Built in 1894 on a high point overlooking Manchester Harbor, this Victorian residence had remained with the same family for nearly a century. Its new owners saw beyond the years of wear to a house with strong proportions, intact craftsmanship, and space for the objects and influences they had gathered while living around the world.
The major renovation preserved the home’s basic organization while making it work for contemporary family life. A former service wing was removed to enlarge the kitchen, doorways were realigned to improve movement between rooms, and selected openings were adjusted to strengthen views through the house and toward the water. Much of the original woodwork was retained, along with seven fireplaces that continue to anchor the principal rooms.
Outside, a new veranda and pair of gazebos extend the house toward the harbor and create a sequence of sheltered places for outdoor living. Their design draws from the scale and detail of the original Victorian while introducing a more relaxed relationship between the house and its grounds.
Inside, the restored architecture provides a framework for a deeply personal collection of color, furniture, and art. Saturated turquoise and plum were selected from a historic New England palette, giving the family room and library a bold identity without feeling disconnected from the age of the house. Asian furnishings, European architectural fragments, contemporary lighting, and black-and-white accents reflect the owners’ years abroad. Historic and unexpected elements sit comfortably together, allowing the house to feel both established and entirely their own.
“I could feel what it used to be. I was excited to uncover its soul.”
