Case Study:
Antique Colonial

The nature of our work means we must sometimes hop on to a moving train rather than get on at the station. Such was the case with this 1780’s colonial. When we were hired, our client’s architect had already submitted a wonderful design scheme for an addition to the small kitchen and den. The homeowners requested that we help them review the plans and provide design input to make sure the inside worked as perfectly as the outside.

Wanted: More Detail and Flair
In addition to an ongoing collaboration with the architect, our role soon expanded to include all design and decorating responsibilities for the interior work. In speaking with the homeowners, we learned their overarching goal was to bring more detail and flair to the interior. And while they didn’t object to some modern touches, the addition had to fit in with the antique style of the rest of the home.

Sunlight and Circulation a Priority
The addition opened up the back of the house from the kitchen to the den, addressing both the kitchen’s lack of usable space and the house’s poor circulation.

In the kitchen, we moved doors from the original plan to make room for the breakfast nook. In working with the client, meanwhile, we reworked the back door and pantry doors to create a mudroom/laundry and home office. We also helped with the kitchen layout and cabinet selection. Please see the Projects section for photographs of and more details on the kitchen.

The original den was cramped and did not allow for the entertaining the family wanted to do. The addition transformed the den into a spacious family room, including a new area for our custom-designed entertainment center with raised-panel detailing (a genuine colonial touch), library shelves and window seats. The new family room:

• Connects beautifully to the living room
  and kitchen

• Handles the overflow from the kitchen during parties

• Has places for quiet reading

• Features a play area for the children and their friends

A final note on the family room: We also designed the custom millwork for a colonial-style fireplace mantel and surround that replaced the old fireplace and chimney front.

A Home, Not a Museum
We are now working with the client to furnish and finish the breakfast nook and family room. This encompasses the selection of furniture, carpets, fabrics, lamps, lighting and accessories. Our approach is to pay homage to the past without turning the home into a museum. By carefully blending in some non-colonial elements, we ensure the spaces look and feel elegant but also relaxed, comfortable and uncontrived.

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From the Client's Lips...

"We found John to bridge the gap between the exterior architect and the interior designer. He designed an architectural plan of the interior that was perfect. Now everything fits together and works beautifully. We were so pleased that we kept on Wilson Kelsey Design to do all the interior decoration as well."
- K.O., Lincoln, Mass.