Latest news with #historicarchitecture
New York Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Designer Embraces Femininity in His Farmhouse Living Room
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.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Historic Jersey Shore motel in North Wildwood demolished to make way for housing
The Chateau Bleu motel, about a block from the beach between 9th and 10th streets in North Wildwood, is no more. The Surf Avenue motel is the most recent to disappear from the shore town, which continues to see the rise of large rental properties in place of iconic buildings, such as the Chateau Bleu. The listing for the property reads 'currently this property has operated as a 19 unit motel but is ready for demolition and to be converted to three single homes in the center of North Wildwood.' The motel, which opened in 1962 and is on the list of National Register of Historic Places, was knocked down despite efforts by the Doo Wop Preservation League, which wanted to keep the building standing because of its historic significance. "One of the finest examples of mid-century resort architecture on the island and really the entire Northeast," John Donio, president of the Doo Wop Preservation League, told CBS. "This is a home to a lot of people year after year. It's generational, so families come down with their kids, their grandchildren, and it's also affordable." It was. And that has many people on social media upset with the decision to level the motel. 'The North Wildwood zoning commission has absolutely zero respect for any building on a national historic registry,' read a comment on the Doo Wop Preservation League's Facebook page. 'It all comes down to who you know at City Hall on the zoning board and how deep are your pockets.' 'All the good motels demolished,' read another. 'A shame. It used to look like Vegas motels all in neon lights. We stayed at the Carousel Motel. Oh those Wildwood days. Good memories!' This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: North Wildwood's historic Chateau Bleu motel falls
