There’s something quietly audacious about taking a 19th-century brownstone down to the studs in one of Boston’s most historic postcodes. But for designer Nicole Hirsch, that was precisely the point. “Our clients wanted to maintain the rich tradition of what this townhouse used to be,” she describes, “but infuse it with a modern sensibility.” And true to form,
Hirsch, known for her warm, modern aesthetic and material-forward interiors, joined forces with High Street Development and architectural firm Embarc Design to reimagine the home for a young family with four children under six. “They were dream clients – kind, trusting and with great taste,” Hirsch recalls. “Because we were so aligned, we could move quickly and decisively, which allowed the design to feel cohesive from one room to the next.” That cohesion is anchored in stone, a material that, in Hirsch’s words, “became integral to the home’s design identity.” Each slab – from the veined marble vanities to the sculpted fireplace surrounds – was hand-selected and fabricated by A&S Luxury Stone, infusing quiet luxury throughout. “Every piece had to feel like it belonged,” she explains. “There’s an intimacy in that level of attention.”
The interplay of historic charm and modern restraint runs throughout. Original crown moldings, chevron hardwoods and tall sash windows recall Beacon Hill’s pedigree, while clean-lined millwork and custom-made furnishings introduce contemporary rhythm. A floating walnut credenza in the dining room nods to midcentury craftsmanship, while a concealed TV lift in the primary bedroom merges innovation with understatement.
Even the children’s playroom is designed with poetic pragmatism, featuring built-in cabinetry that doubles as art, and custom sectionals that shift from story time to soirée. And then there are the quieter gestures, those subtle echoes of the past that are effortlessly rendered fresh again. Hirsch points to the applied wall moldings that disguise storage in the living room, and to the custom, oversize knobs in the primary suite that recall vintage purse clasps. “Each hardware piece had to be both elegant and understated,” she shares. “It’s these small details that knit the home’s narrative together.”
That duality – of both reverence and reinvention – is becoming something of a signature for Hirsch. “We’ve really carved a niche for ourselves in our ability to straddle two opposing aesthetics. To bring clean, modern design to classically historic homes.” In Beacon Hill, that vision finds its fullest expression yet – in a house that wears its history lightly and its modernity with ease.
Photography by Jared Kuzia.
Styling by Sean William.
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