Northshore Home magazine highlights the best in architectural design, new construction and renovations, interiors, and landscape design.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1176984
79 square inch. The couple—who worked as a team on all decisions—chose soapstone for the perimeter counters and quartz for the backsplash and island. All of the cabinets were custom milled by CM Ragusa Builders in its New Hampshire mill shop. With so many decisions to make during construc- tion, Betsy consulted with Paula Bramberg Gaull of New Leaf Redesign to help ensure a cohesive color scheme. "Doing the whole house at once was a chal- lenge," admits Betsy. "We wanted to keep the living spaces more neutral and have the bedrooms be more distinctive. Paula was great; she was very organized and knew exactly what we needed from her." "When a house is under construction, it takes a lot of visualization to figure out how all the colors and fin- ishes will work," explains Gaull. "In this coastal setting, I wanted to pull in colors from outside and create a time- less palette." They opted for Benjamin Moore's "Tap- estry Beige" for the main living area, "Iron Mountain" for the kitchen island, and a complementary "Amherst Gray" for the living room's built-ins. Blues in the den and bedrooms echo the tidal river panorama outside. Although their new house is smaller, a true down- size, Art infused it with architectural detail. Three-quar- ter wainscoting in the den lends historic charm while a warm walnut, used for the fireplace mantel and wet bar counter, offsets the cool neutrals. Even the stairway balusters didn't escape his creative touch: "I had the carpenter turn every other one upside down; it's subtle and unexpected," he describes. Outside, the architect nestled a balcony into the roof and eked out enough room for a side porch and outdoor shower. Shingle detailing, one of his design signatures, is yet another intriguing feature. "After three four-inch shingle courses, there's a two-inch course. Traditionally I put a diamond detail in the coursing, but I made ours a bit more elaborate with rounded petals," he explains. The finishing touch is a "Crosswater" placard out front—the home's moniker references the interweaving tides and currents offshore. Excavating gained the property a split-level base- ment, complete with a six-foot-wide garage just big enough for a golf cart all their own. Now the Diolis fit right in. "Come July 1, everyone arrives," says Art. "People are walking and golf carts are cruising. There are swim lessons and kids' camps. But the winter is completely different," he continues. "It's when we sit on the couch with the fireplace on; it's warm and peaceful. His favorite part of the process was the detailing, a natural instinct for a perennial student of form. "There's a saying that goes, 'Architecture is what touches the spirit and everything else is just a build- ing,'" notes Art. At Crosswater, there's plenty of archi- tecture to go around. olsonlewis.com; cmragusa.com; newleafredesign.com New Leaf Redesign helped with the color palette in the home . Opposite, The kitchen design incorporates natural materials. Woven stools at the center island create a casual look.