BDG PRELUDE Spring 2019

SPRING 

REVVED UP 

THE HOTTEST 

CAR SALONS 

A publication of Boston Design Guide

781.861.0086 

brookesandhill.com 

Architecture: Amanda Martocchio Architecture; Photography: Michael Moran/OTTO

SANFORD 

Custom Builders Inc. 

310 Washington St., Suite 202 

Wellesley, MA 02481 

781-416-7007 

www.sanfordcustom.com 

Interior Design: Live Well Interiors + Design 

Photography: Warren Patterson

Flawless homes built for generations

Kistler & Knapp Builders 

draws on over 40 years 

of fine craftsmanship to 

reflect the most demanding 

architectural concepts.

CITYCHIC 

With over 40 years of building experience, Kistler & Knapp Builders, Inc. is one of 

the most highly-regarded construction firms in the Greater Boston region. Their work 

reflects the finest craftsmanship and the most demanding architectural concepts. 

Kistler & Knapp has always understood the importance of effective communication 

and working well with the entire team in all aspects of the building process. The 

foundation of their reputation rests on expert management, transparent accounting 

and fiscal prudence. Owners Doug Stevenson and Renée West are committed to 

creating successful relationships during construction and well into the future, thereby 

maintaining a legacy of excellence in fine home construction. And Kistler and 

Knapp’s Home Services Division is there for the long haul, maintaining their clients’ 

homes well into the future. 

916 Main Street 

Acton, MA 01720 

(978) 635-9700 

www.kistlerandknapp.com 

Architect: Ruhl Studio Architects 

Interior Designer: Bill Lewis 

Photographer: Warren Patterson

From the Publisher 

Happy Spring! 

As springtime is a time of new beginnings, we’re 

thrilled to present you with our second issue of 

PRELUDE, which showcases content from the finest 

professionals in the New England home industry in 

an all-new way. While this magazine has arrived at 

your doorstep (old-school style!), you can also find 

its features (many of which are expanded) online 

at bostondesignguide.com and via Boston Design 

Guide’s social media feeds. 

Storytelling is at the heart of PRELUDE’s philosophy, 

and I love that this forum allows us to deep dive into 

the projects and behind-the-scenes work of the some 

of the foremost talents in architecture, construction, 

interior design and landscape design in the area. 

PRELUDE, which is a sneak peek of BDG’s annual 

coffee table book which will be out this summer, has 

given me and my staff even more reason to check 

out all that is going on in the home industry and 

check in with the professionals who are rocking their 

respective fields. 

Since Boston is a hotbed of new construction and 

renovations, and bursting at the seams with activity, 

City Living is a recurring theme again in this edition. 

We explore how to build successfully in an urban 

context, sparkling urban space saving solutions, and 

the amazing projects in Boston’s hottest ’hoods 

(p. 56). It also takes us out to the suburbs to 

experience a charming farmhouse and landscape 

renovation sealed with a French kiss in History in 

the Making (p. 38), and inside a beautiful Weston 

estate that is redefining traditional architectural 

forms in The New Classic (p. 22). And, for fun, and 

because spring is a season for sunny drives with 

the top down, we showcase some pretty incredible 

auto salons in Revved Up (p. 11), which is filled with 

beautiful rides that inspire us to hit the road! 

It is in this spirit that we encourage you to explore 

the topics, profiles and talent within these pages 

and support the companies and tradespeople who 

have been kind enough to let us shine a light on 

their worlds. 

And, just maybe, you’ll be inspired to begin a project 

or a journey of your own! 

Warmest regards, 

Melanie Perillo, Publisher 

@BostonDesignGuide 

@BostonDesignGuide 

@BostonDesignMag 

PUBLISHER 

Melanie Perillo 

EDITOR 

Sandy Giardi 

DESIGN DIRECTOR 

Rob Silsby 

DIGITAL DIRECTOR 

Kathleen Parente 

SALES DIRECTOR 

Jean Roberts 

ACCOUNT MANAGERS 

Ellie Benson 

Ian Kaplan 

Colleen Keelan 

Maureen Lampert 

Sharon Litchfield 

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR 

Darlene Neufell 

INTERN 

Kendra Keelan 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Richard Mandelkorn 

Warren Patterson 

Roger Pelissier 

Greg Premru 

Keitaro Yoshioka 

www.bostondesignguide.com 

BDG PRELUDE - SPRING Edition, 2019, prints seasonally (spring, fall and 

winter) and is published by Boston Design Guide, Inc. 348 Boston Post 

Road, Suite 4, Sudbury, MA 01776. Boston Design Guide (“BDG”) provides 

information on luxury homes and lifestyles. Boston Design Guide, its 

affiliates, employees, contributors, writers, editors, (Publisher) accepts 

no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors or omissions with information 

and/or advertisements contained herein. The publisher has neither 

investigated nor endorsed the companies and/or products that advertise 

within the publication or that are mentioned editorially. Publisher assumes 

no responsibility for the claims made by the Advertisers or the merits of 

their respective products or services advertised or mentioned editorially 

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any damages whatsoever that may be suffered by any purchaser or user 

for any products or services advertised or mentioned editorially herein and 

strongly recommends that any purchaser or user investigate such products, 

services, methods and/or claims made thereto. Opinions expressed in the 

magazine and/or its advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions 

of the Publisher. Neither the Publisher nor its staff, associates or affiliates 

are responsible for any errors, omissions or information whatsoever that 

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and “as available” basis. Publisher makes no representations or warranties 

of any kind, expressed or implied, as to the information, services, contents, 

trademarks, patents, materials or products included in this magazine. All 

pictures reproduced in BDG PRELUDE have been accepted by Publisher 

on the condition that such pictures are reproduced with the knowledge 

and prior consent of the photographer and any homeowner concerned. As 

such, Publisher is not responsible for any infringement of the copyright or 

otherwise arising out of any publication in BDG PRELUDE. BDG PRELUDE is a 

pending licensed trademark of Boston Design Guide, Inc. All rights reserved. 

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form 

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AND CORRESPONDENCE TO: Boston Design Guide, 348 Boston Post 

Road, Suite 4 Sudbury, MA 01776. Email: Info@BostonDesignGuide.com or 

telephone 978-443-9886. 

6 

bostondesignguide.com

MICHAEL J. LEE 

introducing the Verellen Salon at Artefact Boston 

1317 Washington Street, Boston MA 857.350.4397 

1000 Pleasant Street, Belmont MA 617.993.3347 

info@artefacthome.com artefacthome.com

CONTENTS 

11 Revved Up 

Four high-octane auto salons and their 

impressive rides. 

22 The New Classic 

Traditional forms are reimagined in 

crisp—and wholly original—ways. 

36 Designer Digs 

Inside kitchen designer Donna Venegas’ own 

Charlestown home and premier Wellesley 

homebuilder Peter Fallon’s new masterpiece. 

