Distinctive
HOMES of the East Bay & South Coast
SUMMER 2021
72 Fogland Road, Tiverton | Sale Pending
Little Compton | Tiverton | Westport, MA
CHERRY ARNOLD Little Compton’s #1 Sales Agent
C) 401-864-5401 cherry.arnold@mottandchace.com cherryarnold.com
cherryarnold_realestate
cherryarnoldrealestate
Each office independently owned and operated.
DISTINCTIVE HOMES
SUMMER 2021
of the East Bay & South Coast A supplement to the East Bay newspapers
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY CRISAFULLI
Once an RV garage, this home now sparkles day or night. The roofline in the background reveals the original garage, before two additions were constructed (garden room to the left, entryway and mudroom to the right). The elegant library was a featured element in the design.
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The backyard oasis In these properties you can hide from the world or welcome a hundred friends — and summer is their time to shine!
The writer’s studio A former RV garage, now spectacular home, sets the scene for an author’s inspiration.
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A lot with a little
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A room to grow
Good landscape design can happen at any scale — even the intimate entrance to a cozy condo.
With a little planning and a lot of creativity, you can design a room to fit your child
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Million-dollar mystique In the past (like two years ago!) a million-dollar home was something special. Is it still?
LOVE KIRK|SCHRYVER
TEAM
where you LIVE
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS.
OVER 60 PROPERTIES SOLD • OVER $54 MILLION IN SALES IN 2021 TO DATE
lindsay mitchell
lisa schryver
becky bishop
401.480.2221
401.529.5724
401.578.9642
jan malcolm
elizabeth kirk
hadley enright
401.447.9217
401.225.0371
401.396.6565
LTD
Attention to every detail, enthusiasm and an incredible work ethic enable this team to make the often emotional process of buying or selling a home seamless – and with unparalleled results for our clients. Let us go above and beyond for you so you can enjoy what is most important – your home.
kirk-schryver.com 5
This Portsmouth home (currently on the market with Gustave White Sotheby’s for $1.8 million) enjoys a private nook near the Glen Farm polo grounds, with an outdoor canopy that can hide the family or welcome a party.
The backyard oasis BY JOAN D. WARREN Every day is a vacation when lounging by the fresh saltwater pool feeling the breeze blowing off the Sakonnet River. The Glen Farm area of Portsmouth is known for its rolling acres of farmland, open spaces and beautiful neighborhoods. A stones-throw from Newport Polo grounds, this private, 4.5-acre oasis is teaming with mature plantings and flowers as far as the eye can see and surrounded by fieldstone walls. The home was custom built for the current owners, and every detail was purposefully calculated to make their home as outdoor-friendly as possible. A stone propane fire pit is just the spot for after-dinner smores or sing-a-longs well into the summer evenings. Adjacent to the pool area is an east-facing, expansive screenedin porch, the perfect place to watch the sun rise with a cup of coffee. On Saturday nights, the cheers from the polo grounds, the unmistakable whack of the polo mallets and the thundering sounds of horse hooves add to the charm of living so close to the action. The property has deeded mooring rights to nearby Sandy Point Beach. 6
The gas-lit firepit sits within its own private enclave, with hydrangea all around. Note the rough stones and natural moss, creating an ambience of classic relaxation.
PHOTOS BY RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
Above, the gunite pool and surrounding patio provide multiple areas for seating, sunning, relaxing, gaming or socializing. At left, the poolside cabana includes bar seating and a surrounding ring of lush vegetation.
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A private estate on Rumstick Point PHOTO BY SIRI HANJA
Spectacular lighting illuminates this Rumstick estate (now on the market with Link Real Estate for $5.5 million). The pool house has its own kitchen, laundry, heat and air conditioning, overlooking the heated pool and spa.
