Brookside evolved

A Colonial-era house expanded in the 1830s was restored by the removal of boxy 20th-century add-ons. The old dairy barn became a complementary living space.

- REGINA COLE

"Why is it so cheap?"

That was Michael Carter's first thought when he saw the house.

During the pandemic lockdown, the Boston-based interior designer had been looking for a house to restore for resale. His real-estate search led him to a historic structure in the village of Lime Rock, part of the town of Salisbury in northwestern Connecticut.

With an original section built in 1767 and a substantial Greek Revival addition dating to the 1830s, the house had a façade distinguished by an appealing symmetry. Its 20th-century additions were at the rear. Carter abandoned his original plan, deciding to restore the house as the primary residence for himself and his husband, David Rousseau, a veterinarian.

ABOVE The finished dining room has intensely green walls. [Buckingham Gardens Green, Benjamin Moore] Owner Michael Carter chose the saturated color to compensate for the room's lack of natural light. RIGHT Scenic wallpaper decorates an anteroom that connects the dining room in the old house with the added Great Room. BELOW The small room has a cocktail wet bar.

THE 1830 ADDITION IN GREEK REVIVAL STYLE BECAME THE ESSENTIAL CORE OF THE HOUSE; ITS 1767 SECTION IS PRESERVED AS A WING. BOXY LATER ACCRETIONS AT THE REAR HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

He soon learned why it was priced below expectation. Abandoned for over a decade, the house had no heat or electricity. It was inhabited by raccoons, who had discouraged would-be buyers. Then there was the mildew coating every interior surface.