38 History in the Making 

A landscape and architectural renovation blends 

the former glory of Belmont’s 1850s Locke 

Farmhouse with a French flourish. 

11 

42 Publisher’s Picks for the Bath 

Must-haves for your master—from commodes to 

cutting-edge spa therapies. 

46 Signature Style 

Four custom structures that all but whisper the 

names of their makers in form and flair. 

52 Wonders Of Wood 

Top designers and builders embrace the beauty and 

warmth of the natural material. 

56 City Snapshots 

Urban projects in Boston’s ever-changing landscape 

represent each ’hood. 

59 Tech Talk 

Maverick Integration’s Dennis Jaques enlightens us 

about new advances in lighting control. 

22 

38 

64 Soapbox 

Intricate hand drawings are an integral part of 

Meyer & Meyer Architecture and Interiors’ process. 

56 

Cover: Marcus Gleysteen, of MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects 

with homeowner and car aficionado Conrad Wetterau. 

Photography by Roger Pelissier 

8 


FUTURE PROOF 

S+H Construction continues to build its legacy 

Architect: Rulh Walker Architects; Energy Consultants: Zero Energy Design; Photo by: Tony Luong 

Sarah Lawson, owner of S+H Construction, won’t take credit for the success of the Cambridge-based general contracting 

firm without acknowledging the efforts of co-founders Alex Slive and Doug Hanna, who handed over the mantle in a 

gentle transition in 2016 when Lawson suggested a buyout. “The company’s greatness is because of them,” states Lawson. 

“What they accomplished inspires us to work very hard to move the company into the future and make it even stronger. ” 

Slive and Hanna took the business from “a-pickup-truck-and-tools” operation to a company that is known for its 

sophisticated, beautiful builds. “Not only on what you can see and touch,” says Lawson, “but also on the sophisticated 

infrastructure behind the walls.” 

They’ve also created a culture of problem solving (a necessity on the job site), transparency and an environment 

in which homeowners enjoy and feel in control of the construction process. Slive and Hanna are proud that Lawson is 

carrying the torch. “The transition to Sarah has been fantastic. She has amazing ideas,” maintains Slive. “I like to think 

that what we’re good at—and Sarah especially—is guiding customers through the demanding construction process and 

producing a beautiful living space in the end.” 

bostondesignguide.com 9

Quality Floor Coatings, Cabinets and Organizers 

781-836-5145 

www.bostongarage.com

Nevermind pahking the cah on Hahvahd Yahd, this is where premium 

vehicles are yearning to be when they’re not in the fast lane. 

We explore the designs of four gleaming, high-octane auto salons (we 

couldn’t possibly call them garages) that are home to high-performance 

Porsches, thundering Ferraris, classic Mercedes and Corvettes, royal 

Rolls and Minis with big dreams. 

Above, Architect Marcus Gleysteen with homeowner Conrad Wetterau. Driving 

one of Wetterau’s cars inspired Marcus, who used to race and now drives in track 

events, to purchase a classic car of his own. Photography: Roger Pelissier 


12 


Conceived by Marcus Gleysteen of MGa | Marcus 

Gleysteen Architects and interior designer Anthony 

Catalfano of Anthony Catalfano Interiors, this Weston car 

gallery was designed with three components: an exhibition 

space for the owner’s three prized rides (an Enzo Ferrari, 

a vintage Corvette and a 2012 Porsche GT3 six speed), a 

more utilitarian garage that houses four vehicles on the 

lower level and four on the lifts overhead, and a lounge 

area where the collectors in the family “can watch TV and 

have a beer,” says Marcus Gleysteen. 

The lounge stops traffic, and boasts a vibe that is “very 

modern, clean, Italian and sexy,” says Anthony Catalfano. 

It merges contemporary Italian furnishings, including black 

glove leather couches, with custom cabinetry, including 

a Ferrari-red floating console with a high buff finish by 

Wayne Towle Master Finishing and Restoration. 

Maverick Integration equipped the salon with the full 

technology of the main house, using invisible speakers 

in both wings. When the homeowners play music “it’s all 

hidden to keep the integrity of the uncluttered, clean-lined 

space,” says design consultant John Bray. 

Photography: Chuck Choi; Marcus Gleysteen 


This tented three-car garage, also by MGa | Marcus 

Gleysteen Architects, was inspired by the owner’s travels to 

Saudi Arabia, and the stretch canopies at the Hajj Terminal 

East airport. This award-winning project was conceived 

as “a folly,” says architect Marcus Gleysteen, and, initially 

designed to utilize a surplus of glass from the build of the 

main home. In the end, the contractor found it to be easier 

and less expensive to work with clear, half-inch tempered 

glass, leaving the Mondrian-esque sliding doors the only 

vestige of the original design. Its tent, which is illuminated 

at night, was made by the same company that produced 

the Bank of America Pavilion on the waterfront, and is the 

smallest project the firm has done. 

As the sculptural carport is located on a ridge overlooking 

the Atlantic Ocean, sloping steel columns were attached 

to concrete footings as stays. The engineers had to ensure 

that the structure wouldn’t get carried away. “The uplift 

on this point when the wind blows at 50mph is 70,000 

pounds,” explains Marcus. 

Photography: Marcus Gleysteen 

14 


Principal Patrick Ahearn FAIA of Patrick Ahearn Architect 

puts a classic, Islander spin on his car barn, located 

on Martha’s Vineyard. An avid auto enthusiast, Ahearn 

often finds inspiration for his architecture in the lines and 

designs of vintage automobiles, so it follows that he’d 

create a home for the dream machines he has restored, 

including a fire-engine red 1960’s Corvette and a hunter 

green Porsche Speedster. 

For this construct, he reinvented the livery stables of old, 

modeling it after the “upscale New England barns one 

would have found in historic towns like Concord, Mass.,” 

says Ahearn. In keeping with tradition, he reused flooring 

from a mill building in Maine as well as other reclaimed 

materials like old beams and timbers, and a stone veneer 

on the exposed foundation. He made a point of keeping 

the first level freestanding (the second level boasts a guest 

quarters) and devoid of columns to make the space easy 

for cars to navigate, and incorporated plenty of brick 

and beadboard, a Vineyard staple. A “man cave” area, 

complete with a sitting area and TV, heating and AC, 

provides a place to kick back and admire the four-wheeled 

investments. 

Photography: Greg Premru; Richard Mandelkorn 


This Shingle-Style car barn in South Dartmouth was 

designed as a stable for a fun-loving owner’s six candycolored 

cars. Each vehicle—a red Nissan, orange 

Lamborghini, yellow BMW, green Porsche, blue Subaru 

and purple Rolls Royce—is wrapped in a color inspired 

by ROYGBIV, the hues of the rainbow. Sounds Good 

Corporation, the home automation firm that designed and 

installed the garage’s security cameras, incorporated LED 

lights in each stall colormatched to the tone of each car. 

