traditional

Grayish-blue walnut cabinets frame a Wolf range and a Vent-A-Hood.

The kitchen now offers unobstructed views of the backyard; the Blanco faucet provides even more visual interest.

A wall of windows above the sink brings light to a space formerly dominated by cabinetry.

The kitchen’s array of cooking stations

In addition to the main sink and seating, the Giotto quartzite-topped center island shelters an extra Wolf oven at the far end.

Nancy Monahan enjoys a glass of wine with Boca, her Havanese, in the backyard, where a fire table expands the seasons and ceramic stools allow seating for several guests.

After dinner, the Monahans retire to an informal upstairs sitting room with comfy faux sheepskin chairs lit by a unique layered lighting fixture found in Soho.

An urn from Terrain was given its own pocket garden in the front courtyard where a dining table waits to entertain company.

Deux Femmes Decorative Art custom applied a textural linen-like finish to the wall and molded ceiling in the main bedroom. For art, Monahan framed a favorite Tiffany scarf.

In the living room, Monahan cleverly crafted the windows to appear larger without changing their exterior dimensions by adding a bank of mirrors above the panes. To make a sisal rug pop, she layered a cowhide rug beneath overlapping glass sectional coffee tables. The wall displays the ethereal lines in a pair of works by up-and-coming Connecticut artist Tracie Cheng, while furniture is comfy but sleek.

The kitchen needed a complete revamp with the exception of the numerous casement windows, which make the homeowners “feel like we’re eating outdoors.” Monahan went for a seven-foot island with stools sitting on a vinyl floor mat by Beija Flor.

To reflect the curved gates to the entry courtyard that doubles as a dining area, homeowner and designer Nancy Monahan installed a bluestone pathway. The weathered brick pillars exemplify her respect for the past.

Monahan increased light by using large glass panes in the entry foyer. An idiosyncratic collector, she displays finds such as carved pillars originally from a Boston bank beside a wooden horse torso on a metal table.

A series of molding-framed murals by Susan Harter could easily steal the scene in the dining room. Instead, Monahan selected the calming earth tones of grisaille, letting her mahogany dining table and antique chairs stand out. A chandelier from Arteriors accents a custom-finish ceiling painted by Deux Femmes Decorative Art.

The husband’s office reflects his passion for midcentury furniture. Another painting by Janis H. Sanders hangs above the fireplace.

Horizontal flush board on the ceiling adds a cozy feel to the master bedroom, while fabrics in the palest seafoam hue give the space its serene feel.

A walk-through shower with a marble anchor wall and glass on three sides sits between matching vanities in the master bath.

Designer Chauncey Boothby uses New England-based products, like this wool rug from Boston designer Meredith Thayer, whenever she can. Likewise, artwork is by regional artists through Maine Art Hill gallery. The living room paintings are by Craig Mooney, while the piece near the stairs is by Janis H. Sanders.

The islands’ Stratton Blue paint from Benjamin Moore is a bold yet soothing counterpoint to the otherwise white kitchen. “We used a lot of natural materials,” Boothby says, noting the caned counter stools and the baskets in the glass-front cubbyholes.

The front door is purposely understated, says architect Vincent Falotico.

Tiered porches make the most of water views; the second-floor porch belongs to a casual family room.

A Merida rug anchors the dining room, whose trim is painted Benjamin Moore’s Yarmouth Blue cut by 50 percent.

The family’s two sons sleep in the full-size bottom bunks, while the twin-size upper bunks are for sleepovers with a couple of cousins or neighborhood

In the living room, a custom sofa upholstered in Cowtan & Tout fabric, an antique chair from John Rosselli & Associates covered in Vaughan fabric, and a custom coffee table featuring Holland & Sherry embossed leather mix with engravings from German artist Basilius Besler.

The antiques continue in the guest bedroom, juxtaposed with hand-blocked Swedish paper from Sandberg Wallpaper.

The light-filled “mini-great room” boasts a rug Maher purchased on a trip through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains; the hand-hewn beams, circa 1850, were exposed during the renovation.

The home’s modestly sized dining room doubles as a study/office with a nineteenth-century French refectory table, which is offset by a patchwork wool and silk carpet, Farrow & Ball wallpaper, and an antique Swedish Mora clock.

Dubbed the birdbath, the master bathroom showcases a mix of Italian and American engravings, which Maher has spent years collecting from auctions and galleries such as Arader Galleries.

