My Houzz: Travel-Inspired Style for a Boston Condo
An elegant neutral palette and modern finishes give personality to this 860-square-foot home
Megan Flood was initially turned off by the dated parquet floors and mediocre finishes in her two-bedroom condo. However, its location in the bustling, culture-rich South End neighborhood of Boston, near friends and the Back Bay subway station, was too perfect to dismiss it outright. She reimagined the space with her personalized decor and elegant neutral color palette to give it a much-needed refresh.
Flood’s job in finance requires a great deal of travel, so she wanted to create a relaxing space that would help her unwind after whirlwind trips to meet with clients. “Since I travel so much, when I am in town, I like to be home as much as possible,” she says. The plush beige sofa provides a cozy place to unwind after a long flight, and the tall windows allow great late-afternoon light to fill the space. She decided to use a neutral palette and add bursts of color in the form of throw pillows and other small accents.
Chairs: Boston Interiors
Chairs: Boston Interiors
Fresh flowers are a must when Flood is home, along with interesting reading material and a throw blanket or two.
“My dear friend Michelle is an amazing hostess, and she taught me a lot about entertaining and creating a welcoming space. Lighting candles, playing music and adding soft lighting are easy ways to create a pleasant atmosphere,” Flood says. Her goal: a space that was inviting not only for her to come home to, but also for guests who drop by for dinner or a glass of wine.
“My dear friend Michelle is an amazing hostess, and she taught me a lot about entertaining and creating a welcoming space. Lighting candles, playing music and adding soft lighting are easy ways to create a pleasant atmosphere,” Flood says. Her goal: a space that was inviting not only for her to come home to, but also for guests who drop by for dinner or a glass of wine.
The fully functioning fireplace lends a welcoming glow to the living room in the colder months.
Many of the decorative items in Flood’s space have a story. She’s especially partial to the elephant footprint on the wall between the dining and living areas, a souvenir from a trip to Zimbabwe.
Wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Revere Pewter, Benjamin Moore
The open floor plan caters perfectly to Flood’s love of hosting parties and get-togethers, providing a large area for guests to congregate. “Finding a place that was well laid out for entertaining was a must for me,” she says. “I love having friends over for a glass of wine after work, for occasional dinner parties on the weekends and even for a few larger parties throughout the year.”
AFTER: New flooring and updated fixtures brighten the space. “My favorite item in the whole condo is the new chandelier. I love the way the glamorous crystal contrasts with the exposed, aged brick on the wall behind,” Flood says.
Flood also travels for pleasure as much as possible and has a passion for learning about other cultures. A gallery wall in the dining room displays her favorite photos from her worldwide adventures, including a safari in Africa, a sightseeing trip to China and a trip to Italy.
A map hangs above the sofa, documenting Flood’s travels to countries around the globe. Her next big trip will be another safari in Africa.
A large cutout exposes the kitchen to the rest of the living space and creates the perfect spot for a pair of bar stools.
Flood carried the framed coral artwork back from a trip to Turks and Caicos, and hung it above her collection of cookbooks.
The kitchen is compact, but she has learned to prioritize when it comes to utensils and gadgets.
Photo by Teena Flood
Photo by Teena Flood
Flood had the dated backsplash replaced with polished stone mosaic tile to lighten up the small space.
The open-concept layout results in views into almost every room from the end of the entryway.
Flood’s splurges include the handmade console table that she bought at a summertime market in the SoWa district of the South End. The entryway vignette is completed with a budget-friendly mirror from Target.
Console table: SoWa Market
Console table: SoWa Market
A Moravian star light fixture welcomes guests as they enter the condo.
While the exposed brick is now one of the more appealing visual aspects of the space, it was also one of the most challenging features of the design. Many decisions had to be based around the brick, most notably the floors. Flood chose birch floors with a dark chocolate stain to contrast with the brick and avoid an overwhelmingly red-toned space. “They are hands down the most complimented and the most cursed aspect of my home,” Flood says. “They look beautiful when they are freshly cleaned, but keeping them that way is a full-time job.”
While the exposed brick is now one of the more appealing visual aspects of the space, it was also one of the most challenging features of the design. Many decisions had to be based around the brick, most notably the floors. Flood chose birch floors with a dark chocolate stain to contrast with the brick and avoid an overwhelmingly red-toned space. “They are hands down the most complimented and the most cursed aspect of my home,” Flood says. “They look beautiful when they are freshly cleaned, but keeping them that way is a full-time job.”
The bathroom is small but highly functional, with storage space and even a washer-dryer unit hidden behind the door.
Wall paint: Manchester Tan, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Manchester Tan, Benjamin Moore
Although much of Flood’s work requires her to be on the road, a home office is also necessary. Her L-shaped desk in the guest bedroom looks out at the Boston skyline, providing a lovely place to work from her computer.
A pullout sofa occupies another wall, allowing her to host overnight guests.
Sofa: Boston Interiors
Sofa: Boston Interiors
Flood’s bedroom is a relaxing respite filled with muted blues and creams, and plenty of soft textiles. The same attention she paid to layered textiles in the living room carries through to this room, with its upholstered headboard and piles of cozy pillows. More photographs from her travels hang above the bed.
“The view from the bedroom is incredible. When I first moved in, I had the bed positioned facing away from the windows. But it seemed like such a shame to waste such a beautiful view, so I rearranged the room to its current layout shortly thereafter,” Flood says. She purposely hung a Sabra Field landscape between the windows to create an interesting contrast between the Vermont countryside in the print and the Boston skyline beyond.
Flood’s mother, Teena Flood, took the photograph above the dresser, the perfect complement to the color scheme in the room.
Wall paint: Gray Wisp, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Gray Wisp, Benjamin Moore
Costume jewelry doubles as decor on a shelf in the bedroom.
The exterior of the building has a classic Boston brownstone feel, with wrought iron accents and black shutters. Flood adores the location, nestled between the South End and the Back Bay, and within walking distance to dozens of delicious restaurants.
Despite her initial doubts, Flood has come to cherish her condo now that she has shaped it into a space that reflects her lifestyle. It’s a peaceful antidote for her busy life filled with work and travel.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
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Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Megan Flood
Location: South End neighborhood of Boston
Size: 860 square feet (about 80 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Year built: 1890
Flood has a keen eye for design, but she also enlisted the help of a friend, interior designer Misty Gray of Grayscale Design. “There was so much more to every decision than I ever could have imagined, and Misty helped me with every detail,” Flood says. “She was there on moving day to assist with logistics, and oversaw most of the renovations when I was on the road.”