A separate Ferrari Room is attached to the basement of 

the main home, which houses the homeowner’s favorite 

sports car, a lounge area decked out in all things “Ferrari,” 

a retro gasoline pump and even a race car simulator. 

Photography: Keitaro Yoshioka 

16 


Romancing 

the 

STONE 

Cumar Dazzles with its Linea Couture Collection 

Many know Cumar Marble and Granite for its gleaming 

granite and marble, but homeowners may not be aware 

that the natural stone fabricator carries a line of full slabs 

of exotic and semiprecious stone typically seen only in 

jewelry. This assortment—culled from personal searches 

all over the world—is known as the “Linea Couture” 

collection, and has stones so special, shares Vice President 

Carlotta Cubi Mandra, “they are in class of their own.” 

Comprised of coveted gems and materials like amethysts, 

agates, petrified wood and quartzes, these luxe offerings 

can grace that “once-in-a-lifetime kitchen, bath or custom 

project.” Use them anywhere you’d like to make a brilliant, 

beautiful statement—Cumar’s custom fabrications have 

found expression on fireplace surrounds, backsplashes, 

vanities, sinks, countertops, and more. 

Add further drama by backlighting the stone. This design 

effect accentuates the heady, saturated colors and intricate 

veining found in nature’s glorious compositions. 

Left: material: lapis blue semiprecious; designer: Kristin Paton 

Interiors; photo: Eric Roth. Right: material: natural quartz 

semiprecious; designer: Beth Martell & Enda Donagher NYC; 

lighting designer: Barbara Bouyea; photo: Sargent Architectural 

Photography.

WE BUILD OUR SMART HOME SYSTEMS 

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Come visit us at the NEW Sounds Good Experience Center 

Sounds Good Corporation 

179 Bear Hill Rd. Suite 106 

Waltham, MA 02451 

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Like us on Social Media: Facebook and Twitter: @SoundsGoodMA Instagram: @SoundsGoodCorp 


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22 


THE 

NEW 

CLA SSIC 

A Weston home makes traditional design 

not only relevant in the 21st century, it 

makes it fresh. 

According to interior designer Anthony Catalfano of Anthony 

Catalfano Interiors, architect Marcus Gleysteen of MGa | Marcus 

Gleysteen Architects has a gift for creating stunning architecture 

that is at once timeless and timely. The designer experienced this 

architectural finesse—and built upon it with his inspired designs—when 

collaborating with the architect on a wholly original home in Weston. 

“Marcus has created beautiful architecture that will stand the test of 

time, yet it’s current. There’s an edge to it,” says Anthony. 

The home’s bearing is no doubt a product of its form, which, says, 

Marcus “is cleanly and crisply articulated.” It is also imbued with a 

clarity and sense of purpose that Marcus finds in the great English 

country houses he so passionately admires and draws inspiration from. 


“Wherever you look, there is detail.” 

—Anthony Catalfano 

24 


While the exterior of the home, a subtle but sensual 

country home, has classical Italian flourishes—dominant 

columns, limestone-gray trim, cornices, a voluptuous 

portico—“underneath this skin,” says Marcus, “is a 

thoroughly modern house.” Everything about it: the way 

it is built, the way it flows, the way its serves its owners, 

the way it reacts to its site, is utterly contemporary, he 

underscores. “People think that modern and traditional 

design are mutually exclusive,” says Marcus. "That isn't the 

case and never should be, except, perhaps in a museum." 

Anthony has enjoyed a 20-year relationship with the 

homeowner, having done many projects together, but 

this job needed “to be very different and very fresh, 

and comfortable to live in,” he says. Much of this 

approachability is born of texture—in the extravagant 


wood detailing that envelops spaces from 

the great room to the study to the kitchen, 

as well as in its upholstery and finishes. The 

texture balances out Marcus’ architecture, 

which, says Anthony, was a pleasure to 

have as his backdrop. 

This home has a way of reconciling 

contradictions; it is traditional yet 

modern, and both formal and casual. The 

impressive ceiling of the great room, with 

millwork by Peter Murray of Fine Finish Inc. 

and Wayne Towle of Wayne Towle Master 

Finishing and Restoration, is a case in 

point. “Marcus designed this phenomenal 

ceiling,” explains Anthony, “which we 

decided to do in limed oak, creating 

texture and warmth in the room.” It is 

juxtaposed with “a very sexy, very elegant 

mahogany bar,” with dark, highly polished 

wood that graces the interior doors and 

the handrails and balustrade of the stair for 

a striking contrast. “The overall effect of 

the wood is complex, but it reads as very 

delicate,” maintains wood refinisher Wayne 

Towle. “It’s not overdone.” 

26 


The foyer and stairway, with 

its carved balcony rails and 

interwoven balusters, are favorites 

of owner Peter Murray of Fine 

Finish, Inc. Artwork by Robert 

Motherwell straddles the French 

doors. In the study, the cerused 

oak was wire brushed, though 

not to the extent of the rift sawn 

white oak of the great room. 


The breakfast room and 

kitchen is also laden with 

millwork, with a sitting area 

accented with Hunt Slonem 

fabric by Lee Jofa. The 

kitchen, which was done by 

Fine Finish, Inc., features rift 

sawn white oak cabinetry 

panels within a painted face 

frame that you don't see 

until you're in the kitchen. 

“This is the first time we’ve 

done two-toned islands like 

that with the wood,” shares 

Peter Murray. The stove 

was designed to be “a focal 

point and monumental,” says 

Anthony, with cooktop units 

inset within mitered Imperial 

Danby marble slabs from 

Marble and Granite. 

28 


This house is formal and casual at the same time. The success of its 

design stems from how it harmonizes two polar opposites. 


The homeowners’ wishes, including the game room bar and the wine 

cellar, provided the team with unique design opportunities. “They 

gave us all these little follies that we could play with and chew on.” 

—Allison Guay, project architect MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects 

In the media room, Maverick Integration 

configured a challenging but great 

sounding space, says design consultant 

John Bray, featuring a large-scale 

14-foot screen and a motorized dropdown 

lift that hides a projector in the 

ceiling. The room also includes a flat 

sawn oak bar with a dark background 

and light ceruse. The wine cellar, 

with its zinc walls with stainless steel 

dowels, is another example of a great 

collaboration; the team worked with 

Jake Ducharme at Metalmorfis. 

The home’s undeniable style stems, in part, from its 

confidence. “The key is to keep it understated, knowing 

that the design has such authority that it can be subtle and 

serene,” says Marcus. 

Chic, clean-lined furnishings and an overarching neutral 

palette espouse this sensibility. Splashes of color in 

contemporary art and accents, like the persimmon console 

table by the bar and the throw pillows of the sofas, make the 

interior design pop. 

