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An antique folk art horse and an old rooster weathervane add character to the family room. A fish-themed mosaic floor and a porthole window give the master bath nautical flair.
A fish-themed mosaic floor and a porthole window give the master bath nautical flair.
A soft palette of peach and gray enhances a guest bedroom, where Badger, Helen Higgins’s faithful Jack Russell Terrier, stops for a rest. The pastel palette, reproduction cane bed, and brick-lined fireplace augment the space’s romantic ambience.
A white wash lends subtle color to the master bedroom’s paneled walls.
A twentieth-century Rockport School painting marks the entrance to the pantry.
An antique fish weathervane decorates the kitchen’s custom hood.
Custom shades from Blanche P. Field finesse the powder room sconces.
Louis XIII wing chairs and a leather-upholstered ottoman help create a comfortable fireside oasis in the great room.
An assortment of plant-filled pots dress up the front door.
A crushed-clamshell drive lined with boxwood leads to the new porte-cochère. The home’s top-to-bottom update blends modern features and character-infusing details, such as high-efficiency windows made with hand-blown glass. “A typical summer house has become a four-season home,” says interior designer Helen Higgins.
Fabrics and paint in mango and lime create a happy mood in a guestroom.
A quilted upholstered headboard creates a colorful focal point.
The second-floor landing has become a gallery for the art Nancy and Joe didn’t previously have the wall space to collect.
Nancy’s father, a B-17 pilot in World War II, left her the two Toulouse-Lautrec prints that now hang in the master bedroom. She chose a color scheme to complement them.
The kitchen has a view through the entryway into the dining room; Tony, the couple’s Wheaten Terrier, keeps a watchful eye from his spot in the hall.
High ceilings give the kitchen an airy feel and make room for plenty of cabinetry.
Nancy’s favorite wall color, Farrow & Ball’s Dix Blue, was the starting point for the home’s palette of blues and whites. The dining room’s pristine white walls get a warm boost from the antique chestnut that replaced the pine floors.
The staircase leads to the new second floor and connects the main part of the house to Nancy’s office and a guest suite.
Nancy displays her favorite antique dishware on the living room’s bookshelves and coffee table.
The prevailing theme is blue and white in a variety of patterns and textures.
Creamware pitchers decorate the coffee table.
A seat for everyone was the goal in the living room, where a pair of John Duckworth photographs stands in for views.
Designer Nancy Serafini and her husband, Joe, turned their one-story, three-bedroom cottage on a quiet Nantucket street into a spacious—but still charming—house with plenty of room for their grown children and a passel of grandchildren.
Morning light streams into the master bedroom across an Andrew Day Chaise from the Kristin Drohan Collection.
Cowtan & Tout’s Hayworth Trellis wallpaper accents the wall behind the bed.
Future Grandmasters can compete at the Oomph game table. At a nearby seating area, the coffee table is topped with easy-care white-birch Edelman leather.
The expansive pool area can accommodate a crowd, with its well-appointed outdoor kitchen, a bar, dining table, and two seating areas, including the custom sofas that tuck into the stonework enclosures by the swimming pool. Under the pergola, seating includes natural woven Restoration Hardware outdoor furniture, X benches by Serena & Lily, and barstools by JANUS et Cie.
The heft of the marble-topped kitchen islands is offset by light gray cabinetry and the cheerful striped fabric on the barstools.
The kids can vie for a spot on the curved settee when the family gathers for casual meals in the kitchen’s dining area. The chairs are durable Design Within Reach wishbone chairs finished in white lacquer.
A seating area in the living room is brightened and lightened with hide-upholstered chairs and a glass-topped acrylic table. The deep Keegan sofas are from the Kristin Drohan Collection in Perennials fabric.
The charcoal-colored millwork of the custom-built bar frames the doorway between living and dining rooms.
The owners’ existing dining room table and chairs are complemented by a Devon Bench from the Kristin Drohan Collection in a vivid coral hue.
Circles and squares are a thematic constant that begins in the entry with a marble-top table on a bronze base, an Urban Electric Baxter Light, and the brass rivets of the Phillip Jeffries grasscloth on the ceiling.
The home, built in 1919 with Tudor-style elements inside and out, sits on a hill overlooking Hingham Harbor. Oversize windows take full advantage of the view across the circular drive, which surrounds a decorative fountain.