Down a long, private driveway surrounded by mature plantings and complete with a coded wrought iron gate stands a magnificent estate befitting for the Hollywood hills. Private and tranquil, Barrington’s Rumstick Point is the home to one of the most gracious properties in the East Bay. Aside from the 6,000-square-foot state-of-the-art custom home, these park-like grounds with sweeping lawns overlooking Smith’s Cove can be the perfect hideaway for a single family or big enough to invite a few hundred of your closest friends for a grand party. When designing the interior, the owners chose soft, understated tones so the focus would be the view of the grounds from the walls of windows and doors looking out at the lawn and the water beyond. The pool area, completed in 2020, has an 800-square-foot pool house with a full bath, kitchen, washer and dryer, heat and air conditioning open to the heated pool with a slide, diving board, spa, fountains, sound system and colored lighting. The entire 4.18-acre property is surrounded by an invisible fence, seasonal foliage that blooms throughout the growing season, including more than 50 twelve-foot evergreens. The property also has a boat mooring with quick access to Narragansett Bay. 8
PHOTO BY RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
A view from the backyard, with elaborate wall, steps and mature tree anchoring the property.
PHOTO BY RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.
Tranquility unfolds from a rear balcony across the park-like grounds beside Smith’s Cove.
7 Richard Street - Barrington $1,100,000 - Sold
Waterfront Land - Poppasquash Point, Bristol Coming Soon
73 Martin Avenue - Barrington $530,000 - Sold
EAST BAY LUXURY Chart House Realtors is a boutique real estate firm serving clients throughout southern New England from our office in Barrington, Rhode Island. We offer our clients the best of both worlds: the support and resources of Keller Williams, the #1 selling real estate brand in Rhode Island, along with the personalized experience and specialized marketing of a boutique firm. If you are in the market to buy or sell real estate, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your objectives. Our team will prioritize your needs and values, paying unmatched attention to detail to craft a customized plan that accomplishes your goals.
47 Maple Avenue | Barrington, RI
charthouserealtors.com
(508) 243-6615
matt@charthouserealtors.com 9
A lot with a little Good landscape design can happen at any scale — even the intimate entrance to a cozy condo BEFORE — The owner of this Warren townhouse inherited this small garden next to the entrance to their Oyster Point home and wanted something more. She first bought a small fountain and plunked it in the middle, but something wasn’t working. She called a landscape designer for help. AFTER — Brooke Merriam of Sunflower Designs decided to make the fountain a focal point by creating a short, curved gravel path to its base. “The owner wanted the feel of a European garden,” Brooke said. “It’s a very modest space, but you can do a lot in a little space … In some ways it requires more design because every little plant choice matters.” She chose a mix of boxwoods, lavender and other plantings, blending evergreens with seasonal pops of color, to create an area that looks good year-round. After Brooke’s initial design, the actual work by Cordeiro’s Landscaping took one day. The owner surprised her husband. When he went to work in the morning, it was the old garden; by the time he came home, it had been transformed. 10
BEFORE
AFTER
Gustave White
Sotheby’s INTERNATIONAL REALTY
Local Knowledge, Global Network PENDING
PORTSMOUTH: Three Acres on the Sakonnet - $3,900,000 Tina Wiley 447.9609
PORTSMOUTH: Seagrass – 180 Degree Bay Views - $1,395,000 Elena Wilcox 662.0604
PORTSMOUTH: Architect Designed with Water Views - $1,450,000 Dina Karousos 451.6461
PORTSMOUTH: Single-Level at The Golf Lodge/Aquidneck Club - $950,000 Kim Fleming 935.9075
BRISTOL: Rockledge – 2.5 Wooded Acres - $1,495,000 Susan Bistline 935.1778
TIVERTON: Waterfront Community 3-Bedroom Townhome - $948,000 Dina Karousos 451.6461
TIVERTON: Three-Level Custom Unit - $1,050,000 Bridget Torrey 575.6522 PENDING