A raised terrace and infinity pool extend into the backyard, which abuts a saltwater pond with views of the bay beyond. Connecting landscaping and hardscaping with the architecture was an important element of the design for Polhemus Savery DaSilva, the firm responsible for the architecture, landscape architecture, and construction of the house.

A vaulted ceiling and walls in the second-floor master suite are covered in Schumacher linen upholstery, delivering a delightful canopy effect. Tharp’s signature sail-pulley shades dress the windows. The daybed is vintage; Holland & Sherry pillows button up the look.

In the same space, Tharp specified a daybed, ottoman, and sectional from her own custom line, the Lisa Tharp Collection; the cozy-yet-streamlined pieces don’t monopolize visual space. Swivel chairs offer flexible seating; Scofield sconces hang above the fireplace.

In the kitchen, astragal molding was carried from the upper cabinets onto the ceiling, drawing the focal point up. The same style molding was used to frame ceiling beams. The Urban Electric Co. lanterns and a pendant light hang above the island and table.

To draw the eye upward in the long, open-plan living area, interior designer Lisa Tharp added beams and rafters to ceilings, hung drapes as high as possible, and replaced the existing fireplace surround with floor-to-ceiling paneling.

The street view of a house designed and built by Polhemus Savery DaSilva Architects Builders features a welcoming front porch and large-scale windows and columns that give it a cottage-like feel. The one-and-a-half-story facade belies the house’s three stories, which include a walk-out lower level on the waterfront.

: Tharp chose a custom-built dining table in the shape of a surfboard. It sits near the entrance to the terrace, which is delineated by hydrangea-blue wooden doors, a backbone of the decor’s palette.

A built-in daybed in a child’s bedroom was outfitted in pale pink; curtains reveal a play space below.

A bunk room with toe-to-toe twin beds on each side is used for lounging or guests. Striped wallpaper, Schoolhouse sconces, and vintage art lend a nautical vibe.

Texture rules in a playful guest bedroom, where hand-blocked fabric by Design No. Five covers walls and a pillow. A vintage campaign chest was painted inky grey, while the model sailboat comes from Thoreauly Antiques in Concord.

The covered porch features a collection of wicker and a Crate & Barrel sofa that Skok reupholsters every five or six years. “Snoozing there in the afternoon is the most luxurious thing,” she says.

When Skok has a house full of summer guests, she’ll take a break to “rest her eyes” on the master bedroom’s daybed. Her favorite yellow toile curtains frame the window.

Skok splurged on handmade red-and-blue Portuguese tiles for the backsplash. She discovered the tin schoolroom pendants in London, where she began her design career.

Skok loves the double-sided glass cabinets filled with vintage treasures: “When the cabinets are lit during a dinner party, everything twinkles,” she says.

This guestroom was frequented by Skok’s mom when she was still able to visit from South Africa; that’s the designer’s own fabrics on the headboard, curtains, and bench.

Isabella, a miniature long-haired dachshund, poses next to beloved Stephen Huneck dog sculptures repurposed for the family room’s coffee table.

The designer sets her table with an eclectic mix of accessories from all over the globe, like this tablecloth from South Africa, her own line of ceramics, bowls filled with seashells, and a mix of glassware. “You should see the suitcases I bring back when I travel,” she says with a laugh.

A guest bathroom’s Lee Jofa wallpaper was a favorite of the designer’s two daughters when they were children.

The living area’s custom tiered coffee table with brass edges makes way for cocktails and storage.

Left to right are architect Lisa Botticelli, designer Amy Thebault, and local garden designer Julie Jordin of The Garden Design Company, who helps the owners cultivate their pretty and appropriate garden.

The powder room’s Margate wallpaper from Thibaut calls up the color of the sea and sky. A rope sconce and lacquered-brass fixtures add a maritime touch.

A tulip-shaped coco-bead chandelier illuminates a well-appointed guest room; the round Moroccan table was a Brimfield Antique Show score.

Comfy Minton Spidell stools surround the marble-topped island. Rather than tiles, the owners opted for a light-reflecting mirrored backsplash for the range.

“An all-white kitchen didn’t suit this house,” says interior designer Amy Thebault. “The green cabinets look like they’ve always been here.”

Twin sofas further fireside relaxation in the welcoming great room. The eagle from Nantucket’s John Rugge Antiques, an eclectic plate collection, and two shadow boxes featuring exquisite handmade vegetables on gilded backgrounds boost visual interest. So does the tabletop’s large scrimshawed whalebone by Jon Laubin from Nantucket’s Sylvia Antiques.

