To create a classical-contemporary look in a 19th-century home and carriage house, interior designer Kristin Paton didn’t start with a blank slate. The owners—a couple downsizing from homes in Manchester-by-the-Sea—brought many of their personal possessions with them.
The wife, an artist, defined the project with her signature palette: serene blues and greens reminiscent of sea glass. The husband, a businessman and musician, wanted space for a piano and a chef’s kitchen where he could cook and play during the lively gatherings the couple enjoys hosting.
Together, they also hoped to incorporate furnishings they had collected over the years—pieces that would make the new house feel distinctly their own. The home, last renovated in the 1960s or ’70s, felt dated, and its series of small main rooms didn’t suit the couple’s vision of a welcoming gathering place for children and grandchildren. They turned to Paton, whose eponymous firm is based in Boston, along with the Cambridge architectural firm Design Associates, to reimagine the space.
“They’re a very cultured, fashionable, artistic, and musical couple,” Paton says. “Home is important to them, and they wanted it to reflect that.” Walls were removed to create larger, more fluid spaces for the kitchen and living room. Classical architectural details—wainscoting, chair rails, fireplace mantels, arches, and coved ceilings—were introduced to restore a sense of timeless elegance.
The living and dining rooms, newly furnished and wrapped in William Morris wallpaper, now flow easily into one another. A custom dining table from the husband’s native England expands to accommodate guests, while chairs in complementary styles can be moved between rooms as needed.
“They’re a very cultured, fashionable, artistic, and musical couple. Home is important to them, and they wanted it to reflect that.”
- KRISTIN PATON
A dedicated office for the husband features a desk and rug from a previous home, while a custom built-in Murphy bed allows the space to double as a guest suite. Upstairs, tucked beneath the eaves, the wife enjoys a workspace and sitting area. “We spent a lot of time getting the right violet for her office,” Paton says. “She also uses it for yoga and meditation and wanted a soothing hue inspired by a memory—it’s a whispery violet-gray.”
The kitchen, both expansive and efficient, reflects the couple’s shared and individual tastes. For him, there’s a marble-topped custom island for prep and seating, double ovens, and a wall of storage behind the range, along with a custom banquette and a sitting area furnished with classic wicker chairs from a previous home. For her, the backsplash features tiny gold and white tiles inspired by Gustav Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I—the “Golden Lady.”
Their sensibilities merge again in the primary bedroom, where curated furnishings are complemented by a golden-green wallpaper featuring a peacock motif from Zoffany, evoking chinoiserie. The guest room, also furnished with pieces from the couple’s collection, introduces a playful note in its marble-clad bath, where a band of white marble moons and gold stars runs along the shower and vanity backsplash.
The most dramatic transformation took place in the carriage house. The lower level now houses a gym with a built-in Murphy bed and kitchenette, while the upper level serves as the wife’s art studio. Sleek black iron windows flood the space with natural light and add a distinctly 21st-century touch. The result is a home that feels both timeless and deeply personal. The couple immediately felt at ease there—so much so that, Paton recalls, “the husband actually cried for joy the first time he walked in.”