whites neutrals

A custom sectional by Partners in Design provides a welcoming gathering spot in the living room. Curtains crafted from Holly Hunt fabric frame the Lonney White hanging sculpture in front of the windows. A Minotti lounge chair sits near the fireplace, which was designed as a modern interpretation of Savannah Helgeson’s grandmother’s fireplace.
A wraparound porch—and a cute pooch—reinforces the house’s storybook charm.
The new kitchen was scaled up to twice its original size; the plain English-style cabinets are painted Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray, and the architects added a butcher-block countertop along the far wall to accommodate the homeowner’s affinity for baking.
The team at Robert Dean Architects pared down any ornate detailing and added new windows and a wood roof; the front door got a welcoming coat of Fine Paints of Europe’s North Sea Blue.
The former carriage house-turned family home sits on a beautiful swath of land in Greenwich. “Architecturally,” says Robert Dean, “it comes across as very English in terms of both massing and the treatment of the exterior.”
The dining room, left largely intact (the table belonged to the homeowners, and the chandelier is an antique), got a refresh, thanks to recovered chairs and a new wall color (Benjamin Moore Violet Mist).
Tucked in the half-story above the game room, a sparkling new bath connects directly to the primary bedroom in the original section of the house.
In the new family room, an antique brass detail in the top of the custom walnut side table is an electrical port.
Says Gagne of the frequently used sunroom: “This room didn’t have a clear purpose in the beginning, but now it’s the perfect complement to the kitchen and a great place to unwind.”
The hallway looking into the dining room is sheathed in a Phillip Jeffries wallpaper.
In the primary bedroom, the chandelier, bed, chair, and rug are from RH, the homeowner’s favorite store.
A sectional from RH provides a comfortable lounging area on one side of the living room; the artwork is by Meighan Morrison.
Throughout the home, Gagne and Sanchez created small gathering areas to make the residence’s large scale feel more intimate. In the expansive living room, two separate sitting areas feature comfortable, streamlined furnishings upholstered in durable fabrics that are appropriate for the couple’s two children. “We wanted them to have these smaller, cozy spaces where they can be together as a family,” explains Sanchez.
On the opposite end of the living room, it’s easy to see how much dark mahogany was in the home before Gagne and Sanchez stepped in with gallons of paint. No changes were necessary to the Calacatta gold fireplace surround; in the winter, the family likes to get cozy here and play games.
The homeowners worked with designers Holly Gagne and Tina Sanchez and builder Carson True to transform a traditional residence into the stylish house of their dreams. Perhaps the most dramatic change is the interior millwork, which went from a dark mahogany to an airy white, as seen in the entry.
A classic coffered ceiling makes the perfect companion to the living room’s streamlined furniture. Other modern touches include the artwork by Martin Kline above the fireplace and Lindsey Adelman’s striking Branching Bubbles chandelier. With three teenagers and three dogs, owners Kim and John Toomey are happy that Elms covered the sofas and chairs with easy-care indoor-outdoor fabric.
A coat of paint and gold hardware bring new life to the kitchen cabinets. The existing twin islands were freshened up with Calacatta marble on top and sides.
Vintage hickory chairs with rope backs bring warmth to the table.
Black intentionally skipped installing a tile backsplash: “Part of the reason the kitchen still looks great is because there’s no tile,” she asserts.
Huge windows turned a nondescript back exit into a sunny breakfast nook that features a ceramic garden table with a dragon design.
She modified a trefoil-shaped headboard that she had previously designed for a client so it would fit in her daughter’s bedroom. “She picked the fabric and nailheads herself,” Black says.
The laurel branch railings for the primary bedroom’s Juliet balcony were inspired by those in Central Park’s Shakespeare Garden, while ceramic balls from a Copenhagen studio comprise the installation above the bed.
Black positioned the soaking tub in the main bath so it is visible from the bed.
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.
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.
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 Saarinen table below a pendant lamp by Arteriors can accommodate many for breakfast thanks to the banquette seating.
The bedroom is a study in elegance, with its inviting custom bed, paisley-patterned drapes, and a cage-like alabaster chandelier.
Very little was done to the existing fixtures and finishes in the kitchen, although LeBlanc brought in the comfy counter stools and trio of hanging pendants.
The high-contrast dining room provided the perfect canvas for a mix of moods—from the refined lines of the dining table and upholstered chairs to the bold metallic wallpaper and striking Cloud light fixture. The penguin painting is a crowd favorite.