A guest bedroom is a perfect illustration of De Bastiani’s goal of “creating a scheme incorporating traditional silhouettes without feeling like your grandmother’s house—a youthful traditional, if you will.”
The master bath’s floor, shower walls, and tub surround are an amalgam of different cuts and shapes from the same slab of marble, adding yet another layer of interest.
In the powder room just off the kitchen, a deep, vibrant blue on the mirror, sconces, and vanity is a nice variation from the muted blue tones throughout the rest of the home. A framed vintage subway sign announces the couple’s Boston roots.
The blue of the family room’s slim-lined TV console is nicely reiterated in the custom-framed botanical prints hugging the edges of the tall, vaulted ceiling.
Classic Shaker-style cabinets, honed black granite countertops, and a Moroccan-tile backsplash give the kitchen—a joint effort of De Bastiani and Judith Whalen of Roomscapes—its casual sophistication.
A low-hung globe-lamped chandelier and a two-pedestal table of oak that seats up to ten people serve up drama and intimacy in the dining room. The living and dining rooms are united by twin custom-designed hand-knotted area rugs.
Natural and organic elements—such as an orchid plant that sits in a hollowed-out stone—make the space more modern, livable, and unfussy.
The library’s midcentury-style table lamp, modern artwork, and tribal touches confirm that De Bastiani is a skilled mixer. “Designers don’t stick to just one style anymore,” he opines. “It looks way too calculated.”
The designer insists pieces like the living room sofa and chair be as comfortable as they are good -looking.
The living room’s custom sofa, coffee table, wool area rug, and built-in shelving espouse the Arts and Crafts era’s dual emphasis on superior craftsmanship and clever use of space.
The entry’s dark-wood bench, simple hanging lantern, and traditional bronze-toned wall sconces are a purposeful nod to the home’s traditional Craftsman-style exterior.
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.
The sunroom features back-to-back sofas that provide a view of the television from one side and an astounding backyard view from the other.
Surrounded by nature on three sides, the breakfast room creates the illusion of dining outdoors.
Dining chairs wear a vivid Pierre Frey fabric that makes a striking contrast with the blue grasscloth wall covering. Sliding fabric panels stand in for drapes.
The spa-like master bath is a study in simplicity.
Glossy stencils on the walls of the master bedroom shimmer in the sunlight; a new bed by Euro Woodworking sits on a Steven King carpet the homeowners brought from their previous home.
The living room’s ornate mantel was preserved, while new molding has a simpler, more contemporary profile.
The library’s original wall and ceiling paneling was restored.
Glamour reigns in a powder room.
The modern look of the rebuilt main staircase and midcentury-style pendant lights brings a fresh touch to the classic bones of the stair landing.
Designer Vivian Hedges and decorative painter Robert Laniak created a geometric pattern with burnished gold leaf for the front hallway floor.
Tucked in what was an unused part of the attic, the husband’s office is accessible from the media room as well as a ladder from his dressing room.
A stone fireplace means that the open pool house can still be enjoyed as the weather cools.
The pool, pool house, and Dan K. Gordon’s award-winning landscape transformed a rocky slope.
The bright new kitchen sits at the front of the house, but opens to the family room so that backyard views can be appreciated.
The terrace was designed to complement—and sustain—the century-old beech tree that started it all.
Curving lines define the landscape design.
Landscape architect William Pressley says he was absolutely in sync with the architect, and understood the importance of a hardscape and plantings that would do justice to the extraordinary home.
The master bedroom strays just slightly from the rest of the house, with the introduction of a pretty accent color for a feminine touch.
The spacious dressing room is made sumptuous with architectural details, a pair of crystal chandeliers, and plush gray carpeting.
Dark and light make fine companions in the breakfast area, where seating outfitted in a mix of pale fabrics comes together around a custom table illuminated by a two-tier ring chandelier.
Ebony-stained oak floors create a bold contrast with the clean white-and-gray color scheme in the kitchen.
The granite-topped island morphs from prep area with storage at one end to casual dining table at the other end.
In the dining room, Griffin Balsbaugh took her cue from the domed ceiling, choosing furniture and accessories that echo its form, drawing the eye downward and around the room.