30 


“Everywhere you turn, there’s a surprise,” says Anthony. 

And a novelty that is carefully orchestrated. Every detail— 

from the door casings to the stair rail motif to the stove 

design—was approached as if it were being done for the 

first time. “Even when you think you’ve seen everything,” 

says Anthony, “there is something else to see.” 

Like the interiors, the grounds, with its rectangular pool, 

fire pit terrace and car salon, have a lot of program, but 

Gregory Lombardi Design, together with landscape 

contractor The Schumacher Companies, “culled out 

moments” within the terrain, says Principal Gregory 

Lombardi, unifying the landscape elements with a lush 

lawn fringed with a garden edge. Not surprisingly, the 

array is a natural paradox and “both fluid and geometric,” 

he says. “That little overlook for the fire pit is pure 

geometry,” and magic. 

The home fully engages with its setting and sits privately 

on a knoll among canopy trees. It is completely and 

organically integrated into its site and the kind of house, 

says Marcus, “that when you go by and take a look, you 

realize how truly special it is.” 


“The house wraps around the hill in an organic way,” says Gregory Lombardi, and specimen 

trees like Stewartia and paperbark maples were salvaged to use in the new design. Features 

include a fire pit overlook and a garden path walkway created for the homeowner and her dog. 

32 


There is a softness and a cottage feel to the landscape. 

The plantings are not formal or off-putting, but gardenesque. 

—Gregory Lombardi 

Architect: MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects 

Construction Superintendent: Wayne Caruso 

Interiors: Anthony Catalfano Interiors 

Millwork: Fine Finish, Inc. 

Wayne Towle Master Finishing and Restoration 

Home Integration: Maverick Integration 

Landscape Architect: Gregory Lombardi Design 

Landscape Construction: Schumacher Companies 

Masonry: O'Hara & Company LTD 

Photography: Chuck Choi & Marcus Gleysteen 

Text: Sandy Giardi 

To give the exterior of the home "a warm feeling," founder 

Nick O'Hara of O'Hara & Company used a European-style 

stone veneer that mixes three types of stone sourced from 

three different states. In keeping with the architectural style , 

the chimneys are constructed in stone and brick. 


Landscape Architecture 

LombardiDesign.com

BUILDING IN THE CITY 

LIVING ON HIGH 

“Building in the city is not for every contractor,” says co-founder Eric Adams 

of Adams + Beasley Associates. “There’s a huge amount of risk and liability” 

to manage projects in the urban context gracefully. 

Building successfully in the 

city requires planning that’s as 

finely tuned as a Swiss watch. It 

means securing parking permits 

for cranes and lining up police 

details (even when the city has 

other plans, like the Gay Pride 

Parade or a Duck Boat victory 

celebration) and playing by the 

strict rules of each building and 

thinking of the residents who 

live above, below and beside 

your client. 

It can also mean “live loading” garbage bags full of “every 

single piece of flooring, wall, plaster and lighting” of a gut 

renovation into a dump truck or by crane from an oversized 

patio because the Four Seasons doesn’t have a freight elevator, 

only to do it again in reverse to bring in new materials. 

Adams + Beasley Associates built their first Boston project in 

2004, and since then, has completed 10 projects at the Four 

Seasons, four at the Heritage and many more at the new 50 

Liberty building, The Millennium Tower, The Clarendon, One 

Charles Street South and, soon, One Dalton. And, while these 

addresses may be among the most fashionable in Boston, it 

often isn’t “sexy work.” 

Adams cites the time his firm discovered that a historic Beacon 

Hill row house was built on rotten wood pilings. Given that a 

sound foundation is the most important thing for any structure, 

Adams + Beasley, together with a specialty contractor, set 

about cutting off the compromised wood, and flooded the 

space with concrete to fill it. To do this, the team had to dig 

below the water table (constantly pumping water out of the 

area) and take care not to destabilize the 5- to 10-ton granite 

blocks atop the pilings that the home rested on. “It was an 

amazingly labor intensive and risky process,” says Adams, but 

one that extended the life of that structure in perpetuity. 

It may be dirty work, maintains Adams, but it’s gratifying. 

“It takes a lot to get the job done right, but when it is, the 

outcomes can be spectacular.” 


When it came to the millwork of 

his new house on a quiet street in 

Wellesley, Peter Fallon, founder 

of Fallon Custom Homes & 

Renovations, went deep. 

We wouldn’t expect anything less from the 

custom builder with his own in-house cabinetry 

and woodworking shop. When he ushered us 

into his stately new build completed just last 

fall, we were greeted by layers of fine cabinetry, 

gleaming oak hardwoods, antiques, art and a soft 

gray palette. 

While Fallon can often be found in his third floor 

lair, with its oversized TV and comfortable chair, 

the kitchen is his favorite space in the house. He 

loves the room’s symmetry, while we were taken 

by its luxurious cream-colored coffered ceiling 

that contrasts nicely with the rift and quartersawn 

white oak floors in a Jacobean stain underfoot. 

36 

bostondesignguide.com 

The kitchen is homey but refined, with a furniture 

feel that stems from paneled appliances, the 

island’s mahogany countertop and the legs of 

the cabinetry. The space is emblematic of what 

Fallon’s millwork shop can do—throughout a 

home. 

Photography: Roger Pelissier

Designer Digs 

Donna Venegas was challenged when renovating 

her marina-side Charlestown kitchen.“It’s easy to 

listen to somebody and guide them,” she explains. “But to do your 

own house is hard, because everything you pick, is everything you 

didn’t pick.” 

She needn’t have feared. Her kitchen, which spills out to a patio where 

she grills (a lot!), is warm and dazzling. If money were no object, 

Venegas “would have done the whole kitchen in metal,” she says. 

Instead, she did the next best thing: solid brass striae cabinet fronts 

against a shimmering Ann Sacks ceramic backsplash, and a Sub-Zero 

Wolf range recessed into the counter and clad in a brass face. 

Photography: Roger Pelissier 

The look is striking by day, and magic at night. Venegas favors how 

“fluidly and flawlessly” her kitchen works. On the other side of a 

central island topped in thick quartzite, she designed a secondary 

space for her husband with its own surface, sink and storage. She also 

ensured that the kitchen flows into a handsome bar area, within reach 

from the dinner table. “It’s all about control,” says Venegas. “You can 

control how you behave in a space—and how your guests enjoy your 

space—by what you put where.” 


38 


A landscape and architectural renovation 

blends the former glory of Belmont’s 1850s 

Locke Farmhouse with a French flourish. 

HISTORY in the MAKING 

In order to write the next chapter for an Italianate 

farmhouse, with roots embedded generations deep in 

Belmont’s farming history, Patrick Ahearn Architect had 

to first work backwards. His firm, which is renowned for 

steeping new builds and restorations alike within a historic 

vernacular, had to deconstruct and remove some wayward, 

quick-sell renovations done in the 1990s before they could 

reinterpret “what might have been,” says principal Patrick 

Ahearn FAIA. “This was the second bite of the apple, if you 

will,” he explains. And it is sweet indeed. 

