Houzz Tour: A Farmhouse is Updated Without Losing its Character
After a devastating fire, a new design recaptured an 18th century home’s charm and patina
Becky Harris
6 January 2020
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia.
Houzz Contributor. Hi there! I live in a 1940s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe... More
This New Jersey couple found an idyllic country property in western Massachusetts, USA – a dairy farm with a historical farmhouse overlooking a pond, hills and trees. The original part of the house had been built in the 1700s, and a hodgepodge of additions over the years had resulted in small, dark spaces with a wonky flow.
The couple hired interior designer Jess Cooney to work on a remodel that was to include full renovations of the kitchen and bathrooms, and cosmetic changes and furnishings throughout the home. But before they could get started, they found out the hard way that the hodgepodge included bad wiring – they lost the house in a fire.
The couple hired interior designer Jess Cooney to work on a remodel that was to include full renovations of the kitchen and bathrooms, and cosmetic changes and furnishings throughout the home. But before they could get started, they found out the hard way that the hodgepodge included bad wiring – they lost the house in a fire.
House at a Glance
Who lives here? A couple and their blended family – two girls aged 11 and 17 who live with them and four grown-up children who don’t
Location Monterey, Massachusetts, USA
Size: Five bedrooms and four bathrooms
Designer Jess Cooney Interiors
Photos by Andrew Ingalls
The fire devastated the house, but fortunately no one was home. “Luckily, no one was here when it burned down, and no one was hurt,” Jess says. And something positive came out of the disaster. “Because of the fire, we were able to build a new house into what the owners really wanted – we were able to include the things they loved about the original house that gave it beautiful rustic charm while adjusting the floorplan to work better for them.”
The architects at Clark + Green transformed Jess’s vision for the house into drawings. The style is a balance of old and new, rustic and soft, and open and cosy.
The house was built on the same footprint, but is taller than the original structure. This allows for a full basement and a higher perch that provides better views of the pond.
Find an interior designer in your area on Houzz.
Who lives here? A couple and their blended family – two girls aged 11 and 17 who live with them and four grown-up children who don’t
Location Monterey, Massachusetts, USA
Size: Five bedrooms and four bathrooms
Designer Jess Cooney Interiors
Photos by Andrew Ingalls
The fire devastated the house, but fortunately no one was home. “Luckily, no one was here when it burned down, and no one was hurt,” Jess says. And something positive came out of the disaster. “Because of the fire, we were able to build a new house into what the owners really wanted – we were able to include the things they loved about the original house that gave it beautiful rustic charm while adjusting the floorplan to work better for them.”
The architects at Clark + Green transformed Jess’s vision for the house into drawings. The style is a balance of old and new, rustic and soft, and open and cosy.
The house was built on the same footprint, but is taller than the original structure. This allows for a full basement and a higher perch that provides better views of the pond.
Find an interior designer in your area on Houzz.
“We wanted people to walk in and have no idea how old the house was,” Jess says. Using materials such as limestone on the hall floor and plaster on the walls made the house look genuinely historical.
One of the owners loves blues, blue-greens and celadon. Jess carefully incorporated blue touches, such as on this bench, while maintaining a subdued country palette that puts the focus on the bucolic setting.
One of the owners loves blues, blue-greens and celadon. Jess carefully incorporated blue touches, such as on this bench, while maintaining a subdued country palette that puts the focus on the bucolic setting.
In the dining room and throughout most of the first floor, Jess added an 18th century sensibility by using antique reclaimed beams.
“We softened those kinds of rustic touches by installing window treatments in beautiful fabrics,” she says. “Lots of people think you don’t need them out in the country because it’s so private, but they were needed for softness, and the owners understood that.” This fabric also brought in her client’s favourite shades of blue.
“We softened those kinds of rustic touches by installing window treatments in beautiful fabrics,” she says. “Lots of people think you don’t need them out in the country because it’s so private, but they were needed for softness, and the owners understood that.” This fabric also brought in her client’s favourite shades of blue.
The flooring is reclaimed oak. “I was adamant the owners needed to invest in the floors to get the antique feeling they wanted,” Jess says. The planks range from about 20 to 38cm in width. “The layout of the planks was really important and tricky. The contractor spent a long time puzzling them together to get it right throughout the house,” she says.
Although the new floorplan is more open than the original one, Jess gave her clients a way to close off spaces by using large barn doors with transoms. “This was a good way to get a cosier feeling while still sharing the light between spaces,” she says. This door can close off the dining room from the hallway seen in the second photo of this story.
