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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.
In the master bath, a nineteenth-century French gilt-bronze and crystal chandelier adds a bit of whimsy to the sleek marble and polished-nickel fixtures. An original wooden beam highlights the expanse of new windows.
A guest room offers a dramatic juxtapositioning of antique Edwardian beds, a Georgian bachelor’s chest, and a massive iron chandelier.
The large, circular window is the centerpiece of a sitting area off the kitchen, where French bergère chairs mingle with a wingback settee and an array of patterned throw pillows.
Glass star chandeliers illuminate the long kitchen island, which offers seating for informal meals.
A weighty chandelier and German ostrich lithograph add drama to the dining area, where modern, slipcovered chairs surround an antique pine French Canadian farmhouse table.
In the first-floor powder room the original beadboard ceiling contrasts nicely with a vintage mirror and modern sconces.
 In the Americana room, splashes of red, white, and blue complement Deyber’s collection of patriotic objects, including a portrait of George Washington and a trio of carved eagles. The linen-covered chairs and sofa strike just the right balance of comfort and elegance.
Shagreen-clad nightstands, Frette bedding, a Murano glass chandelier, and a silver-gilt canopy bed give the master bedroom its sense of luxury.
A generous swath of pale marble guarantees a pristine look for the owner’s bath.
A cozy guest room is outfitted with furniture from a local shop. “We did a lot of shopping,” says Quinn with a chuckle.
Quinn carries the water’s color into the pool house with a graphic rug and pillows from Colony Rug Company.
JANUS et Cie’s Amalfi collection lounges lend style to the pool.
The new lattice-framed pergola leads to the dairy room.
An oxidized crane stands nearby.
The landscape offers a variety of intimate spaces.
A mirrored bar and Louis Vuitton trunk make an elegant pair in the dining room. The trunk holds throws, so it’s also functional,” the designer notes.
A cowhide rug brings texture to the loft.
The living room’s high ceilings hold photosensitive panels that are blue by day and rose-colored at night.
Designer Karen Quinn discovered the striking fire screen on 1stdibs.
Inside, a barn-board wall and a stone floor evoke the home’s farm past.
Landscape designer Jeff Stevens and interior designer Karen Quinn turned what was once a dairy room into an inviting entry space. Urns of geraniums and a crisp hedge of Winter Gem boxwood provide the initial welcome.
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.
In the master bedroom, burlap-clad X benches from Safavieh flank the cane bed.
The large room also holds a sitting area with a settee dressed in Lulu DK fabric and a pair of fanciful swan side tables from Serena & Lily.
Bamboo pieces enliven the dining room’s pine dresser, which doubles as a bar
French doors lead from the living room to the dining room where a warm blend of colors creates a welcoming atmosphere, especially in the evening, the designer explains.
The kitchen table, grounded by a classic checkerboard floor, is surrounded with chairs from Crate & Barrel and Serena & Lily.
Paintings by local artists Daphne Chapin (top) and Pat Pratt speak to the surroundings and the owners’ lifestyle, which includes boating whenever possible.
Rylee favors tall lamps like the antique duo bookending the living room sofa. Leather ottomans add texture to the scene, and cozy touches such as a monogrammed blanket from Maine’s Swans Island Company help enrich the room’s stay-awhile appeal.
Happily, the 1920 retreat’s classic shingled exterior had been rejuvenated by the previous owners when Rylee and family arrived.
To boost the ambience in the personality-filled porch along the front of the house, homeowner and designer Leslie Rylee paired the swing (devised with help from Kay Sloan, a friend whom the designer labels “jack of all trades, seamstress, and facilitator extraordinaire”) with old-time treasures like antique lamps and an end table decorated with wooden spools.
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 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.
At the rear of the house, Sea-Dar Construction demolished the masonry to make way for the expansive panes of glass that enclose the family room and breakfast room.