The goal was to recapture the essence of the home, which, 

“while fairly stylized for the period,” says Ahearn, blended 

Greek Revival and Italianate sensibilities with a dash of 

Colonial restraint and “reimagine it in a way that is more 

sympathetic to its rich history.” 


Top: The home’s existing barn was renovated and repurposed to create a light-filled artist studio that opens up to the yard on the first 

level and a gym/“man cave” on the second floor. Above: A pea stone gravel drive (like you “might see walking down the Champs-Elysees,” 

says Ahearn) banded with red brick replaced the former heavy-handed brick driveway. Transom windows, re-detailed columns and new 

light fixtures were added to the porte cochere to better suit the Italianate architecture; Right top: An outdoor living room with a fireplace 

spills out to a clean-lined bluestone terrace. Low brick walls and an elliptical window set in lattice add to the French country aspect of 

the space. Right: A converted antique fountain serves as a focal point for a checkerboard nook. 

40 


The other component was to immerse the home and 

carriage house in a lush, more formal, landscape, taking 

the setting from a bare lot to a series of heady, romantic 

outdoor rooms. The grounds also had to give the 

residents, one of whom is an artist from France, a taste of 

the Parisian countryside without losing sight of the home’s 

provenance or, what Ahearn terms, a “French country 

meets Italianate farmhouse” sensibility. 

To achieve this, landscape design and construction firm a 

Blade of Grass “maximized every inch of land,” says owner 

and lead designer Jim Douthit, leveling the backyard and 

bringing beautiful, bountiful plantings all the way up to the 

house. Douthit picked blooms like roses and hydrangea 

as well as antique elements that borrow from both the 

farmhouse and European idioms, and crafted a bluestone 

terrace off the outdoor living room and porch “that makes 

this incredible transition from the inside out,” he says. 

The result is a setting that reads as if it has developed over 

time and “recalls a more genteel way in which someone 

would have lived,” says Ahearn. The beauty of it is that what 

was scripted for the home and gardens is not just narrative, 

it’s prophecy. Says Douthit, “everything that was done 

outside has become part of the homeowners’ daily lives.” 

Architecture: Patrick Ahearn Architect 

Landscape Design and Construction: a Blade of Grass 

Construction: Jack Sullivan, The Chelsea Companies 

Photography: Greg Premru and Pete Cadieux 

Text: Sandy Giardi 


PUBLISHER’SPICKS 

the 

VEDANA BY BAINULTRA 

The Vedana care unit allows homeowners to 

incorporate luxurious wellness rituals into their 

daily routines. Created for use in the shower, 

Vedana combines five therapies that heal and 

nurture the body, mind and spirit: Thermotherapy 

(utilizing dry heat); Chromatherapy (mood-lifting 

treatment using color); Light Therapy (to improve 

mood and sleep); Aromatherapy (diffuses essential 

oils for well-being); and Sound Therapy (using 

music and vibration to de-stress). Available at 

Splash, www.splashspritzo.com. 

Photo courtesy of Splash. 

PALMER CUSTOM SINK LEGS 

Slender and statuesque, Palmer sink legs add flair to vanities in the 

master bath or powder room. Far more than a support system, these 

tapered beauties come in a wealth of styles and finishes—from natural 

walnut to hand-rubbed brass to Lucite. Available at Moniques Bath 

Showroom, www.moniquesbathshowroom.com. 

Photo courtesy of Palmer Industries. 

UPLIFT TECH COLLECTION BY ROBERN 

Illuminated medicine chests bring dressing room glamour to 

the bathroom, as well as cutting-edge design and functionality. 

Robern’s Uplift Tech Collection features modern, modular units 

with an innovative vertical opening for storage, USB charging 

ports and defogging technology. The perimeter lighting option 

offers dimmable LED task lighting, rich saturated tone, as well 

as a programmable nightlight. Available at Snow and Jones, Inc., 

www.snowandjones.com. 

Photo courtesy of Robern. 

42 


FOR THE MASTER BATH 

KALLISTA FREESTANDING CLASSIC TUB 

With its graceful styling on the rim and plinth, Kallista’s deep 

soaking tub is undoubtedly the star of the master bath. It’s 

a knockout in traditional designs when paired with Kallista’s 

“For Town” bath faucet and handheld shower, inspired by the 

classic telephone design. Available at Supply New England 

Kitchen and Bath Gallery, www.supplynewengland.com. 

Photo courtesy of Kallista. 

WOLF WARMING DRAWERS 

Add this kitchen staple to your bathroom cabinetry 

and you’ll have your very own spa. With superior 

air and temperature control, Wolf Warming 

Drawers are the perfect place to store towels and 

robes for a toasty après bath treat. Available at 

Clarke, www.clarkeliving.com. 

Photo courtesy of Clarke, New England’s Official 

Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom and Test Kitchen 

AT200 SPALET BY DXV 

Frank Webb’s Bath Center sells more of DXV’s SpaLet than 

any other integrated electronic bidet toilet. The sleek and 

ultra hygienic unit features an automatic seat lift, heated 

seat, dual wand lengths for the bidet, a self-cleaning basin 

(softly illuminated at night) and a room deodorizer—at a 

refreshing price point. Available at Frank Webb Bath Center, 

www.frankwebb.com. 

Photo courtesy of Frank Webb Home. 


We Search the World for Extraordinary. 

617-923-1167 

Landscape Architecture 

Photography: Warren Patterson 

COHASSET, MA 508.280.3206 BRIANFRAZIERDESIGN.COM 

44 


No need to descend a flight of stairs to access your home theater. Now, your living 

room can double as your very own screening room at the touch of a button. Evan 

Struhl, President and CEO of Cutting Edge Systems Corp., walks us through this 

living space’s A/V metamorphosis. 

1. A custom soffit was engineered around the room to house the equipment and mechanicals for the projector 

and the motorized screen. 2. The incredibly lifelike 4K, full HDR image is produced by a concealed Barco Professional 

Laser Projector with certified, ISF calibration. 3. A full 7.2.2 Dolby Atmos surround sound system is piped in 

through architectural speakers that are discreetly hidden in the walls, ceiling and the fireplace surround. Individual 

components manufactured by Leon Speakers. 4. A 15-foot, silent, motorized, drop-down Stewart film screen descends 

from a slot in the soffit as the room darkens and the projector turns on. 5. Automatic Lutron shades, with 

sophisticated hem bar alignment, were tailored for a precise fit on the arc of the bowfront windows. 


