A Designer Embraces Femininity in His Farmhouse Living Room

New York Times

3 days ago

When the interior designer Nick Spain and his husband, Michael Bolognino, were house hunting in the Berkshires, they yearned for a historic home with character. The couple was wooed by a former rectory from the 1850s in West Stockbridge, Mass., which they started calling 'The Filomena,' after Mr. Bolognino's grandmother.
Mr. Spain, who aims to create immersive environments for his clients, primarily works on residential projects, from a midcentury home in Oakland, Calif., to a pollinator-friendly garden in Montgomery, Ala. He was delighted to have an opportunity to be on the other side of the table for once. 'It was fun to get to design something for myself again in totality,' said Mr. Spain, 37.
The couple bought the house in 2016, and it took them two years to renovate with the help of a general contractor. As much as Mr. Spain appreciated the charm of the existing Italianate architecture, he wanted to refresh the 19th century farmhouse with modern touches that set the stage for new narratives to unfold — this was achieved through unexpected color combinations, playful textures and fluid forms.
Although the 4,400-square-foot property is available to rent on Airbnb, the couple treats it as their primary residence. (They also share an apartment with friends in Brooklyn Heights.) Mr. Spain can usually be found curled up with his dogs in a romantic living room drenched in a soft, rosy pink hue (Chippendale Rosetone by Benjamin Moore). 'Someone once called it millennial pink, and I was like, 'No, no, no, no, no, no,'' Mr. Spain said. 'It's very warm in the morning and then at night you feel really held in it.'
Mr. Spain was tickled by the prospect of building out a narrative for the room that played on the idea of femininity. 'We call it the 'ladies who lunch' room, and that's largely because it's the kind of place that you come to sit down, have a cocktail, and get all the hot goss,' he explained. 'There's a saying, 'If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit next to me.' We need that on a pillow. That's the overall vibe.'
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