Spaces: Collective Soul

A trove of globally sourced treasures adds drama to a North Shore family-room renovation.

elizabeth swartz interiors

Photograph by Eric Roth / Designer, Elizabeth Swartz Interiors / Builder & Cabinet Shop, Premier Builders

The Problem

Two well-traveled art collectors needed a warm, comfortable living space where they could admire their keepsakes, and the small den in their Beverly Colonial wasn’t going to cut it.

The Solution

To accommodate the couple’s modern tastes, designer Elizabeth Swartz knew the home needed more than just cosmetic changes. To create a more open, light-filled area, Swartz knocked down the wall between the family room and the parlor, then designed clean-lined cabinetry to show off the couple’s many treasures, from Asian art to antiques. The final touch was a splash of color, in the form of bright, plush seating for cozy nights in. “It’s a much more contemporary use of space,” Swartz says.