an Andy Warhol poster above a streamlined console.

A natural cleft slate fireplace studded with custom-made sconces is a focal point of the room.

The kitchen and adjacent dining area feature a combination of open shelving and custom cabinets.

The basement complete with ping-pong table and room for games galore.

Multiple textures—in the artwork by Kathryn Lipke through Stowe’s West Branch Gallery and in the variety of fabrics—along with shots of bold sky-blue against a neutral background lend interest to the living room.

Swivel chairs upholstered in blue velvet are a prime spot for enjoying conversation.

Bright, fun colors—from the wall tiles behind the wood-burning stove to the rainbow-hued carpet to the throw pillows—dominate the home’s basement level.

A pair of spider-like ceiling lamps that can be reconfigured to shed light where it’s most needed illuminates the raised island, which steps down to meet the wood-and-metal dining table.

Original brick walls and wood ceiling beams were preserved throughout the former industrial space. Cold-rolled steel with a black patina finish and reclaimed heart pine comprise the staircase, which has cantilevered elements that make it appear to float.

The second level holds a smaller seating area, grounded by a Paola Lenti rug, for intimate conversation.

The powder room’s sculptural concrete sink partners with another of Adelman’s light fixtures.

Rachel von Roeschlaub Maniatis’s acrylics on LP records add a dash of color to the media room.

Roomy, but cozy, the swiveling sofa adds a bold punch of color to the master bedroom.

In the master bath, custom wood millwork embellishes the concrete trough sink and warms the room’s pale palette.

A bright red chair and Marjorie Minkin’s vivid artwork add energy to the serene upstairs living room without detracting from the stunning view visible beyond a generous terrace with plantings by Winston Flowers.

The kitchen’s tapering metal island is inspired by midcentury iconography and fabricated by metal artisan Bartek Konieczny. Konieczny also crafted the island’s movable light fixture.

A floating wall forms the guest room headboard, where three photographic works by CE Morse hang above the bed.

In the master bedroom, Koto wood panels and a leather Christian Liaigre bed create a decidedly contemporary edge.

A free-floating staircase separates the kitchen from the magnificent, glass-walled study. Subtle shades of gray and brown on the island countertop and in the stools provide unity between the kitchen and the steel and wire railings of the stairway as well as with the softer interior of the wood-paneled bookshelves in the study.

A hidden panel in the study opens to reveal a computer work station, lacquered in the owner’s favorite orange hue.

The powder room features custom wallpaper with the text of an ancient Greek letter hand-illustrated by Brooklyn artist Katie Merz.

The guest bedroom, too, takes advantage of a view through one of the tall exterior windows, whose finely arched peak is echoed in the opening with a glass railing frosted for privacy.

Light pours into the living room from the original windows of what was once the Boston College High School auditorium, casting a warm glow on the hot-rolled steel used for the fireplace and mantel.

Japanese Shou-Sugi-Ban pyrography brings out the rich grain in the wood paneling surrounding the study, and a comfortable reading nook takes advantage of the deep wells of the original windows of the historic building.

Hidden appliances and the absence of cabinets around the range keep the kitchen uncluttered and in thematic harmony with the clean lines in the rest of the home.

A glass-and-steel wall allows light, but not noise from downstairs, into the balcony-like master bedroom.

A collection of pendants hung at various heights descends from the twenty-two-foot ceiling to illuminate the dining room. The owner’s Colonial-style chairs are just unfussy enough to play well with the home’s crisp, modernistic design.

In the master bath, textured black, hexagonal tile creates prisms with the light from fixtures that hide in the shower’s tray ceiling.

Defiant of the constraints of space, the staircase seems to pierce the glass wall of the study, integrating two disparate design elements while providing additional shelf space. The couch in the middle of the room can accommodate a pair of readers, head to foot.

A stone backed sculptural tub.

Custom bedding from Muse Bespoke adds another luxurious layer to the upholstered bed in the master suite.

Discreet LED lighting helps underscore the master bath’s quality craftsmanship, which includes a double vanity spanning the entire length of the wall.

The powder room features a Corian sink, also designed by Perez, backed with Fantasy Black Quartzite.

Architect Adolfo Perez designed the kitchen’s steel hood and the shelf beneath it to boost efficiency. Corian boxes—one a knife holder, the other a nest for oils and vinegars—support the latter.

