This Dreamy Essex Waterfront Retreat Blurs the Line Between Indoors and Out

The “big sun hat” of the trellis shades outdoor furniture from Cane-line and Design Within Reach. / Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh

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

Designed by architect Maryann Thompson for a couple of city folks who were looking for a more natural retreat after more than two decades in Boston’s South End, the home feels a world away from the urban center. After sending their only child off to college, the couple held onto their family home in the city but decided to take advantage of their empty-nester status and see if they might find the house on the water they’d long dreamed of. Though they hadn’t intended to build something, when they saw a beautiful piece of land right on an estuary in Essex they had a feeling it was the right spot for their new place.

“The site just feels magical,” says Thompson, and the home she designed fits right into the landscape, with walls of windows, cladding of red cedar, and a huge sweeping trellis that dapples the light as if you’re inside the forest canopy. A series of decks spill out all around the home, and a natural pool has fish swimming and frogs jumping in the shade from the trellis above. “It’s like a big sun hat,” Thompson says.

Though the natural pool has fish, frogs, and reeds in it, it’s also meant for swimming. / Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh

The homeowner knew she wanted the Charles sofa from B&B Italia for the living room. She saw the Husk chair while at the showroom and loved it, too. / Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh

The process between architect and client was very collaborative, and the couple brought a lot of ideas and inspiration to the design. “What I do is set up the framework of the house,” Thompson says. “And then my clients bring in their individual character and history, so every one of my projects is unique.” Sloping roofs create a sense of awe from outside and in. The low-ceilinged entrance is like a cozy embrace upon entering, and Thompson opened up the architecture into a double-height living room, angled to take in the distant view. For the interiors, the wife envisioned something very modern but warm, and in addition to Thompson, she had some of her favorite design pros helping her achieve it. Her friend and interior designer, Suzanne Tyler, was a frequent consultant on selections and proportions for furniture and décor. The couple’s longtime contractor, Edward Haley, was also a key contributor in making the house come to life. Among other things, he traveled all over New England to find a fabricator who could realize the homeowner’s vision for the living room’s dramatic fireplace of hot rolled steel.

The homeowner also knew she wanted a sleek and clean kitchen and worked with kitchen designer Samantha DeMarco at Divine Design Center in Boston to choose a frosted-glass front for the upper cabinets and a high-gloss finish on the lower cabinets. A black-walnut countertop on the island warms up the largely white space and creates a connection to the wood used on the windows and exterior of the house.

The floating staircase leads into the primary suite, creating a little nook that the homeowner personalized with a bench, side table, and artwork. / Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh

The primary bedroom is a special, private retreat with its own staircase and bathtub sitting right in the room. The wife had always dreamed of this design and now loves to sit in a warm bath with a glass of wine and watch the seasons change outside. No matter the time of year, it’s always a peaceful place to relax. “There’s always something different to look at,” she says. Thompson embraced the unconventional design and conceptualized the bathtub itself as part of the view, choosing a sculptural piece that fits seamlessly into the modern aesthetic. An attached bathroom has a separate indoor-outdoor shower.

By embracing its incredible natural surroundings, Thompson and her clients created a home that changes with the seasons while remaining a year-round restorative refuge. “It’s like a paradise,” Thompson says.

Architect Maryann Thompson Architects
Builder EHI Contracting
Photo Styling Julie Sierputoski

The floating staircase leads into the primary suite, creating a little nook that the homeowner personalized with a bench, side table, and artwork. / Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh

In a guest bedroom, a custom headboard picks up color from the Pierre Frey wallpaper. The light fixture hanging from the ceiling is from Ochre’s “Seed Cloud” series. / Photo by Lexi Van Valkenburgh