PORTSMOUTH: Architect Designed on 4.5 Acres - $1,800,000 Dina Karousos 451.6461
LITTLE COMPTON: Classic Custom-Built Ranch - $725,000 Tom Little 245.3600
BARRINGTON: Beautiful Setting on Hundred Acre Cove - $998,500 Tom Little 245.3600
GustaveWhite.com | 401-816-4060 Now Open in Historic Tiverton Four Corners | Each Office is Individually Owned and Operated 11
28 ALFRED DROWN ROAD Barrington, RI | $1,595,000 12
See the 3D Tour at 28AlfredDrown.com Kirk | Schryver | 401.225.0371
27 ANCHORAGE WAY Barrington, RI $985,000 Kirk | Schryver Team 401.225.0371 See the 3D Tour at 27Anchorage.com
91 PROSPECT STREET
See the Video at 91Prospect.com
East Side of Providence, RI $3,249,000
Jim DeRentis 401.529.2188
1 HALF MILE ROAD
Barrington, RI $799,000
Barrington 401.245.9600
1HalfMile.com
Kirk | Schryver Team 401.225.0371
Cumberland 401.333.9333
170 WESTFIELD DRIVE
See the Video at 170Westfield.com
Stacy Rastelli-Antuono 401.965.4663
East Greenwich, RI $1,149,000
103 GOVERNOR BRADFORD DR
4 SEAL ISL AND ROAD
Barrington, RI $689,000
Bristol, RI $609,000
East Greenwich 401.885.8400
Narragansett 401.783.2474
Joyce Hughes 401.323.1416
Newport 401.619.5622
Providence 401.274.6740
Laurie Fletcher 401.559.7775
West Side PVD 401.457.3400
Westport MA 508.636.4760
The writer’s studio A former RV garage, now spectacular home, sets the scene for the homeowner/author, who finds inspiration in Little Compton
The towering chimney and bold trusses are important features. “This is a big space, so you need big elements,” said architect Gale Goff. “You can’t ignore what’s over your head, you want to design the entire space.” 14
BY SCOTT PICKERING Architect Gale Goff has enjoyed her share of unique projects. This Little Compton hideaway skews to the “unique” end of the spectrum. Dubbed “The Writer’s Studio” (by Gale herself), this property was bought by an accomplished author looking for a second home. When purchased, it featured a small cabin, a large garage sheltering two RVs and a lot of trees. The new owner wanted to keep the cabin as a guest house and convert the RV garage into her home. The results are spectacular. The shell of the RV garage remains, with additions built to the front of the original structure (creating a transitional garden room and mudroom/entryway) — and a whole lot of upgrades within. “You take the basic structure and you strategically put a lot of holes in it,” Gale said, offering the simplest description possible of a project that took about two years, from the start of the design process to completion. “The property is quite beautiful,” Gale said. “First, we were very selective about which trees stayed and which needed to be pruned.” The landscape was critical, as the design team wanted the home to blend with is surroundings, with lush, natural privacy enveloping the space, and the pruning helped bring light where they wanted it. Inside, they worked with whatever the garage offered them. The high roof of the garage (built to house an enormous RV) became a critical part of the design, with large trusses featured for both structural support and visual appeal. They placed windows in strategic locations for selective views, with many placed up high, maximizing the natural light coming from the wooded lot into the home. “We were able to get the glass up high, which pours a lot of light into the space,” Gale said. Not surprisingly, the owner has an impressive collection of books. A library was an essential part of the design. You might assume furnishings were the last step in the process. They were, and they weren’t. Several of the owner’s items were factored into the home’s design, like the lounge chair in the master suite. “This client had a wonderful design sense,” Gale said. “She had a lot of furnishings that we incorporated into the design.” In the end, the “Studio” works. Simple, elegant and natural, it sets the scene for inspiration.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTHONY CRISAFULLI
Everything shown here was carefully designed and put together — the two additions to the main structure, the landing, the entryway, the overhangs, the pathways, the sitting stones, the landing stones, the plantings.