The designer used ivory leather to re-cover the vintage chairs that surround the breakfast room’s table from Axel Vervoordt in Belgium.

The custom dining table is made from reclaimed American walnut. Below: In the study, de Santaren teams a desk of his design with a vintage Dunbar chair he nabbed on 1stdibs.

A bounty of built-in cabinetry provides a display area for treasures as well as books.

The study’s vintage Arne Norell chairs, discovered in Antwerp, give the owners a perfect perch for contemplating their eye-catching light sculpture.

The Santa Teresa wool window sheers hail from Muse Bespoke in Chicago, de Santaren’s sister’s company.

A sitting area in the living room is a minimalist’s dream with its 1930s Jules Leleu chairs.

The living room’s hearthside sitting area provides a prominent place for a painting from the owners’ collection.

A vignette in the foyer foreshadows the home’s refined aesthetic.

Modern steel doors in the foyer and the passageway to the kitchen are, says designer Manuel de Santaren, “a nod to some of the architectural details we saw in Belgium during a shopping trip for furnishings and antiquities.”

The kitchen features form and function in equal measure.

The house is a study in simplicity—and problem solving. It was a tough site, says architect Jim Estes: “Not much room and close neighbors.” To make the most of the lot, he took the house up to the setback lines, which created a courtyard on the street side.

Lots of doors and fixed floor-to-ceiling windows blur the lines between indoors and out.

The dining area can accommodate a crowd.

The natural landscape design incorporates an abundance of native plants; the long, bottom leg of the “U” (the back of the house) is oriented to take full advantage of the water views.

Horizontal lines and a mix of light wood finishes, including walls clad in pale yellow sugar pine, contribute to the home’s seamless look.

Slats and boards on the waterside deck mimic the interiors.

The architecture of the poolhouse.

To integrate the pool with the landscape, “We conceived of the rectangular pool as a farm relic—perhaps the foundation for a farm structure,” says Horiuchi. Behind the pool, plantings on the sloping lawn will grow lush over time.

Stone mason Eben Armer hand selected each locust branch for this outdoor shower he designed and built.

Reclaimed vintage white oak rafters add a rustic touch to the cedar-clad great room.

The wife orchestrated the placement of the engaging cow photos—a nod to the home’s pastoral nature.

A boon to entertaining, the butler’s pantry is accessible to the kitchen and screen porch.

The screened porch provides views of the poolhouse (which also functions as guest quarters) and the water. Stiving-Nichols and furniture maker Jeff Soderbergh collaborated on the design of the handsome reclaimed cypress dining table, one of several he crafted for the house.

The random sizes and shapes of the paving stones further the natural look of the landscaping.

“The kitchen was a labor of love,” says interior designer Liz Stiving-Nichols. The room’s wood ceiling links the space to the adjacent great room.

Guest bedrooms and the family room occupy one wing of the home. The oversize windows light the staircase to the owners’ second-floor sanctuary.

Winding steps of uneven rock lead from dock to house for a more nature-in-the-raw experience.

Modernist architect Olav Hammarstrom believed in getting close to nature, in this case a private kettle pond. In the recent update, architect Coty Sidnam’s glass rail on the deck of the main house makes “up close” even closer.

The rebuilt deck ends with an outdoor shower outside the master bedroom.

A guest bedroom sports a Flou Notturno bed and Danish modern night tables by Poul Volther.

In the family room, once an old fishing cabin, Sidnam reinforced the ceiling with tie rods and added clerestory windows to bring in light.

The breezeway entry was hard to find until landscape architect Keith LeBlanc regraded and opened up the parking court.

Iconic Arne Jacobsen chairs ring the dining table.

A guest bathroom continues the sleek lines and neutral palette of the house.

Artworks roost atop and below a Crate & Barrel table on the upstairs landing. The handcrafted felt rug from Patterson Flynn Martin reminded designer Richard Hallberg of cross-sectioned tree branches. The window on the stairway was framed with half-timbering, to make the house look like an old home that had been restored.

A built-in banquette hugs the walls of the sunroom, which was designed to suggest a screened porch that had been enclosed.

The room’s other seating area is geared toward conversation and the view, with all-weather outdoor upholstery to withstand wet bathing suits and the owner’s Labrador retriever, Sam.

The limestone on the floor is repeated on the kitchen’s island and backsplash, where it contrasts with stainless steel cabinets.

