Past meets present

An 1880 Cape gets a 21st-century update, providing the perfect balance of antique charm and contemporary style for a growing family

- ROB WOTZAK

With a vintage Beatles LP playing in the background and dinner simmering on the stove, Megan and Lincoln Pasquina relax with their two young sons in their new great room, its floor-to-ceiling windows inviting in views of the rolling meadow, woods, and pond on their three-acre property in Concord, Massachusetts. The family moved in just a couple of weeks before, and “the tree-house room,” as Megan has dubbed it, is already their favorite hangout space.

The couple's renovated Cape, built-in 1880, wasn't always so in tune with the land: When they purchased the place, it was a jumble of small rooms with an awkward flow and lackluster additions from the 1950s and 1960s. “We loved the coziness of the old house, but it felt a little claustrophobic," Megan says. “And it didn't open up at all to the property, which is spectacular and the main reason we bought the house." The Pasquinas called on architect Andrew Sidford to update the existing 2,523-square-foot home with an open-concept living/dining area, a new primary suite, and two home offices to support the couple's work-from-home lifestyle.

Sidford drew up plans for a bold renovation that juxtaposes modern and traditional elements. The project, which kicked off last June and took eight months, is part of TOH's 43rd television season.