In 2014, Suzanne Iovanna tragically lost her husband, Michael, in a car crash. It shook her world, but she stayed strong, raising their two teenage children while transitioning from being a stay-at-home mom to taking over from Michael as president of Pride Motor Group. Iovanna was new to the dealership world but successfully guided the business forward as one of the country’s few female owners. In her recently released memoir, Reclaiming My Pride: From Tragedy to Triumph, she documents all the highs and lows of her remarkable journey.
The busy executive is the first to admit that her work life is demanding, which is why her oceanfront property in Marblehead is so important to her. After an extensive refresh of the main home, she set her sights on an existing two-car garage. The goal was to create extra living/storage space for her as well as guest accommodations for visiting friends. In response, architect Craig Bosworth transformed the outbuilding into a carriage house with living space above and garage bays below.
“Because of its orientation, it has even better views than the main house,” describes Iovanna. “We had to contend with zoning issues but were able to include a set of French doors leading to a little Juliet deck. When you open the doors, you feel the fresh air and see the ocean. It’s a great spot to linger.” Meanwhile, the executive wanted a fully customized interior, so when a lighting professional recommended Justine Sterling Design, she reached out.
“We hit it off right away,” recalls Iovanna of their partnership. Sterling studied interior design in Cape Town before relocating to Boston in the 1990s. Now, her eponymous firm, Justine Sterling Design, is known for creating refined yet livable environments throughout the North Shore and beyond. For this bonus space, Sterling and associate designer Lori Kealey delivered a cohesive, fully styled and accessorized design within the architect’s framework. The resulting aesthetic is distinctively coastal (but never overt) with neutral hues and organic textures.
The interiors firm steered the cabinet design, executed by Matt Beane Construction, creating a sweet, light-filled kitchenette. Oriented on the French doors and that view, a comfy seating area is also part of the open-concept layout. Its queen sleeper sofa, upholstered in a striped Stout fabric, efficiently accommodates guests. Sterling worked her space planning magic to infuse the layout with a variety of storage solutions. One of Iovanna’s favorites is a nook for giftwrapping essentials (she has a passion for gifting with intention) tucked into the kitchen cabinetry.
The island, which seats two, doubles as a workspace for wrapping and, according to its owner, is a lifesaver come holiday time. But the showstopper of all storage solutions is the owner’s new walk-in closet. This carefully curated space is light and bright and specially designed for all the items that don’t have a home in the main house. Iovanna, a fashion enthusiast, uses it to organize seasonal coats, shoes, accessories, and luggage. (“Suzanne is one of the best dressed businesswomen I’ve ever met,” admits Sterling with a smile.) It also stores all her holiday decorations in dedicated bins placed in accommodating cubbies.
Rounding out the amenities is a bathroom with tiled shower for guests or for when Iovanna uses the carriage house as a workspace. Although modestly sized, this project delivers big on lifestyle enhancements. It is a beautiful, comfortable, and private spot for guests, but also a quiet retreat where its owner can work, write, wrap, pack for travel, and more. “Now, when I pull up to my house, I have to pinch myself,” says Iovanna. “The carriage house is my little getaway—it’s my serenity.”