Richard Beard: In spite of being a big fan of Esherick, I didn’t know this particular house before I saw it with our clients.  I loved it from the minute I walked in.  It must have been so avant-garde at the time it was built.  I was very impressed with the light and way the house was oriented to its gardens. Very innovative.

Paul Wiseman: I had worked with Joseph Esherick on one of his last projects. The house had languished on the market because no one could figure it out. The floor plan made no sense and, although it’s a modern home, it had many traditional overlays inside. By bringing the house up to date, we’ve made it relevant again.

Richard Beard: The character of the house is, and was, defined by a number of distinctive details and materials. Those we preserved, and enhanced.  It would have been a shame to turn the house into just another lovely suburban home. What was odd was the compartmentalized plan. At a time when open plans were becoming an innovative architectural approach to composition, this house was comparatively segmented. We carefully opened a few things up, to give a more expansive feeling through the home.

Paul Wiseman: It was Richard Beard’s inspiration to open up the flow of spaces. We have had a long relationship of trust and working on many projects in the past together, so our team was able to visualize his intent and create an intimacy within that context. 

Richard Beard: The interior architecture (and The Wiseman Group’s décor and furnishing) plays to the era of the original design without being a slavish period set.  Contemporary millwork and materials that are sympathetic to the era are used, but clearly of their time.  I find it a huge compliment to not be able to tell exactly where original interior intersects new construction; you just know it’s awfully nice!

Paul Wiseman: Fortunately, our clients were interested in a mid-20th century aesthetic.  The original owner could not distinguish mid-century architecture from mid-18th century English country. 

Richard Beard: Most of the materials were those used in the original design:  concrete, re-sawn (lovely texture) painted wood interior paneling, Heath ceramics, oak cabinets.  The limited palette plays up the contrast with the furnishings and artwork; the palette showcases the ever-present landscape.

Paul Wiseman: The concrete atrium directed all of our material choices.  We removed complex floor tiles and re-introduced plain concrete and natural wood where appropriate.  Our choice of simple sisal carpets, Heath Ceramics tile and custom architectural furniture all to keep referencing the period and the scale.

Richard Beard: Accommodating a very nice art collection, making a house livable for a family of five, respectful of the heritage but looking to the future.  Make the house as relevant today for this family as it was when it was first built for the original owners.