In a suburb west of Boston, a superb early colonial revival house got a recent revival of its own. Built in 1881, the house displays the hallmarks of the style, including magnificent interior millwork: mantels, moldings, corbels, wainscots, and doors whose elaborate carvings pay homage to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and to classical mythology. In 11,000 square feet, the house has eight fireplaces, six bedrooms, and seven full baths. Initially, what sold the homeowners on the place was not its historic character, but rather the way it is expressed. “I wanted a nice house with a little bit of land and interesting rooms,” says the wife. “I was not looking for a particular style; I simply like detail. This house has lots of that, and that’s what attracted me.” But by 2013, when she and her husband found it, deferred maintenance had taken its toll. “The house was sagging,” says architect Doug Okun, whose Cambridge, Massachusetts, firm headed up what became a five-year restoration and rebuilding project. “The studs had wicked mois-
ABOVE: Beside the neoclassical living room fireplace, a shelf unit displays glass pieces, reminiscent of midcentury Italian design, by Cambridge artist Carrie Gustafson. BELOW: The living room’s neutral
tones let the millwork take center stage. FACING PAGE: Among the pieces of furniture the homeowners brought with them were the living room sofa upholstered in champagne-colored damask.
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126 New England Home | May–June 2019
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