FEATURES

(Page 2 of 2)

After determining a budget and hiring a contractor to help flesh out her vision, she quickly moved in and began a whirlwind two—month renovation. First, the floors were stripped, which revealed splatters of green paint--remnants of an old, sloppy paint job Zises liked so much she had the stains sealed in. Glass doors were installed to open up the exterior wall of the kitchen/dining area, which remained relatively untouched. (The original caloric stove still worked well and the generic 1960s cabinets had a vintage feel that Zises admired.) On the opposite end of the house, Zises added an enclosed sun porch, which is linked to the living room by arching French doors that echo the curves of the spiral staircase. Directly above it and off the upstairs studio--formerly one of the three small bedrooms--a new deck features an outdoor staircase that facilitates moving large furniture and paintings.

Furnishing the house, which is a quarter of the size of her previous home, required Zises to purge the collection of antiques and midcentury pieces she had collected over the past 30 years. Keeping her favorites, she sold some to local antique dealers and parted with the rest by holding a tag sale. "It was freeing to say goodbye to so much," she says. "I've never had to be quite so efficient." Her well—curated selections are now arranged in artful vignettes throughout the home. On the first floor, a French antique marble—topped table sits under a two—tiered iron and crystal chandelier--both improbably complementing a Mies Barcelona chaise. Nearby, a sofa once completely upholstered in a needlepoint fabric now boasts a burlap—and—horsehair seatback with cushions upholstered in gold velvet. "I was using fewer things so each piece needed to stand on its own merits," Zises says.