The living room was refreshed by a new quartzite fireplace facade in shades of green.
Designer Tiffany LeBlanc embraced classic details, such as the foyer’s original millwork, even while infusing the home with a modern sensibility.
The first-floor billiard room boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and a marble-fronted fireplace.
The master bathroom includes his and her vanities as well as a teak-lined sauna that opens to the walk-in steam shower clad in Siberian white marble.
A clean, simple design and quiet palette (with just a punch or two of color) turn the master bedroom into a peaceful sanctuary.
An artistic steel, glass, and wood floating staircase keeps things airy and allows light to flood the home.
A lineup of glass pendants in different shapes and sizes lends subtle interest to the streamlined kitchen.
The blue that predominates elsewhere is softened and used as an accent against a neutral backdrop, including a sandy-hued Phillip Jeffries grasscloth, in the master bedroom.
Wooden countertops and brass lighting and hardware give the kitchen a nautical feeling without overwhelming. The original cherry cabinets were painted white.
Fine art, handcraftsmanship, and treasured finds are in evidence throughout this Mystic home. The client fell in love with the antique rosewood wagon wheel from Tucker Robbins and gave it a place of honor in the entryway.
To boost the charm of the cool Sputnik light fixture over the breakfast nook even further, Sinkin added a ceiling medallion. The family-friendly banquette is dressed in a Sunbrella fabric.
Above the kitchen sink, the cornice flaunts an embossed design drawn by Sinkin. The backsplash of gray glass subway tiles is in step with the rest of the home’s palette.
The stunning staircase of glass and metal rises to a casual family room that includes a dining nook and built-in bar. The Harvard logo was commissioned from artist Jennifer Lashbrook.
All the artwork is meaningful. For the master bedroom, Frazier framed a poem her husband wrote in celebration of their first wedding anniversary. The ink blot figure is another piece by Brittney Ciccone.
The nursery’s rug is joyful without seeming childish, and an Eames lounge chair makes for a sophisticated reading spot. Frazier says, “The room is happy but consistent with the rest of the house with its modern feel.”
Artwork by homeowner and designer Katie Frazier’s sister-in-law, Christina Jervey, and custom throw pillows add touches of subtle pattern in neutral colors to the living room.
A restful palette and rich textures, including silk wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries, give the master bedroom its serene aura. Elms designed the platform bed and the nightstands, as well as the upholstered wall behind the bed.
A white kitchen has been jazzed up considerably by the backsplash of custom smoky mirrored glass tiles.
The open living and dining area offers a lot of flexible seating options that are great for entertaining. The space is large enough to accommodate a show-stopping back-to-back sofa and a versatile coffee table that provides storage and surface area in equal measures.
Designer Dee Elms crafted sophisticated scenes and sightlines at every turn in the ninth-floor condominium overlooking Boston Harbor.
The entryway extends a dramatic welcome with its midcentury bench and a large abstract painting.
The view from the master bath includes a wall-size photo of a marsh.
A light-colored Luce chair and Frette linens on the bed, along with a glass wall that admits sunlight from the living room, brighten the master bedroom. The mitered Ann Sacks marble headboard shimmers like a waterfall.
The absence of obstructions, such as pendant lights or a vent hood, means outside light can penetrate deep into the kitchen. Minimalist tap-operated lights hang almost invisibly above the custom Boffi kitchen island. Like the collected works elsewhere in the home, the framed prints on the shelf get moved or swapped occasionally, offering fresh looks for repeat guests.
On the dining area wall, the owners’ original photos of Ellis Island are displayed on inlaid art hangers.
Natural light spills through floor-to-ceiling windows onto midcentury furnishings set on a silky teardrop rug. The rounded lines of the chairs, cocktail table, and rug soften the home’s predominantly linear design.
Daher added wall panels with bronze inserts to give the bedroom more interest.
Daher designed the fireplace’s marble surround and the screens on either side. Stepping up their profile, the three-part screens were wallpapered and then painted. The palette throughout is a sophisticated gray and white with the occasional spark of gold or emerald green.
The great room encompasses several different activity areas and a wealth of textures, such as the layered cowhide rug beneath the coffee table at the room’s center, the high-gloss lacquer on the doors of the wet bar, and the nubby boucle Pierre Frey fabric on the chairs around the corner cocktail table. The vibrant painting above the bar is by Peruvian artist Maria Cecilia Fernandez De Arrospide.