The garden room, or sunroom, showcases the simple elegance of the space, with walls of windows opening the home to the beautiful natural surroundings. This transitional space connects the entry courtyard to the primary living area. 15
BARRINGTON
NEWPORT
298 Rumstick Road Beth Anderson
$1,998,000 917.673.6208
WESTPORT, MA
31 Old Beach Road Kylie McCollough
$4,500,000 401.864.8830
BARRINGTON SOLD
2015 Main Road Liz Kinnane
$3,650,000 401.835.1030
69 Adams Point Road Kimberly Ide
Service that’s as elevated as your standards. 16
$1,200,000 401.487.6928
We’ll find what you want in a home. And what you never knew you could have. WESTPORT, MA
BRISTOL CO N D O
SALE PENDIN G
3 Hurricane Lane Listed at $2,650,000 341 Thames Street, #303S $4,300,000 Liz Kinnane 401.835.1030 Morgan Hollenbeck 401.212.6313 LITTLE COMPTON
SWANSEA, MA WAT ER FRO N T
140 John Dyer Road Liz Kinnane
Nothing Compares
$995,000 222 Bay Point Road 401.835.1030 Lindsey Duckworth mottandchace.com
$2,750,000 508.284.0158 Each office is independently owned and operated. 17
Room to grow
In smaller spaces, utilize a loft bed to create a cozy escape.
BY ELIZABETH NORTON As parents, we often hear, “Enjoy it, they grow up so fast.” Ironically, this well-intentioned wisdom is most often shared during a parenting moment that we are not, in fact, enjoying. There’s no denying it, however, kids grow up quickly. Yes, days can be long, but every so often there are those moments when you stop and look at your child and wonder how they got so … big? As our children get older, their interests and likes change dramatically, seemingly overnight. My nineyear-old daughter was born loving the color purple. Then, when she was five, it was pink. Now it’s blue. So how can you design a bedroom that your child or teen will love today but also one that they will still like two years from now? 18
As an interior designer, kids’ spaces can be a challenge for many reasons (like, where do you put all their stuff?) but they are also some of my favorite projects. So let me share a few tips to designing a beautiful and functional bedroom that both you and your child will enjoy for years to come. GET TO KNOW YOUR CLIENT My design process always begins with the same first step – getting to know the client. With kids’ rooms, I’m essentially working with two clients, the parent and the child. So it’s important for me to gain a clear understanding of each of their individual visions. I usually begin by asking about color and theme, but the question that often provides me with the most direction is, “How do you want this space to make you
Elizabeth Norton
feel?” Our homes reflect who we are and who we aspire to be. We fill our personal spaces with things that make us |feel happy, inspired and free to be ourselves. Discovering what that means for someone, especially a child, is often my favorite part of the process. MAKE THE MOST OF THE SPACE Children’s bedrooms come in all shapes and sizes, but no matter the dimensions, the biggest challenge is always storage. Kids accumulate a lot of stuff that can make their bedroom feel visually overwhelming. It’s important to utilize creative storage solutions that can keep these items out-of-sight, organized and easily accessible. Closets and under-bed areas are the most obvious places to start, and making the most of these spaces is key. Closet organizers and wheeled storage containers for under the bed are great options. Built-in shelving and cabinetry can be a beautiful and purposeful addition to a space. For more modest budgets - bookshelves, baskets (preferably lidded) and storage benches are great for hiding toys, books and other miscellaneous items. Before redesigning a space, I always recommend that you sort through what’s there and pare down as much you can. It can be a really great opportunity to donate books, clothing and toys that are no longer being used. Another tip for making the most of your child’s space is to use appropriately sized furniture. Look for beds, dressers and nightstands that are well proportioned to the room. If your child’s bedroom is on the smaller side, try to choose petite furniture as opposed to bulky pieces. You may want to consider a loft bed so that you can utilize the space underneath for a desk or cozy lounge area. Trundle beds are also a great option to accommodate sleepover guests. If your child’s room is on the larger side, define different areas of the room by function (play area, reading nook, study space, etc.). A QUIET PLACE We can all appreciate some quiet time to ourselves. When designing a child’s bedroom, I always like to incorporate an area in which they can get comfortable and chill out. So whether it’s a reading nook or a cozy corner, providing kids with a place to decompress is really important.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELIZABETH NORTON
Above; Incorporate interests with artwork and peel & stick wall decals. At left; For teens, create designated spaces for work and play.
PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER Creating a cohesive interior design is much like putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Each piece, whether it’s a rug or a throw pillow, connects to the other pieces through Continued on page 20 19
color, pattern, and texture. Feel free to play with different coordinating patterns, mixing two to three patterns at the most. And in order to avoid competition between patterns, make sure that each is a different scale (small, medium, large). Adding symmetry can help a space to feel visually organized and calm. So even when the room is a complete mess, it feels a little bit less messy. Matching nightstands and lamps are an easy way to achieve symmetry in a bedroom. ROOM TO GROW Your child has been asking for a new room for quite some time. You agree that perhaps their bedroom needs a refresh (the train wallpaper does seem a bit babyish) but you’re worried about spending money on something they’ll just outgrow in a year. Yes, nothing lasts forever. Even if you follow my tips, you’ll still have to make
some tweaks down the road but they’ll be easy and inexpensive tweaks as opposed to a full redesign. The first tip is to think timeless and classic, especially when it comes to furniture, and try to choose an aesthetic that blends well with the rest of your home. Choose a neutral paint color for the walls and incorporate your child’s favorite colors and interests with accents (throw blankets, pillows, wall art, etc.). That way, you can simply swap out the accents once your child’s favorites have been retired. Last tip, wallpaper is very on-trend right now, but it’s also a big commitment. Fortunately, there are a ton of fun peel-andstick wallpaper options available that are a perfect way to add color and pattern to a kid’s space and can be removed easily. Elizabeth Norton is the owner of Between Wind & Water. For more design tips and inspiration, visit www.betweenwindwater.com.
The smile of a happy client.
820 Taunton Ave (Rt. 44) | Seekonk, MA | 508-557-0170 | InfinityKitchensandBaths.com Showroom Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am - 5pm, Saturday 9am - 1pm
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Million-dollar mystique Once reserved for luxury estates overlooking the water, million-dollar sales are happening everywhere in this market This contemporary home on Sachem Road in South Tiverton is a perfect example of the new market. With an enormous, modern kitchen, lots of space (more than 4,000 square feet) and multiple decks designed to take advantage of Sakonnet River views, it makes a great family home. A few years ago it might have sold for $700,000. But times are changing. Though in 2020 it was assessed at $692,400, this year Tiverton increased its assessment to $968,700. In 2012, it sold for $632,500. Earlier this year it sold for $1.4 million. Sellers were represented by Liz Kinnane of Mott & Chace Sotheby’s, and the Buyers were represented by Cherry Arnold of Mott & Chace Sotheby’s.
BY SCOTT PICKERING Back in the old days — like, two years ago! — a million-dollar real estate deal was something special. Million-dollar sales did not happen often. They were reserved for only the very top end of the market. They brought celebrations in real estate offices, prestige for both buyers and sellers, and press releases to the media. In many of this region’s communities, they happened a few times a year. Now? Now they happen every week. The million-dollar sale is so routine it’s almost commonplace, as both prices and buying power continue an unprecedented surge. A decade ago, $500,000 would buy the picture-perfect, middle class family home in Barrington, and $1 million would buy a nice estate overlooking the water. Today, many of those nice family homes are now million-dollar properties, and the luxury estates start at $1.5 million and climb from there. Matt Antonio, broker with the Chart House team of Keller Williams, is a numbers guy. He Continued on page 22
This Dutch Colonial on Woodland Road in Barrington is a perfect example of what’s happening in the “luxury” homes market. A few years ago, it would be considered a really nice, upper middle class home in a great neighborhood, close to the center of town off Rumstick Road in Barrington — the type of home that might sell for about $700,000. In fact, it is assessed by the Town of Barrington at $695,000. With modern upgrades and beautiful renovations — and in this market — it sold this summer for $1.3 million. Sellers were represented by the Kirk Schryver Team of Residential Properties, and the Buyers were represented by Kris Chwalk of Residential Properties.