A mix of textures and materials—silk, linen, and velvet fabrics, shiny metals and glass—energizes the pale color scheme and injects a glamorous note.
The living room’s simple palette of creamy whites, soft silvers, and sophisticated shades of gray is soothing and serene. It sets the stage for a pleasing blend of ease and formality.
With its proud arches, prominent stone facade, fanciful roofline, and abundant details, the home is an unabashed homage to the American architect H.H. Richardson and his signature Romanesque Revival style. Slate and copper roofing adds to the sense of age and permanence Meyer and his clients wanted.
The entryway is the harbinger of gracious things to come. Melding classic and modern, designer Maureen Griffin Balsbaugh introduced limestone floors, bold black door trim, and contemporary caged lighting to complement the show-stopping architectural details.
The Duxiana bed tucks into a headboard, with built-in nightstands and bookshelves, that separates the room’s sleeping and sitting areas.
The master bedroom holds a spacious sitting area, where a George Nakashima stool keeps company with a Holly Hunt sofa and Christian Liaigre table.
A broad window with a transom lets light wash over a cozy sitting area defined by tapered stone columns.
The kitchen is furnished with simple wood cabinetry and pale counters, with tapering stone columns that form a solid connection to the rest of the house.
A seating area in the kitchen features an Eero Saarinen Tulip Table.
The dining room, located in the open space next to the living room, offers comfortable seating to host lots of friends and family.
Wood, stone, glass, and an abundance of natural light define the living room, where a Dash and Albert rug delineates a seating area that includes Christian Liaigre sofas and Holly Hunt drum chairs.
Stone pillars along a hallway are just one way the natural world is brought indoors.
Tapered and notched rafter tails speak the language of Wright.
The house design includes bedrooms with covered porches away from the public spaces.
At this Martha’s Vineyard house, the deeply overhanging roofs, stone walls, wood colonnade, and ample windows were inspired by the iconic work of Frank Lloyd Wright.
A simple fence dovetails nicely with the new pool house.
A privet hedge will eventually fill out to hide the fence that encloses the pool.
Mercurio’s landscape plan echoes the simple, modern aesthetic of the pool house, designed by architect Peter McDonald with interiors by Jill Morelli.
Landscape architect Kimberly Mercurio used creeping thyme between the terrace’s bluestone slabs for low maintenance. The wooden bench was crafted of salvaged wood from an old barn on the property.
The court is tucked next to the property’s long entry drive and screened by trees.
Summery perennials in the pool area give way to a natural landscape near the beach.
Dan Gordon designed a seating area that “balances softscape and hardscape” in the tennis court of this mid-Cape home.
The swimming pool was designed to keep the focus on the ocean views.
The house tucks in among a grove of cedar trees.
The granite slabs laid in the grass stand in as parking spaces.
The home’s front entrance is approached via a natural-looking walking trail flanked by ferns and native groundcovers.
Keith LeBlanc’s program for a West Yarmouth property keeps things natural; near the house, a buddleia brings color to a sitting area.
A ficus from Winston Flowers echoes both a fluted column and the circular windows.
Woven-backed Gustavian chairs and a French limestone floor give the space a garden-like feel.
Interior designer Susan Reddick created three seating areas in sync with the rhythms of the three arched doors and skylights.
Grand as it looks, the pavilion is perfectly scaled to fit its surroundings.
Night and day, visitors are drawn by the rhythms of this garden pavilion’s lattice-like layering of architectural elements.
A built-in desk and a Ralph Pucci chair and lamp add the finishing touches to the son’s bedroom.
The Ralph Pucci bench adds a pop of color.
The master bedroom is a soothing oasis with artwork symbolic of the couple’s interests: floral for Beauchemin, ocean waves for Grassi, a sailor.
Innovations such as a rolling kitchen island make wise use of space.
A bird’s eye view of the living room from the third level.
A hallway on the main floor, flanked by rolling walnut doors and anigre veneer panel railings, gives way to an open-tread, oak-and-steel staircase.
Designer Lucie Beauchemin installed sheer curtains that filter in light even when drawn.
A cozy book loft featuring floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves overlooks a living area with eighteen-foot windows that flood the space with sunlight.
Landscape designer Mary LeBlanc created multiple outdoor seating areas, including this charming nook with a fire pit.
