Forever springtime

Closing the front door on the world and entering into your own private retreat is the perfect antidote to a hectic professional life. With the right interior design, it can also be a way to escape a bleak winter.

Both of these factors influenced the design of this remodeled apartment in a 19th-century row house opposite the Charles River in Boston.

Architect and designer Jonathan Cutler says the apartment has views in two directions there is a spectacular river outlook and an enchanting view of city rooftops back the other way. The interior design needed to maximize these views, but the owner was also interested in creating another world on the inside.

"My client grew up in Florida and does not like the Boston winters," Cutler says. "She wanted an interior that would be an escape a retreat that would remind her of the warmer climate in the south. She also wanted colors that would make her happy."

To create a restful backdrop, Cutler specified a soft gray tone for all the walls. He then introduced plenty of white, which gives the interior a distinctive Miami vibe, and added accents of spring in pale chartreuse and lavender.

The living room, on the penthouse floor of the building, features a custom-designed angled sofa by Avery Boardman. This is large enough for two people to stretch out with their legs up.

"The sofa is a deep blue shade, which references the water beyond the window," says the architect. "There is a lot of water imagery in the artwork as well."

Small, acrylic cubes provide side tables that can be moved easily. The textured surfaces refract light, and because they are small, the cubes make the room look less cluttered than a coffee table, says Cutler.

"I also introduced built-in furniture to every room, which provides storage and shelving, in addition to other practical uses. The suspended cabinetry that runs beneath the main windows, for example, also provides bench seating. And the cabinetry that is a focal point in the living room forms a fire surround."

Because the owner likes to entertain, there is an all-white bar in the living room. Mirrors wrap around the walls beside the bar, so the view can be enjoyed by guests, no matter which way they are facing.

"After much searching, we found a beautiful Knoll fabric for the bar stools," Cutler says. "But this island is not just a bar it is also the prime spot for the owner to have late dinners with friends, and work on her laptop in the evening."

Cutler says he also changed the color of the window frames, which were white.

"I like to paint the windows black so they recede and create a better frame for the view. In this apartment, they are a very dark blue."

Cutler designed a new balustrade for the stairs, choosing a white-painted ply, which is punctuated with small squares an abstract reminiscent of the row houses.

On the lower level, a wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed to create one large space. A curved sofa belonging to the owner now forms part of the seating at a new round table. The kitchen island is shaped to follow the curve of the table.

"The island has a sculptural role to play, like a piano figure in the parlor," he says. "The cabinetry on the rear wall is in dark-stained white oak, to contrast all the white. The mosaics on the wall were chosen to match the wood tones."

The master bedroom also underwent a transformation, with soft watery tones creating a restful sanctuary. Curved perimeter cabinets create a tabletop, which is the perfect spot for a breakfast tray.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes

Photography by: Eric Roth