Set back from the shores of North Hampton stands a house that has evoked timeless, casual elegance throughout its history—a concept the homeowners wanted to continue through the renovation process of this storied Victorian home.

Built in the 1890s, the home summons an era of times gone past with its grand architecture and romantic spirit. The original home included a front entry, parlors and a dining room. The original design followed tradition in orienting the rooms to the entryway; the kitchen and butler’s pantry were situated on the oceanfacing wall in the back of the house with a buzzer system throughout for servants.

A new kitchen was built in the 1990s, complete with a view of the ocean. Additionally, a new deck was added to the front, and outside stairs now connect the upper and ground levels.

When the current homeowners purchased the home in 2015, they were excited to mix old and new style elements to give it a muchneeded makeover. “We grew up near the ocean in Long Island and have always been drawn to the coast,” one homeowner says. “We knew we wanted to combine the ornate, eccentric interior design and architecture in the original home with the stunning ocean views outside the windows.”

The couple met in New York City and moved to Hampstead, but their goal was always to retire by the ocean. After 25 years, they realized they no longer wanted to wait for retirement to make the move.

“We decided to dip our toes into the home shopping process, and stumbled upon this house on a whim and knew that was it,” one homeowner says. “We fell in love with the Victorian details throughout and wanted to keep the classic look, while also bringing in polished hints and elements to make it feel like a peaceful, inviting retreat. We imagined being able to walk from room to room with ease, and have the same comfortable flow throughout the house.”

The couple spent a few months developing a vision inspired by the home’s original blueprint, and they worked with TMS Architects in Portsmouth to bring that vision to life. Their plan: demo and rebuild a new, Victorian-inspired home that honored the home’s originality and charm, and reflected the tranquility of the ocean around it.

Project architect Jason Bailey says the couple wanted a sophisticated design that reflected the natural beauty of the coast year-round. “We knew they were there to enjoy the ocean,” he says. “So we planned on adding as many large windows as possible, as there wasn’t a lot of daylight in the house to begin with.

“We also wanted to make sure the design was consistent from one room to the next, because it felt a bit disjointed as it was. Our goal was to have all the rooms run from one side of the house to the other, and connect them through the common corridor so it never felt like you were interrupting the space. We wanted to re-create the same classical nature of the house by combining period details with contemporary standards of comfort and style.”

A small entry porch beckons guests to the front door, where they are met with stunning ocean views (framed by custom linen and velvet drapery) down the central hallway. The 5-foot-wide corridor spans the length of the house with two elliptical arches and sweeping windows adorned with gracefully arched muntins that allow sunlight into every corner of every room. The grand curved stair next to the entryway door was created from the original home’s design, and the crystal chandelier above reflects the delicate, Victorian details scattered throughout the house.

Beyond the entryway, the interior captures what the exterior projects: clean lines with classic, refined finishes and textures that mirror the tranquil surrounding coastal landscape. That relaxed, modern feel continues with the interior design. Interior designer Cristina Johnson, of TMS, planned to carry the soothing elements from the ocean into the overall feel of the space. She achieved this by using subtle blues and carefully placed pieces of art.

“We used shades of blue and sand generously to create a harmonious feel throughout the home with references to the coast,” Johnson says. “We pushed the boundary between fancy and casual by using natural linen and sea-grass wall coverings for texture and warmth, and dark-stained white oak flooring to ground the space.” Johnson chose artwork—which included a combination of photographs, giclée art prints and a few of the homeowners’ art pieces—to further evoke a calming sentimentality throughout.

Each room’s hand-picked furnishings played off the Gothic-inspired style that Johnson and the homeowners developed alongside the more traditional, Victorian pieces in the home. “Each of the decorative fixtures—like one of the chandeliers in the main entryway—was carefully chosen as simple, coordinating styles to carry each room to the next,” Johnson says.

“We used custom, oversized lounge chairs upholstered in a Ralph Lauren floral print, and a Louis XIVstyle desk chair and desk to add a sense of romance and charm,” she says. “We also played up the patterns and finer details—like the glass buttons in the living room pillows—to balance the pop of velvet used in the bottoms of the curtains.”

Johnson’s attention to detail can be seen everywhere in the home, from the arabesque tile pattern used in iterations for floors, backsplashes and fabrics, to the custom roman shades, furniture pieces and unique, bronze light fixtures.

The interior design details brought Bailey’s architectural design to life. “What made the project so successful is how we were able to mix and synthesize the interior with the architectural details,” Bailey says.

“We featured a sculptural millwork throughout the home, like the carved newel posts prominent in the front entry and carved rosettes. The dramatic oval windows and arches featured in the breakfast nook and master bath opened up the space, and Cristina added accents— like the two chairs in front of the picture windows off the kitchen or marble tile accents in the master bath— to create a seamless balance in each space.”

Making good use of romantic, perennial elemental details was a big part of Bailey and the homeowners’ vision, and was even more important in the design of the exterior of the home.

“We started with adding shingles to replace the white clapboards that wrapped around the corners of the house to bring it to a more modern period,” Bailey says. “We added dormers to help bring visual interest to the roof and add light to the second floor.”

The circular stair, archways and stonework around the base of the home also tied into the deck supports to make them feel more weighted and connected to the Tuscan columns and surrounding landscape. The foundational stone arch on the ground level created a focal point in the middle of the house, while also inviting the organic development of other stonework to be added—like the stair from the first floor to the ground level—and even space for a master bath off the second floor.

“The entire home was built with comfortability and longevity in mind, especially with the improved coastal views and relaxed outdoor spaces,” Bailey says. “The home will be enjoyable and relevant for years to come, and for the couple’s friends and family to delight in no matter what season they are visiting.”

One thing the coastal retreat has proven: Rebuilding and transforming a home doesn’t mean you have to lose the original home’s unique charm along the way. “It’s important to have a team around you that you trust through every step of the building process, from the planning to designing,” one homeowner says. “It was a joy to honor the first house that we met and feel its presence in each room as we move throughout our day today. My husband and I look forward to continuing to welcome family and friends into our home to relax and enjoy its view, comforts and tranquility for many years to come.”

RESOURCES

CM Ragusa Builders, Seabrook • (603) 601-7330 • cmragusa.com

Piscataqua Landscaping, Elliot, ME • (603) 569-6424 piscataqualandscaping.com

TMS Architects / Interiors, Portsmouth • (603) 436-4274 • tmsarchitects.com