When Jennifer and Andrew McKenzie were searching for a home in their adopted town of Belmont, they never expected to purchase a property mid-renovation. But when Jennifer saw a for-sale sign pop up in front of a corner house on Common Street, she called the realtor right away.
They were looking for more space for their two teenage sons and two goldendoodles, and were attracted to the home’s location on a pointed corner that gave it three-sided exposure and the potential for lots of natural light. They knew it was a gamble to buy an unfinished house, but it’s one that has paid off, with designer Jill Wheeler, owner of Birch Hill Interiors, helming the project.
“When we made our offer, the house was completely studs, it was just the wood beams,” remembers Jennifer. “Jill and Kerri [Reesey of Kindred Designs] had done the plans of what the interior would look like. But it was all computer-generated drawings, so we had to trust Jill.”
Brightness and privacy
Wheeler created a practical layout that maximized brightness while prioritizing privacy. For example, she and Reesey originally planned to locate a family room on the side of the house closest to the street, but moved it to the side that abutted another house for the privacy and reduced traffic noise. They added a deck facing away from the street, which can be accessed through sliding doors from the family room or an accordion-style window from the kitchen.
“I think finding the balance between privacy and openness was a significant challenge,” says Wheeler. “Given that the house is exposed on three sides, we had to consider which spaces could be more private and which could be more open, airy, and exposed to the street.”
Jennifer McKenzie says, “We sometimes feel like we’re in a fishbowl” in the dining room due to the large front window looking out on a busy avenue. But she appreciates that the designers made careful choices to preserve both a sense of connection to the outside world and an acceptable level of intimacy. “We do have window coverings, but I feel like they accomplished that.”
Practical and timeless
Wheeler and Reesey also worked to ensure the design would be practical for a busy family of four, and that its visual appeal would age well. The result was an open layout centered around the kitchen, a mud room off the garage, and a lower level with a gym, kids’ hangout space, and en-suite guest quarters. Upstairs, the kids’ bedrooms are connected by a jack-and-jill bathroom, and the master suite features a spa-like bathroom and a built-in reading nook.
“They wanted something that was functional, that would stand the test of time,” says Wheeler. “They wanted something that would be timeless and classic, where they wouldn’t get sick of it in a few years.”
In the décor, that approach translated into neutral tones of sage, brown and blue; natural materials like quartz countertops, venetian plaster, and grasscloth wallpaper; and visually pleasing patterns and shapes like herringbone wood flooring and round arches on built-in shelving units.
A black dining room
The designers also introduced some contemporary flourishes that initially left the homeowners skeptical but ultimately won them over. One such touch is the matte black dining room with a coffered ceiling.
“At first, [the homeowners] were like, ‘Wait, what?’” says Wheeler, who explained that it was important to make each space different. “Because it is such an open layout, it would have been easy for everything to look like a copycat of the next space. I really wanted to create a bit of separation while still maintaining continuity.”
The dining room has won the family over with its inviting window seat, combination of shapes in its picture frame molding and rounded furniture, and calm and somber wall color.
“It’s a design we never would have thought of, but it really works,” says McKenzie. “It’s one of my favorite rooms in the house.”
Wheeler feels she accomplished her vision: to give the house a sense of cozy openness.
“I love how it welcomes you in,” she says. “I love the intimacy of it, but at the same time it still is an open layout, and it’s cozy, it’s comfortable.”