TRANSFORMATION 


D. Michael Collins Architects’ 

fresh-faced farmhouse predated 

the modern farmhouse trend. Its 

gables, shed dormers, and low 

and high roofs give the illusion 

that the residence was “built 

over time,” says principal Michael 

Collins. Exterior materials—board 

and batten, an elevated stone 

base, cedar clapboard, zinc 

coated copper roofing, etc.—were 

selected to accentuate changes in 

mass. Photo by Eric Roth. 

Shope Reno Wharton has an 

affinity for stair halls situated 

beyond the main body of the 

home. The feature is interesting 

from the outside and arresting 

from within. On the exterior, it 

allows the architect to play the 

vertical form off horizontal eave 

lines; inside, it ushers in natural 

light and “creates moments 

of pause,” says AIA principal 

Arthur Hanlon, allowing 

homeowners to take it all in. 

Photo by Durston Saylor 

46 


For this distinguished set of architects, no 

two homes are alike. Every residential design 

is client-driven and customized for the 

homeowners’ taste and lifestyle. And yet, the 

four projects featured here seem to whisper the 

identities of their makers, and are emblematic of 

the form and flair of their respective firms. 

Signature Style 

While the work of Eric Inman Daum, Architect defies 

categorization, all of Daum’s designs are historically informed. 

Daum’s process is rooted in “logic and order,” he shares, and 

he “embellishes his designs with period appropriate details.” 

This garden pavilion, which features granite stairs that lead 

to a red access door and custom bronze metalwork, was 

inspired in part by a mausoleum conceived by architect 

Robert Adam for the English estate of the First Earl of 

Shelburne. Photo by Warren Patterson. 

Duckham Architecture & Interiors has a way with the gambrel 

form. The firm loves to play with the subtleties of the shapes and 

angles that best fit the context of a home. Gambrels are practical, 

offering rooflines that can be heavily insulated, as well as versatile. 

“On the ocean, they can be low and hunkered down to protect 

against the elements. In town, they can be tall and proud,” says 

owner Kent Duckham. The gambrel form also lends itself to 

creativity, affording a wealth of options for detailing, banding and 

siding patterns. Photo by Sam Gray. 


Custom Builder 

Millwork by Thoughtforms Studio 

At Thoughtforms, in addition to building 

homes, we build and strengthen the 

communities in which we work and live. We 

also recognize and support the community- 

One Family, Inc. 

Thoughtforms | West Acton, MA | 978-263-6019 

thoughtforms-corp.com 

One Family, Inc. is an organization that aims to prevent 

homelessness and break the cycle of family poverty in 

Massachusetts by promoting pathways to economic 

independence through advocacy, education, and innovation. 

One Family’s programs help families to enter careers, increase 

income, and secure permanent housing. Learn more about 

One Family’s April fundraiser at onefamilyinc.org.

Creating harmony through technology with a product-agnostic approach to audio, video, lighting, automation, and entertainment. 

CONSULT. DESIGN. INTEGRATE. 


hello@koncerted.com – koncerted.com – 781-893-8610

Rosemary Fletcher Photography, Stephen Stimson Associates Landscape Architects 

Greg Premru Photography, Dan Gordon Landscape Architects 

Rosemary Fletcher Photography, Hawk Design Landcape Architects 

LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION | MASONRY | MAINTENANCE 

R.P. MARZILLI & CO., INC. | (508) 533.8700 | 21-A TROTTER DRIVE | MEDWAY, MA 02053

www.rpmarzilli.com 

Greg Premru Photography, Dan Gordon Landscape Architects

52 


WONDERS OF 

WOOD 

Top designers and builders embrace the 

beauty and warmth of this prized material— 

inside and out. 

In the rec room… For a harborside oasis in Marblehead, 

Groom Construction Co., Inc. layered an 

entertainment center in quartersawn white oak. The 

material is blond and beautiful within the contemporary 

cabinetry, shelving and built-ins and in the 

arched slotted design of a dramatic barrel ceiling. 

The latter was chosen for its effective acoustics—one 

end of the space is dedicated to a state-of-the-art 

home theater. Builder: Groom Construction Co., Inc.; 

design: Grazado Velleco Architects; interior design: 

Jean Verbridge, S+V Design 

In the courtyard… Landscape architect Matthew 

Cunningham gave western red cedar a central role in 

the striking courtyard of a row house in Beacon Hill 

built in the 1890s. The small setting is a study in materials, 

as bands of bluestone and red brick mingle 

with the organic beauty of a custom wood shed and 

illuminated alcove that lines the entirety of the garden 

on one side. Landscape design: Matthew Cunningham 

Landscape Design; landscape construction 

Michael Coffin Landscape Construction; Metalwork: 

Paradis Metal Works 

In the bath… Reclaimed beams and salvaged floorboards 

give a Provincetown bathroom by Bannon 

Custom Builders a rustic sophistication. During the 

construction of a major renovation, every last beam 

was saved, numbered and integrated when possible 

in the redesign. Wood is an unlikely choice in the 

bathroom, but distinctive alongside marble, brass 

accents, and distressed white subway tile. Builder: 

Bannon Custom Builders; architecture: Hammer 

Architects; cabinetry by Sharp Woodworking 

In the pantry… This 2 1/4–inch thick walnut countertop 

gives a nautical flair to a butler’s pantry crafted 

by Longfellow Design Build of Cape Cod. The firm 

is known for its high-quality built-ins and cabinetry— 

an arm of their firm is devoted to it—crafted from 

choice, furniture-grade woods and veneers. In this 

treatment, they’ve embedded drainage channels 

within the polished wood, allowing liquids to spill directly 

into a single basin apron-front sink. The piece 

is finished with a lifetime, no-maintenance marine oil 

finish similar to that used on fine yachts. 

Designed and built by Longfellow Design Build 


Full Transparency 

Peter Sachs Architect and 

Pella of Boston shed light 

on a brilliant addition 

An adventuresome client with a Tudor 

house in Newton came to Peter Sachs 

Architect with an unusual request: to create 

an addition featuring a family room, kitchen 

and mudroom, three bedrooms and a 

three-car garage that “would de-Tudorize” 

their dark home. Principal Peter Sachs 

knew what the homeowner was getting at; 

though picturesque, “the Tudor style has 

a tendency to look inward,” he explains. 

This new addition, “a pergola and trellis 

expression” with hammer beams and 

heavy timber that suits the architectural 

style, would look outward instead. It would 

achieve this by including custom-made 

Pella windows and the brand’s industrialstyle 

French door. 

Pella windows, albeit an earlier series, 

were used on the original brick portion of 

the home, so incorporating Pella’s newer 

Architecture Series was a natural. Sachs has 

worked with Brad Kremer of Pella of Boston 

for over 20 years, as the window and door 

manufacturer can realize whatever design 

and proportions he can invent. Aligning 

the clean horizontal and vertical lines of the 

mullions is essential to Sachs. “We can do 

that with Pella. Other manufacturers don’t 

seem to be sensitive to that.” 

