Family Values
 |
The long, narrow house boasting a shingle-style exterior resembles the Civil War-era American summer homes built on Long Island. Step inside, however, and you will quickly discover that the open floor plan of the basement’s entertainment zone and the sophisticated technology throughout qualify the home as au courant new millennium. “When your kids start hitting the teenage years, you want to do everything possible to keep them at home,” says the wife, referring to their 9,000-square-foot residence outside of Boston. In 2001, she and her husband searched for the perfect plot on which to build such a place and found a prime five-and-a-half-acre site that abuts a chunk of conservation land. Captivated by the setting—and given that the cement had already been poured for the future dwelling —they decided to continue with the existing exterior design, but called upon architect Michael Collins, who had masterminded previous remodels for them, to reconfigure the interior. “The object was to make major functional changes inside, while respecting the architectural intention of the exterior,” Collins explains. |
Navy velvet drapes can be drawn with the press of a button to close off the theater from the surrounding areas. A navy wool chenille sofa by Cassina and Italian leather reclining chairs from Montage provide seating on the top tier. The lower level provides a seating pit with 48-inch throw pillows by Donghia for the kids. Red accents, including the stained bar counter, add to the contemporary, lighthearted atmosphere.
“Make it function for the whole family” was the design mantra for a team that also included custom installer Bob Copeland of Audio Video Design of Newton, Mass., and interior designer Christine Lane of Boston, Mass. The trio, who had previously worked together on earlier homes for the client, understood the importance the homeowners placed on proper space planning.
Some conventions were sacrificed in order to accomplish the togetherness goal, mostly in the dedicated home theater. Here, the family’s entertaining style and the husband’s fondness for playing pool while watching weekend sporting events were factors in the open design. “We asked ourselves if it made sense to put another television in the pool room, and the dual-function concept started to grow,” Collins says.
Instead of being closed off on all four sides as are most traditional theaters, this screening room is surrounded on three sides by a low bank of mixed wood cabinetry and columns, which allow the space to open up to different areas of activity. On the right side is a wine cellar and a room for the golf simulator, which allows golfers to play any golf course in the world via a video image that’s projected onto a screen. Although the cellar has 10-foot ceilings, the golf room’s ceilings top out at nearly 12 feet. A stepped-down tier allows for the golfer to take a full swing. To the left of the theater stands a ping-pong table and an area where the kids play video games. The bar, a comfortable spot where one can grab a beer and relax while watching the big screen, sits directly behind the theater.
On those occasions when the homeowners want to cocoon and watch a movie on the 87-inch-wide, four-way masking Stewart Filmscreen in total privacy, a heavy blue velvet curtain closes off the theater from both sides. With a push of a button, the room fades to black. Even with the curtains open, the screen can be viewed comfortably. The rear always remains open to the bar.
Any sacrifice in sound quality that was made to accomplish the open design goes unnoticed by the family and their friends, thanks to the powerful speakers and subwoofers. “Even if we’ve given up a bit on the audio/video end to have our freedom, it’s a compromise we chose,” says the wife. “Almost all of our entertaining is with families. On Sundays, we open up the golf room so people can play, while we watch the big sporting event on television. The kids play golf with us or play other games.” Everyone is downstairs, milling about the space. Both food and beverages are served from the bar. “My 14-year-old son loves to have pizza parties down here,” she says.
The family room has an Arts and Crafts feel, thanks to the walnut walls, fireplace mantle, and ceiling beams. The curtains bear a pomegranate- print fabric from England’s Osborne & Little. The owners are also fond of pears, a theme that finds its way into the kitchen.
“A sound purist might find such an arrangement objectionable,” says Copeland. “But a home theater shoehorned into a dark corner is not very inviting to some people. This is a nice mix of spaces. These people live very busy life-styles and are on the run. They don’t want any space that’s not going to get used. They are not showy people. They want it nice for themselves and their guests.”
The terracing of the theater space is also unusual. Coming from the bar, family members and guests step up into the theater. The pillow pit, which fronts the screen, resides on a stepped-down tier. This is the kids’ seating area of choice, where they relax on 48-inch throw pillows by Donghia. The raised tier hosts red leather reclining chairs by Cassina, which are favored by the adults.
Hiding the considerable technologies was a family decision, one that sometimes influenced design themes. The paneled cabinetry surrounding the movie screen, for example, is constructed of painted cloth and wood frames, which accommodate the speakers. The same design, in different colors and materials, is echoed in the bar. “The need to hide the speakers in the theater demanded this system, and once it was established, we decided to carry it out through the room and even to other parts of the house,” says the architect. The second-floor foyer borrows from the panel system in scale and proportion, but as you move through the house, materials and colors change. The various elements with subtle similarity hold the theme together.
The classic and streamlined kitchen is balanced with black-honed granite counters and ochre-colored walls. The roomy kitchen connects to an eating area in the backyard. The computer area, which abuts the refrigerator, is where the wife conducts much of her charity work.
Upstairs, the architect and husband were equally diligent with the space planning. The home is approached from an entry drive courtyard with a small water feature to the left, which is visible from the living room. The terraced backyard, however, drops down to the tennis court and ground level, and then trails off into the woods—providing the “money view” that can be enjoyed from the family and dining rooms, kitchen, and big screened-in porch. When entering the home through the limestone-floored foyer, the dining room—and its dramatic view of the backyard through its tall windows—is the first thing you see.
Some design decisions were guided by past mistakes. The previous home gym, for instance, was tucked into the basement and was rarely used. Now, it is housed in a light, bright room adjacent to the master suite on the second floor, which overlooks the woods. The gym is equipped with a refrigerator, a Sony Wega TV, and a stellar view.
From the exercise room (above), which is located off of the master bedroom, to the living room and the master bath, a soft golden palette creates a warm, inviting feel that’s infused with light. The living room looks over the side yard that features an elegant fountain, while the master bath opens up to the manicured lawn.
On a day-to-day basis, the family of four spends most of its together time in the family room, where the kids do their homework on computers. When working on projects, the husband holes up in his chestnut-paneled office. The wife’s office, tucked within the kitchen, is home base for her extensive volunteer work. “I’m always here at my desk, but I only cook twice a week. And when I do, I turn on my music and enjoy that,” she says. The home’s music system is integrated with the CD server and can cue up their preselected favorites. “We can pick our songs from anywhere in the house,” she says. The living room is where the family gathers to enjoy live music. Here, the wife and daughter entertain on the piano.
Although Copeland worked with the family on previous homes, for this project he was given carte blanche to create a smart home. “It’s great when you can do it exactly the way you think it should be done,” he says. He selected the Crestron Pro Series as the control umbrella for the integrated communication, security and lighting systems. Touchscreens throughout the house manage the subsystems, all designed to accommodate a variety of scenarios with little input or thought. “Everything is intuitive. If you need an instruction manual, we did it wrong.”
“Our goal was to provide intimacy and privacy in the theater, but at the same time allow the entire space to breathe and flow.” —Bob Copeland, custom installer
“It’s pretty self-explanatory, but was a challenge to plan, especially the lighting,” says the wife. “There are so many mood [options] that can be created. We had to decide how we wanted to use each section of the house. And, with the help of the design consultants, we spent a ton of time planning and rethinking combinations of lights that would work well together.
“We pretty much use every room. The house works for us as a family,” continues the wife. “The kids just love being here. It’s been a great way to keep them close and get to know their friends.”