Emmons Street Project

Emmons Street, East Boston

Danielle and Matt Emond, Eastside Co/Lab

Jared Kuzia Photography


In East Boston - perhaps the city’s final real estate frontier - Danielle and Matt had a dream of transforming a rundown 1900’s three-bed, four-bath townhouse into a bespoke family home. For three years they lived through a gut renovation with two small children. The result is nothing less than spectacular. 

Aptly named the “French Shipyard Flat” the home boasts a color palette of dark ocean blues juxtaposed with dramatic black and white expressions. Exposed brick and original wood beams contrasted with modern furnishings and lighting ties together old and new. Custom built-in cabinetry throughout the home adds ample storage and functionality, luxuries often missed in turn of the century homes. When thrown a curveball, i.e. a small kitchen footprint, the designers built a substantial attached pantry that would delight any urban home cook. Luxury abounds with Calcutta marble in the kitchen and Ann Saks tile in the bathroom.

Project Stats:

  • 1,500 square feet home

  • Full building renovation of a early 1900’s workman row house

  • Three-bed four-bath primary residence + studio Airbnb in the basement

  • Designed by interior designer and architect husband and wife duo of Eastside Co/Lab

Exterior

Welcome to the French Shipyard Flat at #9 Emmons Street. A gut renovation infused French character and flair into this 1900’s workman row house. Designers chose iron and brass that will patina and age beautifully over time. White-washed cedar slatting is a nod to the waterfront and former shipyard a few blocks away. Blues and black and white hints at the color theme within the home and lends a historical nautical vibe while brass hardware adds a modern touch.

Features:

  • Paint, Benjamin Moore

  • Lighting, Rejuvenation

A historically-accurate cornice was added to the top of the building to infuse character into the facade. Nautical blue was chosen for the new siding, a nod to the nearby shipyard. The original awning windows were enlarged and replaced with two over one windows.

Designers changed the home’s permits to multifamily use and the studio basement unit was transformed into an income-generating Airbnb property. The Airbnb unit has its own entrance in the front and back.

Features:

  • Paint, Benjamin Moore

  • Windows, Anderson, A400 Series / Two Over One

Kitchen & Dining

This long narrow space was missing the square footage needed for a traditional L-shaped countertop or island. Designers chose a minimalist single countertop with open shelving supplemented by a large pantry with ample storage and prep space hidden out-of-site. A custom door vent hides the HVAC system.

Features:

  • Counter and backsplash, Cumar, Calcutta gold marble 

  • Drywall Wrapped Hood

  • Appliances, Kitchenaid 

  • Faucet, Brizo

  • Custom artwork

Sumptuous Calcutta marble countertop and backsplash adds a luxurious touch, while mixed metals allows gold accents to be interwoven with silver and black without overwhelming the space. Black framed slider windows overlook a small balcony and grill space. 

Features:

  • Calcutta Gold Marble

  • Anderson Windows

  • Gold switch plate, CB2

Dining

Designers choose a family table instead of an island that serves as a dual dining and prep space. Sophistication meets practicality with elegant curved back chairs that have custom resilient fabric for childproofing.  

Features:

  • Chairs, Restoration Hardware 

  • End Chairs, CB2

  • Table, Anthropologie

  • Pendant, Anthropologie

  • Rug, Chilewich

  • Custom art

Powder Room

Adjacent to the dining and kitchen space, the small powder room makes a big statement. Ann Saks tiles accentuate the black and white expression, while vintage art and mixed metals add a distinctly French flair. Thin built-in cabinets (1.5 inches wide) offer storage where every inch counts. 

Features

  • Tile, Ann Sacks, Benton Clara Mosaic

  • Poster, vintage, estate sale

  • Pendant, Rejuvenation

  • Faucet, Kohler

  • Toilet, Kohler

  • Sink, Quattro

Living Room

Natural wood, original brickwork, and black hardware characterize this small, but functional living space, centered on an electric blue velvet sectional. Natural light abounds through black framed windows that replaced and enlarged the original awning windows. The oversized sectional couch creates a welcoming vibe. 

