A Womb of One's Own

On the leafy side streets of Boston’s South End neighborhood, rows of Victorian townhouses disguise the truth of time. Pristinely kept, these 19th-century brick and brownstone residences impose a different era onto the present, resolute in their commitment to an architectural style of decades past. But as designer Kristine Irving of Boston-based interiors firm Koo de Kir discovered, the traditional “long and narrow” footprint of one such home made its renovation a challenging yet gratifying process.

The footprints Victorian-era townhouses in Boston's South End prove to be a challenging design constraint. Photograph by Eric Roth.

Designing for a family, Irving sought to reconfigure the winding four-floor home without wasting space: “How do you achieve more light, greater flow and more openness without sacrificing functionality?” she asked. The solution, in the end, lay in the details.

“Out went the small Victorian-era rooms and in came more open spaces that flow one to the other, full of storage opportunities, conversation areas and warm modern finishes.” Irving explained. “Introducing classics from Knoll to compliment the new, stronger architecture was a natural progression in the design process.”

Eero Saarinen's Womb Chair for Knoll and Marcel Breuer's Laccio Table in the South End townhouse. Photograph by Eric Roth.

In one room, the balance between airy bow-front windows and snug interior warmth is anchored with an Eero Saarinen Womb Chair and Ottoman upholstered in a chalky wool. In front of the fireplace, a Laccio Coffee Table, designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925, sustains the modern update.

Irving’s penchant for modern design began during her childhood, when she was given the opportunity to decorate her own room with the vintage furniture of her grandparents. “My favorite was this amazing tubular metal-framed modular sofa set, probably mid-century Danish,” she recalled. “I loved the versatility and functionality of it and hated all the other furniture in the house for being so boring.”

Eero Saarinen's Oval Dining Table and Executive Armless Chairs in the South End townhouse. Photograph by Eric Roth.

Her additions to the townhouse, which include an Oval Dining Table and Executive Arm Chairs designed by Eero Saarinen, indicate a lifelong fascination with sleek, timeless furniture. The bright finishes of the dining set effectively open up the room, allowing daylight to cascade in.

“Good design needs that balance of trend and frivolity with the more austere and serious presence of pieces with staying power.”

—Kristine Irving

“I think what I appreciate most about the pieces we used from Knoll is that they are work horses," Irving remarked. "Never tired. Always at the ready for the next gathering. Good design needs that balance of trend and frivolity with the more austere and serious presence of pieces with staying power.”

Project Credits:

Design: Koo de Kir
Photography: Eric Roth