Window shades of Quadrille’s Clementine pattern keep the morning sun at bay in the master bedroom. The elephant sconce, one of a pair, is another Brimfield triumph.

A three-tiered terrace, blended into the natural landscape in place of an eroded hillside, complements an existing gazebo. Adirondack chairs can cozy up around the built-in firepit for sunset viewing.

The main house is centered on a long drive and sits at the apex of curved stone walls, enhancing the sense of arrival.

The attic above this guest bedroom was partially removed to add an extra window and more natural lighting, accented by a cut-crystal chandelier.

The master bath’s space-saving shower is set against a backsplash of locally quarried Danby marble and drains into a floor inlaid with an oval design repeated throughout the home.

Covered by a wooden ceiling designed to resemble the hull of an upturned boat, the screen porch was the one major addition to the home. All-weather chairs surrounding a coffee table crafted from a tree harvested on the property afford lake views warmed by a crackling fire.

Painted in a blue tone to match the waters of Lake Champlain, the dining room features a landscape mural by a local artist and a chandelier with wax candles whose light reflects off a high-gloss ceiling that increases the sense of space. The bay windows are original to the house.

Opposing twin fireplaces warm this stone-sided room at the center of the house, enlivened by the face of an antique French clock. The custom mantel incorporates an oval design found on the transom over the front door, and the bench and sling chair provide extra seating in a compact room.

The mudroom’s checkerboard floor is made of local Panton stone, matching that used in the walls of the house and on the property.

The kitchen, with its eighteen-foot ceilings and copious food-prep surfaces, was the centerpiece of the renovation of the main house.

With the ocean on one side and the blue bay on the other, the location of this Maine vacation home couldn’t be more heavenly. Multiple decks celebrate the spectacular location and offer bonus living space. “I was worried about building,” says the wife. “But our builder was wonderful. Everything went smoothly.” The well-worn path is a direct route to the sea.

A Rohl rainhead in the outdoor shower takes care of sandy beachgoers.

Hand-painted Carrara marble tiles line the master bathroom’s shower, while beadboard walls add to the beachy character.

The owners opted for pieces that suit a summer lifestyle, like a Serena & Lily woven seagrass bed. A fun recipe of stripes, florals, and paisley raises the room’s spirit.

A Pottery Barn bed dressed in a slew of patterns welcomes guests. Jamie Young bedside lamps wear beachy raffia shades.

Paisley paper from Les Indiennes and Farrow & Ball’s sunny Babouche paint elevate laundry chores. Rosenfeld nabbed the nautical flag at the Market Stalls in the Boston Design Center.

Custom cabinetry expert Jannell Zarba teamed with the clients and Rosenfeld to ensure the kitchen is as efficient as it is handsome. The cabinetry’s pale gray color—Benjamin Moore’s Silver Lake—lets the space blend seamlessly into the living and dining areas and doesn’t compete with the outdoors. Heart pine floors inject a warm note.

A linear brass chandelier casts a warm glow for summer dining.

Window seats flanking the fireplace provide extra seating and make snug spots to curl up with a book. Rosenfeld says she found most of the room’s fabrics, including all the lively pillow covers, at small independent fabric houses and artisanal shops.

Designer Katie Rosenfeld painted walls, trim, and ceilings Farrow and Ball’s Pointing, a soft hue that makes a perfect background for an extravagance of playful patterns. On the main living level, French doors are framed with a fresh yet timeless striped floral fabric. The generous ottoman accommodates cocktails as well as rainy day games.

Sloping gables, dormers, and a curving roofline help to break down the mass of the house.

The home’s traditional front portico offers a sheltered spot to relax.

While the interior underwent a complete transformation, Silver kept the front facade of the home true to its 1800 origins.

The fixture hanging above the table is a nineteenth-century Pennsylvania Dutch light in the style of an Italian Renaissance original.

The dining room’s custom mural by Scott Waterman is based on a four-season study of the surrounding area.

The kitchen table and stools were made by Connecticut furniture maker Peter Van Beckum.

The newel post and stair rail are original and were refinished in a French polish.

The designers based the mantel lambrequin on one they saw at a London house museum.

Olasky sourced dozens of antique and vintage ornaments to pair with the owners’ collection of art glass ornaments.

The walls of the master bath are covered in wallpaper resembling cerused oak by Noblis.

In the guest bedroom, Rose Tarlow linen was paper-backed to apply to the walls.