While the home’s new series of windows 

harmonizes with the originals, they boast 

a minimalist profile that is striking inside 

and out. Because “they’re trimmed out in 

plaster,” with no casings to speak of, “the 

focus is on the window and on the black 

contrast,” says Sachs. 

They read as super lightweight, yet 

they are hardy and well-insulated. Their 

performance made them a possibility for 

this project. “I give a lot of credit to Pella for 

creating something we can work with in an 

environment like New England.” 

Credit: construction by RJ Gallerani and Son; 

exterior photo by Richard Mandelkorn; interior 

photo by Patrick Rogers 

54 


Out of Site! 

Architecture: 

MGa | Marcus Gleysteen Architects 

Photography: Jeff Sinon 

Meandering native stone drives. Jaw-dropping views. 

Mossy, stepping-stone paths. Granite hardscapes that 

take on the tones of the lake. Landscape design/build 

firm Pellettieri Associates, Inc. brings nature’s splendor 

to higher ground. At a time when homeowners are 

appreciating the great outdoors more than ever—in 

their lives and in their home designs—we sat down with 

President George Pellettieri, who has been in the business 

for 35 years, to see just how his firm does it. 

First and foremost, Pellettieri Associates likes to enter 

the picture early. “We can be the most beneficial if we are 

the first ones on the site and the last ones to leave,” he 

says. If his team can see the setting, they can assess its 

features, views and special characteristics, and create an 

optimal program, often with outdoor “rooms” that serve 

multiple uses. 

They take their cues from nature—the granite of the 

surrounding ledge, the direction of the sun—as well as 

the wants of the homeowner. “Lifestyle is so important,” 

contends Technology Director Graham Pellettieri; we 

encourage residents to think hard about how they intend 

to use their property. Will they entertain regularly and, if 

so, how many guests? Do they cherish a particular tree? 

What time of year will they be using the home? 

Pellettieri Associates then brings these seamless, 

sustainable settings to fruition, maintaining them for years 

afterward. The company is happiest when asked, “Were 

you really here?” offers George. “That’s a sign that we’ve 

done our job well.” 


South End 

Back Bay 

There is no denying that it’s an exciting time to build in Boston. From daring new builds 

to period-piece worthy historic renovations to soaring sky-high condos, every Boston 

neighborhood has its own flair and personality. We bring you slices of the city’s finest, each 

project reflective of its enclave’s unique character. 

Clockwise from above: A South End corner 

unit renovated by Kistler & Knapp Builders 

is thoroughly charming and impossibly 

hip, thanks to its parade of windows 

and traditional detailing juxtaposed with 

of-the-moment lighting and furnishings. 

Photo by Warren Patterson. Pristine and 

inspired, this Back Bay pied-a-terre by 

F.H. Perry Builder features spectacular 

views of the Public Garden and Boston 

Common and spotlights the residents’ 

art collection. Architecture: Pauli and 

Uribe Architects; Interior Design: Manuel 

de Santaren; photo by Greg Premru. A 

past client of Merz Construction, who 

downsized to Downtown Crossing, now 

has the city at their feet, in a lofty and 

luxe apartment at the Millennium Tower. 

Architecture: Act Two Architects; photo by 

Richard Mandelkorn. A swanky bachelor 

pad by I-Kanda Architects mirrors the 

industrial vibe of the Seaport District it 

inhabits. The loft-style home is progressive 

and unconventional, and has wraparound 

views of the Boston skyline. Photo courtesy 

of I-Kanda Architects. A Beacon Hill 

residence by Columbia Contracting Corp. 

has all of the character of the locale it calls 

home; it is intimate and neighborly with a 

strong connection to its garden courtyard. 

Architecture: Charles R. Myer & Partners; 

photo by Brian Vanden Brink. 

BEacon hill 

56 


downtown croSSing 

SEaport 

CITY 

SNAPSHOTS 

BOSTON 

BACK BAY 

BEACON HILL 

DOWNTOWN CROSSING 

SEAPORT 

SOUTH END 


Architects: Act Two Architects 

Photography: Richard Mandelkorn 

Architecture: Flavin Architects; Photography: Nat Rea 

CUSTOM HOMES 

That Reflect Your Vision. 

See more at merzconstruction.com 

or call 978-371-1828

Maverick Integration is one 

of the first in New England 

to embrace a new frontier in 

residential lighting control: 

the advent of color temperate lighting calibrated 

to the time of day. Ketra lighting (later followed 

by USAI, Savant and LF Illumination) has redefined 

fixtures with automation that harnesses the color and 

temperature of natural light and brings it indoors. Gone 

are the days of the one-size-fits-all incandescent light 

bulb you grew up with that has the same steady yellow 

glow whenever it’s switched on. 

“What Ketra did,” explains Systems Designer Dennis 

Jaques of Maverick Integration, is to “provide a seamless 

lighting experience that follows the Circadian rhythms 

of our bodies and the earth.” Just after sunrise, this 

technology adjusts and elicits a soft warm light; at high 

noon, it captures that white-blue tone that streams in from 

the window; and, come sunset, it imbues a “warm amber 

glow, like a candle or the feel of a cool summer night.” 

Photos courtesy of Ketra 

Ketra’s system is configured to the 

homeowner’s zip code, longitude and 

latitude, so it knows when the sun rises and 

sets in a given locale, year-round. Residents 

“can’t tell where the sun or natural light stops 

and the electronic light begins” in their living 

spaces, continues Jaques. It is unintelligible, 

and, like the sun, changes so slowly, you don’t 

notice it. But you feel it. 

Maverick Integration has deployed several systems 

last year alone, and clients have been struck by 

how much they enjoy the technology. Depending 

on the time of day, the light makes you feel happy, 

energized, focused, relaxed and ready for rest. 

Delos, a New York based company and global wellness 

pioneer committed to enhancing the health and wellbeing 

in the environments where we live, work, sleep and 

play, integrated Ketra within its new office space, as the 

technology is in keeping with its ethos, but not everyone 

in homebuilding has been quick to embrace it. “When 

you think about it,” maintains Jaques, “the way we wire 

buildings is the way we wired them back in the 1950s.” 

Given the groundbreaking progress in the lighting world, 

“it’s time for a change.” 


LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION • HORTICULTURAL SERVICES • EXCAVATION • AGGREGATE & ORGANICS 

(978) 263-1185 | ONYXCORPORATION.NET

The essence of your dream home lies in the details. 

BRENDON PROPERTIES 

PREMIER RESIDENCES 

259 Turnpike Road • Suite 110 • Southborough, MA 

01772 • 508.485.3999 • www.brendonhomes.com

Return to Grace 

Marble has been enjoying a renaissance here in New 

England within the last ten to 15 years, even surpassing 

granite in popularity, says co-owner Melissa Bunis of 

Boston Stone Restoration. And, “while marble looks 

beautiful, it requires care,” she continues. Thankfully, 

marble is the stone care specialists’ “sweet spot,” though 

they also work on granite, terrazzo and other natural stone. 