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 Tudor-style house, built in 1930, underwent a complete remodel, but architect Treffle LaFleche preserved its exterior facade of brick, stone, and half-timbering. While the new interiors take a contemporary turn, the home sits comfortably in its Wellesley, Massachusetts, neighborhood of abodes in Colonial, Victorian, and Tudor styles.
The screened porch is at once rustic and comforting, and the views inside rival the distant vistas. All of the twig furniture is from La Lune, in a natural bark finish. A country-inspired mix of upholstery fabrics softens the space, which is illuminated by a chandelier from Deep Landing Workshop, sconces from Hubbardton Forge, and the warm glow of a fireplace.
The master suite features a pencil-post bed and a nineteenth-century American walnut trunk, which sit on a circa-1930 Sparta rug. The oft-used window seat wears Rose Tarlow fabric.
Guests slumber in an antique bed from North Carolina.
The blue-and-white guest bedroom features a shiplap paneled ceiling and built-in bookcases; a circa-1905 slag-glass acorn pendant light adds a special vintage touch.
With its palette of warm hues and cushy furniture, the study is a sink-in-and-stay space.
The clean-lined and practical kitchen was smartly designed by Pennoyer and his associate Jasmine Pinto. They used Jet Mist honed granite for the countertops and found the backsplash tile locally, at Cider Press Tile in Keene.
The dining room was furnished around the eleven-foot-long nineteenth- century convent table found in a shop in Pennsylvania. The Oushak rug is an antique, and the vintage dining chairs came from the homeowner’s grandmother’s home in Mississippi.
Neutral, with pleasing blue notes, the living room is purposefully calm, cozy, and curated.
Interior designer Cameron -Schwabenton aimed for an updated farmhouse feel that honors the natural environment. Well-chosen antiques are plentiful, including a circa-1880 bird’s-eye view of Keene, New Hampshire, over the fireplace, a pair of Moroccan tables with antique mirror tops, and architectural wood carvings from Kerala, India.
Chippendale-style gates bring a traditional touch to the grounds. Under landscape designer Elizabeth Halley’s care, the site is burgeoning with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs that complement the home’s architecture.
Garden designer and horticulturist -Deborah Munson created the lattice-like Belgian fence of espaliered pears scaling the brick wall that sets off the pool.
Rather than the usual terrace off the family room, Rylee and Fisher devised a floating terrace using massive salvaged stone slabs.
The bed wears a crisp taffeta skirt, and the headboard is accented with strips of silk ikat.
In the master bedroom, Rylee’s penchant for silver translates into a host of small antique boxes (more treasures via her grandmother) gracing the Lucite top of her faux-tusk-legged dressing table. The painting is by artist Richard Segalman.
A faux zebra rug by Jonathan Adler warms the classically tiled floor in the master bath. The to-die-for tub has a center drain and a side overflow, which demanded specialized plumbing.
On a trip to Buenos Aires, Rylee and her husband discovered the living room’s mirror and black benches. The sconces are antique as are the Chinese garden seats, while the delicate chandelier is from Visual Comfort.
A fireplace surround from R.T. Facts in Kent makes a stunning focal point for the living room.
Rylee and Fisher planned two generous entrances to link the kitchen and family room. The industrial-style lights above the island are from Restoration Hardware. The white backdrop makes the room feel “crisp,” Rylee says.
A gleaming tortoise shell atop an heirloom chest creates an eye-catching contrast in the dining room. “I love having a chest in the dining room for storing table linens,” says the designer. The silver candlesticks belonged to her grandmother.
Thoughtful additions like a game table in the bay window make the family room welcoming for all ages. Even the dogs love the comfortable chairs upholstered in a paisley fabric by Jasper.
Chairs in the snug library wear a subdued Fortuny fabric, while pillows are clad in a contemporary Madeline Weinrib pattern.
The staircase design mimics one Rylee admired in the headmaster’s house at Connecticut’s Hotchkiss School, which she attended.
