Thanks to one local expert, a client’s treasured pieces and a modern Back Bay condo achieved perfect harmony. A glass and steel door was added to separate the living room and library.
Life is truly full circle—look to the many retired couples returning to Boston after years in the suburbs. Moving from a spacious, multi-room house to a condo is always an adjustment, but with the right expert, it is nonetheless a breeze. One couple called upon Catherine Truman Architecture & Interiors (truman-architects.com) to bring a piece of their three-story Georgian property in the Boston suburbs to a smaller, single-floor condo in Heritage on the Green.
The study boasts a yellow Ligne Roset ottoman chair.
“Our clients planned to bring a number of items from their home—furniture, art and rugs—which were generally traditional, but they wanted to shift the aesthetic to something more contemporary,” Catherine Truman says. Along with their desire for discrete rooms instead of an open floor plan, the clients entrusted the team with creating a modern space balanced with pieces from their former home.
Stunning rift oak floors line the apartment
The gut renovation, which began in the summer of 2022, included widening the hallway into a gallery space and separating the living room and library with a glass, steel door. Unlike many projects, the client kept the kitchen separate to maximize storage and maintain distinct spaces.
Apparatus’ Triad-6 pendant in blackened brass wows in the library.
After stepping through the one-bed, 2 ½-bath home, a muted yet colorful palette with rift oak floors sets the stage. Like a beautifully framed canvas, each space boasts colorful brushstrokes of stunning furniture, paintings and sculptures. “They really wanted color, and they were big fans of Donald Kaufman Color (donaldkaufmancolor.com) paint, so they wanted to use their range,” she notes. “We were trying to create a colorful but neutral home so they could move furniture, art and rugs around.”
Makkas Workroom motorized drapes in Holland & Sherry’s Patagonia Birch and Andes Pumpkin add a pop of color to the primary bedroom.
At one end of the apartment awaits a contemporary living room, where every detail, from the stile and rail rift oak cabinets to the serpentine stone fireplace, is a work of art. An oriental carpet adds a pop of dark blue and red hues beneath the brown B&B Italia (bebitalia.com) Harbor Laidback chair and ottoman. Paintings and treasures from the client’s travels grace the walls, creating a space that is equally homey and unique.
Find a Bauhaus2yourhouse round table and Eames chairs in the kitchen.
Adjacent, a cozy library envelops any visitor with a warm embrace, from the custom Partners in Design (partnersindesignltd.com) sofa to the built-ins filled with paintings, ceramics and sculptures. The space feels as if it’s always been there, pulled from an idyllic childhood home. Past the gallery, find the kitchen tucked away behind a glass and steel sliding door. The sleek space feels light and understated with Danby marble countertops and custom cabinets in Farrow & Ball’s (farrow-ball.com) French gray.
A Roche Bobois sofa accented by throw pillows from The Custom Shop sits in the living room.
Complimenting the modern elements are transitional details such as brass Armac Martin (armacmartin.com) period hardware and herringbone floors. Down the hall lies the primary suite. Here, a warmly lit tray ceiling and modern Wood Lighting Design (woodlightingdesign.com) fixture overlook the Ligne Roset (ligne-roset.com) Evisa bed. Makkas Workroom (makkasdrapery.com) motorized drapes in Holland & Sherry’s (hollandandsherry.com) Patagonia Birch and Andes Pumpkin complement the room’s oriental carpets in rusty reds, blues and black. The suite feels bespoke and personal, in harmony with the rest of the home.
Design for Macha’s Stella Triennale ceiling light in unpolished balanced brass adorns the entryway
“I really love working with existing furniture, art and pieces that are part of an owner’s life,” she shares. “The layering of time, the individual, the personal experience and the patina, as well as the response to quirky or just personal elements, makes custom interiors custom.”
The powder room’s walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Café Doppio
Design Details
Type Single Family Home
Interior Designer and Architect Catherine Truman Architecture & InteriorsTruman-architects.com
Builder Adams + Beasley AssociatesAdamsbeasley.com
Lighting Consultant Nancy Goldstein, Light PositiveLightpositive.com
RESOURCES
LIGNE ROSET Sofa, home office Dining table, dining area Bed, primary suiteLigne-roset.com
B&B ITALIA Swivel chairs, living roomBebitalia.com
CUMAR Stone surround, living room Countertop, kitchenCumar.com