The lacquered table in the intimate dining area is enlivened with a chrome base. Not to be outdone, the banquette sports bronze detailing.
Designer Paula Daher’s skill for choosing unique accessories is evident throughout; atop an ebony chest leading the way to the great room resides a paper lamp similar in shape to a nautilus. Daher drew on memories of her Moroccan travels when designing the handsome screen.
In the master bedroom, the arched window frames were painted to stand out against the custom mural by the French wallpaper company Ananbô. The cage chandelier is from Visual Comfort.
Chests the homeowners already had were retrofitted to function beautifully as sinks in the master bath.
The interior architecture was transformed, given dimension and interest with details such as the entry’s box molding that set the stage for a design that blends classicism with unexpected touches like the animal print Stark carpet.
Scale-pattern wallpaper and a set of diminutive antlers add a touch of wild to the kitchen.
The timeless appeal of the natural world is captured in the dining room, where wallpaper depicting a pastoral landscape harmonizes with a grasscloth-covered ceiling.
Although gutted from top to bottom, the home retained its basic layout. The dining room is between the kitchen and living room, but all three spaces have a more open flow today. Clad in a Phillip Jeffries Bermuda grasscloth, the dining room exudes both elegance and comfort. The colorful painting is by Alberto Murillo, a Spanish artist who now lives in Florida.
The charcoal drawings in the meditation room are by Canadian artist Cathy Daley; the beechwood tripod lamp is part of Silver’s own line of furnishings.
The sumptuous master suite brings together a wealth of textures—the wood mantel, an alpaca throw, linen curtains, and the wool flannel-clad armchair that cozies up to the fire. In true Hirsch mix-it-up style, there’s also an eye-catching walnut Jonathan Adler Claude étagère with a midcentury vibe. “We wanted this to be a sophisticated and quiet place,” the designer says.
A pair of Chisholm lanterns from The Urban Electric Co. in a custom red color that plays off the Lacanche range illuminate the updated kitchen.
The master suite is a soothing sanctuary from the bustle of hosting visitors.
Clean lines and a neutral palette define the kitchen, which boasts a seventeen-foot-long island topped with engineered stone.
Blue Corroded Propeller, a photograph by Peter Mendelson and a nod to one of Fletcher’s favorite pastimes, holds court in the dining room. Rough-sawn painted-wood ceilings throughout lend consistency to the first floor’s open plan.
The quartz kitchen island, with its accent of bright brackets, is a generous thirteen feet long.
Meg Erickson lounges in the bank of west-facing windows with Cleo the cat. Her parents’ Danish modern dining table suits the space perfectly and offers a nostalgic touch. “I blew out birthday candles growing up with this table,” Erickson says.
The spa-like tub room connects the master bedroom to the master bathroom. The modern table was sourced at Field + Supply, a curated makers craft fair held semi-annually in Kingston, New York.
A second-floor guest room has a restful color scheme that complements the pretty views of the Atlantic Ocean and the North Shore of Boston.
One of the couple’s favorite wintertime spots, this cozy sitting area off the kitchen has warm wood built-ins fabricated by Jewett Farms + Co.
A softly hued Phillip Jeffries linen wallcovering conjures the peaceful ambience the couple envisioned for their sleeping quarters, while an upholstered bed from O. Henry House and a curvaceous upholstered bench (just the right height for a sit-and-put-on-your-slippers perch) boost comfort. The striking painting is by Utah artist Holly Addi.
New quarter-sawn oak herringbone floors lighten the home’s mood, as do the playful Miles Redd dining chairs.
Collins came up with a kitchen that’s as posh as it gets, from the custom cabinets by Furniture Design Services to the brass shelving by Palmer Industries. Even the walnut stools step it up with gleaming brass bases.
New built-ins provide the living room with storage and a display area for books and mementoes. Skillful at mixing, Collins teams an antique floral-dressed chair with a cool David Iatesta coffee table. Unexpected materials add punch. The eye-catching octagonal mirror, for instance, is made of porcupine quills.
A pair of dervishes give the side-eye to the guest bedroom, where a bubble ceiling light reflects the playful spirit of the room. The queen bed splits in two when the owners’ college-age sons are in town and need a place to crash
The muted palette of whites and grays continues in the kitchen.
A Chinoiserie desk from the eighteenth century paired with a transitional desk chair creates a quiet workplace in a niche between the family room and kitchen.
