The French Countryside Arrives in Concord

BY BARBARA RHINES

At the end of a pastoral road in Concord, past crisp Colonials and a few mid-century modern Deck houses, there is an enchanting French Norman-style cottage. With leaded glass windows, a romantic, ivy-covered tower, and fascinating ancient brickwork patterns, the house evokes the European countryside.

Surprisingly, this unique and seemingly antique home was built in 1965. The house was commissioned by an interior designer and her husband who fell in love with the traditional architecture of Normandy during their travels in Europe. The French Norman style is characterized by steep roofs, brick or stone construction, and often has a central tower, which in medieval times would have served as an attached farm structure to the main house.

Photo courtesy of the author

The original owner brought a studied eye to the building process and oversaw every detail of the construction. She hired highly skilled masons from Quebec to create the intricate patterns of brickwork. The story goes that this original owner would watch the masons at work and personally move individual bricks out of position before the mortar set to increase the romantic whimsy that she was after.

Photo courtesy of the author

The current owners immediately fell in love with the property when they began house hunting. The husband remembers, “It was the second house we looked at in Concord, so we hesitated. How did it compare to what was out there when it was so unique?” They continued looking but quickly circled back. What the locals called “the castle” was something they couldn’t pass up. Today their children scramble up the tower stairs and peek over the banisters of the interior gallery, which runs along the formal living room’s vaulted ceiling.

The home has had three owners in its history, and each subsequent owner put their stamp on the property while maintaining the original vision. The second owner was a landscape architect, and gardens and terraces were added, strengthening the home’s pastoral inspiration. The current owners are avid gardeners and delight in maintaining and expanding the perennial beds.

Photo courtesy of the author

The current owners also brought the interior in line with today’s way of living while carefully replicating and preserving architectural details. They brightened the interior with new French doors, making a better connection to the gardens. They also reworked the floor plan, expanding the kitchen and dining room to accommodate gatherings of friends, family, kids, and dogs.

Photo courtesy of the author

“We never tire of discovering the details that were put into this house,” says the wife. “From the rough plaster interior walls to the beautiful antique lighting, we can see that nothing was left to chance.”

Photo courtesy of the author

A mid-20th century couple had a dream of Romanesque Normandy and made it a reality in Concord. A 21st century family is still delighting in that vision. —————————————

Barbara Rhines is a freelance writer in the Boston area specializing in architectural history, home renovation, and the decorative arts.