A game table anchors the center of the great room, whose retractable doors encourage easy indoor/outdoor flow, while sectional sofas surround a TV concealed behind stainless steel panels.

Antique hand-adzed timbers crown the walls throughout the main floor, instilling a sense of history and a rustic counterpoint to the sleek limestone floors.

Designer Richard Hallberg used two tables in the dining room to accommodate large or small gatherings; the woven rope patio chairs can be used indoors or out.

The homeowner says everyone congregates in the kitchen or on the deck, whose expansive table easily accommodates twelve.

A Max Frintrop painting commands the kitchen’s seating area, which features a customized pair of Alvar Aalto Paimio chairs. The television over the sideboard was recessed into the wall and framed with Sheetrock for a seamless, built-in look. The Tao Gray Light limestone floors are from Exquisite Surfaces.

The compact powder room off the dining room features a custom triangular sink crafted from limestone.

The swimming pool culminates in an invisible edge that visually blends into Buzzards Bay.

A desk doubles as a headboard in one of the guest rooms. The angled walls recall the attics the owner played in as a child.

A Wetstyle tub in the master bath overlooks scrub-covered dunes and the bay beyond.

The deck railing follows the curve of the wetlands setback abutting the house; a second seating area at the rear capitalizes on its western exposure.

The designer chose two brass bedside lamps, but opted for different tables to throw off the symmetry; two stacked navy-blue trunks sit on one side, and a single trunk fabricated from stainless steel, wood, and leather on the other.

Designer Steven Favreau likes to mix and match. Here, he blends periods (birdcage chairs are a modern foil for an antique grandfather’s clock) and price points: “The room represents a range from $19 Ikea light fixtures to an $8,000 sofa,” he says, “and it all looks luscious.”

Rick Wagner peers out of his professional-grade observatory.

Most windows, like these in the porch-like sitting room, have no window treatments to hide their clean lines or mar the view.

To maximize the home’s hilltop site, the designers added several exterior patios and seating areas while opening up the view side of the home with massive windows.

The sculptural tub in the master bath is tucked into its own cozy alcove with a close-up look at the outdoors.

Continuing the idea that it’s all about the view, the owners chose warm, neutral colors and simple, clean furnishings for the master bedroom.

Like much of the house, the bright, airy dining room is designed with invitingly neutral colors that, rather than compete with nature, invite it in.

Reclaimed vintage barn beams and iron tie rods anchor the renovated kitchen that is now flooded with light, thanks to new, generously proportioned windows.

A floating circular staircase leads to the second-floor bedrooms and continues to the observatory.

An upper story was removed to give the great room its high ceiling and an abundance of windows.

Diverse rooflines to break up the mass of this hillside residence are among the renovations that turned a rather ordinary house into a spectacular home. Other changes include larger windows to take full advantage of magnificent mountain views and a custom-made observatory for even more distant views.

In a tiny powder room near the entry, streamlined wallpaper, a sleek mirror, and a contemporary vanity keep the space from feeling cluttered.

The gray tones of the master bedroom are complimented by saturated shades of pink inspired by a rag doll the homeowner received from her daughter.

The silvery wall piece is by Providence artist Allison Paschke. An abstract painting by Michael Rich commands the dining end of the open living area.

The kitchen countertops went from granite to modern white quartzite.

Spot, the orange dog, oversees the terrace, where designer Kelly Taylor covered the concrete floor with tile and maintenance-free artificial turf. Featuring a singular chandelier and lively upholstery fabric on the chair backs, the dining room is at once sumptuous and contemporary.

The entry foyer got a shot of drama with a recessed ceiling, the ideal home for a dramatic chandelier.

The cool grays the homeowner loves form the backbone of the living room’s decor, with blue and gold providing harmony and highlights. The sheer draperies at the floor-to-ceiling windows wear banding at the top, where the opaque fabric hides the window treatments’ mechanics.

The family room reflects the spare aesthetic of the parlors, but in a more casual way. In the adjacent dining area, vintage leather chairs surround a sleek white table.

A mix of materials and textures, all in the palest of hues, creates a restful master bath.

The master bedroom’s vintage Karl Springer bed and Knoll loveseat sit on a soft rug of silk and wool.

The tall stairwell makes a perfect gallery space.

The palette was deepened to include darker grays and tans in the comfortable media room.

