Our Belgian midcentury project introduces our modern European take on a 3,100 sq foot gambrel colonial-style home primely located in Rhode Island, on one of Aquidneck Island’s most coveted ocean-side avenues. Like many of the New England based projects we take on, this house had been built in the 80s, filled with a lot of builder grade finishes and half finished renovations leaving a rather fragmented starting point for our clients. This project's intention was an effort to sew the fragments back together whilst creating a greater connection or purpose Creating a sense of why for the home and its stewards.
Our clients loved American Mid Century Modern but the cottage is located in a very coastal town of New England nestled among capes and colonials. This project although was built in the 80's didn't come with much character and the clients wanted her to exude their love for mid century flare whilst feeling quintessential new england. Here at Moore House Design when we start to take on a new project, I spend a period of time at the beginning diving into research. I want to make sure anything that we are changing or adjusting can equally add to the homes integrity as well as my clients.
I knew my clients wanted something comfortable for their family to grow but also give nods to crisp nostalgic references of their love for mid-century elemtents. I personally am more partial to European mid century silhouettes - I referenced a lot of lines and perspectives of Vincent Van Duysen and the materiality of Karin Draaijer, both wonderful Belgian designers. I then studied a lot of the silhouettes of the European mid century from the 50-70s. From Italian to Swedish to English and layered in my love of vintage textiles and materials.
Building a home in connection to craft & artisans
So many of the 1980’s colonials that were built on the east coast were done so unintentionally and they are usually lacking history and connectivity to craft. Here we wanted to go back to the beginning — working with natural earthen materials crafted by local artisans from tadelakt, to fine cabinet making, furniture joinery, hand forged iron work and detailed custom upholstery to embark on purpose for the home.
The major pain points our client felt were mostly regarding the first floor—aesthetics felt forgotten and flow was not in line with how they lived as a young, fun family. The original galley kitchen was severely lacking in space and function, especially considering our client’s career as a private chef. To rework circular flow, we focused on shoring up the internal structural components in spaces like the staircase, half bath, kitchen and fireplace, so that a creative solution to our clients' liveable area was provided. We also opened up the entry vestibule by recentering the front door to give the first floor balance and breath and even closed up a two story vaulted space that not only added space to our clients home but actually created a more expansive feeling to the first and second floors.
The Kitchen
The Kitchen needed to be a large expansive space for our clients family to work and play. A mum of two and a private chef, our clients love to cook and craft together as a family. We wanted the space to feel both utilitarian as well as an extension of the living room so we crafted a smaller Kitchen lounge and a play on a Pierre Jeanneret Pigeonhole Desk from the 1950’s.
Something that is work and entertaining at the same time. Layered in Plaster, Hand poured concrete, plain sawn stained oak and vintage malayer rugs and adorned with french and european collection of curiosities in the kitchen sourced from Blair and her team on their travels. 4 x Wolcott Stools from Roweam were custom made in Rose Tarlow fabric.
Accounting for a larger kitchen meant the whole first floor needed to be brought back to the bones, including the staircase to the second floor. Although we don’t love to fully gut homes for sustainable reasons, this project required a sense of returning to what once was to truly transform. Starting completely from scratch allowed us to remap the original floor plan and open up what was a quartered-off first floor into a breathable, cohesive space. To create this sense of expansion, a 30’ steel beam was implemented across the entire first floor to allow the kitchen to easily stretch into the previously walled off dining room. We wanted to not only establish a creative space for a growing family but also champion our clients’ love for dinner parties. In doing so, we created multiple gathering zones that imitated the original floor plan, less the confining walls, for ease of entertaining. We weren’t dealing with a lot of ceiling height, so by adding hand-hewn exposed oak beams across the entire expanse of the first floor, we were able to re-introduce the beloved colonial architectural history of the area while visually extending the space.
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The Banquette
Our banquette needed to be hardy enough for their growing family whilst still being a central hub for guests to gather around. Custom River table by Roweam and a custom banquette designed by the Moore House Design team with Leather from seat and a velvet backing. We always have to have a balance of Vintage, Designer, Found & New within a space. That is how we really encompass our Moore House Design aesthetic. Layering in newly upholstered Vico Magistretti Carimate Chairs with a vintage mahal rug and a Knitterling Pendant.
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The Kitchen Lounge
We custom made our Bruges Credenza from our sister company Roweam. Layered with and Italian mid century brass floor lamp in the style of Arredoluce and two reupholstered Danish MCM chairs with a 1900s Malayer Rug and a custom limestone coffee table
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The Living Room
Leading from the back side of the house you pass the half bath and into the Living room area. We expanded the windows in this room as well as created a full fireplace and TV focal wall with a hearth constructed from BAS stone Emperador marble. And tadelakt walls. Adorn with our Roweam Bromley sofas in a burnt ocher mohair, hand woven rug from nepal, two of our mushroom stools from Roweam upholstered in chocolate shearling and a vintage found metal coffee table.
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The Disco Library Lounge
Our clients love to dance so we wanted to create this all encompassing disco library for them to kick of their shoes and dance. Enough space for a bar, books, records and all of the accessories.
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The Staircase
Upon the entry there was a double height opening to the second floor that did allow light but a very narrow walkway from the main bedroom to the little girls bedroom. We closed this up to gather a greater walkway space as well as a functioning small laundry area for our clients on the second floor. Changing the entire house of windows allowed us to really open up the front door package as well as create a lot more natural light within the house. Bringing in that quintessential Colonial aesthetic with thin ogee ⅝ muntin grills on the windows.
I wanted the staircase to be a focal point. Something that felt hand forged and crafted. I dreamt up this design whilst I was sleeping and woke up with my sketchbook in hand and sent it over to the team the next day. A mix of Vintage mahal runners cut down and stitched together created the never ending staircase runner.
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Half Bathroom
A custom Calacatta Viola Vanity makes our little jewel tone bathroom pop with custom mixed plaster walls by Master of Plaster and an mid century italian Vintage mirror.
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The Exterior
This was a quick little refresh with vintage Russel Woodward exterior settee and chairs newly upholstered with new cushions in a MHD staple fabric with a limestone coffee table.
The Main Suite
We wanted to bring the moodiness up here for the clients to rest and relax and add a bit of juxtaposition to the bright first floor. The clients wanted an oversized large vintage Mahal rug to adorn the entire room. Layered with our first ever created Bromley Bed and two of our Roweam’s Ghent Side tables, two bedside table lamps and a vintage Harvard Divinity school desk.
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Little Girls Room
This was a quick little refresh with Farrow & Ball Dead Salmon to adorn the walls. Layered with little vintage cabinets and bedding from Amber interiors Anthropology line.
We know you’re going to ask…..
Paint Colors
Well that about wraps up our full reveal of the BELGIAN Mid Century Project! Want to see some before and afters? You’ll have to check back in next Friday!
All Photography // Erin Little
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