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researched the recent history of million-dollar sales in Barrington. Looking at the last three 12-month cycles (summer of 2018 to 2019; 2019 to 2020; and 2020 to 2021), reveals a 250% explosion in the number of million-dollar sales in Barrington. In the cycle from 2018 to 2019, there were 19 total transactions of $1 million or more. In the next 12-month cycle, there were 30. In the last 12 months, there have been 49, with 35 of them occurring between $1 million and $1.5 million. It’s the new sweet spot for a fantastic family home. “Not long ago, a million-dollar home was a real luxury home,” Matt said. “Now, in our markets, a million-dollar home can be a really nice, upper middle class home that’s in good shape in a great neighborhood.” Matt and his team at Chart House have found there is still a dividing line in the market — somewhere north of a million dollars. “We see a lot of today’s modern families, with dual
incomes, professional people with healthy incomes, they’re willing to buy homes up to $1.3, $1.4 million … That’s a common stopping point. When you get above that number, that’s where you start to see the scales tip. That’s where you see a more significant piece of property, a bigger home, an exclusive location … and that’s where you start to see a different kind of buyer. That’s where the buying pool gets a lot smaller.” The market is fluid, and it’s also intelligent. Prices have surged in response to the forces of supply (little) and demand (lots), but they’ve also recognized the expanded buying power of the modern family. It’s not unusual to find a young family with two high-income earners, both bringing home robust six-figure incomes. With that sort of cash flow, the million-dollar purchase can be comfortably within reach. So the million-dollar sale is still special — it’s just not as unique as it used to be.
Here’s another Barrington sale that illustrate’s today’s market. Site of a great family home, with beautiful interior and tons of character (it was built in 1928), the property is nestled in the Nayatt-Rumstick area of town, off Highland Avenue. Maybe a $600,000 to $700,000 house a few years ago (it sold in 2013 for $560,000), today it is assessed by the Town of Barrington at $797,000. It just sold a few weeks ago for $1.4 million. Sellers were represented by the Kirk Schryver Team of Residential Properties, and the Buyers were represented by Meredith Haffenreffer of Lila Delman Compass.
A tenacious agent who navigates the market with passion, Ryan is friendly, professional, high-energy and most importantly, honest — work with an agent you can trust
Your goals, my passion, let’s talk! Ryan M. Fonseca Associate Broker
401.489.0065 sellingwithryan.com 22
WWW.266BARRINGTON.COM GATED . 4+ ACRES . WATERFRONT . $5,500,000
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WE ARE THE SOUTH COAST
Est.
MILBURY & COMPANY www.MilburyRE.com
1980
It's a Fabulous Time to Sell! Call for a Complimentary Market Analysis!
UNDER AGREEMENT Tiverton $1,395,000 - Dramatic views of the Sakonnet from every room of this Contemporary residence with additional waterfront lot. Steps to Fogland Beach and minutes to Four Corners. Contact Will Milbury 508.525.5200
Westport $1,395,000 - Historic Westport Point! Perfection! Private Dock! Charming seaside getaway with three bedrooms and bunkhouse. Contact Will Milbury 508.525.5200
South Dartmouth $7,950,000 - Rare offering! Stunning 70+/- acre waterfront estate overlooking Padanaram Harbor. Rolling meadows, woodland trails, water frontage, dock potential. Stroll to Padanaram Village! Contact Will Milbury 508.525.5200
SOLD Westport $749,000 Sarah Korolnek 774.644.9156
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Westport $1,795,000 Will Milbury 508.525.5200
UNDER AGREEMENT Tiverton $1,595,000 Roberta Burke 508.498.3285
Round Hill $775,000 Maggie Tomkiewicz 508.995.2444
P A D A N A R A M
304 Elm Street So. Dartmouth, MA 02748
508.997.7400
W E S T P O R T
790 Main Road Westport, MA 02790
508.636.2400