A historic Watertown home plays to the gallery with an art-centric redesign.
The living room features many playful modern elements.
When the clients first toured this 1911 home, they were immediately drawn to its eclectic history—a graffiti-covered basement wall left by famed artist Warren Lotas and the perfect blend of Queen Anne and Rational Revival architecture. For these avid art collectors, it was more than a house; it was the ultimate canvas. Under the creative direction of designer Isabel Stover (designvisioninteriors.com), the home, by architect Ann Walters and the Cimino Bros., transformed into an artistic sanctuary. The vision for the six-bed, 5 ½-bath property comes alive in the living room, where playful contemporary elements take center stage. Inspired by an Erin McSavaney painting, the space introduces punchy colors through Herman Miller green-and-white checkered armchairs and a multicolored Hay cabinet.
Stunning textures and colors await in the bedrooms.
“The living room is meant to be a ‘fun’ playroom,” notes Stover. “The bold, primary colors of the painting are captured throughout the furnishings.” In contrast, the dining room offers a neutral palette. “As the heart of the home, and amid all the surrounding bright colors, its earthy tones are integrated and grounding,” Stover shares. A white marble Saarinen tulip table and black Orren Ellis chairs sit atop an earthy-toned CB2 rug, perfectly complementing wildlife and landscape paintings by Eloïse Brodeur and Armand Tatossian. Just overhead hangs a stunning bronze Arteriors chandelier designed to mimic a bird’s nest, symbolizing a landing place for the stork flying in one of the paintings.
A bronze Arteriors chandelier draws eyes into the dining room.
Adjacent, find a vibrant kitchen adorned with custom blue walnut cabinetry by Scott Grusby and a clean, white tiled backsplash. The space is visually striking and blends seamlessly with the rest of the home, showcasing art and design everywhere your eyes wander. Finishing off the main level is a surprising gem—the music room—boasting orange draperies and Vitsoe shelves lined with records. Upstairs, a parade of art continues in the bedrooms. The blue-hued primary welcomes you under the sea with art featuring fish and a nest, as well as a bed dressed with velvet Aviva Stanoff pillows that imitate fishing nets. This aquatic yet calming nod continues in the en suite, with vibrant blue tilework on the walls and mosaic tile lining the shower floor. “They are pleased with how it became not just a space to live in but also a gallery for their artwork and a reflection of their personalities,” concludes Stover.
Photography by: LARA KIMMERER