The home’s one large, blank wall was put to good use in the den, where the designer juxtaposed multiple works of art in varied styles in a gallery-like display.
Custom designed to fit this space in the master bath, the walnut makeup table has a hidden mirror inside; the material choice takes its cues from the artwork hanging above.
Art is sometimes used as a counterpoint to the room design, as with this dark but whimsical (yes, that’s a pastry bag on her head) painting contrasted with the soft tones used in the master bedroom.
David Kroll’s Apples and Two Vases, the owners’ favorite painting, provides a focal point in the living room as well as a starting point for the choices of color, texture, and materials used in the room design.
While not gallery white, the paint scheme and fabrics provide a sedate palette that lets the artwork remain the focal point in every space, as here in the living room.
The front hall sports traditional touches such as the mahogany newel post, one of the few original details that survived the home’s years of neglect.
A wall of heavily veined marble offers a natural touch to the modern kitchen.
The parlor features a pencil drawing by Sandra Allen of the beech tree that dominates the park at the rear of the home.
The master bathroom runs the full sixteen-foot width of the townhouse and features a standing tub as well as an expansive shower.
A vintage copper artichoke chandelier illuminates the midcentury-inspired dining room in a Boston townhouse. In renovating, the architectural team took full advantage of the park-like views by opening up the rear of the home with an airy window wall.
The family room, once the rear parlor, opens onto a patio that overlooks the shared neighborhood park.
Corrie completely gutted the kitchen, replacing the upper cabinets with glass shelving and a range hood, both of which he designed. He wanted the room to be a “sea of open with no actual ending.”
Corrie completely gutted the kitchen, replacing the upper cabinets with glass shelving and a range hood, both of which he designed. He wanted the room to be a “sea of open with no actual ending.”
A series of nineteenth-century botanical engravings found in Virginia hangs over a sofa by Michael Dawkins.
In the guest bedroom, Rose Tarlow linen was paper-backed to apply to the walls.
Guests are welcomed by a warm fireplace and an expansive leather couch; copious built-in cabinets virtually eliminate clutter from the home.
The first-floor satellite kitchen allows the owner to entertain guests while keeping the upstairs rooms private.
Oversize windows admit plenty of natural light to reflect off living room walls painted the ever-so-pale gray of Farrow & Ball’s Wevet.
The second-floor main kitchen has plenty of food prep and cooking space; appliances stay out of sight behind the veneered cabinets. The eye-catching wallcovering, made of randomized strips of cut marble, matches the backsplashes
The greenhouse courtyard entrance is the only place where the original historic brickwork remains visible.
Objects collected by the well-traveled owner find their places on custom shelves in the office.
A fireplace and upholstered chair add a warm touch to the spare master bedroom.
The interplay between stone and wood continues in the master bath, where an Asian-inspired bench and stool offset the marble sink and limestone floors.
The Spanish Blanco Macael marble used for this sink appears throughout the home as a unifying element.
The central staircase rising though all six floors provides a focal point for the entire house.
The study, with its grasscloth-covered walls and peaceful color scheme, affords a quiet spot for reading. It’s also the only room with a TV, which the owners use primarily for viewing tennis matches. A beach scene by Philip Barlow displayed above the sofa nods to summer.
A silk and wool rug feels good under bare toes, while an Arctic Pear chandelier by Ochre lends sparkle.
The chic mudroom incorporates a custom shade and a handy apron-front sink for washing hands.
To ensure the kitchen counters stay clear, Irving devised a bonanza of storage.
“The dining room’s focus is the wallpaper,” explains designer Kristine Irving, who also chose Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue paint for the ceiling.
A favorite gathering space, the family room includes Michael Mazur’s painting White Water and a game table for hours of fun.
A balcony was closed in to create the master suite’s chic sitting area.
In the bath, a large soaking tub stands before double windows peering over the gardens.
The living room’s sofas, custom designed by interior designer Gilles Clement, get extra visual interest with built-in shelves at their backs.
The pendulous chandelier is suspended by a cascade of chains. Unfinished ceiling beams are a nod to the home’s Colonial heritage, while the black-and-white palette and graphic fabrics are a modern touch
Serena & Lily bar stools surround a marble-topped kitchen island; the owners acquired the vintage, orange-lacquered lunch box on a trip to Myanmar.
Appliances are concealed within a wooden enclosure designed to resemble an old ice box; like much of the interior millwork, it was built by Michael Smith.
