Creating a practical and serene breakfast nook in West Newton

Creamy neutrals provide the backdrop for a family of five to build on.

This West Newton breakfast nook is flooded with sunlight.Joseph Keller

Christine Tuttle’s clients were still adding finishing touches to their Wellesley home when they decided to move to West Newton. “They were expecting their third child, and needed a home office because of the pandemic,” Tuttle says. “When they spotted this house a couple of blocks from where the husband grew up, they relocated in a whirlwind.” Since Tuttle had worked with the couple on and off for six years, they were able to make decisions quickly. “I showed them a few samples and within 15 minutes, we were done,” she says. “They wanted a combination of creamy neutrals.”

1 The Maine Cottage chairs are the same style as the couple’s existing counter stools. “The painted finish is very durable and the pale gray works with the stone in the kitchen,” Tuttle says.

2 The couple had ordered the Pompanoosuc Mills dining table for their prior home, though it didn’t arrive until after the move. “The size is perfect and the finish coordinates with the banquette’s mahogany top,” Tuttle says.

3 Tuttle chose Farrow & Ball Wevet for the walls and Benjamin Moore Simply White for the millwork. “The room gets a lot of sun so we needed whites with depth and warmth,” she says.

4 LDa Architecture & Interiors worked with the developer on the renovation. “They added the shiplap cladding to the ceiling,” Tuttle says. “It provides a layer of visual interest.”

5 The pendant light by Hubbardton Forge with linen drum shade and hand-forged steel bars is clean and simple. “The clients love this Vermont-based brand,” the designer says.

6 The automated roman shades made from a woven stripe fabric are trimmed with a hand-blocked pink and orange tape from Schumacher. “They didn’t want a heavy pattern for the shade itself, but loved this pretty detail,” Tuttle says.