Northshore Home magazine highlights the best in architectural design, new construction and renovations, interiors, and landscape design.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1463863
93 paneling are all finished in Benjamin-Moore's "Brick House Tan," a warm historic hue that was popular in Williamsburg during the late 18th century. In contrast, the island is painted black; its seeded glass, exposed hinges, and chamfered legs give it a period, furniture-like feel. Opposite the island's cooktop side, glass-fronted cabinets showcase the client's china and dishware in lieu of a more traditional hutch. Open shelving at either end displays vintage pieces. "This is the first island I've designed in a long time without seating, but we didn't require any with the dining table so close by," explains the designer. Instead of lights over the island, which would have obstructed views, she centered three small Hudson Valley pendants over the sink. "Our client loves traditional cottage elements, so I mixed and matched design features to achieve a historical cottage feel," notes Sanborn of the overall style. A reproduction farmhouse sink and wall-mounted faucet nod to vintage cottage. Differing hardware finishes keep the kitchen from feeling too precious or too new. The perimeter cabinetry hardware is dark bronze while the island's is antique brass; light fixtures similarly bounce between black and brass. A showpiece iron chandelier by Visual Comfort punctuates the dining area. Sanborn had the woven rattan chairs from Sika Design finished in her client's favorite persimmon orange. The arched top of the showpiece window arrangement honors the home's former breezeway, which Sanborn transitioned into a second garage bay for practicality's sake. Flattening the vaulted ceiling's middle section "related better to the geometry of the window than a peak," she notes. Assembling a first-floor bedroom suite was one of Sanborn's top priorities. She repurposed the original dining room at the front of the home and used plumbing from the old kitchen for a primary bath. "We took out a window to make room for a headboard and finished the room in a really fun Rifle Paper Co. wall covering," says the designer. The "Saltwater" Woodbridge bed with rope detail harks back to the 1800s when mattresses were supported by rope lattice underneath (hence the phrase "sleep tight"). A curbless glassed shower with extra grab bars (plus blocking for more bars if needed) in the primary bath ensures ease of use well into the future. The vanity, designed by Sanborn and executed by Advanced Custom Cabinets of New Hampshire, has pullouts on both ends for optimum storage. Heated floors and an Amba towel warmer round out the room's quiet luxury. Other post-renovation perks include a new walk-in closet for the primary suite, laundry closet, three-season porch, and front entrance portico. Upstairs, three small bedrooms were consolidated into two full-size rooms. Benjamin-Moore's "Newburyport Blue" makes a splash on the mudroom's built-in. Considering the husband's preference for blue and the project's locale, the designer couldn't help but apply Benjamin-Moore's "Newburyport Blue" to the mudroom built-ins. Without adding square footage disproportionately— the house increased from around 1,900 square feet to just 2,500—Sanborn achieved an impressive list of modern conveniences. With a fresh coat of white paint, this chapter of Royal Barry Wills' design philosophy is still relevant but even more livable. sacrisdesign.com