The handsome new house that replaced a nondescript ranch has a time-honored, neoclassical appearance. Homeowner/interior designer Leslie Rylee and builder Dennis Fisher bought many antique elements, such as the front door and its surround, to further an old feel. Details that had to be added were crafted carefully. “Every new window and door we added was custom made,” Fisher says.
A raised tub and lots of windows turn the master bath into a lofty oasis.
In the master bedroom, which sits in the original part of the house, a rounded wall of windows offers an almost 180-degree view. On this second floor of the house, the owners kept the original natural fir ceilings.
Designer Andrew J. Paraskos let the view take the starring role in the family room, complementing it with furniture in sandy neutrals and grounding it with a textured rug that has a horizontal pattern to echo the transoms and subtle colors that speak to the water.
The expansive new kitchen has double Caesarstone-topped islands. Rift- and quarter-sawn oak cabinets are a modern interpretation of the Shaker style.
The kitchen’s breakfast area is a sun-washed niche with a wraparound banquette that looks out across the front yard.
Goff designed a sliding barn door that lets the homeowners close off the dining room from the kitchen.
The staircase railing was painted white, allowing the rope-twist newel posts to stand out.
Throughout the first floor, cherry floors were replaced with pale oak and natural fir ceilings were painted white to give the house a more summery feel.
The new porch offers views of Narragansett Bay as well as plenty of space for friends and family to gather.
Plantings around the pool are lush and natural.
Goff pushed the rear of the house out to add the glass-walled family room and the covered porch.
The broad entry allows a view of the sloping front yard, where gentle terracing helps guide rainwater away from the house.
Irregular, rounded stone forms a walkway from the drive to the front door.
Gale Goff, the architect who designed this Jamestown, Rhode Island, house, returned to forge an addition to expand the kitchen and create a family room. The addition, which segues from the enlarged kitchen to the spacious covered porch, was accomplished seamlessly.
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.
Perkins worked with Connecticut Post & Beam to design the barn-like pool house with rough-sawn siding and a tin roof. It has a small kitchen, bathroom, outdoor shower, and a stone fireplace.
Kingsley-Bate furniture cozies up to the pool house fireplace.
In the bunk room, a Pottery Barn Kids light fixture hangs above one of six mismatched antique beds dressed with vintage quilts and Pendleton blankets.
In the children’s bedroom, a pinwheel made of vintage banners hangs above a tole lamp.
In the master bedroom, Lola, one of Perkins’s five dogs, rests on a bed with a headboard that Perkins designed and upholstered in Ralph Lauren Home fabric. A lamp by Currey & Company is paired with an antique drop leaf table used as a nightstand.
A Gucci scarf framed like a piece of art came from Perkins’s childhood home.
Color, pattern, and texture create drama in the dining room, where the ceiling wears a watery-blue, high-gloss paint and the walls are covered in a printed paper from Cowtan & Tout.
Stools from Restoration Hardware line up at the kitchen island, which has a top of Pietra del Cardoso sandstone. Perkins mirrored the cabinet panels to reflect the views of the other side of the room.
The center section of the newly built Greek Revival is a copy of the nineteenth-century house that once stood on the property.
The collection of vintage photographs of Native Americans belonged to homeowner and designer Marisa Bistany Perkins’s mother-in-law.
An antique dry sink is used as a bar in the barn room.
In the lounge area that connects the great room to the barn room, an iron and rope chandelier by Solaria hangs above two leather chairs from Privet House.
The master bath offers luxurious serenity.
The children’s bedrooms (above center and right) illustrate the casual comfort vibe that the homeowners and designer were going for.
The children’s bedrooms (above center and right) illustrate the casual comfort vibe that the homeowners and designer were going for.
The master suite blends an urban sensibility with a warm country feel. Keeping it neutral was an important part of the design strategy.
The kitchen has plenty of family-friendly seating options.
Interior designer Sara Jordan made sure that her family-friendly choices in the dining room and kitchen were in sync with the breakfast table and chairs that moved in with the family.
Comfortable, durable seating was of paramount importance to the homeowners, who have three young children.
