The CEO of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles’ parent company calls for a transformation of his historic home in Newburyport, Massachusetts

In the dining room, designer Katie Goodrich decided to repurpose homeowner Adam Japko’s furniture. The antique table offered a farmhouse feel to the dining room which is complemented by the end chairs reupholstered in Susan Connor fabric. “Adam has good taste and is very well traveled, so he had not only a lot of great art we could use but also furniture,” says Goodrich.

In the kitchen, the aged unlacquered brass hardware and fixtures reinforce the traditional style, and sleek café-au-lait-colored shaker cabinets are a neutral backdrop for pops of color. The brass pendant lights are from Currey & Company.

In the kitchen, the aged unlacquered brass hardware and fixtures reinforce the traditional style, and sleek café-au-lait-colored shaker cabinets are a neutral backdrop for pops of color. The brass pendant lights are from Currey & Company.

The Cumar marble’s curvature and color adds a modern twist to the kitchen with its green-and-purple veining.

In the entry, Tuscan Landscape Mural wallpaper by Milton & King and a Currey & Company semi flush mount fixture walk the line of time-honored styles. “With that wallpaper, you can see there is that tradition and feel to it in ways of the pattern, but the color is moody and modern,” says Goodrich.

The fireplace serves as the anchor of the sitting room, but its structure was previously hidden. Although there is real brick underneath, the fireplace is lined with brick tile because once uncovered, the original brick was in poor condition. Patterned sitting chairs from Universal Furniture provide extra seating for guests while livening the area.

A unique space because of its proportions, the sitting room is elevated by a Pottery Barn sectional and an antique coffee table, creating an intimate corner nook.

The home’s original layout included a hideaway closet where the bar is now. “When I crawled into that space under the stairs, it had a historical wallpaper from probably the 1800s that I tried to get framed for Adam, but unfortunately, it crumbled in our hands. I wanted to bring something old with something new,” says Goodrich. Resorting to scrolling through Japko’s Instagram for alternative ideas, Goodrich discovered a throwback photo of Adam and his friends to display instead.

The color story continues in the living room where a purple couch from Amber Interiors and swivel chairs from McGee & Co. are situated around a casual coffee table.

Japko’s wife’s office feels cozy with extra space for visitors to spend the night on a dreamy daybed. The lounge chair is from Norwalk Furniture.

A relaxed coastal style continues at the desk where shells and hues of soft pink dot the space.

The upstairs layout was previously awkward and cramped, so the team removed tight corners opening up the space as seen in the upstairs landing.

The primary bedroom is a serene sanctuary with a Universal Furniture bed, Pottery Barn nightstands, and a lamp from Currey & Company.

The yacht-inspired vanity in the primary bathroom was designed by Ivory & Bone Interiors and constructed by HDC Millwork. It’s paired with a ratan mirror bringing a nautical theme to the room.

In the office, a textured chair adds intrigue, while cabinetry painted in Teron Farrow & Ball ties in the Japkos’ love of the outdoors.

Built by HDC Millwork, the mudroom cabinetry is painted in Farrow & Ball Sulking Pink and features rope handles. Continuing the impressive use of artwork throughout, masks from Japko’s personal collection adorn the walls.

Seeking a Massachusetts vacation home to accommodate his growing family and love of entertaining, CEO of Esteem Media, Adam Japko, was captured by a humble, historic abode just minutes from downtown Newburyport. While he appreciated the old-world charm of the neighborhood and easy river access for boating, the 19th century home felt closed off and overdue for a loving update.

Accepting a project from an industry veteran overseeing multiple design publications—including Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles—would surely pose an intimidating task to anyone, but Newburyport-based designer Katie Goodrich of Ivory & Bone Interiors was up for the challenge. After a referral from her husband (who serendipitously sold Japko the home), the pair immediately hit it off, joining forces with builder Teddy Horwath of HDC Millwork in North Hampton, New Hampshire and Portside Fine Carpentry in Newburyport with his business partner Alex Davis. “I was excited for the opportunity to strip down the existing home for what it was and make it Adam and Liz’s own,” says Horwath.

With a focus on preserving the character of the home, a new set of mahogany doors are the only outside indication of the transformation that lies within. Bronze hardware and dashes of color throughout strike a timeless balance. “We wanted to have those traditional themes to honor the nature of the home, but also bring in a vibrancy,” says Goodrich.

The entry sets a colorful tone with its unexpected blue wallpaper depicting a serene nature scene, accompanied by earth-toned vases. The marble backsplash and purple-and-green island in the kitchen continue the narrative. “Adam likes to take risks and wants to be on the cusp of innovation and modernization, but it’s a historic home, so we kept the cabinet color and gave a fun pop with the marble, and then added a porcelain sink to elevate the look,” says Goodrich.

Coastal rattan bar stools in the kitchen plus a wicker pendant and dining room chairs are an ode to Japko’s love for the ocean, and further nautical nods can be found all around. Upstairs, the primary bathroom boasts a mahogany vanity inspired by the interiors of a Hinckley Picnic Boat with a high-gloss marine-grade finish. Striped lines of green and white tile decorate the floor and continue into the shower offering a coastal feel.

To honor Japko’s other love, entertaining, the team knew the home’s largest hurdle would be its cramped layout. Although awkward walls and sharp turns upstairs were removed to give extra square footage to the bedroom, it was the first level that underwent the most dramatic changes. “Given that the home is smaller in size, we really wanted to open it up so guests could be in multiple rooms and still interact with one another,” says Goodrich.

After removing two walls—one of which divided the stairs and the living room—the exposed fireplace now serves as the single pillar to hold up the ceiling and open up the space. To make the long room feel intentional, an L-shaped sectional perfectly fits into a natural nook, creating a cozy sitting corner. Nearby, a hideaway closet under the stairs was transformed into a dry bar complete with colorful cabinetry, the same marble from the kitchen, aged brass, and a cheeky framed photo of Japko from his younger years. “We wanted everything to feel personal and unique,” says Goodrich. “So when his guests come in, they can really see Adam in the work.”

Further endeavors to maximize the home’s use of space include the addition of a Murphy bed in Japko’s office for his sons to use when they come to stay with their families. Says Horwath, “I know this will be a gathering place for Adam’s friends and family to create memories, and I hope as much love gets created in the home as we put into it.”