Next to this put-your-feet-up space is the surprise of the dining room (originally the living room), which has been turned into a sophisticated version of a keeping room, clearly the focal point of the house. Though its main function is dining, elements combine unexpectedly to make it an irresistible destination, a room that's purely magnetic, where old pieces mingle with new. An 18th-century wing chair, its former tattered Fortuny covering now recycled into trim for toss pillows, is restored and reupholstered in white-on-white crewel fabric edged with bright brass tacks. Sculptural and elegant in its position near the windows, the wing chair moves easily, if needed, to head-of-the table position.  read more >