Marlborough Street Brownstone

Location:
Boston, MA

This Back Bay condo for a Harvard graduate school student skewed too traditional for the twenty-something, but with Elms’ vision it would be fashioned into the perfect space for studying and hanging out. Elms retained the classic ceiling trim in the main living space but swapped other architectural features and finishes to create a clean backdrop, adding wide oak floorboards, grass-cloth wallcovering, and a contemporary gray marble mantel. The most impactful change was replacing the massive double doors with an industrial-chic steel and glass style that reads lighter and younger.

The sectional upholstered in linen with baseball stitching and a new, built-in window seat provides the open lounge-y seating her client desired. The oval dining table and upholstered chairs complete the dining area, while the chandelier with smoked glass globes adds lightness above. Abstract artwork dots the room, providing color, movement, and the scheme’s finishing touch. The entry point is a narrow hallway where Elms toned down the woodwork with soft gray paint, covered the entire length in a dreamy, graphic cloud-print wallpaper, and injected rhythm with an ombre runner and trio of lantern-style ceiling lights. The homeowner was tentative about the wallpaper at first but now says it’s his favorite part of the apartment.

The second bedroom is a functional study space with a built-in desk under the window and a convertible sofa for guests. The primary bedroom is a cocoonlike retreat with a vertical channel-tufted upholstered headboard that elongates the narrow space. The custom platform bed faces a fireplace with a sleek new striated marble surround and a wardrobe with linear black pulls. A gorgeous bay window with alpaca drapery panels and a round sofa creates a cozy nook for reading or unwinding.