THE SOURCE DIRECTORY 

ARTISAN IRON 

54 Fitch Bridge Road Groton, MA 01450 

978-448-0028 

www.artisaniron.com 

ray@artisaniron.com 

@artisan-iron @artisaniron 

Artisan Iron is a boutique metalworking shop 

catering to private clients and the design 

community. We design and hand forge 

wrought iron gates, railings, furniture, garden 

art, and other custom metalwork in bronze, 

steel, brass and copper. 

BETSY BASSETT INTERIORS 

Newton, MA 617-332-8072 

www.betsybassettinteriors.com 

betsy@betsybassett.com 

@BBassettInteriors @BetsyBassettInt 

@betsy-bassett-interiors 

Betsy Bassett Interiors is an award winning 

Boston-based full service design firm. 

Betsy and her team relishes the unique 

engagement with each of her clients to 

develop and deliver a home that reflects their 

personality, aesthetic, and lifestyle. 

LAVALLEE SYSTEMS 

(888) 884-4122 

info@lavalleesystems.com 

At Lavallee Systems, our master plumbers 

and HVAC specialists are renowned for 

quality, professionalism, and attention to 

detail. We work with both homeowners and 

builders to design and maintain complex 

plumbing, heating, and cooling systems. 

During the restoration of a municipal building in Western Mass., 

Boston Stone Restoration pulled up carpeting that had been there 

for decades to reveal checkerboard marble. The firm cleaned and 

polished the floor using a wet grinding method, taking care to 

ensure that the black (notoriously harder to restore) didn’t bleed 

into the white. 

Melissa and her husband, Paul, with whom she owns 

the company, have a passion for natural stone and for 

returning luster to marble flooring, countertops, vanities 

and showers that are dirty, stained and etched. They also 

repair chips and scratches, and often apply a patented 

protective coating to marble surfaces that keeps them 

stain and etch free for 10 years! 

Paul, who trained under renowned Italian stone expert 

Maurizio Bertoli, finds no project too vexing, and the pair 

delights in uncovering stone from years ago that “we can 

help bring back to its natural beauty.” 

For residences, Boston Stone Restoration typically 

completes a job in one to two days. “People think a 

restoration is going to be a big undertaking,” says Melissa. 

“We try to be conscious that people are losing their 

main kitchen area or bathroom,” and are as efficient and 

meticulous as possible. 

PLYMOUTH QUARRIES 

410 Whiting Street, Hingham, MA 02043 

781-335-3686 

www.plymouthquarries.com 

info@plymouthquarries.com 

@PlymouthQuarries @plymouthquarriesllc 

@plymouth-quarries-llc 

Since 1915 we have been supplying stone 

products for homeowners, designers, architects 

and contractors. Come see our exclusives, our 

concrete products, brick, artificial grass line in 

our 1800 sq. ft. showroom. 

S. WILDER & CO./CAPE COD LANTERNS 

309 Orleans Road, PO Box 417 

North Chatham, MA 02650 

508-945-1659 

www.capecodlanterns.com 

cclanterns@verizon.net 

@Cape-Cod-Lanterns @capecodlanterns 

Cape Cod Lanterns handcrafts and 

handpicks quality solid brass and solid 

copper wall lanterns, post lanterns, hanging 

lights, sconces, landscape lights, and 

chandeliers. All lanterns are UL listed. 

VARTER’S ORIENTAL RUGS 

327 Pleasant Street, Belmont MA 02478 

617-489-3700 

www.vartersrugs.com 

vartersrugs@gmail.com 

@Vartersrugs 

Quality selection of antique, vintage, 

contemporary, modern, and oriental rug 

collections to try in your home for up to 3 

days. Cleaning, repairs and restoration done 

on premises. FREE in-home pick-up and 

delivery. 

62 


BUILDING IN THE CITY 

EVERY SQUARE INCH! 

Owners Mariette & Magued Barsoum 

“A great designer is able to give a homeowner all of 

their needs and requirements,” says owner and principal 

designer of Divine Design Center Mariette Barsoum—and wishes. 

For a client renovating a townhouse on Union Wharf, Barsoum and 

Divine Design Center architect and interior designer Jana Neudel 

were able to grant all three. Chief among them? A luminous, 

sophisticated look that plays up the views of the Boston waterfront, 

and, not as sexy but no less important, storage. 

The living room’s fireplace feature wall was a particular area of 

concentration, and designed in a way that proves that big, bright 

ideas aren’t at odds with an economy of space. “The key is to use 

every single inch,” says Barsoum. That they did. 

Along with a fireplace and TV, Divine Design Center created space 

for a dry bar underneath the stair, outfitted with a wine refrigerator 

and oversized drawers. Additional storage drawers run underneath 

the hearth, culminating in extra tall cabinets that house what the 

kitchen can’t. Illuminated display shelving and a textured gray 

metallic tile create a luxurious backdrop. “When the light hits it, the 

wall has an iridescent feel,” says Barsoum, “a little bit of shimmer.” 

Photography: Portrait by Roger Pelissier, Interior by Keitaro Yoshioka 


John Meyer, principal architect and co-founder of Meyer & Meyer 

Architecture and Interiors, shares an integral part of his firm’s design 

process: hand drawings of the homes he envisions. 

Empty lots have no soul, until they come to life by means of these striking 

renderings. Whether new or renovation projects, each starts with a clean slate 

of what can be. Perspective drawings allow clients to share the vision at an 

early stage. The drawings continue to become enriched with details of the 

exterior and interior throughout the design process until construction begins. 

They help clients better understand the expectations from plans. The creative 

outgrowth of architectural design is unique to each property, and the building 

of such homes is exciting to watch rise up out of the otherwise barren ground. 

Several computer programs can assist in similar ways and are used in our 

office. Computer programs don’t design; they are a result of lines drawn on a 

screen. Computers are like empty lots waiting for the input of talent. The art of 

hand drawings is personable, and very much alive and well at Meyer & Meyer. 

64 


Find Your True North... 

A home where you feel comfortable, where you feel happiest, 

where you thrive. 

MONTGOMERY + KAPLAN 

617.270.5598 | Brian.Montgomery@Compass.com 

Protography: Roger Pelissier

Welcome Home... 

to the place for creating a modern home. 

Our 8000 square-foot showroom at Battery Wharf is New England’s largest Modern Kitchen & Living showroom 

offering Europe’s top brands, including TEAM 7, LEICHT, MisuraEmme, Arketipo, Altamarea, Gaggenau, 

Thermador, Rolf Benz and Miele, for kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, and wardrobes. 

2 Battery Wharf, Boston, MA 02109 | 617-443-0700 | www.divinedesignbuild.com

BDG PRELUDE Spring 2019

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