By Andrea Timpano By Andrea Timpano | October 4, 2024 | Home & Real Estate, HBBO Home, HBBO Home Tours,
Tyler Karu Design and Interiors breathes new life into an outdated Boston townhome.
The home’s new aesthetic is European, warm, textural, and timeless
On paper, this Boston residence had a lot going for it—it was located in Charlestown with ample square footage and harbor views. But inside the 2,800-square-foot townhouse told a different story. Originally built in the late 1980s, the waterfront home was sorely outdated. “The kitchen and baths weren’t practical and the continued use of these spaces in their original condition would have led to many issues down the road,” says interior designer Tyler Karu (tylerkaru.com), the expert the townhouse’s new occupants enlisted for design help. “[The owners] were smart in understanding that a full remodel would allow them to tackle all deferred maintenance and improve their quality of life in the space.”
The new staircase
So, before moving in, the couple embarked on a gut renovation, tasking Karu and her team with revamping the townhouse’s public areas and primary suite. To start, the pro focused on a significant structural change: relocating the three-story staircase, which ran through the middle of the narrow home. Thanks to an assist from Newton architect Yefim Massarsky, the team repositioned the element along an exterior wall, freeing up space and enhancing the townhouse’s flow. The move offered other benefits, too. “In redesigning the staircase and its parts, we were also able to make it a standout architectural moment,” Karu explains. “We designed a custom metal railing as well as a thoughtful tread and riser plan to ensure the stair became the aesthetic highlight of the home.”
With this new configuration in place, the interior designer shifted her attention to other aesthetic details. She worked closely with the clients to develop what she calls a “layered and collected” scheme—a thoughtful blend of new bespoke furnishings and the pair’s existing (and pleasantly eclectic) decor. “Something I really enjoyed about working with the homeowners is that they like what they like, which is to say some pieces were custom and one of a kind, and other pieces were more affordable vintage items,” Karu says. “This applies to the art in their home as well.”
The pair of framed wallpaper panels in the living room
One standout? A pair of framed wallpaper panels, displayed behind a new Serena & Lily sofa in the living room. The diptych adds to the elegant vibe of the transformed space, which also features an ottoman designed by Karu’s firm. The designer captured the clients’ sense of style in other parts of the revamped townhouse, too, from the new Dura Supreme cabinetry in the updated kitchen, outfitted with a custom island, to handmade ceramic tile from Waterworks in the modernized primary bathroom.
Photography by: ERIN LITTLE