A hand-painted chest custom made in Thailand serves as a bar.
New windows with transoms let the sun wash the living room, and wide-plank white oak floors were laid throughout the house in a renovation that honors the original but has a fresh feel.
The reclaimed barn.
A cozy deck off the breakfast area (the new owners added the pergola).
The breezeway connects the barn and main house.
The property offered the whole country package, including the farmhouse with its classic colonial facade.
The homeowners were living in Brooklyn, New York, and had never heard of Westport until they started looking for a home for their growing family. They were sold after one look at this iconic farmhouse on lovingly tended, parklike grounds.
Set amid vibrant but groomed grounds, the stone patio offers an outdoor gathering spot perfect for warm summer nights or cooler evenings around the custom fire pit.
Neutral, beachy tones and glamorous accents make for a soothing master bedroom sanctuary.
Featuring built-in trundle beds, the boys’ bunkroom is an ode to the interior of a ship.
The airy kitchen continues the understated Americana theme with its island and lanterns sporting a patriotic navy blue.
A modern bistro set and a sunny window seat add a splash of fun to the kitchen area.
The dining room fulfills the owners’ wish for a space that seats their large extended family without being too formal.
Striped his-and-hers chairs and ottomans inhabit a cheerful and sunny reading lounge in the living room—one of many nooks created with a family of book-lovers in mind.
An antique American flag anchors the airy living space and serves as an inspiration for the home’s color scheme. Modern accents, like the custom floor cubes, create an appealing contrast to the more traditional decor and neutral carpet and walls.
The coastal-chic white rocker and bench, stars-and-stripes pillows, and a door painted in Ralph Lauren’s Club Navy keep the space in sync with the homeowners’ tasteful patriotic aesthetics.
The perfect place to sit with a Sunday paper and coffee, the entry porch is a nice respite from the summer sun
A short jaunt from the beach and the heart of Falmouth, this sun-drenched home was renovated to nearly double its original size and now serves as a family getaway. The cleverly terraced yard and lush landscaping complement the sizable circular driveway, built to accommodate a large family and many guests.
Architect Nancy Leslie designed the hardscape, including the basket-weave pool surround.
The columns on the second level have a bamboo-inspired shape. Snazzy umbrellas mark the poolside sitting area.
The columns on the second level have a bamboo-inspired shape. Snazzy umbrellas mark the poolside sitting area.
Coping around the pool and spa combines three shades of blue tile.
A pergola shades the pool house dining area. A pond view is an added bonus in the pretty pool area.
The daughter’s bedroom beguiles with stripes and florals and a romantic palette of blue and lilac.
In the master bath, the husband’s grooming area includes pendants from Visual Comfort, sconces by Robert Abbey, and an antique slipper chair.
Shapely Palacek stools in a zesty fabric add energy to the quiet blue-and-white palette of the kitchen.
The walls of the family room glow with Benjamin Moore’s jewel-toned Ray of Light, a color that celebrates summer in the warm season, yet—especially when the limestone fireplace is lit—feels cozy in winter. The zippy zigzag pattern of the Stark area rug picks up on the texture of the woven Walters Wicker sofas.
Architect Nancy Leslie devised a sightline that races from the front door through the dining room and out to the view. The Dana Creath lanterns above the table “create the feeling of sheltering umbrellas,” says Pelissier.
The foyer reveals an artful tile inlay as well as a staircase with hand-turned newel posts and balusters.
“This project was an unbelievable collaboration,” says builder Stephen Sullivan. “Everybody involved took pride in their work and the owner’s appreciation made it all worthwhile.”
A cedar ceiling elevates the front porch, as do lanterns from designer Robin Pelissier’s home decor boutique, Robin’s Nest.
The wife’s choice of the cadet-blue trim color is just one of the unique touches in this house. The lofty garage holds a second-level guest suite complete with kitchenette. Landscape designer Susan Saunders’s rich tapestry of trees and plantings, including spirea, viburnum, and fragrant clethra, enhances the front entrance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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