The clean-lined Bulthaup kichen works equally well whether the wife is indulging her own love of cooking or supervising the caterer at one of the couple’s frequent parties.

The family room reflects the spare aesthetic of the parlors, but in a more casual way. In the adjacent dining area, vintage leather chairs surround a sleek white table.

The owners’ art collection provides the home’s color.

The grand Alexander Parris staircase illustrates the fluidity of design, movement, and circulation that was so important to the homeowners.

Interior designer Manuel de Santaren’s intent was to create a calm, blank canvas for the homeowners’ extraordinary collection of art and midcentury furnishings. In the back parlor, light-filtering window treatments contribute to that plan.

Leo’s Luxe Linens, a Phillip Jeffries wallcovering with a hint of metallic, warms up the master bedroom, while pillows covered in a bright Quadrille fabric inject a splash of color.

The powder room is clad in a Phillip Jeffries wallcovering. The Briolette Glass vessel sink atop the painted vanity is by Kohler.

The office has built-in storage for books and mementoes while also leaving room for a set of prints by Jonathan Borofsky, a sculptor and printmaker in Ogunquit, Maine. A soft Stark carpet makes work more enjoyable, as does the Cardan office chair.

A custom quilt from Denyse Schmidt Quilts and a stash of pillows in the daughter’s bedroom go a long way in making bedtime happy.

To ensure plenty of seating in the dining area, Elms teamed the banquette with Elana chairs from the Bright Chair Company.

A waterfall edge on the kitchen counter is an elegant touch, as are the glass tiles along the backsplash, but, equipped with a full range of hidden organizational features, the room is also functional.

“A walnut ceiling provides a cool transition to the living room,” explains interior designer Dee Elms. Small details, like the silver base on the custom ottoman, bring lightness and sparkle to the setting. Atop a Hellman-Chang Xie cabinet, even the TV gains stature. And although, says Elms, “No one ever tires of the view,” motorized sheers afford privacy when desired.

The prints lining the hall to the central living area are by Pennsylvania artist Emil Lukas.

The reconfigured foyer grew chicer with the addition of a limestone tiled floor, Venetian plastered walls, and a coffered wood ceiling. Smaller in footage, there’s still ample room for a cast-resin-framed mirror, a custom console and small Holly Hunt bench.

The couple’s son can sleep in his regular bed or climb a ladder to a loft bed.

A palette of hot pink and black gives another daughter’s bedroom a rock-star vibe.

One daughter requested a Versailles-inspired bedroom, complete with a mirrored dresser.

The bathroom is a work of art itself, boasting a sink with a faucet that extends from the ceiling and mirrored walls for extra sparkle.

In the breakfast area, a glass-top table in a white-gold finish is a subtle nod to nature.

Propane-fueled tabletop fireplaces play off the birch wall sculptures and take the place of candles in the chic dining room.

The dark-blue family-room sofa is a kid- and pet-friendly choice; a game table sits in the bay window.

The living room shares a two-way fireplace with the family room and showcases colorful abstract paintings against a neutral backdrop of staggered limestone bricks and light-colored seating. Designer Shari Pellows adds edgy energy by contrasting the cool hues of the Steven King rugs with the fiery colors in the art.

“Mix it up and let color rule” is the mantra in all of the bedrooms, including a children’s bedroom that sports blue-striped walls and mismatched bed linens.

The master suite reflects the homeowners’ love of color, texture, and Moorish design. The headboard is custom-designed by Robin Henry and upholstered in a wool felt from Holland & Sherry. The chest at the foot of the bed is a family heirloom.

The homeowners fell hard for the backyard view when they first spied the fixer-upper in 2004.

The modern, streamlined kitchen was designed by architect Stacey Jacovini Storm during the initial renovation in 2007.

Henry punched up the breakfast area with bright fabrics.

The ceiling casts a rosy glow, thanks to a coat of Pantone Creole Pink paint.

A love of Moorish and Moroccan design inspired the home’s vivid colors, brilliant patterns, global accents, and eclectic blend of traditional, modern, and midcentury silhouettes. The great room sports a round sofa from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams outfitted in a bold Fabricut fabric.

Designer Robin Henry added cool blues to lend a soothing counterpoint to the fiery reds and oranges.

Tall grasses and hardy shrubs form a pretty palette and play well with the coastal environment.

An Alverson limestone planter on the water side of the house features little bluestem grass.