Elms opted for an all-white interior, and then added a shot of yellow with fun pillowing and a striped quilt by Denyse Schmidt.
The diminutive Shingle-style guesthouse beckons visitors with its sunny demeanor.
The master bedroom gets a dose of luxury in the form of rich, textured wallcovering, beautiful drapery, and linen-wrapped bedside tables in Nantucket red.
Visiting grandkids get their own colorful bathroom and custom bunkroom on the lower level.
Detailed design—a toe-kick in the bathroom pulls out to serve as a step, and each bunk has two USB ports so iPads stay charged—defines the spaces.
In the study shared by the husband and wife, Elms designed built-in desks and shelves painted a deep gray-blue. A textured wallcovering and leather accents, such as the rolling chairs and leather-wrapped drawer pulls, add gravitas.
A glassed-in, temperature-controlled wine cellar and a handsome, comfortable sitting area encourage relaxation.
On the screened porch, Elms started with a neutral foundation of gray-striped cushions and gray paint on the floor, then added accents of ocean-blue and orange. The many windows let nature’s green act as part of the palette.
A statement-making walnut peninsula with a waterfall edge separates the kitchen from the dining room.
The dining table and buffet hail from the owners’ old house; designer Dee Elms added a contemporary three-drum chandelier and wishbone chairs.
Symmetry rules in the living room, where Elms designed matching built-in bookshelves and cabinets to flank the fireplace.
A woodland landscape, anchored by beautiful oaks, provides a lush backdrop for this Shingle style Falmouth house designed by architect John Dvorsack.
The second-floor master bedroom is outfitted in quiet colors; French doors open to a private deck.
Cutone devised the eldest son’s built-in bed to include a storage chest at the foot that diminishes clutter and doubles as a bench.
Plush sheepskin rugs from Overland warm the master bath.
Panels beneath the younger boys’ beds pull out to reveal handy trundle beds for sleepovers.
The pool house is fully equipped for visitors, with a kitchen, a generous sitting area, two bedrooms, and two baths. Come morning, early risers get first dibs on the pool and hot tub. “Sunrises and sunsets are beautiful,” says the wife.
The outdoor fireplace alongside the pool house is the destination for frequent summer gatherings. Hydrangea and fragrant rosa rugosa add to the Nantucket flavor.
Wraparound porches are perfect for savoring the scenery.
Nearby, lounges give sunbathers a comfortable perch
The landscape plan, by Nantucket Heritage Landscapes, includes a variety of grasses and shrubs.
Congenial swivel barstools belly up to an island topped with pale-blue quartzite.
Fostering modernity, the custom dining table is surrounded by sleek chairs covered in faux leather; an iron and glass pendant by Arteriors hangs above.
The stellar layout assures the hearth, with its visually arresting biofuel fireplace by EcoSmart, is visible from almost any perspective.
The living room has a coastal vibe with its furniture, rug, and fabrics in varying shades of sand. “We wanted rooms that were simple and restful. Nothing that distracted from the gorgeous views,” says interior designer Jennifer Palumbo.
Artwork adds a spark of color to the living room’s serene palette of sea and sand hues.
Contemporary Bocci pendants and an organic teak bench from Andrianna Shamaris create a pleasing vignette in the foyer. The freestanding wall houses a TV on the living room side.
The handsome house, designed by architect Mark Cutone, mimics the exterior of the original structure and befits the island vernacular. Lush plantings and tiered stone walls play up the property’s change of grade and add color and texture to the postcard setting.
A pool cabana further screens the house from the street and offers extra bedroom space for guests.
Around the side of the house, the gardens form outdoor rooms that make perfect spots for play or relaxation.
Surgical precision was required to site the house among the mature trees. Donaroma’s Nursery and Landscape Services created an inner courtyard rimmed with plantings.
The bed was one of the last things the couple found while working on the decoration of the house. A multicolored woven blanket and pillows by John Robshaw are finishing touches.
Soothing blue is one element that gives the master suite its getaway feeling. A cozy sitting area in front of the fireplace and a large balcony overlooking the backyard are other bonuses.
The study, where Kramer and Celeste often take their morning coffee, shows off Murphy’s deft blending of the couple’s tastes—her preference for traditional and his for a more bohemian look.
The bed was one of the last things the couple found while working on the decoration of the house. A multicolored woven blanket and pillows by John Robshaw are finishing touches.