A reclaimed nineteenth-century door opens onto the foyer, construction of which required the removal of an old fireplace and the relocation of a staircase.
The comfortable everyday dining area just off the kitchen has sunny backyard views on two sides.
The Lucite legs of the upholstered bench at the foot of the master bed add a glamorous touch.
A silk rug grounds the living room, where a sofa reupholstered by the designer in Venetian velvet and chairs re-covered in Osborne & Little Oriole fabric beckon. Ikat and animal-print toss pillows lend an exotic note.
Phillip Jeffries wallpaper provides a subdued background that lets the art play a starring role.
Comfy cowhide-covered swivel chairs fill the sitting space off the kitchen.
A fireplace fabricated with London Fog stone commands attention in the family room.
White sofas and a cowhide rug, glass cocktail table, and an airy cage chandelier are washed in light in the glassed-in conservatory.
The kitchen features form and function in equal measure.
Lots of doors and fixed floor-to-ceiling windows blur the lines between indoors and out.
The dining area can accommodate a crowd.
Horizontal lines and a mix of light wood finishes, including walls clad in pale yellow sugar pine, contribute to the home’s seamless look.
Reclaimed vintage white oak rafters add a rustic touch to the cedar-clad great room.
“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.
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.
The library can be made cozier by closing it off from the adjacent living room via sliding barn doors.
The open-corner window configuration used in the sitting area is repeated upstairs in the master bedroom. “It feels like a tree house,” says the homeowner. The angled ceiling hints at the eccentricity of a vintage farmhouse.
The windows that wrap the sitting area reference traditional style, but their oversized proportions offer a view a farmer could only dream of. Belgian-linen upholstery, soft throws, and ample pillows plump up the comfort.
The metal serpentine-front buffet is one of Seitz’s favorite pieces, followed closely by the two standing lamps and the metal antelope’s-horn stool. The painting of the rabbit above is by Patrice Lombardi, a longtime friend of the homeowner.
The kitchen’s broad, granite-topped island provides plenty of space to cook and entertain.
Designer Joanna Seitz chose the dining room’s dimmable glass globe pendants to complement the industrial lighting used elsewhere, but disappear against the backdrop of windows. The custom-made table and stackable, recycled-rubber-slat chairs were among her other finds.
Rusticity reigns just inside the main entry, where a ship-lapped wall and a hand-painted floor cloth offer a warm welcome.
Inside the connecting wing, structural beams wrapped in reclaimed wood, an industrial-style ceiling fixture, and a portrait of an inquisitive steer offer subtle reminders of life in the country.
On the lowest level, a pull-down bed lets the family room double as a comfortable private suite for the homeowner’s son.
Neutral-toned swivel chairs by Kravet share an ottoman, creating a cozy reading niche in the master bedroom.
The boldly patterned Phillip Jeffries wallpaper delights the homeowner, who admits she would never have chosen such an assertive design in her previous abode.
A contemporary Avrett pendant and butterfly-print pillows lend a youthful feel to the breakfast area.
The dining room’s eye-catching abstract painting by Boston artist Trevor Watson reflects the surroundings in its high-gloss surface.
Hogarty used space-saving tricks, like stationing stools under the living room console to act as extra seating.
The classic trellis design of the Zoffany wallpaper and the handsome Barclay sink bring personality to the powder room.
Designer Nicole Hogarty orchestrated the view from the front door as a welcoming vignette that hints at the unexpected with the inclusion of the bright-red coffee tables and bulbous pendants. “There’s no foyer, so it was important for me to create a small moment there,” she says.
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 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.
Beauty and drama merge in the master bathroom, where an egg-shaped sink rests atop live-edge, locally sourced cherry wood. Samimi-Urich chose the smoked-glass pendants because they suggest drops of water.
Sculptural floating wall panels separate the master bedroom and bathroom, adding artistic interest to the room and functioning as a backdrop to the four-poster bed. Suspended wall-to-wall cabinets provide ample storage.
A colonial-style staircase was replaced with this simple, modern design of iron and painted wood.
The dining room’s antique farm table is large enough to accommodate family and visiting friends. When illuminated, the sculptural wooden light fixture casts art-like shadows across the room. During daylight hours, large windows let in an abundance of natural light.
Steel and salvaged wood and soapstone come together beautifully in the open kitchen; reclaimed pumpkin pine forms the suspended shelves.
