One Big, Happy House

The process began with a kitchen remodel and an expansion skyward, but it quickly ballooned outward to include elements in almost every room, plus quite a bit of work outdoors. “I had known Louise [Hurlbutt] since we bought the house, and I did a little research and found Spang Builders,” Smith says. “They were both wonderful to work with. I knew exactly what I wanted, and I was ready to do a lot of work on the house to get it just how my family needed it.”

The first order of business was the narrow, cramped kitchen. Down came the wall dividing the kitchen and dining area, and in went the “great big island” of Smith’s dreams, complete with two “big cozy chairs, so people can sit and talk to me while I’m cooking,” says Smith. Custom cabinets by Venegas and Company came up from Boston and were installed under the watchful eyes of Spang’s foreman. “Venegas did a really great job with creative built-ins, like the dog bowls on the kitchen island,” says Christina Hawkes of Hurlbutt Designs, who worked with fellow Hurlbutt designer Anne Clarke and Smith to select tiles, light fixtures, and furniture. “The family cooks a lot, they entertain a lot, and they have big gatherings,” Hawkes says. “It made sense to bring in multiple fridges and dishwashers, and there’s a lot of storage crammed into there, as well.” Smith adds, “We’re always cooking. My mom and dad were of Greek heritage, and for me, cooking and food are life.”

To make the space super functional, they added two garbage disposals, a coffee bar, a spacious pantry that hides the microwave, a trash compactor, and a charging drawer. “I do not like any wires on my counter,” Smith says.

But while clutter is certainly minimized, this is not a minimalist home. “The house has a bit of a girly flair,” says Hawkes. “The homeowner definitely enjoys her sparkle.” This preference is visible in every corner of the kitchen, from the iridescent shine of the glass mosaic tile backsplash to the twinkle of the hand-blown pendant lights. Further touches of flair include gold finishes and faucets, as well as elegantly twirled decorative muntins on the upper windows. Driftwood-toned wood grain cabinetry complements the refinished oak floors. “They were beautiful before, but they had a very dark stain,” says Jameson Spang Davis, who was the project manager for the job. “We ground them down, which really lightened the space.”

For the countertops, the island inset, and the nearby living room fireplace surround, Hawkes and Smith selected a pale, veined quartzite. “It’s pretty, very cloudlike,” Smith says. “And since my favorite color in the world is blue, I wanted to bring a little blue into the kitchen, too.” Sky blue cabinets rise above the coffee bar, echoing the coastal tones of the entryway, dining area, living room, and stairway. “The homeowner has a signature color: Nantucket Fog by Benjamin Moore,” reveals Hawkes. “We used that throughout the house, and other colors in that powder blue family, to tie different spaces together and make it feel even more cohesive.”

Aesthetically, the second floor feels very much like a continuation of the first, with light blue wallpaper and stair runners, crystal-shaped pendant light fixtures, and hints of gold speckled throughout. In the original house, this level had four bedrooms, including the homeowner’s suite. However, since they were adding a new third floor, they decided to change the layout here as well. “Once we found out that we could get three bedrooms upstairs, my daughter said to me, ‘Mom, why don’t you take Bella’s bedroom and expand your own room?’” Smith says. “At first I thought, I can’t do that, but then we realized we could fit Bella into this beautiful room upstairs, with the very best views… Well, I took her room and made a beautiful walk-in closet.”

With soft pink walls, white quartzite countertops, and custom shelving and drawers from Venegas and Company, the space has become a feminine retreat, or in Hawkes’s words, “a lovely private oasis.” She says, “It’s my favorite room in the house. It’s where the homeowner can get ready and spend time with her daughters. We were able to pump up the glam and put great lighting in there. It’s something really special just for her.” Clarke adds, “As a mother of boys I had a lot of fun designing spaces for her daughters.”

The remaining two bedrooms and their bathrooms were given a light makeover. Each of the five children’s rooms was decorated to reflect the unique personalities and interests of the children. “We used a lot of wallpaper in this house, mostly Phillip Jeffries and Schumacher. It really changes the space and gives the bedrooms personality,” says Hawkes. The eldest daughter’s room was transformed to be beachy and natural, with natural grasscloth wall coverings and a new bed from Modern History. Another daughter studying at art school received a whimsical hydrangea wallpaper from Serena and Lily, plus built-ins for painting and watercolors. The lone son’s room was updated in a slightly more masculine way, with soft teal wallpaper and black furniture. “He’s a surfer, and I wanted his room to reflect that,” says Smith. Another daughter’s room was done in elegant white and navy. “My third daughter wanted something clean and crisp,” Smith says. “It was so important that all the rooms have their own bathrooms, and that each one was different.”

Now that the dust has settled, Smith says she’s “just so glad” they built up and freshened up. Even the yard got a makeover, complete with an outdoor shower, hot tub, new driveway, and multiple patios and walkways. “It started with a plunge pool, and it spiraled outward from there,” says Clayton Spang. From the patterned walkway to newly planted barrier trees, the entire yard is considered and graceful, designed to flow seamlessly from one space to another. A large automatic screen links the living room to the back deck. “It’s been a game changer,” Smith says. “Now that we have a fenced-in backyard, we open it up and everyone comes in and out, including the dogs.”

“Everybody absolutely loves it,” she adds. “We have a very family-friendly home. I wanted the house to feel like everybody could come visit, sit, and eat.”