Hopedene
Originally designed and built in 1889 by Peabody & Sterns Architects, Hopedene sits near the north end of Newport’s Cliff Walk overlooking Rhode Island Sound. The Georgian Revival house was enlarged and renovated in 1913 by Ogden Codman. Unfortunately, some of Codman’s most interesting rooms, included an ornate dining room, were lost during subsequent renovations. DBVW Architects worked with the new owners to bring these spaces back to their original splendor.
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Martha is a nationally-recognized expert in the field of historic preservation. She has directed multiple phases of important preservation projects at some of the region’s most treasured landmark buildings. As an advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Martha served on a national Sustainability Task Force focused on strengthening the important relationship between sustainability and historic preservation. Martha serves on the boards of GrowSmart RI and the Historic Preservation Education Foundation. She is a Governor-appointed member of the Capital Center Commission, a member of the RIHPHC review board, and a past-President of AIA/Rhode Island. When Martha is not climbing up steeples or through abandoned buildings, she can be found playing tennis or kayaking on the Narragansett Bay.
Interesting fact:
Martha has dual citizenship in the United States and Switzerland
You may or may not be surprised that:
She is a two-time winner of the Women’s Statewide Squash Championship
Using Codman’s original architectural drawings, as well as a single historic photograph, DBVW Architects recreated the historic dining room in meticulous detail.
Ornate plaster moldings and ornament were recreated, original windows and doors were restored, and a painting matching the one that was represented in Codman’s original sketches was installed.
DBVW also designed a re-creation of the historic kitchen and cook's pantry that were removed many years ago. While concessions were made to accommodate today's functional requirements, the cabinetry, soapstone counters, cook's table, shelving and pot rack are all based on historic precedents from Newport.