A neutral backdrop lets the homeowner’s art collection pop; a painting by Sierra Urich (Mitra’s daughter) hangs above an antique dry sink in the living room.
A rug of silk and wool anchors the living room space, where the focal point is a sculptural fireplace of concrete and steel. Floating shelves made from salvaged wood and a farmhouse-style coffee table add softness to the room.
The living room’s white slipcovers make for easy maintenance, while throw pillows add texture and color. The blue-velvet ottoman doubles as a stool when extra seating is needed.
Local photographer Daniel Sutherland’s work brings a bit of the island’s scenic landscape into the master bedroom.
Light gray floors—a riff on driftwood—knit kitchen, dining area, and living room together while boosting the home’s airiness.
Dartmouth, Massachusetts, woodworker Scott Pacheco crafted the kitchen’s sawbuck table and bench. The latter is clad in vinyl for easy cleaning, and the pillows are dressed in a Galbraith & Paul fabric.
In the dining room, an antique mirror and twin sconces draw the eye to the cerused-oak sideboard.
With its mother-of-pearl wall tiles and a hammered-metal console, the entrance foyer sets the eclectic tone of the home’s interior design.
Appliances hide behind the cerused finish of the cabinetry.
One of the two guest bedrooms features a hammered-metal headboard from Mexico and a South African metal beadwork chandelier.
The textured silk wallcovering, a white plaster chandelier, floor-to-ceiling curtains, and a color palette of creamy blues and whites give the master bedroom a serene, elegant feel.
Dinner parties are more fun in a dining room that is a conversation starter in and of itself. The modern plum-blossom pattern of the De Gournay wallpaper adds a splash of color.
Sheer drum shades update the crystal chandeliers and soften their glow.
The library skews formal, but not at the expense of comfort. Cappoli sourced the sofa and the carpet first, then the rest of the room fell into place. "There are pieces that define a space, that arouse people’s emotions, associations, and memories," he says.
In the foyer, Cappoli blended classic elements like the Greek key pattern of the carpet with contemporary touches such as a bronze sculpture by Boston artist Tristan Govignon perched on a Lucite pedestal.
Upholstered walls enhance the master bedroom’s coziness and mute the sounds of the city. "I wanted the room to feel like an elegant cocoon," says the designer.
A club chair from Gregorius Pineo makes a choice spot for reading. The fetching painting is from Webster & Company.
A set of Vaughan sconces and a stylish mirror pick up on the faux-bois wallpaper in the powder room.
Having been previously renovated, the spacious kitchen primarily required cosmetic attention. Valances in a tailored Kravet fabric and sleek pendants by Visual Comfort give the space a fresh look. To accommodate his clients’ request for greater efficiency and comfort, Carter modified the island before flanking it with a parade of inviting Hickory Chair barstools.
In keeping with the husband’s wishes for a dash of the modern, Carter chose an attention-getting painting-Didactic Method of Elenchus, by Edward Lentsch-from the Lanoue Gallery in Boston, for the serene living room. The welcoming club chairs by Rose Tarlow are dressed in a Cowtan & Tout fabric, while the sofa wears a neutral Jane Churchill fabric. An antique desk set cleverly in the bay window provides a sunny work area.
An ornate Baroque mirror from Minton-Spidell is a memorable foil to the living room’s classic mantel. The gray-blue for the interior of the shelves was chosen to echo the blue of the Lentsch painting on the opposite wall.
No ordinary foyer, this one includes a Donald De Lue sculpture by the window and antique Foo Dogs atop the mantle.
The new kitchen is bright and efficient. The dining room’s Robert Abbey chandelier makes a striking contrast to the warm wood table.
The living and dining rooms are one, with a comfortable, eclectic mix of furnishings chosen for visual and textural interest.
A few modern moves make all the difference in this townhouse transformation. In the living room, a log trough adds an artistic as well as functional touch to the fireplace wall.
With subtle gold and silver accents and a cozy sitting area, the master suite is a soothing retreat for the homeowners.
Detail of the master bedroom sitting area.
The designers incorporated indoor/outdoor fabric on the sofa and ottomans in the TV room, making them family- and pet-friendly.
An elegant chandelier paired with a more transitional table bridges formality and functionality in the dining room.
A statement-making shagreen-textured bar cabinet with antique mirrors on the inside adds visual appeal and puts aperitifs within arm’s reach
Mirrored drawers and cabinet doors play up the substantial light that spills through the master bathroom windows.