A look of the home from the water shows the jutted rock that the exterior of the abode is built from.
The kitchen stuns with neutral colors and a whitewashed wood ceiling that carries over from the foyer.
Two light fixtures dangle from the stairwell
The family room, featuring beautiful views of the backyard and beyond.
When one client came to Tom Catalano of Catalano Architects (catalanoarchitects.com), he had one goal: to rebuild a home in Cohasset that looked as if it was meant to be there. So the team went to work. The first challenge came in the form of knocking down the then-existing structure—an Italianate home that had been perched on the highest point of the property. “One of our challenges was to try and make the site more usable without actually disturbing [it] that much,” Catalano explains. Th e next challenge? Peeling off the top layer of rigid rock to make it into material used throughout the exterior. “After it was blasted, we brought in a hammer and broke all the ledges up, and then our team Marzilli (rpmarzilli.com), who was the landscape contractor, brought a guillotine in and they literally veneered all the stones on-site,” adds Steven Colclough of Colclough Construction (colcloughconstruction.com). Now, every inch of stonework is made from the property’s own resources, making it seem as if the dreamy abode is growing from the ground up. Th e exterior of the home itself evokes a mountain house aesthetic despite its New England seacoast surroundings. “It was this suburban area, and as you move through the property, you are transported to a naturalized and immersive environment,” explains Joe Wahler, landscape architect at Stimson Studio (stimsonstudio.com). Beyond having plenty of views at your fingertips, the landscaping also adds to the design thanks to native plants that help to sustain the area’s natural environment. Wahler chose plenty of native species like little bluestem, bayberry shrubs, tupelo trees, coastal roses, native cedars and beach plum. “We’ve got a good range of plants that have great habitat benefits but also bring a level of interest to the landscape throughout all the seasons,” he adds. Also outside, a dreamy pool beckoning anyone to take a dip and a patio that’s built into the stone. Inside, the five-bedroom home only continues to wow thanks to custom millwork by Colclough, as well as a whitewashed wood that swashes through the entrance of the home and all the way into the kitchen. Oak floors also add to the organic feel, which the entire house evokes. When it came to the interior design, the client called upon Nora Speer (noraspeerdesign.com) to add even more character. “[He] wanted something a little bit more organic and durable,” she says of the client’s preferences, who also has four children. To keep the home cohesive, Speer chose to integrate many colors and materials that can be seen on the exterior of the home, all while keeping the beautiful views at the forefront. “When you walk through the front door, you can look straight back and see the ocean, the lawn and the beautiful ledge that Cohasset is so well known for,” she explains. Staying away from typical nautical decor, the designer tried to add smaller elements that hinted to the seaside escape—like three Jamie Young (jamieyoung.com) pendants that hang in the kitchen and mimic a modern-day lantern. Also in the kitchen, a stunning sea pearl stone from Marble and Granite in Westwood (marbleandgranite.com) that pulls in the tones from the ledge outside. Toward the back of the house, a cozy family room is completed with a large sectional and two swivel chairs. With the children in mind, Speer used outdoor fabrics to upholster the furniture in this room. A large stone fireplace sits to the side, which adds an even cozier aesthetic. Also in this area, a bar with a door that leads into the owner’s office. Smart built-ins and grasscloth wallcoverings make working a breeze—as well as the views from the windows. “It faces over the river that comes in, and it has beautiful views of the sunset,” Speer adds, noting that it’s one of her favorite rooms in the home. Also on this floor, a mudroom, pantry, breakfast room, small office-sitting area and guest bedroom that overlooks the backyard pool. Upstairs are the four other bedrooms—all with en suite bathrooms—plus a large open deck. A roof deck also exists on the third floor, along with another bedroom, bathroom and sitting area. “We try to do all of our work so that when you come up to one of our houses, ideally, it shouldn’t be screaming, ‘I’m a brand-new house,’ and I think that we were successful with that effort here,” Catalano concludes.
Views abound from the deck, making for dreamy summer hosting.
The front of the home, featuring the same door that was used in the previous house that stood on the site
