BOSTON BROWNSTONE

DESIGN DISCOVERY

The renovation of a historic Boston brownstone weaves together different eras of design history for refreshing and refined interiors that aren’t afraid to have fun.

By Rachel Gallaher Photographed by Michael Stavaridis

The receiving room off the entry vestibule is a cozy nook with a custom McLaughlin sofa and antiques including a 19th-century marble-topped table and a skeleton mantel clock.

After a four-year, Goldilocks-style search for their “forever home”—weekend tours of high-rise units, industrial lofts, classic brownstones, and suburban standalones— a young, lively Boston couple finally landed on just the right one. Located in the city’s noted Back Bay neighborhood, the six-story townhouse, which dates to 1869, had it all: a location just blocks from restaurants, bars, and galleries; historic charm and heritage details; and a neutral interior that would allow the new owners to easily incorporate their fun, irreverent style.

“We fell in love with the brownstone as a distinctly Boston way of living,” the duo say. “We went looking for the right blank canvas on which to build, and we had several key requirements: It had to be authentic and traditional; we wanted a home that was due some love and investment; and we wanted it to be within a fairly small geographic radius [of a specific area]. This was the first home we saw that had it all: It was beautiful, authentic, had heritage potential, was in a great location, retained its original detailing, and there were no recent major renovations or improvements. It was love at first sight. After seeing more than 60 homes, we left our first showing and immediately said, ‘This is the one.’”

With plans to renovate the brownstone’s interiors, the couple hired local interdisciplinary architecture and design firm Hacin + Associates to help them realize their vision. Collaboration was imperative from the start: The homeowners have a strong point of view and aren’t the types to hand over the keys and say, “Go.” They wanted to be involved in every step in the design process.

“We are truly eclectic and appreciate good design and good taste,” the couple say. “The three words we shared with Hacin + Associates that framed our inspiration for the project were ‘modern’ (clean, minimal, tasteful living), ‘midcentury modern’ (one of our favorite periods of design and style), and ‘Edwardian’ (a nod to the house, its history, time, and place, and also to a beautiful time in design).”

Armed with these starting points, Hacin + Associates mapped out an innovative design concept for the interiors in which the décor on each ascending floor becomes more modern, with the top level being the most contemporary space in the house.

“There is more original detail and character on the lower levels,” explains David Hacin, president of Hacin + Associates. “As you travel up and start to enter an area that, in houses like this, was often used as the servants’ quarters, that detail starts to fall away. It was important to the clients to honor that history, so as far as the interiors, the house moves from more traditional with contemporary accents to more contemporary with traditional accents.” “It’s a subtle conversation between old and new, between formal and fun, between practical and aspirational,” the clients note. “The net result is a home that’s deeply and truly us—a reflection of our tastes and personalities— while simultaneously being universal and timeless.” »

A marble Felix bench from KGBL brings a hint of contemporary style to the period entryway. Interdisciplinary architecture and design firm Hacin + Associates used a design scheme in which the décor on the lower levels of the six-story house most strongly reflects the building’s history, with furniture and accessories becoming more contemporary as one ascends.

Taking a cue from 19th-century conservatories, the design team installed a grouping of greenery in the formal dining room’s bay window. A Meridiani table with a Calacatta marble top and base (sourced through Casa Plinto) anchors the space; the whimsical Crystal Galaxy LED chandelier from DDC brings delicate drama. The Rudamask-patterned fabric wall panels are Rubelli.

Taking a cue from 19th-century conservatories, the design team installed a grouping of greenery in the formal dining room’s bay window. A Meridiani table with a Calacatta marble top and base (sourced through Casa Plinto) anchors the space; the whimsical Crystal Galaxy LED chandelier from DDC brings delicate drama. The Rudamask-patterned fabric wall panels are Rubelli.

Books and music are the heart of the library, where there’s inviting seating (a B&B Italia leather lounge chair, a pair of armchairs from Baxter, and two George Smith Soho Baby Buttoned Drums to match the tufted coffee table) for every mood.

A powder room painted peacock blue nods to director Wes Anderson’s use of color blocking, which served as décor inspiration in various parts of the home.

A taxidermy fox, seen here in the formal living room, often makes his way around the house (with a little help from the playful homeowners).

A hunt-themed guest bedroom uses a Lewis & Wood print for both the wallpaper and Roman shades.

The residence’s personalized symbol is seen here in a mosaic tile floor.

Ingo Maurer’s candle-shaped LED Flying Flames pendants bring surprise and delight to a powder room.

Prior to the renovation, the townhouse was compartmentalized into a series of small rooms throughout six floors. To better accommodate the clients’ lifestyle (they love to host friends and family for intimate dinners and cocktails, but are also known to throw fundraisers for more than 100 attendees), Hacin + Associates architect Eduardo Serrate reconfigured the floorplans on each level to create common spaces that flow from one to another. On the second floor, a butler’s pantry was reworked, providing long views and natural light at both ends of the townhouse. On the upper floors, an owners’ suite, custom tap room, media lounge, and rooftop garden support the couple’s day-to-day life. “Six floors for two people can result in a lot of up and down,” Serrate says, “so it was important to concentrate their main living space in one area of the house and leave the formality in the parts where they planned to do the most entertaining.”

The residence’s upper floors, where the homeowners spend most of their time, are designed in a more contemporary style than the rest of the house.

The décor is an eclectic mix of antiques, original midcentury furniture, unique art, and, most importantly, fun, thoughtful details. “One of our early inspirations was [director] Wes Anderson,” says Hacin + Associates associate Matthew Woodward, who worked with senior associate and studio lead Jennifer Clapp on the interiors. “We thought a lot about his films, and the intense symmetry and color-blocking in many of his images. We used these elements to enhance both the formality and the playfulness of key entertainment spaces such as the dining room (using blue) and living room (using green). These colors occur selectively in other spaces such as the upholstered ottomans in the library. In this way, color is a consistent thread that runs through the project.”

From a vintage taxidermy fox that playfully pops up in different spaces around the house (moved by the homeowners to greet guests) and wallpaper featuring a nude woman (who only becomes apparent when you get close), to a vintage, candy-red telephone booth that was freighted over from the United Kingdom and craned in through a window, delightful details abound in each room, and guests are encouraged to hunt for design surprises (a grouping of Ingo Maurer’s LED Flying Flames candleshaped pendants hang just outside a powder room, creating a whimsical Harry Potter vibe) at every turn.

The clients were interested in creating an identifying symbol for the residence, in the Victorian tradition. Drawing inspiration from the era’s typography, the wrought-iron fencing found throughout the Back Bay, and a design detail on an original fireplace mantel, the design team created a custom personalized mark that was inlaid in custom floor mosaics, carved into millwork, and embroidered on custom linens. A mark of tradition crossed with the spirited energy of a young generation, it emulates the spirit of the house, which balances eras, aesthetics, and personalities and presents a new journey of discovery for each person who steps through its doors.