Sherman is the owner of Mama Bird,
an eco-friendly baby and lifestyle store
and studio in Wakefield. Having a home
that reflected her lifestyle was essential. It had to be family-friendly (read:
one level), spacious enough for their
expanding troop, environmentally clean,
outfitted with built-ins and it had to be
in harmony with the rustic New England landscape. “Once we made the
decision to rebuild, we knew what we
wanted. We were very, very, very particular,” she says, even down to the exact
positioning of the house on the property.
“I remember sitting in meeting after
meeting after meeting just tweaking it
a tiny little eighth of an inch to the left,
just to make sure the house sat naturally
on the property and we got the best of
every single view. Meridian was very
patient with us.”
The finished product was worth it.
High ceilings and ample windows flood
the sprawling kitchen with natural light.
Between the built-in breakfast nook,
island stools and an extended farmhouse dining table, seating in the kitchen
is never a problem. VOC-free paint was
used throughout the house, as was zerotoxic floor varnish. “We did everything
we could to incorporate as few chemi-
cals as possible,” Sherman says.
Meridian custom home consultant
Sue Andrade helped with the selection
of tile and hardware finishes: subway tile
in the kitchen, Bianco Carrera marble
in the bathrooms and polished nickel
all around. The hardwood flooring is