Designers Catherine Olasky and Max Sinsteden incorporated dried citrus slices into the wreath that adorns the front door.

Renovated by architect Robert Orr, the smooth (as opposed to clapboard) facade was restored to what was originally there; he also designed the Greek Revival-style porch.

Bartlett and Brio in the bedroom.

Favorite objects create a personal tablescape atop Sister Parish’s Petite Fleur fabric.

Smith and Bartlett set the table.

The front parlor features painted furniture and other pieces with patina and charm.

A mélange of family memories rests upon Sister Parish’s Palms pattern.

Bartlett prepares for a dinner party surrounded by her china and glassware collections.

The living room is a favorite gathering spot for family and friends.

The front parlor was recently updated with a light touch, while respecting Sister Parish’s signature touches.

The store features decorative accessories and art, including some of Bartlett’s own designs.

A sign from her mother’s decorating practice.

The Sister Parish room at the shop showcases some of the bags, totes, and pillows crafted from the firm’s iconic fabric patterns, as well as pieces from the spongeware tabletop collection.

A mix of treasures from Bartlett’s shop.

The second-floor reading room offers comfortable seating, endless water views, and plenty of good books in shelves opposite the windows.

The bunkroom features cozy berths for eight kids.

“She has a great aesthetic,” says Wagner of the homeowner, who helped select the fabrics in each room, including the robin’s-egg accents in this bedroom suite.

With two spacious islands and ample storage, the kitchen “is meant to hold and feed a lot of people,” says interior designer Brooke Wagner.

Beautifully detailed ceilings extend from the entryway to define various spaces in the great room, including the seating area around the stone fireplace.

At the end of a long day on the lake, a circle of custom-made club chairs beckons the adult members of the family. “We get the kids to bed, and it’s a nice way to say, ‘We did it,’ ” the homeowner notes.

Japanese tree lilacs mark the path to the gabled front entry.

A side porch is perfect for informal gatherings.

The house is grand, indoors and out, with curved walls, tall windows, numerous gables, and architectural details inspired by the iconic Shingle style.

Architects Jennifer Smith and Scott Hutton sited the house to take advantage of water views and relied on traditional New England materials. They created spaces that are both outward focused and intimate—from porches and patios to tiered-level lawns. The window trim echoes the interior accent red, which was mixed to match the client’s favorite lipstick and nail polish color.

Luxurious textures and shots of color add a sensual touch to the subdued backdrop of the master bedroom.

The neutral palette gives way to more saturated tones in a daughter’s bedroom.

A red ceiling and gold-and-white wallpaper lend a powder room a drama that surprises, compared to the quiet palette of the rest of the first floor.

Adding on to the house allowed for a bigger kitchen, dominated by a quartzite-topped island.

The casual dining area is part of the addition’s family room, and looks out over terraces and gardens.

The dining room walls are luxuriously upholstered with an overscale silk damask fabric. The sideboard is a 1stDibs find.

Beside the neoclassical living room fireplace, a shelf unit displays glass pieces, reminiscent of midcentury Italian design, by Cambridge artist Carrie Gustafson.

The living room’s neutral tones let the millwork take center stage.

Among the pieces of furniture the homeowners brought with them were the living room sofa upholstered in champagne-colored damask.

The library’s woodwork is painted a saturated shade of blue, the perfect foil for a collection of Chinese and European blue-and-white ceramics.

Designer Heidi Pribell tucked a sitting area into the inglenook under the stairs.

The door leading from the entry hall into the library features Corinthian capitals, applied pilasters, carved garlands, and neoclassical reeding against a backdrop of raised paneling. The entry ceiling’s reflective paper adds a sense of light.

A grand staircase descends into the front entry hall with a pair of newel posts whose carvings make them appear to twist in opposite directions. The corbels and the stepped overmantel of the fireplace speak to the home’s seventeenth-century influences.

The remodel included installing a pool in the corner created by the original house and a twentieth-century ell addition.

The classic Nantucket style of the 1735 Barnabas Gardner house appealed to the homeowners. Improvements, such as the new shingles, had to pass muster with the local historical authority.

As stylish as any grown-up haven, the little girl’s room holds an Ethan Allen bed from the owners’ previous home, which Irving refreshed with a coat of white paint. A geometric Tibetan wool rug and CB2 bedding strike additional notes of sophistication.

What was once a mere stair landing is now a sunny spot well equipped for private time with a plush daybed.

