Pamela Foreman Revives an 1829 Carriage House

June 26, 2025

A Designer stays true to her home’s roots.

Text by Robert Kiener |    Photography by Lara Kimmerer

 

Historic Carriage House Renovation Honors Agrarian Roots

As if designer Pamela Brown Forman needed proof of her property’s agrarian roots: “We even found hay in the walls,” she says, thinking back to a fun surprise they uncovered during a gut renovation of their 1829 carriage house.

Forman and her husband had lived in the house, part of a large farm and estate, in Needham, Massachusetts, for a decade before embarking on the year-long reno, which would result in an entirely new, more traditional layout. “We extended the primary suite and turned what used to be the hayloft into my office,” says Forman. Which, of course, explains the hay.

The modern makeover had to accomplish a lot. Forman, who appreciates British design (“I am a huge Kit Kemp fan,” she says), wanted to add some English elements, but she was equally inspired by her travels to Italy. The home also needed to double as headquarters for her firm, PBF Homes. But perhaps most importantly, Forman didn’t want to stray too far from the structure’s pastoral beginnings.

“We could have transformed this house into a typical New England colonial, but we wanted to be sympathetic to its roots and pay homage to its past as a barn/carriage house,” explains Forman “For example, we painted the exterior a vintage shade of terra-cotta and kept the low windows in bedrooms that were once animal stalls. While we certainly expanded, reconfigured, and modernized the home, we managed to keep that unique, vintage feel.”

A Cozy, Collected Interior with British Design Influence

Inside, Forman went for a cozy, transitional, collected vibe that showcases a palette rich with autumn-inspired colors like browns, greens, and plums. To satisfy her desire for British design, she incorporated “lots and lots” of wallpaper—and not just on the walls.

“Even some of the ceilings are wallpapered,” she admits, laughing. “That can make a room so much cozier and more relaxed than merely leaving ceilings plain.” Other ceilings were coffered to
add a touch of architectural interest.

One very un-British element of the redesign is the lower level’s open floor plan. Forman removed walls and installed glass pocket doors to achieve a modern-day great room concept. Stained white-oak floors give the space a cohesive feeling.

While Forman, her husband, and their labradoodle, Finn, live in the home, Forman regularly meets clients in that second-story office. “I’ve really got the best of both worlds,” she says. “My home is my office and vice versa. I love walking my clients through my home to show them how I have solved a myriad of decorating issues and help inspire them. I call this my ‘living showroom.’ ”

Project Team
Architectural design: Eckert Associates
Interior design: PBF Homes
Builder: R.L. Sullivan Construction
Landscape design: Woodburn & Company

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