Although the new floorplan is more open than the original one, Jess gave her clients a way to close off spaces by using large barn doors with transoms. “This was a good way to get a cosier feeling while still sharing the light between spaces,” she says. This door can close off the dining room from the hallway seen in the second photo of this story.
A two-sided fireplace separates the dining room from this living room. The material palette of reclaimed wood floors, plaster walls and ceiling beams continues in this space.
Another matching wood accent gives the eye a place to rest on the minimalist plaster chimney. The sliding barn door on the right leads to a cosy TV den.
Another matching wood accent gives the eye a place to rest on the minimalist plaster chimney. The sliding barn door on the right leads to a cosy TV den.
Just past that barn door, this nook serves as a home office and a place to store the family’s record collection.
Pairs of custom-made sofas and armchairs create a comfortable seating area in the living room. The Oushak-style wool rug cosies up the space. The rustic wood-and-iron coffee table ties in with the timber beams in this more formal space.
Dark paint on the windows draws the eye out to the pastoral views, while soft curtains frame it in pattern, add softness and bring in some of the owner’s favourite blue hues. The sliding doors lead to a screened-in porch.
Dark paint on the windows draws the eye out to the pastoral views, while soft curtains frame it in pattern, add softness and bring in some of the owner’s favourite blue hues. The sliding doors lead to a screened-in porch.
Jess placed the screened-in porch where it could take in the best views of the pond, and it’s a favourite spot for visiting and dining.
“My clients wanted to be able to look over the pond while lounging, so we placed the seating area closest to those views,” she says. “They eat practically all of their meals out here during the summer.”
Shiplap on the walls, tongue-and-groove on the ceiling and woven furniture add relaxed texture to the space.
“My clients wanted to be able to look over the pond while lounging, so we placed the seating area closest to those views,” she says. “They eat practically all of their meals out here during the summer.”
Shiplap on the walls, tongue-and-groove on the ceiling and woven furniture add relaxed texture to the space.
More beams and plaster continue in the kitchen. Jess used only a few key upper cabinets to give the kitchen an antique look. The perimeter worktops and the splashback are Danby marble, from the neighbouring state of Vermont. The island, its prep sink and the butler’s sink are Pietra Cardosa, a grey-blue stone that resembles soapstone but is harder and more durable.
Another material Jess used consistently throughout the house to get an aged look is iron, seen on the lanterns. She used dark paint on the window trim to pick up on the lanterns’ dark finish.
With all the straight lines, the room needed some soft touches. The upholstered bar stools, the edge of the range splashback and the coarse linen Roman blinds with fabric tape accents soften the space.
Behind the range is a baker’s pantry and a workstation for the youngest daughter, an avid baker. It includes its own sink, worktop space and a stand mixer, as well as plenty of room to stash ingredients and other baking necessities.
Another material Jess used consistently throughout the house to get an aged look is iron, seen on the lanterns. She used dark paint on the window trim to pick up on the lanterns’ dark finish.
With all the straight lines, the room needed some soft touches. The upholstered bar stools, the edge of the range splashback and the coarse linen Roman blinds with fabric tape accents soften the space.
Behind the range is a baker’s pantry and a workstation for the youngest daughter, an avid baker. It includes its own sink, worktop space and a stand mixer, as well as plenty of room to stash ingredients and other baking necessities.
“I wanted to give the island a real worktable feel,” Jess says. The reclaimed-wood base is outfitted with baskets for storage. The island’s prep sink is within easy reach of the range.
The wood detail on the cooker hood matches the beams. The antique scale that hangs from the ceiling adds some soft curves and age.
Traditional sash windows wrap the breakfast nook corner.
The built-in banquette is upholstered in vinyl that looks like leather, making it easy to wipe up spills. “Their dog also loves to jump up on the banquette, and this vinyl can handle it,” Jess says.
Blue appears on the chairs and the Roman blinds.
The built-in banquette is upholstered in vinyl that looks like leather, making it easy to wipe up spills. “Their dog also loves to jump up on the banquette, and this vinyl can handle it,” Jess says.
Blue appears on the chairs and the Roman blinds.
In the TV den, Jess recreated one of the homeowners’ favourite things about the house they lost – a full chimney composed of local stone. It was crafted by a local stonemason. The mantel is a piece of reclaimed beam that matches those on the ceiling. This is the only room on the first floor with a TV, and it also has a record player for enjoying the album collection.
The homeowners like to host a crowd, so Jess kept a range of group sizes in mind. She designed the house with the idea that the guests and the owners would have spaces to gather in for socialising and to scatter to for quiet time. The barn door allows them to seal off the TV noise, so the other spaces can be kept quiet when needed. Conversely, this room also can serve as a quiet place for reading when there’s a lot of hubbub in the other rooms.
