Old Meets New in this Newton Family’s Home Renovation

Plush Romo textiles in the color “Crocus” center these Bernhardt lounge chairs as a gathering spot in the family room, while artful accessories glam up the space. / Photo by Sarah Winchester

This article is from the spring 2025 issue of Boston Home. Sign up here to receive a subscription.

Expanding from a condo into this spacious Newton abode built in 1848 was just right for this vibrant young family of six. The home’s charming authentic details, like millwork, a curved staircase, and glass-etched double front doors, appealed to the new homeowners, and they envisioned making the spaces their own with a fresh, modern energy.

Seeking luxurious comfort for her clients, interior designer Cara Fineman completed a “glow up” across the whole first floor. Minor modifications improved livability in the kitchen, pantry, and three bathrooms, including new countertops, tile backsplash, brass hardware, and fixtures. The existing custom Kochman Reidt + Haigh kitchen cabinetry was in excellent condition, so they painted it a wispy white. In the adjacent pantry and wet bar, they revitalized existing cabinets in bold new colorways with Aux Abris grasscloth and Ferrick Mason wallcoverings, along with linen window treatments, to restore functionality and character to utilitarian zones.

The color palette in the kitchen remains bright and airy, with existing custom Kochman Reidt + Haigh cabinets painted in Benjamin Moore’s “White Wisp.” The new blue blend mosaic tile behind the range complements the center island’s stormy vibe. / Photo by Sarah Winchester

In the bar, blue built-ins and a Fortune River grasscloth wallcovering from Aux Abris create a moody moment for a cocktail. / Photo by Sarah Winchester

Meanwhile, Fineman flooded the study, family, and living rooms with soft furnishings in family-friendly textiles and modern lighting, completing the transformation from historic building to modern home. A spacious and plush sectional, ottoman, and lounge chairs in the family room allow everyone to snuggle in the evening, while a sleek game table of lacquered swirl resin in the living room invites board games and festivity.

“They really wanted to be pushed to add a lot of color and pattern. So wherever we could, we incorporated those in the larger communal spaces, especially with wallpaper,” Fineman says. From silk and grasscloth to antique brass, velvet, and rattan, the mood speaks of sumptuous serenity throughout the five-bedroom home.

Mom needed her own solitary sanctuary, too, so the first-floor study became just that. An avid reader, she wanted a feminine space where she could hide behind the French doors and lose herself in a book during rare child-free moments. A soothing opal on the walls, warm artwork, and books on every shelf create a welcoming, relaxing ambiance, while an overstuffed sofa beckons for morning coffee and a novel.

A calming space for the mom of the house, the study features a Cat Tesla painting from Jules Place, sorbet window treatments, and a small-scale chevron wallcovering in faux linen from Aux Abris. / Photo by Sarah Winchester

While four children under age six—three sons and a daughter—live and play here, the first floor is designed to feel luxurious and mature even though living spaces see Lego towers and toy trucks as frequently as they house cocktails and adult conversation. It was very important that the house felt accessible for their children, Fineman explains, so they made sure the décor didn’t incorporate anything too precious.

That mindset permeated the design choices so much that they were mindful of the materials they used. Choosing natural fibers in lieu of synthetic and rehabbing existing cabinetry rather than rebuilding everything from scratch, for example, was all an effort to preserve the home’s originality while updating key elements to accommodate the family’s needs, Fineman says.

“There are no rooms in this home that are off-limits to the kids, and they freely play in every room,” Fineman says. “I feel like we tried to be respectful of the traditional home, but it feels updated and playful for this young family.”

Photo by Sarah Winchester

Room to Grow

A lively Serengeti wallpaper with cheetahs and birds among acacia trees jump-started the design theme in the kids’ playroom. This zone is adjacent to the boys’ bedroom and features a cozy area rug and beanbags for reading, rattan baskets for storage, and plenty of wall shelves for books, stuffed animals, and sports equipment. “The boys are very young, so this feels age-appropriate but not baby-ish; it’s a pattern and color palette that they can enjoy now but also won’t feel out of place down the road,” Fineman says.

The powder-room vanity is painted in Benjamin Moore’s “August Sunrise,” and the indigo textile on the window merges beautifully with the Ferrick Mason “Shelby” wallcovering. / Photo by Sarah Winchester

Interior Designer DAG Design
Photo Stylist Sean William