Northshore Home magazine highlights the best in architectural design, new construction and renovations, interiors, and landscape design.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1206063
42 WINTER 2020 M ARRYING OLD ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS WITH new is the guiding light for Helen Sides, principal at Helen F. Sides Architect, LLC. A known quantity on the North Shore, architect Helen Sides recently led a team effort to bring the McIntire-built Butman-Waters House (1806-07) into the 21st century. Homeowner Alan November, a bona fide lover of old houses, purchased the historic three- story Federal in late 2017. Although the house had gone through many incarnations, including a large 19th- century ell addition and a 20th-century renovation into a two-family dwelling, the original McIntire portion remained in fairly good shape. Samuel McIntire was an influential wood carver, carpenter, and architect who worked in Salem between 1778 and 1811. Some of his carvings are in the Peabody Essex Museum. Quite a few of his signature elements appear in the Butman-Waters House, including an iconic parlor mantelpiece complete with carved sheaves of wheat, swags, and a classic fruit basket in the center. Also in the parlor are fabulous dentil and matchstick crown moldings and matching chair rails. The showstopper, however, is an elegant Federal spi- ral staircase in the front entryway. An exceptional piece of McIntire craftsmanship, the delicately carved stair has survived over two hundred years of use. inspire The original 200-year-old staircase was restored. The best decision November made was to hire Sides, who has been carefully transforming antique homes into livable spaces for over 30 years. "You just trust her to do what is right for your old house," says November. Because the large structure had seen its share of past nshoremag.com/nshorehome/