The Cambridge TV House: Updating a Classic Queen Anne

The result is a house with a ship-like efficiency that requires relatively little furniture. The children's bedrooms need no dressers; a desk area in the kitchen is concealed behind tall doors. "This is definitely a streamlined house," says interior designer Dee Elms, who, with her colleague Andrew Terrat, guided choices in fabrics, furniture, and color scheme.

Shown: A window seat in a child's bedroom is stacked over the one in the dining room; here, it doubles as a sleepover berth. Simple trim around the replacement windows reflects the house's new aesthetic.