Listed: Designer Susan Zises Green made magic inside two historic Nantucket homes
Each can be purchased solo, but for those seeking a multi-generational property, the homes are separated by a garden.
There are many ways to experience Nantucket. For those who prefer their island fairy tale steeped in history, consider 1 Twin St. and 2 Farmer St., back-to-back residences on 0.31 acres in the historic district.
Each can be purchased solo, but for those seeking a multi-generational property, the approximately 200- and 220-year-old homes, which are separated by a garden just 22 steppingstones apart, work exquisitely together.
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That’s how the current owner, Manhattan-based interior designer Susan Zises Green, has been using them for the past 25 or so years. The interiors, which have been widely published, along with her other work, are a love story to her trade, her family, and the island itself.
Twin Street is designed for families. The expansive living room’s trio of French doors leads to a covered porch and a grassy yard large enough to kick around a soccer ball. The dining room accesses another porch and garden, while an office provides privacy. The lower level boasts a playroom and a craft room for rainy days.
The eat-in kitchen is up-to-date and full of soul. The airy space with shiplap walls and vaulted ceilings retains the character of the barn it once was. It’s meant for cooking and feeding family and friends. The 12-foot center island is topped with reclaimed wood, and an enormous pantry makes entertaining easy.
The residence has 20 rooms total, with seven bedrooms. The sun porch attached to the primary suite is perfect for watching sunsets. A sitting room on the third floor accesses the widow’s walk. The property also includes a guest cottage.
Farmer Street’s 15 rooms feel a bit more historic and grown-up. When she first purchased the property, Zises commissioned a shell-encrusted mural for the dining room that highlights the names of all the homes’ previous owners, including her own.
The breakfast room adjacent to the crisp-white kitchen boasts a fireplace (one of four in the house) with a simple wood mantelpiece and Delft-style tiles. The room is both cozy and sunny. French doors open onto a dining terrace and a path to the Twin Street residence beyond.
A sculptural, curved stair leads to three second-floor bedrooms, two with hand-stenciled stripes. The light-filled primary suite, done in a dreamy Tiffany blue glaze, has sloped ceilings and a balcony overlooking a garden. There is a fourth bedroom and bath on the lower level, as well as a TV lounge.
These houses are tucked within Nantucket’s historic neighborhood, about a 10-minute walk to the heart of downtown and the water. In addition to the lawn and porches, there are quiet terraces for contemplation and an abundance of hydrangeas.
Brent Tartamella of Fisher Real Estate listed the properties — $10.9 million for 1 Twin St. and $5.3 million for 2 Farmer St. — on Aug. 5.
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