The chic mudroom incorporates a custom shade and a handy apron-front sink for washing hands.

The kitchen’s dining area sports an arresting acrylic on panel by Duy Huynh and a contemporary Apparatus chandelier in blackened brass.

To ensure the kitchen counters stay clear, Irving devised a bonanza of storage.

Working with Boston’s Krakow Witkin Gallery and Jules Place, the designer and her clients found contemporary art that beautifully complements the old room. In the same congenial spirit, modern furnishings and fixtures look right at home with the living room’s classic architectural details.

A barrel ceiling in the master bedroom is both pretty and practical, lending height and depth to a modest-sized room.

Doors and screens in the glass sitting room are designed to slide completely open to let the outdoors in.

The stones in the fireplace surround, chosen to match those on the beach out front, dictate the living room’s earth-tone palette.

Visitors arriving via the front door can see clear through the house to the water. A cupola, which opens into a hallway, adds a nice architectural detail and lets in light, while an exaggerated stone chimney helps ground the house.

.” Copious windows enable the owners to take full advantage of the water views.

The old, underutilized pool was replaced with a more organic design framed by granite pavers and the occasional protruding boulder.

The pub room on the lower level boasts an eclectic mix of clubby leather seating and an African table dating back to the 1940s.

The owner is an avid reader who wanted a library where he could consolidate his extensive book collection. Custom shelves crafted from reclaimed white oak surround an antique English library table dating from around 1800. The rug underneath is new, but was designed to look old and distressed.

The great room’s antique oak ceiling rises nearly twenty-two feet and is illuminated by French doors crowned with a solid granite lintel that took a day and a half to hoist into place.

The downhill side of the barn overlooks an auto court.

Nestled across the yard from the 7,000-square-foot main house, this Ridgefield retreat contains a gym, library, office, and gathering spaces—but no bedrooms, in deference to local building codes. Architect Mark P. Finlay designed it to look like an old outbuilding that had been added onto over the years.

A corner table provides the perfect perch for tastings.

The keeping room is home to owner Ashley’s finds; she loves scouting for antiques and unusual pieces, like the blue leather wing chairs and animal-print ottoman, that bring personality to her rooms.

The multipurpose sitting room adjacent to the kitchen has always been the family’s go-to gathering place. A sofa with plush pillows invites conversation.

The kitchen’s support beams and frieze are reminders of the room’s modest beginnings. The marble surfaces, glazed backsplash, and metal finishes were the shot of glamour that was missing.

With the addition of shades and draperies, the window seat went from incidental architectural detail to one of the best seats in the house.

The great room is a study in contrasts; its rustic backdrop is softened with transitional furnishings in quiet colors and energized with bolder, more modern accents.

The home has been stitched together like a patchwork quilt—with additions, ells, walkways, and wings—over its many years, but has stayed true to its vernacular narrative.

That constant of the home’s unchanged facade belies all of the changes that have taken place behind its period doors over time.

Decked out in full seasonal regalia, the facade of the Colonial-era saltbox is largely unchanged since the farmhouse was built in 1721. That constant belies all of the changes that have taken place behind its period doors over time.

A library features traditional furniture covered in atypical colors and fabrics, along with bright metallic accents like the coffee table’s gilded treatment.

The foyer’s vivid colors, grasscloth walls, and literary references introduce visual refrains that appear throughout the inn.

Each bedroom has a distinct look and includes something eye-popping, like the high-gloss yellow of a four-poster bed or a scarlet wallpaper

Every guest room holds a writing desk, furthering the inn’s literary theme.

A guest room featuring scarlet wallpaper from Lee Jofa

Bold graphics in the wallpaper and rug get a calming counterpoint in the solids Reider chose for the upholstered bed and draperies.

The dining table’s pedestal base and the sconces display the turned forms that designer Rachel Reider favors.

A stainless-steel and galvanized metal island defines the kitchen.

The staircase tower, originally designed to house an observation nook, was left open to maximize light flow.

The back view of the home reveals how Rousselle tucked the ground floor into the sloping site to help conceal the mass of the house and to accommodate a large outdoor patio.

A potting shed off the garage boasts a classic sliding barn door.

The home’s three-season, modified timber-frame screened-in porch is high enough off the ground to give it a tree-house feel.

In the entry hall, natural elements such as slate, stone, and wood help marry inside and out. An open breezeway connects the house and the garage.

The master bath includes a handcrafted Japanese-inspired teak soaking tub, heated slate floors, and custom cabinetry.