Northshore Home magazine highlights the best in architectural design, new construction and renovations, interiors, and landscape design.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1325707
28 WINTER 2021 Chloë Rideout, the firm's interior designer, worked closely with the owner to achieve a true farmhouse-style kitchen. She blended modern conveniences with historic touches, starting with the recessed range covered by a chimney breast enclosure. "She loves European kitchens with inglenooks and stoves inserted into big fireplaces, so we recreated that look," says Rideout. "We used an old beam found in the basement for the lintel and built open shelving on either side of the recess." White Shaker-style cabinets by Ipswich Cabinetry keep the space feeling light and bright. Contrasting soapstone countertops are durable and impermeable— aka a classic farmhouse choice—and can be easily sanded down if nicked. Thoughtful details, like the heavy cast-bronze cabinet hardware and Fourteenth Colony light fixture, contribute new-old charm. Treasures from the owner's collections—a neat row of copper pots above the range and adjustable stools for the island's seating—complete the antique atmosphere. To give the owner, who loves cooking, extra storage, Cummings converted a nearby closet into a walk-in pantry. Because it backs up to a chimney, Ipswich Cabinetry had to scribe their custom-built shelves to the brick. The statement door was found by the client at a salvage yard; thanks to rollers, it slides easily for frequent use. nshoremag.com/nshorehome/ kitchens ARCHITECTURE + INTERIOR DESIGN Cummings Architecture + Interiors 978-356-5026 cummingsarchitecture interiors.com CONSTRUCTION Red Hammer Builders Georgetown, MA 978-852-9870 redhammerbuilders.com ANTIQUES FLOORING Nor'east Architectural Antiques noreast1.com KITCHEN Cabinets Ipswich Cabinetry ipswichcabinetry.com HANGING LIGHT FIXTURE By Fourteenth Colony From Lucia Lighting & Design lucialighting.com SHIPLAP BATHROOM Sconces Authentic Designs authenticdesigns.com In case the owners ever need to move their master downstairs, Cummings and Rideout designed a new full bath off the study, which would convert to a bedroom. They kept the bathroom's look relaxed and practical with a curb-free shower, slate floor, soapstone vanity top, and colonial-styled reproduction sconces by Authentic Designs of Vermont. Within the shower, they simulated wood shiplap by using PVC for durability. "Throughout the house we incorporated a lot of natural materials like soapstone, warm wood, and slate," points out Rideout. "We didn't want anything looking too manufactured." Red Hammer Builders expertly executed the renovation, kitchen remodel, and the new construction. "We brought a lot of spaces down to their studs, preserving the historic trim and windows," says owner Andrew Courtney. "We also refinished the original wide-plank pine floors, milling them to the same thickness and applying a shiplap edge." His crew used floor boards from the attic to fill in missing sections and sourced the remaining boards from Nor'east Architectural Antiques in New Hampshire. Having received a much-needed dose of rehab, the historic "big house" now blends seamlessly with its new "little house." The owners' kitchen takes advantage of the bucolic setting, their favorite collectibles are on display, and the husband's baby grand piano found its perfect home on a second-floor landing. They couldn't be happier with the results. Even the wooden weathervane atop the barn got some TLC and a fresh coat of paint. "We offered it back to the seller," says the owner, "but he told us to keep it. That our barn is the place where it belongs." A new guest bath was added. The upstairs bedroom floors are original.