Features

  • Couch, Interior Define

  • Windows, Anderson, A400 Series / Two over One

The open floor plan provides a seamless flow for easy living. Custom built-ins create ample storage for hiding any and all clutter.  

Features:

  • Counter and backsplash, Cumar, Calcutta gold marble 

  • Drywall Wrapped Hood

  • Appliances, Kitchenaid 

  • Faucet, Brizo

  • Custom artwork

Custom iron railing connects the living space with the upstairs.

Features

  • Custom iron railing

  • White oak floor, custom stain

Entryway / Mudroom

Tucked away under the stairs, a luxury that few city homes can claim: a mudroom! Cubbies for each family member, plus one for a guest and benches to remove shoes. 

Up at top of the stairs to the left is a view of the original beams that were preserved by the designers to juxtapose old and industrial with new and modern.

Features

  • Custom iron railing

  • White oak floor, custom stain

  • Custom millwork

Primary Bedroom

A thin, long space, the primary bedroom features a statement canopy bed with just enough space to circulate on both sides. His and hers closets with custom built-ins provide ample storage. 

Features

  • Bed, Room & Board

  • Custom closets

  • Custom side tables wrapped in grass cloth

Features

  • Wallpaper, Osborne and Little Designers Guild

  • Custom side tables wrapped in Schumacher Haruki Sisal

  • Lights, Etsy, textured clay

Primary Bathroom

Simple, but elegant, the primary bath shines with stacked white subway tile juxtaposed by black stone. Lights streaming through the window in the shower combined with cut glass hanging pendants creates a flattering lighting scheme. Double faucet vanity provides ample drawers space and an open shared Scarabeo sink to surprise and awe. Mixed metals of black, antique brass and silver.

  • Pendants, Rejuvenation

  • Herringbone black stone 3 x 36 inch, Wayfair

  • 48” vanity, Ikea with custom front

  • Faucets, Brizzo

  • Sink, Scarabeo

Simple black and white tiles and mixed metals shine extra bright with ample natural light. Laundry closet with extra storage shown on the right.

Features

  • Herringbone black stone 3 x 36 inch, Wayfair

  • Showerhead, Brizzo

Kids Room

In true Montessori style, shelving and furniture is kept at child height creating a welcoming space for little people to read and play.

  • Chesterfield couch, Wayfair

  • Wallpaper, Scion Kelda Pebble

  • Lamp, West Elm X Pottery Barn Kids

  • Rug, Martin Group, Novagratz Wool

Colorful expressions in shades of blue and pink for a cozy child’s bedroom with ample room to rest, play, and lounge.  

Features

  • Bunk beds, Etsy.com

  • Bedding, Lewisishome.com

  • Lighting, Lulu & Georgia

Kids Bathroom

A simple, clean space with a few colorful accents. 

Features:

  • Vanity, Ikea with custom fronts

  • Lighting, Shades of Light

A four-foot extra deep bathtub is hard to find, but was essential in this space to allow for custom storage to the right. The tone-on-tone mermaid scale tiling adds dimension and whimsy.

Features:

  • Bathtub, Kohler, Supply New England

  • Shower tile, Daltile

  • Floor and tub tile, Wayfair

The Office

This multi-purpose space has enormous storage and utility. Original beams from the home were repurposed to create a custom desk. Pivoting lights add to the flexibility of the space. 

Features:

  • Desk, original beams and Floyd Detroit legs

  • Lighting, Rejuvenation

  • Neon sign, custom

Roof Deck

An inviting rooftop oasis with bistro lights, nautical stripes, and contrasting black metal and natural wood creates a distinctly French seaside flair. 

Features:

  • Customer iron railing

  • Decking, Timbertech

  • Furniture, Wayfair

Exterior

The same attention to detail as the front facade was brought to the rear facade as well. Modern touches abound while also maintaining the same French nautical vibes. 

Features:

  • Paint, Benjamin Moore

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