A sink base picked up at the antiques show in Brimfield, Massachusetts, finds a new home in the first-floor powder room.
Wood beams and painted beadboard emphasize the vaulting of the kitchen ceiling; the design team took down walls, allowing the kitchen to flow into the breakfast area and living and dining rooms.
A fun mix of seating around the table gives the breakfast area its relaxed feeling.
The large living room, outfitted to accommodate the homeowners and their six children as well as plenty of friends, has multiple seating areas scattered around a fireplace conceived and built by stone artist Lew French.
Layers of antiques and flea-market finds fill niches such as this one in the entryway.
Mimi Bennett’s study/sleeping porch has dramatic views on three sides.
George Bennett’s vanity tucks sideways into the nook under the window.
Reclaimed pine tops the kitchen island.
The big dining table is a copy of the one in the old rental house.
The living room’s comfortable furnishings echo the sand, sea-blue and corals of the beach outside.
The exposed rafter ends look like stylized fish heads, reflecting the family’s love of fishing.
Gambrel roofs and low eaves give the house its horizontal, ground-hugging quality.
The wife’s office area is part of the master suite.
Simple tile and clean whites make for a fuss-free master bath that doesn’t skimp on luxury.
The master bedroom’€™s open bookshelves hold an array of Nantucket baskets, some of which the homeowner made.
The kitchen’s tiled countertop and green faux-painted cabinets add to the home’s cottage look.
The table has an end drawer for storing linens.
A reproduction lace-maker’s table holds summer’s bounty. Sconces set into painted wood beams add ambience in the evening.
Built-in wooden benches line the patio and serve as additional seating for entertaining.
The window seat wraps the perimeter of the living room.
A whale carving that once hung on the outside of a Sconset house dominates the living room with its whitewashed walls.
A schooner painting by William P. Stubbs gets prominent placement in the entry hall.
An addition to an existing post-and-beam house on Nantucket gave its new owners a wide porch and more formal entry area.
A brushed-steel bed from Room & Board adds a contemporary, more masculine touch to the hotel-chic master bedroom. The roomy double bedside dressers are from FDO Group.
The study also serves as an informal sitting/TV room with its comfortable Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams sofa; the desk is by Excentricities.
A Restoration Hardware vanity resembles a piece of furniture, perfectly fitting its niche in the guest bathroom.
The pool house mimics the architectural vernacular of the main house; the swimming pool is painted a deep blue to match the harbor waters, rather than a more conventional hue.
Views of Marblehead Harbor are pleasing from many spaces in the home, including from the outdoor dining patio.
The bright, spacious kitchen was designed with the homeowners’ frequent entertaining in mind. Sparkly pendant light fixtures from Lucía Lighting & Design add a fun touch to the open space.
In the dining room, a Hubbardton Forge light fixture has simple linear lines, and the chairs keep a low profile, so as not to block through-views.
A tête-à-tête settee by A. Rudin sits in the cased opening in the double living room. The window seat to the left is another spot to lounge and enjoy a pretty harbor view.
Capiz-shell tiles create a special feature wall in the powder room.
A pair of sleek sconces flank an abstract artwork by Doug Kennedy above the fireplace, with its custom-designed mosaic surround. Glass-front built-ins hold accents and collections.
The foyer sets the home’s transitional tone with its linear console and double-ring-base lamp, both from ICON Group, and an area rug from Steven King Decorative Carpets.
Furnished with casual pieces from Restoration Hardware’s Leagrave collection, wide porches invite overflow guests, easy conversation, and kicking back.
Outdoor living is essential to the Cape experience, of course, and it’s celebrated in this family compound.
The TV room is layered with textures.
Comfort and a go-with-anything palette rule. Punches of color, exaggerated patterns, and touches of wood, rattan, and wicker jazz up the living room. The living room’s Balou lounge chair from JANUS et Cie is a favorite perch.
The kitchen and dining room are perfect examples of an intentionally casual mix of materials and styles.
The main house family room was fashioned around neutral seating from Restoration Hardware.
Most of the furnishings in both houses were collected over time, some from previous residences, others from catalogs, says interior designer Barbara Lazarus.
A bright red door, twig chandelier, and compass rose create a welcoming vibe in the larger main house.
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