(Above) Beneath a cupola that provides natural light in the
master suite is a structured wood ‘canopy’ which features
abstracted acorn end points. (Left) A more Gothic Revival feel
is evidenced in the curved hallway that spans from the master
suite to the top level of the bunkroom.
The mahogany-lined first floor study, which feels like a cozy
captain’s cabin, is a great example of how the DaSilvas gave their
clients the yacht-themed design they sought while also deriving
inspiration from one of their most admired architects, Sir Edwin
Lutyens. “Lutyens designed many archways and war monuments
in early twentieth century Great Britain in which he created false
perspectives with arched horizontal joints and slightly canted
vertical lines,” says John.
DaSilva explains how, since the height restrictions limited
their ability to build up, they instead conceived of a clever
wall design in which each progressive band of horizontal wood
paneling diminishes in height by a quarter of an inch from floor
to ceiling, making the room seem taller than it really is. “It fools
the eye,” he says. “Fortunately we had a client who got excited
about this kind of thing.”
While the DaSilvas used every square inch available to
them to provide functional living space, there was still plenty
of room for their imaginations to flourish. One entire wing
of the home is a two-level “bunk room” which overflows with
AT HOME ON CAPE COD 28 • SPRING/SUMMER 2020