Once tired and lacking character, this large, 19thcentury Queen Anne house was extensively renovated, and it's exterior beautifully restored and polychromed. Architect Frank Shirley, of Cambridge, Mass., also designed a new garage in Queen Anne style for the property. Interior renovations brought the family four new bathrooms, all with period inspiration; a new master suite; and a writer’s studio.
A key design element is a “circulation spine” created down the center of the house, connecting with the previously isolated caboose of a kitchen to make it the family center. This area of the house got a 70-square foot addition to provide space for a separate mudroom.
The character is that of late-19th-century pantries and kitchens. The Indian owners brought their passion for color, provided by painted cabinets, textiles for a lively complement to the blue trim, and a tile backsplash that adds color and pattern without overwhelming the room. Top cabinets have perforated metal fronts in unlacquered brass, adding interest and more pattern and yet concealing stored objects.
1. BREAKFAST NOOK
This story is from the July - August 2020 edition of Old House Journal.
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This story is from the July - August 2020 edition of Old House Journal.
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THE Villa RENEWED
This house in Greene County, New York, has been faithfully restored, from its foundation and structure to exterior elements and trim inside.
walls & ceilings
BY THE 1870s, the tripartite treatment was fashionable: walls divided into dado (or wainscot) below the chair rail, fill or field section, and frieze at the top of the wall.
lighting + hardware
ANTIQUE, REPRODUCTION, or contemporary, lighting fixtures and lamps are among the most cost-effective ways to add drama or period style to a room.
CRAFTSMAN PATINA
A smitten owner brings the Arts & Crafts aesthetic to a 1921 bungalow in Seattle.
furniture & decorative accessories
PERIOD ROOMS are the goal of a very small niche of old-house owners.
wall & floor tiles
TODAY WE FIND TILE from small studios . . . carved relief tiles, subway tile and mosaics, glazes matte and iridescent . . . plus encaustics and California revivals.
A TRANSCENDENT BATHROOM IN OJAI
A seamless addition allowed for this timeless primary bath, which has been re-imagined as an upgrade dating to ca. 1930.
CRAFTSMAN DETAILS IN A KITCHEN
An excellent layout and period motifs distinguish this midsize kitchen in a bungalow-era house.
home design - HOUSES HAVE A PAST - AND A FUTURE, TOO
THE BEST RENOVATIONS TOE THE LINE BETWEEN NECESSARY UPDATES AND ENOUGH SENSITIVITY TO ASSURE DESIGN INTEGRITY.
a farmhouse RESCUE
Using a cache of salvaged finds, the homeowner, architect, and contractor together rescued a tumbledown farmhouse in Vermont.