A Historic Chestnut Hill Home Gets a Timeless Transformation

Modern, high-contrast furnishings pop against the neutral backdrop without distracting from the historical architecture. / Photo by Tamara Flanagan

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

Unlike many historical homes in Chestnut Hill, this one has a medieval vibe. “It reminds me of Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles,” interior designer Stephanie Freeman says. “Traditional, but inherently cool.” Built in 1922, the home’s architectural features—hefty beams, textural plaster walls, triple-hung windows, arched doorways—lend a rustic quality that predates its provenance by about 200 years. “They were clearly referencing an older style when it was built,” Freeman says. The designer found inspiration in these features in creating fresh interiors that function efficiently for the family who lives here. “We were extremely sensitive about the architecture and finishes,” Freeman says. “We delivered a major transformation without it feeling like we dropped in brand-new rooms.”

Photo by Tamara Flanagan

Focus on the Floor

The existing dark wood, redbrick, and butter-colored stone flooring not only looked dated, but the mix of materials also made the layout look choppy and choked. Freeman’s solution? Belgian blue and blond tumbled-limestone tiles in a chic checkerboard pattern. “They’re historically accurate and have great energy,” she says. They’re also visually interesting, thanks to imperfect, antiqued edges. Finally, the tiles complement the scale of the spaces, create a seamless flow through them, and don’t compete with the home’s already plentiful wood accents. “The clients’ friends ask if the floor was always there,” Freeman shares. “That’s a victory for me.”

Create Flow

Freeman opened the entry sequence, gracing it with a view to the pretty breakfast nook in the bay window at the back of the house. The team removed a wall that not only blocked the sightline but also impeded circulation between the kitchen on one side of the breakfast area and the new mudroom and powder room on the other. Arched openings that play off the original architecture frame the simplified, four-way intersection, and wainscoting that wraps the nook unites it with the entry hall. “We smoothed out the curves in the bay and created another arch in front of it that melts into the ceiling,” Freeman explains. “Instinct dictates completing those arches, but we wanted them to match the height of the side arches.”

Photo by Tamara Flanagan

Honor the Original

In the living room, a pared-back palette and furnishings with clean lines allow the interior architecture to be the focus. “In terms of character, this home is an 11 out of 10,” the designer says. “Far be it from me to mess with that limestone fireplace.” She did, however, white out the vertical window casings in the room. A trio of forged iron and alabaster pendant lights mimic the rhythm of the windows and draw the eye up to the ceiling beams, while vintage rugs ground the airy space. “The family watches television in this grand, soulful room and could also throw a charity gala in it,” Freeman says. The dark wood remains untouched in the den, keeping it cozy and true to its roots.

Photo by Tamara Flanagan

Commit to Color

Replacing the bulky peninsula with an island and moving the range to the perimeter helped reshape the kitchen into a family-friendly hub with an artful Hector Finch pendant at its center. Enlarging the windows over the sink lets in much-needed natural light, while sticking to light colors for the upper portion of the room—creamy white subway tiles and cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball’s “Skimming Stone”—ensures the space stays bright. As for the base cabinets, they’re Farrow & Ball’s “Preference Red,” a luscious mulberry. “We wanted to go big with a rich color, and warm is where things are heading,” Freeman says. “This introduces excitement and has a regal feel that works in the home.”

Contractor Masse Builders
Interior Designer Stephanie Freeman Design
Kitchen Cabinetmaker Jewett Farms + Co.
Photo Stylist Sean William