Hebron Haven

The living room features a stone fireplace, nickel gap walls and a row of windows offering panoramic lake views.

When Tracy and Chris Tilson built their house in Hebron three years ago, their focus was as much on the lake it overlooks as on the house.

“It’s a departure from your classic lakefront house,” says Tim Long, owner and president of Meridian. “In many ways, the interior really feels like you’re walking into a resort or spa. It’s breathtaking.”

The walnut “Ot-Su” bar, which is “To Us” spelled backwards, is a tribute to the homeowner’s parents and serves as a prime gathering spot.

That’s why blue is a central theme, from the kitchen island and pantry cabinets to the outline in the pantry tray ceiling, all meant to reflect Newfound Lake. All the other colors throughout the home are mostly neutral, while the furniture, molding and finishes are understated. And the back of the house is a series of windows, providing views of the lake from virtually every room.

“I didn’t want anything to take away from the lake,” Tilson says. “When you walk into the home, that’s what you see. It feels like everything is there to support that view.”

That sensation of lakeside living is apparent from the moment one walks through the front door of the three-bedroom, 6,500-square-foot home and into the living room, which features a stone fireplace with exposed beams running across a tray ceiling, nickel gap walls and a row of windows offering panoramic views.

The living room flows into the kitchen, where there is another wall of windows, and the kitchen leads into a pantry. Tilson is a stickler for storage, so the pantry was designed to house appliances that would normally take up space on the kitchen countertops. “I didn’t want anything in the kitchen, like a toaster, on the counter,” she says.

The blue kitchen island reflects the lake, while the remaining colors are neutral, and the molding and finishes are understated.

Thus, there are multiple shelves and drawers in the pantry and kitchen island to help accomplish her goal. “We do a lot of entertaining, so it’s nice to have space for everything,” Tilson says. “You can never have enough storage.”

Off the kitchen is the dining room and a round table that seats up to 10. It was locally built by Pompanoosuc Mills, as was most of the furniture in the home. “The round table changes the dynamic of every dinner party, because everyone gets into the conversation. The room is fun and lively,” Tilson says.

The centerpiece of the main living area is a walnut bar that is off the kitchen. Tracy calls it the “Ot-Su” bar, which is “To Us” spelled backward and serves as an homage to her parents. “My parents used to toast each other with that saying, so we wanted this to be a tribute to my mom and dad.”

The bar has seating for four, with floor-to-ceiling walnut shelves, a wall of porcelain tile holding bottles and glasses, and a wide plank hickory floor. There are four deep-cushioned leather chairs and a couch in front of the bar, offering yet more eye-popping views of the lake. “People gather in there and have a great time. It’s a very special place,” says Molly Whitcomb, of Scolly Design in Holderness, who was the designer on the project.

“I wanted a design that is classic and timeless, right down to the furniture and finishes. Our theme was ‘polished casual.’”

Interior designer Molly Whitcomb, left, with homeowner Tracy Tilson.

The views to the lake come into play again in the seasonal covered deck that sits off the bar, which has a dining table that seats six and two Adirondack chairs. A second great space for enjoying the outdoors is directly below, where there is a stone patio, with a hot tub and more seating, and stone stairs leading to a dock on the lake.

The focal point of the second-floor primary bedroom is the gas fireplace, which includes a television, and is framed in floor-to-ceiling white Carrara marble. The primary bath features a contemporary Claw tub and dual vanity, with ample drawers for storage. As with most of the house, the colors are muted; the walls are soft gray and the cabinetry is white. “Tracy and Chris wanted everything to be a clean plate,” Whitcomb says.

Tracy, who owns a public relations firm based in Florida, says her office, which is off the primary bedroom, is one of her favorite spaces in the house. With a desk, bookcase and credenza all made of walnut, she says there is the sense of being “in a treehouse, and there’s nothing between me and the lake.”

“I didn’t want anything to take away from the lake. When you walk into the home, that’s what you see. It feels like everything is there to support that view.”

Finally, there is a finished basement that offers entertainment, exercise and relaxation. The entertainment area includes a widescreen TV with surround sound, a mini-bar and couches for watching movies. There is also a workout room with various gym equipment, and a full spa with a sauna and steam shower. The spa floor is a striking inlaid parquet-style porcelain tile.

An outdoor first-floor patio, a second-floor deck and walls of windows make sure the lake remains the central focus.

The exterior of the property has not been forgotten. Perennial gardens, planted by Emma’s Perennials, of Hill, surround the home, providing endless bursts of color in spring, summer and fall. “There is a shadow garden on one side and this amazing perennial garden in the back facing the lake,” Tracy says. “It’s gorgeous.”

Whitcomb calls the final design of the house “transitional,” adding, “Some of the moldings are very reminiscent of shingle-style houses, but then the clean simplicity of the furniture is modern.”

Says Tilson, “I wanted to keep everything simple, nothing too elaborate. I wanted a design that is classic and timeless, right down to the furniture and finishes. Our theme was ‘polished casual.’ I’m thrilled with how it came out.”

PROJECT TEAM
BUILDER: AWS Building Services • 603-236-2136
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Molly Whitcomb • 603-496-1546