HOUSE 2
Nina Farmer is known for interiors that are richly layered and antique-infused, so she was the ideal person to decorate this historic home
The interior designer Nina Farmer didn’t grow up in an old house. Her design language of richly layered interiors punctuated with antiques evolved as she moved through periods in her life.
‘My parents built our f irst home from scratch. It was in the countryside in Connecticut and there was nothing remotely historic about it,’ she recalls. ‘But then I went to school in New Orleans, which felt very rich and patinaed, and I realised how much places that showed their age appealed to me. My parents met in London, so along with Venice and Paris, it has been a strong influence on my style.’
The Beacon Hill neighbourhood of Boston that Nina has made her home, along with her husband and two daughters, is steeped in history. ‘We’ve been here for 15 years. I love the cobbled streets and old gas lamps. There’s a very charming British feel to the area,’ she says. The housing stock, made up of Federal-style and Victorian brick terrace houses dating from the 1850s, is protected, making them some of the best preserved historic homes in the US.
Nina’s remarkable appetite for designing for older properties is the subject of her new book, Timeless by Design, published by Rizzoli. Her love of all things British can especially be seen in the interior design of her friends’ Federal-style brownstone home, also located in Beacon Hill and featured here. ‘There’s something about a certain British way of living that somehow manages to feel formal, friendly and familiar all at the same time. There’s an exciting boldness to the way interiors are being designed in the UK. Colours are deeper and richer and more prints are used. Contrasting textures are highlighted and designers show a willingness to layer in the most sophisticated way. There’s also a healthy dose of playfulness and whimsy that ensure any florals and chintze