The homeowners like to host a crowd, so Jess kept a range of group sizes in mind. She designed the house with the idea that the guests and the owners would have spaces to gather in for socialising and to scatter to for quiet time. The barn door allows them to seal off the TV noise, so the other spaces can be kept quiet when needed. Conversely, this room also can serve as a quiet place for reading when there’s a lot of hubbub in the other rooms.
Upstairs, the master bedroom, which is on top of the screened-in porch, enjoys views of the pond and property from large windows. The oak ceiling, velvet curtains and sitting area create cosiness in the high-ceilinged space. This is another spot the homeowners can sneak off to when they have a full house and need some quiet time.
Lack of storage is a common problem in old homes that the rebuild remedied. The master suite hallway has lots of built-in storage, and the space to the left is a walk-in wardrobe.
The marbled fabric on the windows lets in the light while providing privacy for dressing, and it matches the Roman blinds in the master bathroom.
The marbled fabric on the windows lets in the light while providing privacy for dressing, and it matches the Roman blinds in the master bathroom.
More Pietra Cardosa stone shows up in the form of the master bathroom basins. Shiplap walls bring in the relaxed country feeling, while zinc medicine cabinets have a vintage look. The bottom of the freestanding bath is also zinc. The tiled floors in all the bathrooms have underfloor heating.
There’s also a TV den and home office space upstairs. Built-in window seats offer a comfortable spot for reading and enjoying the views, as well as storage. The live-edge coffee table continues the use of wood. The walls are painted a deep blue-green.
One of the homeowners has two daughters, 11 and 17, while the other homeowner has four grown-up children who don’t stay here often. Jess planned for everyone.
In this guest room, iron beds bring in an antique feel, while embroidered bedding and other textiles add layers of cosiness. This is a favourite spot for the girls when they have a friend sleeping over, but it’s also sophisticated enough to welcome adults.
In this guest room, iron beds bring in an antique feel, while embroidered bedding and other textiles add layers of cosiness. This is a favourite spot for the girls when they have a friend sleeping over, but it’s also sophisticated enough to welcome adults.
This bathroom for two connects the previous bedroom to the 11-year-old daughter’s room. The bones of the room are classic, versatile and polished…
…but the wallpaper adds a playful and bright element the girls love.
“This would be really easy to change if they need a different look in here, because the rest of the room is so classic,” Jess says.
“This would be really easy to change if they need a different look in here, because the rest of the room is so classic,” Jess says.
The children also have a comfy playroom upstairs. There’s room to read, play, draw and do crafts, and a TV in here, too. The pullout boxes under the coffee table serve as seating and as storage for crafting supplies and reading materials.
Takeaways
Takeaways
- To add a sense of age to a house, choose materials such as limestone, plaster and reclaimed wood.
- For a relaxed country feel, use a neutral palette with well-edited doses of colour.
- Consider using sliding barn doors to close off large openings and make spaces cosier.
- Plan a house with views in mind. The porch is where this family spends the most time, so it has the best views.
- Contain TV noise within a mostly open floor plan by including a room that can be closed off.
Tell us…
What do you love about this home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Related Stories
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Midcentury Home With a Strong Indoor-outdoor Link
By Becky Harris
A nature-inspired renovation has given this ranch house a relaxed mood and a connection to the outdoors from most rooms
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Room Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Smart Layout and Genius Storage in a Victorian Home
Flipping the standard layout and carving out excellent storage have turned this tired house into a brilliant family home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Victorian House Brought Impressively Up to Date
By Jo Simmons
A cohesive layout and warm colours combined with energy-efficiency measures thoroughly modernise this terraced home
Full Story
Kitchen Tours
Kitchen Tour: An Open, Airy Space Made for Entertaining
Combining two separate rooms has improved flow and created a sociable open-plan kitchen, dining and seating space
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Inspired by its Seaside Location
Coastal colours and practical design combine to create a house that will adapt as the family grows
Full Story
Kitchens
5 Inspiring Before and After Kitchen Transformations
Whether you want to boost storage, incorporate original features or maximise your space, take ideas from these designs
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Airy, Scandi Finish for a Tall Victorian House
By Kate Burt
From a tricky inherited bath to a sticky-out staircase, on-site problem-solving led to a seamless update for an old home
Full Story
Well done! Warm but also chic!
Beautiful.
HI! Love your home. I have a question....The kitchen cabinets appear to be Maple?? And the island is??? Is it ok to mix wood grains ? Thankyou!