Project Reveal: A Light Renovation Outside Boston

Today a fun reveal of a project we did a couple years ago and shot last year in the suburbs outside of Boston. These clients came to us with an issue that I think a lot of people face – a newly built/renovated home with finishes and interior details that were just not their style. Not bad, and certainly not old, but just not right for them. A lot can be done without a full gut renovation, and this project is an amazing example! We redid some (but not all) new cabinetry, added in a few new built ins, tons of paint and paper, replaced tile and flooring as well as lighting. Who doesn’t love a little before and after? Here we go!

The foyer before was pretty bland and builder grade with an out of scale light fixture.

We installed a new faux marble checker board floor, a new mercury glass fixture in the right size, and made a skirted entry table to fill the large space and provide a place to drop keys and mail.

A large round convex mirror brightens up the space by reflecting the windows up front and an antique bench adds a little patina.

Your basic powder room – it just needed a little extra love.

We kept everything except the medicine cabinet and faucet – painted the woodwork, added a printed grasscloth, new light and mirror and voila!

The family room off the entry got all new furniture, drapery and fresh paint.

The dining room before with out of scale furniture and lighting and not much personality….

Wallpaper, a new fixture and better furniture rounded out this pass through dining room, from which you can see from the family room through to the living room.

A pair of chests and matching Louis style mirrors flank the opening into the kitchen.

The kitchen before – not bad, but could be better!

You can see we tweaked the layout a bit but left sections alone (like the island and the window wall for the most part). We did relocate the range to the back wall and moved the fridge over, but this was not a full gut.

Our client has amazing taste and her accessory collection is so strong we had to give it pride of place throughout the house. Especially these oyster plates! The floating shelves break up the upper cabinetry.

We relocated this section of the cabinetry with glass fronts from the right of the door to the left, and all cabinetry was painted Farrow & Ball Mizzle.

The living room at the back of the house had no real changes other the fireplace mantle and surround. The big impact was the paint color…

We went dark and cozy! Farrow & Ball De Nimes was the winner and it made this room feel more luxe and historic. A big sectional for the family to cuddle into and a leather ottoman for kicking up feet.

A combination of deep blues and crisp greens feels timeless, and the patterned draperies add a lot to this space as well. It can be a commitment to do drapes in a pattern, but when they are neutral it’s not so scary!

A wood mantel felt more appropriate to the house and a fresh marble surround looks far more elevated than the previous iteration. This is such a happy chair too! :)

Everything was painted this deep blue, and we added custom window treatments, cushion and pillows.

The primary features a bold green velvet bed amongst lots of crisp whites and neutrals.

The primary bath we fully redid and it looks SO wonderful. Classic, timeless and a little bit country.

The kids bath also got an upgrade – that floor is a favorite.

The mudroom did get re-arranged with a new built in added, a nook where the closet used to be and the door to the garage moved for clearer access.

What do you think? Pretty huge improvement without a gut job, right? We are thrilled with how this home turned out, and the client was so happy, we are now doing their Maine residence! A win/win for everyone!

A reminder: for all new client inquiries we have a form on our website you can fill out, or please reach out to [email protected]

All photography by Jessica Delaney.